Best Search Engines

General Search Engines

- Google This site is simple, but links to millions of web pages. There are tabs provided to search for images (very useful!), maps, news, groups, and other topics. http://www.google.com

- Yahoo! Another simply arranged site, like Google links to millions of pages. Just like Google, there are tabs provided for specific types of web pages. I like this site because it also contains current information on its homepage: weather, news, phonebook, etc. http://www.yahoo.com

Kid Safe Search Engines

- Yahooligans This site is great because it provides links to just about any topic out there, but links only to kid friendly sites. Even topics of “risky” subject matter only result in age appropriate sites. http://www.yahooligans.com

- Kid’sClick! This site is very simple in form, but contains information relevant to subject matter. There are subject headings that you can click into that bring up subheadings of topics with available web sites, students can search according to subject’s first letter, or search by typing. Very user friendly and appropriate for primary students to use (where spelling isn’t needed!). Although each search brings up a few sites, the sites provided are detailed and user friendly. http://www.kidsclick.org/

Government Search Engines

- SearchGov This site allows for searches on any topic and results only in web pages dedicated to a government aspect or involvement in that topic. The site also has links set up to search local governments, executive agencies, independent agencies, as well as all major branches and houses of the government. http://www.searchgov.com

- FirstGov This government sponsored site is very focused and provides links to information on government issues, customer-based questions on operations within the government. Linked to millions of sites, this search engine connects to pages associated with the federal government, local governments and foreign governments. http://www.firstgov.gov/

News Search Engines

- MSN This site provides nationwide news, as well as local news by following a link to your state and major city. I liked that included within the one site, I can find information on the national government, on-goings in my town, as well as the weekend weather outlook. Also included in the local section are pages on job openings, housing availabilities, etc. – anything you would need from a newspaper, only online! http://www.cnn.com/

- CNN This site is designed in a way that is both functional and pleasing to the eye. It provides national, world, business, entertainment, and sports news, as well as weather forecasts by location. I liked that the home page was arranged in a way that displayed many pictures, as well as a list of late breaking “top” stories. http://www.cnn.com/

Shopping Search Engines

-Amazon On this site you can find anything from a textbook to a new pair of jeans, to a coffee order. I love the easy in navigating this site; you can search by item name/description or by category. Prices on this site are great too – comparable or less than retail stores. http://www.amazon.com

-Ebay I love this site. Although it is set up to be an online yardsale, you can find the most common, as well as the most uncommon items within these listings. You can find vacations, clothes, tickets – you name it, they’ve got it! http://www.ebay.com