There are several search tools that can help the K-12 community find educational information and resources on the Internet. Many of these resources exist to help K-12 educators locate materials for their classroom or curriculum. Like other search tools, all of the following educational search tools, although similar in their educational focus, vary in their look and way they work. Some of the educational materials available are standards-based whereas others are more focused on fun than learning. However, unlike more general search tools, the sites below are meant for the K-12 community. This provides a more focused and efficient search than using a general search tool. Also, because the sites below are focused on the education community, the sites although not specifically for students can be used by them.

Below are three topical search tools designed with the special needs and interests of educators in mind. Take some time to explore each of these educational search tools.

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators

Kathy Schrock is a former middle school media specialist from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators is hosted at DiscoverySchools, updated daily, carefully organized, and very complete; it is a gold mine for teachers. Kathy Schrock offers several ways to access information at her site. The first section, Subject Access, organizes resources by subject. The next section, Kathy's Picks, has an alphabetical listing and handy interactive Site Map. There is also a Teacher Helpers, Schrockguide Stuff, Search Tools and keyword search feature.

Blue Web'n

Another great topical search tool designed especially for educators is Blue Web’n. Blue Web'n is part of SBC Pacific Bell's Knowledge Network Explorer. There are over 1,200 Web sites available in Blue Web'n that can be searched by content area, grade level, and format (lessons, activities, projects, resources, references, & tools). Both a topical table and key word search is available.

MarcoPolo

MarcoPolo's slogan is "Internet content for the classroom" offering a search tool of standards-based resources from their partner sites: ArtsEdge, EconEdLink, EdSitement, Illuminations, ReadWriteThink, ScienceNetLinks, and Xpeditions. On their homepage, there is information regarding Teacher Resources, Professional Development, and the State Network. MarcoPolo began in 1997 and has grown its collection of standards-based, discipline-specific educational Web sites for K-12 teachers.

More Educational Sites

We recommend that when searching online for classroom resources, you start with Michigan Teacher Network, Kathy Schrock, Blue Web'n, or MarcoPolo instead of general search tools such as AltaVista, Yahoo, or Google. You will have fewer sites to sift through, and the sites will be more relevant to the needs of a teacher.

Finally, if you would like to have more sites to choose from, check out the Michigan Teacher Network's list of Education Clearinghouses.