Search engines

Understanding how search engines work and developing searching skills to find relevant and accurate information online.

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  1. Subjects >
  2. Computing >
  3. Key stage 2 >
  4. Year 5 >
  5. Computing systems and networks: Search engines

Unit outcomes

Pupils who are secure will be able to:

  • Explain what a search engine is, suggest several search engines to use and explain how to use them to find websites and information.
  • Suggest that things online are not always true and recognise what to check for.
  • Explain why keywords are important and what TASK stands for, using these strategies to search effectively.
  • Recognise the terms ‘copyright’ and ‘fair use’ and combine text and images in a poster.
  • Make parallels between book searching and internet searching, explaining the role of web crawlers and recognising that results are rated to decide rank.

Suggested prior learning

Google: Computing systems and networks: Collaborative learning

If your school does not have access to Google, there is also a Microsoft version of this unit.

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Lessons

Lesson 1: Searching basics

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Lesson 2: Inaccurate information

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Lesson 3: Web quest

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Lesson 4: Information poster

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Lesson 5: Web crawlers

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Key skills

  • Developing searching skills to
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Key knowledge

  • To know:
  • How search engines
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Key vocabulary

algorithm

copyright

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Related content

    Resources

Unit resources

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Computing

Knowledge organiser – Computing Y5: Search engines

Aimed at pupils, a single page which gives key facts and definitions from the unit "Computing systems and networks: Search…

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Computing

Vocabulary display – Computing Y5: Search engines

A display version of the key vocabulary from the Search engines unit.

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Subject resources

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Cross-curricular opportunities

RSE: Online Relationships – online shared data, online friendships and the risks of strangers.

English: Spoken Language – consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others.

Suggested next steps

ARCHIVED Year 6: Computing systems and networks: Bletchley Park

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