Internet Search Engines
Subject : Information Technology (IT)
Class :Primary 5
Term :Second Term
Week :Week 2
Topic : Internet Search Engines
Behavioural Objectives : By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to
- Define search engines
- Give examples of Internet Search Engines
- Say the benefits of using Internet search engines
- Say the dangers that are inherent in the use of Internet Search engines
- Use the Internet search engines objectively as tools for learning and not toy
Content
What is a search engine
An internet search engine is a tool that helps you find information on the internet. Think of it like a librarian for the internet. Just like a librarian helps you find a book in a library, a search engine helps you find websites, pictures, videos and other information on the internet. You can type in a word or phrase, called a “keyword,” and the search engine will show you a list of websites that are related to that keyword. The most popular search engine is Google.
Examples of search queries on the Internet
There are many different types of internet search queries , but some of the most commonly searched for on the Internet include:
- General search engines: These are the most popular types of search engines, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo. They are great for finding websites and information on a wide range of topics.
- Image search engines: These search engines, such as Google Images, allow you to search for pictures and images on the internet.
- Video search engines: These search engines, such as YouTube, allow you to search for videos on the internet.
- News search engines: These search engines, such as Google News, allow you to search for news articles and stories on the internet.
- Shopping search engines: These search engines, such as Amazon, allow you to search for products to buy on the internet.
- Social media search engines: These search engines, such as Twitter, allow you to search for updates, posts and profiles on social media platform.
Most popular Internet search engines
- Google: Google is the most widely used search engine in the world. It allows users to search for websites, images, videos, news, and more. It uses a complex algorithm to rank websites based on their relevance and popularity. Google also offers other services such as Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Drive.
- Bing: Bing is a search engine developed by Microsoft. It is the second most popular search engine after Google. It provides similar services as Google, including web search, image search, video search, news search, and more. It also offers some unique features such as instant answers, related searches, and a visual search option.
- Yahoo: Yahoo is another popular search engine that offers a variety of services including web search, image search, video search, news search, and more. It is also known for its email service, Yahoo Mail, and its news and entertainment content.
- Baidu: Baidu is a Chinese search engine that is particularly popular in China and among Chinese-speaking users around the world. It is known for its accurate and relevant search results in Chinese languages.
- Yandex: Yandex is a Russian search engine that is particularly popular in Russia and among Russian-speaking users around the world. It is known for its accurate and relevant search results in Russian languages.
- Ask: Ask is a search engine that focuses on providing answers to users’ questions. It uses a combination of human editors and automated algorithms to generate answers.
- DuckDuckGo: DuckDuckGo is a search engine that emphasizes privacy and does not track its users. It uses a combination of its own index and results from other search engines to generate results.
- Naver: Naver is a South Korean search engine that is particularly popular in South Korea and among South Korean-speaking users around the world. It is known for its accurate and relevant search results in Korean languages.
Benefits of Using The Internet Search Engines
- Convenience: Internet search engines allow users to quickly and easily find information on a wide range of topics without having to know the specific location of the information.
- Speed: Search engines use advanced algorithms to quickly search through billions of web pages and return relevant results in a matter of seconds.
- Relevance: Search engines use complex algorithms to rank results based on relevance, making it easier for users to find the most useful and accurate information.
- Variety: Search engines provide access to a vast range of information, including text, images, videos, and more.
- Personalization: Many search engines allow users to personalize their search results based on their search history, location, and other factors.
- Multilingual support: Many search engines support multiple languages and can return results in different languages.
- Accessibility: Search engines can be accessed from any device with internet access, making it easy for users to find information on the go.
- Cost-effective: Search engines are typically free to use, making it an affordable option for individuals and businesses to find information.
- Efficient: Search engines make it easy to search for specific information, saving time and effort compared to manually browsing websites.
- Discovering new content: Search engines can help users to discover new content and websites that they may not have found otherwise.
The dangers that are inherent in the use of Internet Search engines
- Privacy concerns: Search engines collect and store a large amount of personal information about users, including their search history and location data. This information can be used to track users’ online activities and target them with personalized advertising.
- Misinformation: Not all information on the internet is accurate, and search engines may return results that are misleading, biased, or outright false.
- Cybercrime: Search engines can be used by cybercriminals to spread malware, phishing scams, and other forms of malicious software.
- Addiction: Constant access to information and the ability to find answers to any question at any time can lead to an addiction to using the internet and checking search results.
- Distraction: Search engines can be a major distraction and can lead to procrastination, as well as interrupting work or other activities.
- Filter Bubble: Search engines can create a filter bubble, where users only see information that confirms their existing beliefs and opinions, and miss out on alternative perspectives and diverse ideas.
- Censorship: Search engines may be subject to government censorship in certain countries, which can limit the information that users can access.
- Dependence: Search engines can create a dependency on them, making it difficult for users to navigate the internet or find information without them.
- Cyberbullying: Search engines can be used by cyberbullies to harass, threaten, or publicly shame their victims.
- Invasion of privacy: Search engines can be used to stalk or track individuals, invading their privacy and potentially putting them in danger
Evaluation
- Which of the following is the most popular search engine in the world? a) Bing b) Google c) Yandex d) Baidu
- Which search engine is developed by Microsoft? a) Google b) Bing c) Yandex d) DuckDuckGo
- Which search engine is particularly popular in China and among Chinese-speaking users around the world? a) Baidu b) Google c) Yandex d) Yahoo!
- Which search engine emphasizes privacy and does not track its users? a) Bing b) DuckDuckGo c) Naver d) Yandex
- Which search engine focuses on providing answers to users’ questions? a) Ask b) Bing c) Naver d) DuckDuckGo
- Which search engine is particularly popular in Russia and among Russian-speaking users around the world? a) Bing b) Yandex c) Baidu d) Naver
- Which search engine is particularly popular in South Korea and among South Korean-speaking users around the world? a) Naver b) Yahoo! c) Bing d) Google
- Which search engine is known for its email service and its news and entertainment content? a) Bing b) Yahoo! c) Naver d) Google
- Which search engine offers a variety of services such as web search, image search, video search, and news search? a) Bing b) Yahoo! c) Naver d) All of the above
- Which search engine uses a combination of human editors and automated algorithms to generate answers? a) Bing b) Ask c) Yandex d) DuckDuckGo
- What is one of the major dangers of using internet search engines? a) Addiction b) Privacy concerns c) Misinformation d) Cybercrime
- Which of the following is not a benefit of using internet search engines? a) Convenience b) Misinformation c) Speed d) Cybercrime
- How do search engines use the personal information they collect about users? a) To improve search results b) To track users’ online activities c) To make search engines faster d) To provide more accurate information
- What is one way search engines can create a filter bubble? a) Showing users only information that confirms their existing beliefs b) Showing users only information from a single source c) Showing users only information that is at least a year old d) Showing users only information in a specific language
- What is one potential outcome of procrastination caused by using search engines? a) Improved time management skills b) Increased productivity c) Reduced stress levels d) Lower grades
- In which of the following countries is internet censorship most likely to limit the information that users can access through search engines? a) United States b) United Kingdom c) China d) Canada
- What is one way search engines can be used to stalk or track individuals, invading their privacy? a) Searching for their name b) Searching for their location c) Searching for their phone number d) All of the above
- Which of the following is not a benefit of using internet search engines? a) Access to a vast range of information b) Personalization c) Cost-effective d) Increased risk of cyberbull
- What is one potential downside of search engines’ multilingual support? a) Limited access to information b) Misinterpretation of results c) Difficulty navigating unfamiliar languages d) Increased risk of cybercrime
- How can search engines be used to spread malware and phishing scams? a) By returning results that lead to infected websites b) By sending users unsolicited emails c) By tracking users’ online activities d) By personalizing search results
- How can search engines lead to an addiction to using the internet? a) By providing instant access to information b) By making it easy to find answers to any question c) By increasing the speed of internet connection d) By providing personalized search results
- Why do search engines collect and store personal information about users? a) To improve search results b) To target users with personalized advertising c) To protect users’ privacy d) To provide users with more accurate information
- What is one way search engines can help users discover new content and websites? a) By showing the most popular results first b) By showing results only from a specific website c) By personalizing results based on users’ search history d) By showing results from lesser-known websites
- How can search engines make it difficult for users to navigate the internet or find information without them? a) By providing instant access to information b) By making it easy to find answers to any question c) By becoming a user’s primary source of information d) By tracking users’ online activities
- What is one potential consequence of being constantly connected to the internet and using search engines? a) Increased productivity b) Improved memory retention c) Reduced stress levels d) Constant distraction
- How can search engines contribute to procrastination? a) By providing instant access to information b) By making it easy to find answers to any question c) By allowing users to avoid doing their work or other activities d) By providing personalized search results
- How can search engines be used to publicly shame or harass someone? a) By returning results that lead to personal information b) By tracking users’ online activities c) By sending users unsolicited emails d) By personalizing search results
- How can search engines put individuals in danger? a) By returning results that lead to infected websites b) By stalking or tracking individuals c) By spreading malware and phishing scams d) By providing users with inaccurate information
- How can search engines help to improve the accuracy of information? a) By returning results from a single source b) By showing users only information that confirms their existing beliefs c) By using advanced algorithms to rank results based on relevance d) By providing users with only information that is at least a year
- The most widely used search engine in the world is _____.
- _____ is a search engine developed by Microsoft.
- _____ is a Chinese search engine that is particularly popular in China and among Chinese-speaking users around the world.
- _____ is a search engine that emphasizes privacy and does not track its users.
- _____ is a search engine that focuses on providing answers to users’ questions.
- _____ is a Russian search engine that is particularly popular in Russia and among Russian-speaking users around the world.
- _____ is a South Korean search engine that is particularly popular in South Korea and among South Korean-speaking users around the world.
- _____ is a search engine that is known for its email service, Yahoo Mail, and its news and entertainment content.
- _____ is a search engine that uses a combination of its own index and results from other search engines to generate results.
- _____ is a search engine that is particularly popular among the Chinese, Korean, and Russian-speaking users around the world
Lesson Presentation
Introduction (5 minutes):
- Begin the lesson by asking students if they know what a search engine is and how it works.
- Provide a brief explanation of what a search engine is and how it helps users find information on the internet.
Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
- Show a slide presentation or a video that provides an overview of the most popular types of search engines, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
- Highlight the unique features of each search engine and how they differ from one another.
- Provide examples of how each search engine can be used to find different types of information.
Guided Practice (15 minutes):
- Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a different search engine to research.
- Provide each group with a list of specific search terms and tasks to complete using their assigned search engine.
- Allow students to work together to complete their research and share their findings with the class.
Independent Practice (15 minutes):
- Provide each student with a handout that contains a series of review questions about search engines.
- Allow students to work independently to answer the questions and complete the handout.
Closure (5 minutes):
- Ask students to share one thing they learned about search engines during the lesson.
- Review the objectives of the lesson and ask students if they feel they have met them.
Assessment:
- Observe students during the independent practice activity and provide feedback on their responses to the review questions.
- Collect and grade the completed handouts.
