What are INSPIRE and Kids Search?
INSPIRE is Indiana's Virtual Library - a collection of databases made available at no cost to residents of the state and paid for by the Indiana General Assembly. Access to INSPIRE is available without password at public schools and public libraries. For use in other settings, users register for a free password through the INSPIRE web page at http://www.inspire.net.
Kids Search is a group of databases intended primarily for students in grades K-8. It provides access to full text magazine and newspaper articles, encyclopedia articles, images, and more from the following sources:
- Primary Search
- Newspaper Source
- Funk and Wagnall's New World Encyclopedia
- EBSCO Animals
- The American Heritage Children's Dictionary
- Image Collection
Also included under Teacher Resources are:
- ERIC
- Professional Development Collection
For details about each of these resources, visit Kids Search and click on Title Lists.
Kids Search is a product of EBSCO Publishing and is powered by EBSCOhost.
Why use Kids Search's Image Collection?
Students often need images such as photographs, drawings, or maps to illustrate research projects. Teachers may need images to provide examples or illustrations in a lesson.
Kids Search Image Collection is a convenient way to find high quality images without searching the Internet. There is no risk of students stumbling across inappropriate pictures. Since these are digital images, they are easy to import to programs like PowerPoint and will be clearer than an image scanned from a book.
Using the Image Collection should cut down of the time students spend searching for and copying images and allow them to concentrate on using the images to help express what they have learned.
The Image Collection could be used by students for any research project that includes a visual presentation component. Some topics that spring to mind include:
- Animals or biomes
- Native American studies
- Explorers
- Ancient civilizations
- Indiana history
- Slavery and the Underground Railroad
- Civil War projects
- Presidents
Key Features
The Image Collection contains over 100,000 images, including maps and flags. Searches are conducted by entering keywords or phrases into a simple text box. Results can be limited to certain categories, such as photos of people, maps, or flags, by checking the appropriate box. It is also possible to browse through the categories.
