Using Google Doodles to Teach Elementary Research Skills

When you launch Google some days you'll find their iconic rainbow-colored logo...

However, there are some days where Google treats it's users to a Google Doodle!

According to Google...

"Doodles are the fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists."

I use these Google Doodles to teach my 4th graders basic research skills.

When I open my Chromebook in the morning and see a Google Doodle, I use the logo to set-up our entry task for the morning. 

The entry task is simple:

• I go to Google Classrooms and add a question.  Typically I will say, "Check out today's Google Logo.  Who is the logo about?  Tell me 3 things you learned about that person.  Please remember to use your own words and write using grade-level writing skills."
• Then, as students enter the room, they log-in to their computers and work on the entry task.
• Once kiddos have finished the work, we will briefly discuss what they learned.

My kids love this activity and learn so much from it.  They learn to read for details, informational writing skills, and research skills.  Plus they learn about some amazing people that had an impact on our world!

I encourage you to give it a try and let me know how it goes!