What are "Serendipitous Searches?" Serendipitous Searches will send you down a path of surprising, sometimes accidental, but always useful discoveries where each twist in the journey is determined by you. You will link to NC WiseOwl and other search engines to conduct searches on strange or unusual topics related to what you’re studying in Social Studies, Science, and Healthful Living. Prepare to be amazed when you compare the number of hits from different types of searches that use the same or similar keywords.
This week’s Serendipitous Search involves several keywords related to a topic you study in Science–simple machines. But that’s not all you’ll see. You will uncover fascinating and sometimes creepy facts surrounding the building of pyramids. (Pssst…don’t be fooled by what might sound like a boring topic. Some of this stuff will knock your socks off!)
Giant Tombs built with simple machines? You’ve learned about the pyramids in Egypt and about simple machines, but have you heard about the most recent pyramid that’s been discovered?! It’s NOT in Egypt, believe it or not. Look for an article with the title, "New World Pyramids…" Hey, you’ll demand new history books after reading this!
Pyramids and board games? Somehow they don’t seem to go together, but they do have something in common. Find out what you can learn from pictures drawn on the walls of these giant tombs–if you think you can handle it!
|
#1 The Serendipitous Search Statement |
#2 Click on the link below, then PASTE the statement from #1 in the site's search box. |
||
|
pyramid AND Egypt AND building pyramid AND Egypt AND "board games" pyramid OR Egypt OR "board games" |
Grab a sheet of paper and record the number of "hits" for this search. |
||
"simple machine" AND "Leonardo da Vinci""Benjamin Franklin" OR "Benjamin Banneker" |
Type or paste the keyword search in Google’s search box. |
Grab a sheet of paper and record the number of "hits" for this search. |
|
|
Pyramids |
Use your school’s electronic catalog of the media center’s collection (OPAC) for searching on any of these topics or other related topics. Ask your Media/Technology Specialist to work with you if this is your first time using the OPAC. Try conducting a search on these words using the search capability in "How Stuff Works! |
Don’t automatically rush to the Internet for information. There are many times when books, software, CD-ROMs or human experts provide the best source of information. |
|
|
Do you have trouble finding letters on your keyboard? Do this instead -- Drag your cursor over the entire search statement to highlight it, then select COPY from the menu bar at the top of your window. |
|
Compare the number of "hits" and the different search strategies. What does this information tell you? |
|
Look over the hits from each search and explore the titles that grab your curiosity, then travel down grand information paths to explore new and interesting territory.
The lesson for every hitchhiker now traveling on the information highway: The best things in life happen not as planned, but by accident.
-Fast Company writer, Harriet Rubin