We are going to start trying to highlight a quick and easy tech tip each Tuesday here on the NC DEN blog. Today, let’s check out Google Custom Search.Have you ever asked your students to find information, but when they tried to “google it” they got bogged down in information? Have searched about Vikings ever led you to spend too much time explaining to your students that Leif Erickson was not a football player? If so, Google Custom Search is for you!With Google Custom Search, you have the power to help narrow your students’ searching to include the websites that are most relevant to your learning objectives. It doesn’t find the information for your students, rather it just lets you decide where they are looking.When you get to the Custom Search site, just name your search, give it a description and copy/paste the websites you feel are most relevant.When you are done adding your preferred sites and information, just click NEXT. Once you pick a color scheme, it will give you an embed code to add to your website.Now, you are almost done! Once, you paste it in, your students will be able to safely search your customized sites. Check out this one on biomes for 4-6 grade students. Just type in a biome related search term!
Pretty cool huh?! How could you use Google Custom Search in your classroom?