Google Classroom: 10 Things to Know & Do

Yesterday was busy! I presented - virtually - at the TCCA Conference with my Google Innovator Coach, Dr. Desiree Alexander. It was amazing! What a great conference! Being in Ohio, this isn't a conference I've ever attended, but wow! It was great.

I presented two sessions - one about Classroom and one about Sheets. Today, I want to share my Google Classroom session. It goes right along with my intentional focus on Classroom since the beginning of the school year. My session was recorded and shared on YouTube, so feel free to watch below. The presentation slides are also linked below. Limiting myself to the "Top 10" things in Classroom wasn't easy, but I do believe if you have a strong understanding of these 10, you will be far more successful when you use Classroom.

Here are the slides for the presentation for this session. I'd love to hear your feedback!

Here is the link for the Google Classroom: Top 10 Things to Know and Do presentation. I'd love to hear comments below - or Tweet at me @kiefersj - or on Facebook - even via email sarah@techyoucando.com .

Next week, I'll be back to share my Google Sheets for the Classroom video and resource. Sheets is NOT just a spreadsheet ... there are soooo many ways you can use Sheets in the Classroom. I share a bunch of templates that are ready to go!

Google Slides & Forms You Can Do

My journey continues this week with Google Slides & Google Forms.

Google Slides is a presentation tool & Google Forms is a survey tool. But as with Sheets & Docs, don't limit them to their "face value" ... if you do, you will miss out on SOOOO much! 

Slides is probably my "go to" Google app for, well, pretty much ANYthing & EVERYthing I do. Slides allows for SUCH a wide variety of uses - presentations, for sure; but also, interactive activities, eBooks, photo albums, entire lesson plans, writing activities, research, and so much more! Be sure to check out the resources I share. If you are a teacher, you really need to check out and use Slides ... it won't disappoint!

Forms was honestly where I really fell in love with Google. It didn't look like much, but I never looked back once I created my 1st Form - and all I did was use it as a glorified scantron! Forms may not look like much but IT. IS. POWERFUL! Surveys, assessments, interactive activities, choose your own adventures, data collection, curation tool, and so much more! I literally had to walk away from my computer & give myself a pep talk, "You 'could' continue giving examples of ways to use Forms, but you have 10 already!"

And the best part ........... we aren't done. That's right! We are only half-way through this summer webinar series & you can still join in! 

I've got several things coming up this week:

• Monday, July 6 (1-3 pm EST): Google Drive You Can Do

• Tuesday, July 7 (9 pm): I will be participating in a Twitter chat about the book "Innovate Inside the Box" by George Couros & Katie Novak.

• Thursday, July 9 (1 pm EST): I will also be presenting for GEG Louisiana, "Working Together to Support Our Students"

• Friday, July 10 (6 pm): EdChange Global Conference: I'll present "Build an App for Your Classroom"

• Saturday, July 11 (8 am): EdChange Global Conference: I'll present "Start Google Classroom on the Right Foot"

And during the rest of July ... Classroom, Chrome, and as many other Google Apps as I can cram into the 2 hours! I have links to the registration for all of these on "My Presentations" calendar page linked above. Everything is FREE & I'd love to see you at any or all of them!

Now, on to my shares for this week ... below you will find the YouTube videos & the resources I use in each presentation.

Google Slides

Resource → https://tinyurl.com/SlidesYCD

Video →

Google Forms

Resource → https://tinyurl.com/FormsYCD

Video →

I hope you enjoy these! Please reach out if you have questions or if you'd like some additional help. I've been loving connecting with some of the viewers on Twitter and through email. Together, we are better.

You can comment below ... or Tweet at me @kiefersj ... or even email me at sarah@techyoucando.com .

Also, be sure to check out Desiree's many other helpful videos & tips on he YouTube Channel → Educator Alexander. 

Google Sheets & Docs You Can Do

I am on an epic learning adventure this summer! To make a long story short, I did a short appearance on the GEG Ohio meeting in April and now I've got quite a few virtual sessions lined up. I'm super excited! To check out what I will be presenting & the registration information, please check out the "My Presentations" page.

The first BIG learning adventure I am embarking on is what I want to share today. Together with my #NYC19 Google Innovator coach, Dr. Desiree Alexander, I will be doing an intro class for the Google Apps. Two have already happened, and if you weren't able to tune in, no worries! Desiree shares them on her YouTube Channel. I wanted to also share them here, too, along with the resources.

I do my best to make any presentation I do worthwhile, so I format it to make it a "play along". The first session was about Google Sheets and the second session was on Google Docs. Google Slides is coming up on Tuesday and Forms on Thursday. 

There's still time to join in! Check out the registration doc here, Tech You Can Do: An Intro to Google Apps. And if you can't make the day/time, I highly recommend you register anyway ... Desiree will send the recording out afterwards. 

Google Sheets You Can Do

Google Sheets can be intimidating, but they don't have to be. I even formatted my presentation IN a Google Sheet so you can see that it is far more than a spreadsheet. (It IS a pretty amazing spreadsheet, too.)

I have 2 versions of the resource:

1. This link is what it looked like prior to the recording. (If you want to "play along", make a copy of this one so you can do it authentically on your own.)

2. This link is the after version with all the changes made during the presentation. (Feel free to view/make a copy of what mine looked like afterwards.)

Here is the video:

Google Docs You Can Do

Google Docs is probably the first & easiest of the Google Apps to get going with. It is a word processor, but like ALL of the Google Apps, don't limit them to "only" being their basic format. Docs is much MORE than word processor, as we will see when we dig in.

Here is a link to Google Docs You Can Do. I shared two pretty powerful tools with Docs: one is voice typing. This is awesome for your students with specific learning needs, but ALSO for everyone - yourself included! Another powerful tools is "version history". PLEASE put this in your "teacher bag of tricks" and use it ... not just with your rascals, but also to help all when things gets deleted. It can be a huge help.

Here is the video:

I hope these two encourage you to look at Sheets & Docs in a different light. They are both incredible tools for you and your students. Do you need additional help? Do you have other questions? Feel free to reach out in the comments below ... or email me: sarah@techyoucando.com ... or reach out on Twitter - @kiefersj.

I hope to connect with you soon!

Google Training You Can Do

I'm very excited for this upcoming week! I will be working with a small group of staff in my district to further their Google knowledge. I'm doubly excited as this was their idea and anytime someone wants to learn, I'm pumped. The fact that it's Google they want to learn more about ... YEESSSS!!!

As I was planning out this introductory session, I exchanged a few emails with the person who requested the help. It dawned on me it might be helpful to have a reference Doc for them to start with since this group will have a range of familiarity with G Suite. BUT, they will all share the same goal. ↬ increase their comfort level with Google tools.

Are a person who helps train others? Are someone who also wants to learn more about G Suite? Are someone comfortable with Google, but looking to stretch yourself a little further? Are a teacher who needs (or is looking for) some professional development? I am sharing the Doc I created with you today so that you, too, can turn around and use it for yourself, or use it to support others.

Preview of Document I will be sharing

The group I will be working with had initially asked for suggestions for classes or workshops to attend to expand their learning of Google. I suggested before going and registering for classes/workshops, to go through the FREE Google modules. I promised to also be there for them to answer questions, to provide guidance, and meet with them as it fits their learning.

I may not be able to help you in person, but I would be more than happy to support you via email, Twitter, or comments below. These modules were a turning point in my teaching career and I highly recommend them to everyone.

Are you interested? Here is a link to the Doc I created & will be sharing "Google Training You Can Do." I've also posted it on Templates for Teachers website. Feel free to use this in a way that works for you and your learners.

Finally, did you know Google has also released modules and certification for students? Yep! You can find out more at the Teacher Center, in the G Suite Certification for Students section. ***Note - this is geared toward students ages 13+.***

Have a question, comment, or idea? Share them with me on Twitter (@kiefersj), via email: sarah@techyoucando.com, or in the comments below.