Tsunami Zone – Week 5

November 1 – 7

1) Finding material

Read about web searching at http://pages.uoregon.edu/dhealey/techtips/june2009.html This gives you different suggestions for better ways to search, such as using quotation marks around phrases, + and – signs, and other ideas.

For more ways to search, look at NoodleTools: Choosing the best search for your information needs at http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.htm 
Look for search engines that are designed toward kids (for children to use, and for teachers to find good sites for children). Next, look for academic sources and do a search for an academic topic there. What differences do you see?
Take a look at the difference between Google and Ask.com – what do you see?

Think about how you search the web now, and what search engine you use. Do you use quotation marks around phrases? Is Google always the best choice?

2) Fun site with good topics

For a fun site with many different topics, look at Breaking News English: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com

This uses current news but makes it easier to read, then adds a lot of activities and exercises. Search for a topic of interest (or just look at one of the current topics), then look at the lesson plan that it gives you. Could you use any of these exercises and ideas in your classes?

3) Nicenet discussions

a) How do you search the web? Can you use any of these techniques? What sites would you recommend to others?

b) What reading/listening did you find on Breaking News English? What would you recommend for others?

Discuss your ideas with your classmates on Nicenet in the Week 5 Discussion Forum.