Google Classroom may be fairly new for you, but it has been a hit in many classrooms over the last few years. I first started using it in a 1:1 classroom. With all of my students having assigned iPads, it make it easier for everyone to work on the same thing at the same time. I could tell how to do something whole group and send them off to work. I know that all classrooms aren’t 1:1 and it’s not as easy. Never fear! Google Classroom is still a wonderful classroom tool to have, even if you do not have devices for all of your students. Ready to get started?
Getting Started on Google Classroom
The first thing you need to do is to create your classroom in your Google Account. Click here. You will be prompted to login and then can create your classroom. Choose the name you’d like for your class. I usually put the year in as well. Sometimes, I don’t immediately get rid of a class and having the year makes it easier to see which one I want to view.
You’ll see a prompt to add your students. Since your school has Google Classroom your students probably use their email addresses. Quickly get them added to your class either by manually adding them or giving them the class code to join on their own. You can change the theme or image at the top of your class. After we take a class picture, I love to change our’s to that.
Assigning Work in Google Classroom
Click on Classwork at the top. This is where you will share files, assign files, share links and so on. This is the VERY important part. If you are sharing anything Google related where you want your students to edit the file and/or have their own copy, make sure you click the dropdown menu and choose that option. If you assign a Google Slides game to students and do not click this, everyone will have the same copy. That means they will all be editing the same file and you DO not want that to happen.
Choose any of the options on the right. Add everything you need and then choose assign or click the dropdown next to assign. You have three options. Assign, schedule (for a later date) and save as a draft if you’re not finished. Even if you do click assign, you can come back to edit it. Students will get it immediately when you click assign.
You’re DONE!
For kindergarten and/or first grade, that’s the basics of getting started. Of course, if you grade work, leave announcements and so on, there’s more to it, but now you have your classroom setup and know how to assign things.
It looks a tad different now, but I recorded a video about Getting Started on Google Classroom a few years ago. Still the same, just a much slower view of what to do and you can actually see me doing it as I speak. Check it out here.
Since you’re on your way to becoming a tech ROCKSTAR, check out how I use no prep morning work with help from technology.
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