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This video shows how to create your first class in Google Classroom.

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Google Classroom was created to focus less time on tech and more time on teaching. And it certainly has lived up to its billing.

Classroom has streamlined the classroom workflow and makes communication easier between teaches and students. At its core, Google Classroom does a few things and does them really well

It creates a central home for class activities.

It lets teachers create assignments (and other class activities).

It collects assignments from students.

It helps teachers grade assignments and provide feedback.

It returns assignments to students.

Have you set up Classroom in your classroom? If not, now is the time!

This guide will show you how to set Classroom up in a matter of minutes and perform the main tasks. It will even address a few things Classroom will NOT do, as it's not a fully featured learning management system.

Consider keeping this post open in one tab in your browser and Classroom in another so you can refer back. Feel free to click on the screenshots below to see the full-sized versions.

Let's get started!

Set up your class in Classroom

1. Go to: classroom.google.com.

Google Classroom is now available for Google for Education accounts as well as regular Gmail accounts. Anyone with a Google account can now use Google Classroom.

2. Click on the "+" button in the top right to create your first class. (It's next to the checkerboard icon you use to access all of your apps.) Then click "Create class."

If you're getting started for the first time, your screen will likely look like the one above.

If you have some classes already, they'll display on this home screen. You can add new classes with the "+" button.

3. Add information about your class.

You must add a name for your class. This is how your students will identify your class when they open Google Classroom.

Use the "section" field to differentiate between different classes of the same type. Many teachers will use this field for the class period. (This field is optional.)

The "subject" field lets you choose from a list of class subjects or type your own. (This field is optional.)

4. Once your class is created, students can start joining it.

Students can join your class with a join code (above). This is a quick, easy way to get students into your class. By displaying the join code, students can log in to Google Classroom, click the "+" button and "Join class" to enter the join code. Then they're added to your class.

You can invite students to your class by email. This is a good option if students don't meet in person for your class. To do this, click the "People" tab at the top. Then, click the "Invite Students" button (an icon with a person and a plus). You can invite students individually with email addresses or by groups if all students are in a Google Group.

5. Customize your Classroom.

There won't be any students in your class the moment you create it. This is the time to get creative and have some fun with it! Click "Change class theme" on the right side of the header. It will open a gallery of header images you can use to spice up your classroom.

You can also upload a photo to display at the top of your Classroom. You can use an image of your class or something that pertains to your class. Some teachers will create a custom header image with important information and fun graphics. Use this template to create a header.

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Using Classroom in everyday class

After your class is set up and students join, you have a fully functioning Google Classroom. Congratulations!
1. Add an announcement.
But you don't want to stop there. Here are some things you can do in your Classroom:

This is a good way to communicate with your class and give them up-to-date information. Announcements are posted to the class stream, but there isn't a grade associated with them.
2. Create an assignment or question.
Click the "+" button in the bottom right corner of the screen and choose "Create announcement." Add the text for your announcement. Add any files (attached or from Google Drive), YouTube videos or links you'd like. Then post it (or schedule it for later).

This is where students get to work! You can create a graded (or ungraded) question for students to answer OR assignment for students to do. You can create them under the "Classwork" tab (above).

A descriptive title for your assignment. (Pro tip: It's good to number your assignments to eliminate confusion.)

A description. This is helpful for students who were absent and for referring back to a previous assignment later.

Points. Choose how many points the assignment/question is worth (or use the drop-down menu to make it ungraded).

A due date. Choose when the assignment is due (or don't use a due date).

A topic. (We'll get to this in a moment ...)

File attachments. Attach files, add files from Google Drive, include YouTube videos, or give students a link.

Things to include in your assignment or question (above):
3. Organize your class with topics.
Assign the assignment immediately, schedule it to post automatically later, or save your assignment as a draft to finish later.

If you have different chapters, units, subjects, etc. within your class, you can categorize your assignments and questions by topic to keep everything organized.
4. Grade and return work.
Under "Classwork", click the "Create" button and add a topic. Then, whenever you create a new assignment or announcement, you'll be able to add that topic to it.

Once students have completed work, you can provide feedback and grade the assignment. Click on the "Classwork" button and click on the assignment to view student work.

1. Sort the assignment by students who have turned the work in or all students who were given the assignment. (Just click on the big number.) Or, you can sort by other options with the drop-down menu below the big numbers.)

2. Open and view student work by clicking on it. Inside student documents, slide presentations, etc., you can add comments directly to the file. Or ...

3. Type and view private comments to the student by clicking on the student's name. You can also see when files were turned in with the history.

4. Add a grade to student work.

5. When you're all done, return work back to students. Be sure you've checked the box next to their names and click the "Return" button.

Here are some of the actions you can take ...

Tips and tricks

1. On your "Classes" page (click the three lines menu button and "Classes"), click and drag your class cards around the page to reorder them.

2. Whenever you see a folder icon, click it to open that class's Google Classroom folder in Google Drive. This is where student work lives when it's turned in.

3. Assignments with due dates automatically go on your class's Google Calendar. Click a calendar icon to view it.

4. Want to make an individual copy of a file for every student in an assignment? (i.e. You have a graphic organizer you want ALL students to complete.) Google Classroom is like your digital photocopier. When you attach the file to your assignment, use the drop-down menu on that file and choose "Make a copy for each student."

5. Know the difference between the types of comments you can leave in Google Classroom. Check out the graphic below!

6. The Google Classroom mobile app is your secret tool to giving students quick, easy, instant feedback. Check out all you can do with it.

7. Adjust the settings for your class using the gear icon from your class's home screen. You can change your class name, display the class code, decide what actions students can take in the stream, and decide whether to display deleted items.

Here are some ideas for maximizing your use of Google Classroom ...

There's so much more!

This is just a quick-start guide. These are some of Google Classroom's basic features. You can dig deeper and learn more!
For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links: Interested in having Matt present at your event or school? Contact him by e-mail! Matt is scheduled to present at the following upcoming events:
Here are some articles with more Google Classroom tips and tricks:

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The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide + tips and tricks!

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Google Classroom was created to focus less time on tech and more time on teaching. And it certainly has lived up to its billing. Classroom has streamlined the classroom workflow and makes communication easier between teaches and students. At its core, Google Classroom does a few things and does them really well It creates a central home for class activities.

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Google Classroom - Create a Poll in Question Activity

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Google Classroom: Submitting an Assignment

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Google Classroom: Creating an Assignment

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Google Classroom - Advanced Tips and Tricks

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Ditch That Text Book

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5 Google Classroom Tricks You Will Want to Know with Matt Miller (MACUL)

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1 - The Assignment Calendar

Google Classroom automatically creates an Assignment Calendar to help keep students and teachers organized. Each time a teacher creates an assignment or question inside of Google Classroom, and attaches a due date to it, the assignment instantly displays on the class calendar inside of Google Classroom.

To find this calendar, select the three lines in the top left corner of the screen and then select Calendar. With this screen displayed, teachers and students can see work that has been assigned to the class.

Teachers will also notice that a new Calendar now appears in their G Suite Calendar. Not only can teachers add assignments to this calendar via Classroom, but they can also directly access it via G Suite Calendar to add events for the class that may not be tied to a due date. Some examples of teachers using this calendar function include: scheduling class field trips, setting up additional tutoring time, and organize an after-school meeting. To make the calendar more accessible, consider making it public in the Calendar settings and then sharing the URL link with parents.

2 - The Work Area

Teachers and students can also take advantage of the Work area inside of Google Classroom to gather all outstanding assignments into one location. If a teacher has not graded a particular assignment, it will display in this area. Similarly, if a student has not turned in an assignment it will also display in their Work area. So, the Work area can serve as a defacto task list and can help teachers and students identify and manage their workflow effectively.

3 - Organize the class stream with Topics

Topics, a new feature inside of Google Classroom, allows teachers to organize the posts that they add to the Classroom "Stream." When creating an announcement, assignment, or question, teachers can now assign a topic and these topics act as a category for each post, which allows them to be organized efficiently.

When a new topic is created, it will display on the left side of the Classroom Stream and, when a topic is selected, all posts that have been assigned that topic will appear. The Topics feature now allows teachers to organize all of the content within their course. For example, a history teacher might create a topic for each unit of study, such as "Ancient Rome." A math teacher may choose to create a topic for each unit or chapter that they study.

4 - Share to Classroom Extension

For teachers using Chromebooks or laptops in their classrooms, the Share to Classroom Chrome Extension allows teachers to display and share student work and screens easily with the class. Using the Share to Classroom extension, students can share a website to their teacher's computer. First, students click the extension, then they select Push to Teacher. When done, the teacher receives a pop-up notification on her screen that she will have to accept before the student's page will display - as demonstrated in the GIF below.

By following the same steps, a teacher can push out a website to their students' devices in real time!

The extension also allows teachers to create Google Classroom content right from the extension. If a teacher finds a website he would like to post in Google Classroom as part of an assignment, question, or announcement, he can create any of those options by utilizing the extension.

By using the Share to Classroom extension, teachers and students are now able to share new discoveries and stories easily and effectively.

Wrapping it up

While Google Classroom is well known for organizing student work in Google Drive, making individual copies of Google Docs, and organizing digital content, these three underused features of Google Classroom can help you and your students become even more efficient when using technology in the classroom!

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4 Hidden Features of Google Classroom - EdTechTeacher

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Google Classroom automatically creates an Assignment Calendar to help keep students and teachers organized. Each time a teacher creates an assignment or question inside of Google Classroom, and attaches a due date to it, the assignment instantly displays on the class calendar inside of Google Classroom.

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Use the tool below to find the best Classroom Apps for your students. All Classroom Apps are recommended for teachers, by teachers!

Also, if you have a classroom app that you'd like to see added, please feel free to contact us at admin@edtechteacher.org.

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App Recommendations for Teachers teaching with Technology

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Use the tool below to find the best Classroom Apps for your students. All Classroom Apps are recommended for teachers, by teachers! Also, if you have a classroom app that you'd like to see added, please feel free to contact us at admin@edtechteacher.org.

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The NEW Google Classroom Updates! (2018)

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Secrets of the Assignment tool in Google Classroom