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Google Classroom Quick Start Guide

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G Suite

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 Google Classroom in your classroom? If not, now is the time!

This guide will show you how to set Google 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. Also, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post for a link to this guide in a shareable ebook format, plus links to even more resources.
Let's get started!

How to Use Google Classroom

⚙️ Tutorials to get you up and running

🛠 Organization tips and tools

💡 TONS of activities you can use right away

🚀 Ideas to take your skills to the next level

How to set up your class in Google Classroom

Follow these steps to set up your Google Classroom

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.

NEW invite students with a link! Students can now join your class using a special invite link. Just click on the class code and click "copy invite link". You can drop this link in your distance learning classroom chat box or email the link if you already have a group email list set up.

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 (click [ ]), 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 Google 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 "Select 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 custom header.

Do More with Google Classroom

Teach better. Save time. Make a difference.

The short how-to tutorials on Google Classroom are EVERYWHERE. But how do we teach well with it? In this book, you'll find practical ideas to do great teaching with Google Classroom and thrive.

Using Google Meet in Google Classroom
Google has added the ability to enable Google Meet right from your Google Classroom!

How to generate a Google Meet link in Classroom

1. Click on the settings icon in your Google Classroom. From there scroll down to "General"

2. Click "Generate meet link".

3. Toggle on "visible to students" if you want your students to be able to see and access this link when they log into Classroom.

4. Once the link has been generated you can copy the link if you want to share it through another platform. You can also reset the link from here as well.

How to use Google Meet for elearning, online learning

When students are learning from home, Google Meet can be the connection you need with them. Here are ideas for using it.

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

1. Add an announcement.

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.

Go to your class Stream and click on "share something with your class". 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).

2. Create an assignment, quiz, question, attach material, or reuse an old post.

This is where students get to work! You can create a graded (or ungraded) question for students to answer, a quiz, OR assignment for students to do. You can create them under the "Classwork" tab (above). You can also attach material you want the students to see or reuse an old post.

Things to include in your assignment or question (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.

Assign the assignment immediately, schedule it to post automatically later, or save your assignment as a draft to finish later.

3. Organize your class with topics.

If you have different chapters, units, subjects, etc. within your class, you can categorize your assignments and questions by topic to keep everything organized.

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.

4. Grade and return work.

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.

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

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.

10 ways to make GOOD Google Classroom assignments BETTER

Understanding and utilizing Google Classroom's features can help you make the most out this widely used tool. Here are 10 tips for creating even better assignments for your students.

Google Classroom tips and tricks

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

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 for 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.

20 tips to use Google Classroom effectively and efficiently

Google Classroom can be even more powerful with a few tips and strategies to make it efficient and effective.

Looking for even MORE G Suite resources?

Get our FREE ebook!
101 Ways to Ditch That Textbook with G Suite, tons of practical, creative ways to use Google tools in the classroom.

The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide ebook

Top Google Classroom blog posts

Here are some of our most popular posts with even more Google Classroom tips and tricks:

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

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Google Classroom makes organizing and managing all of your Google Apps activities streamlined and easy. Set it up in minutes.Google Classroom was created

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Educator Resources & Technology Training - Google for Education

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Discover numerous educator resources including technology training for teachers, courses, certifications and professional development for educators.

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Student-Centered Classrooms with Google Classroom

Google Classroom at it's heart allows you to distribute work and collect it. It does not make learning better, more engaging, more student-centered... none of that. YOU DO! How you use a tool is what makes the difference. It is an intentional decision to design lessons, that include Google Classroom, that engage and empower students.

One of the most powerful elements of Google Classroom is the private comments feature. For every assignment (not announcement) is the ability to have a private conversation with students. Whoa, let me say that again. Google Classroom turns comments into conversations. This allows every student to have a voice and communicate their ideas or struggles with a task. If we want a student-centered classroom, then we need a method to hear from students.

Respond to Feedback Topic

Students learn more when the feedback is ACTIONABLE. Perhaps you want to create a topic at the top for "Respond to Feedback." Change the topic on an assignment you've given feedback on to the "Respond to Feedback" topic. Only after they respond to your feedback do you release the score.
More tips on using Topics

What Are We Doing TODAY?

If you are organizing your Google Classroom by unit, you may want to have a topic called "TODAY" at the top. As soon as students go to the Classwork page they immediately see what is planned for today. What is also helpful about that is you can revisit assignments by changing the topic to "TODAY." At the end of the day, you need to edit each assignment and change the topic to the unit you want to organize it into.

I like to recommend that if you are going to leave feedback, make it actionable. When you finish providing feedback to students on an assignment, edit the assignment to change the topic to "TODAY." Consider this being your warmup to have students respond to the feedback you left them. Tip: Do not release the score until students respond to your feedback.

Google Classroom for Beginners

Recent Blog Posts

More Resources

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Student centered teaching with Google Classroom - resources including blog posts, ideas, tutorials, and more by EdTech integration expert Alice Keeler.

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Google Classroom Resources | Shake Up Learning

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Ready to shake things up with Google Classroom? Check out the posts below to learn more about using Google Classroom with your students.

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You can do more with Google Classroom.

Google Classroom is great for speed, simplicity, and efficiency but not all functions are easy to get at first and even if you're a pro there are always new updates and features we need to dive into. So we have compiled our best Google Classroom resources into one ultimate resource to get you geared up and ready for a great year.

Do More with Google Classroom

Teach better. Save time. Make a difference.

The short how-to tutorials on Google Classroom are EVERYWHERE. But how do we teach well with it? In this book, you'll find practical ideas to do great teaching with Google Classroom and thrive.

If you or your students are new to Google Classroom you may be looking for tutorials that will show you the basics of Google Classroom and show you how to get started.

Our Google Classroom is just like our regular classroom in many ways. Our Google Classroom management is extremely important and can save us a lot of time (and headache) if we manage it correctly!

There are SO many apps that play very nicely with Google Classroom! Some of these apps are Google tools and can be shared with students easily. Other apps are made to work with Google Classroom to make creation and collaboration for you and your students easy peasy.

Even after years of using Google Classroom there are still SO many undiscovered ways to it. Check out our favorite tips, tricks and tutorials for making the MOST out of Google Classroom.

How to Use Google Classroom

⚙️ Tutorials to get you up and running

🛠 Organization tips and tools

💡 TONS of activities you can use right away

🚀 Ideas to take your skills to the next level

Google Classroom Basics

The Google Classroom quick-start guide

Google Classroom makes organizing and managing all of your Google Apps activities streamlined and easy. Set it up in minutes.

This guide will show you how to set Google 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.

Managing your Google Classroom

Apps that work with Google Classroom

Google apps to use within Google Classroom

Apps to use with Google Classroom

Assignments in Google Classroom are better with apps! Use these apps that work with Google Classroom to level up your activities.

Do MORE with Google Classroom

©2023 Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.

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You can do more with Google Classroom.Google Classroom is great for speed, simplicity, and efficiency but not all functions are easy to get at first and

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Learn how to use Classroom to manage coursework, organize assignments, boost collaboration, and foster better communication. Get started today with resources, tips, and tricks from the educator community.

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Teacher Center | Google Classroom Training

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Resources | Teacher Center | Google for Education

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Learn technology tools, inspire creativity, and propel learning with resources for educators

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Google Classroom--- getting started (for teachers)

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Google Classroom--- creating classwork (for teachers)

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Google Classroom-- responding to student work

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Google Classroom-- Join a Class (for students)

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Google Classroom-- Using a Materials Post (For students)

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Google Classroom-- responding to a Question prompt (for students)

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Google Classroom- Completing Assignments (for students

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Google Classroom for Beginners HESD Teachers Supporting Teachers

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Google Classroom QUESTION POSTS HESD Teachers Supporting Teachers

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Google Classroom Assignments HESD Teachers Supporting Teachers

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Elementary Focus with Rosey Barnes and Missey Hernandez

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Elementary Focus with Rosey Barnes and Missey Hernandez

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Google Classroom Collab-o-rama elementar edition 1 HESD Teachers Supporting Teachers

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Junior High Focus with Valerie Thorpe, Tonya Leal, and Krista Verardo

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Junior High Focus with Valerie Thorpe, Tonya Leal, and Krista Verardo

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Google Classroom Collab-o-rama Jr. High HESD Teachers Supporting Teachers

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Best Practices with Sarah Puglisi, Trisha Navarro, and Sonia Gonzalez

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Best Practices with Sarah Puglisi, Trisha Navarro, and Sonia Gonzalez

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Google Classroom Collab-o-rama HESD Teachers Supporting Teachers 5.7.20

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Google Classroom allows teachers to easily manage student work and teaching with Google Docs, Google Forms, Google Spreadsheets and anything Google. This handy tool has opened up the doors of blended learning and collaborative classrooms like never before. Teachers wanting to implement Google Classroom can use these resources to get started, level up their learning, or become a pro at all things Google.
Post updated: June 27, 2018
But there are so many sites! I've spent several weeks combing through resources and have picked some of my favorites. What are yours?

I'll keep updating this page as I add resources. Please share your lessons, resources, and tips at the bottom of this post in the comments. I only want this to include high-quality up-to-date information, so if you think anything needs to be added or changed, leave a comment or tweet me @ coolcatteacher.

ISTE 2018 #GoogSmacked Google Smackdown of resources with Kasey Bell, Eric Curts, and Matt Miller.

Google Classroom and GSuite Resources

Tip: Use the #gafe hashtag for Google Certified innovators and educators (like me).

Blog Posts

TIP: The Google for Education Blog has the breaking announcements and information on Google Classroom. Just use the GAFE tag on their blog and see all the latest Google Classroom news.

Interviews with Experts

Tools to Help You Work with Google Classroom

Kasey Bell has a " Getting Started with Google Classroom " free Mini-Course. added 12/24/17

Websites

Assessment

Math

Literature and Composition

Research

Apps

Books

Google Classroom Research and White Papers

Johnson, C. H., Linahan, M., Cuba, A. F., Dickmann, S. R., Hogan, E. B., Karos, D. N., ... & Ropinski, B. L. (2016, January). Google Classroom and Open Clusters: An Authentic Science Research Project for High School Students. In American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 227).

Phiri, L., Meinel, C., & Suleman, H. (2016). Streamlined Orchestration: An Orchestration Workbench Framework for Effective Teaching. Computers & Education .

Build Your Google Classroom PLN

Google Classroom Hashtags

#gafechat is the first and third Tuesday of each month 8-9 pm CST

#gafesummit - This is run by Edtechteam.com but many people share resources to this hashtag

Google Classroom Pinterest Boards

Accounts Who Share About Google Classroom on Twitter

This is hard because there are so many who tweet about #gafe, but here a few.

Graphics

Videos

80+ Google Classroom Tutorials from Richard Byrne

For beginners - a great playlist. Just click on the list and pick the video you need. Richard Byrne is someone I highly recommend!

Control Alt Achieve Playlist by Eric Curts

He has so many ideas for using Gsuite in the classroom, you'll love this playlist! Scroll through the 22 videos and learn! added 7/25/17

2017 Updated Guide to Google Classroom

Added 7/25/17

50 Ways to Use Google Classroom

This video made by Jeffrey Bradbury and Alice Keeler is a fantastic hands-on entry into Google Classroom. added 7/25/17

Convert an Image to an Editable Doc

Google Docs in the Math Classroom by Daniel Kaufman

What is missing?

Please leave your suggestions in the comments.

Download a Free Sample of Jennifer Gonzalez's Technology for Teachers 2016

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100+ Great Google Classroom and Gsuite Resources for Educators

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Google Classroom allows teachers to easily manage student work and teaching with Google Docs, Google Forms, Google Spreadsheets and anything Google. This handy tool has opened up the doors of blended learning and collaborative classrooms like never before. Teachers wanting to implement Google Classroom can use these resources to get started, level up their learning, or [...]

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EdTechTeacher brings resources together for teachers from teachers. Check out Google Classroom

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You don't have to immediately publish a post. You can compose an assignment, question or announcement and click the arrow next to the Post button to schedule it for publication at a specific date and time. You can always view and edit a scheduled post under Saved Posts at the top of the class stream. You receive a notification when the post goes live. Scheduling a post is nice when you don't want students to see something ahead of time. It's also nice to be able to compose multiple posts at once and spread them out over time.

Until Google Classroom adds the ability to format text in posts, we're stuck with using only text and emojis. Classroom doesn't even give us a way to bold text within a post. The good news is that we can use fancy text to emphasize words. If you go to coolsymbol.com/cool-fancy-text-generator.html ( tonyv.me/fancy for short), you can type a word, phrase, or sentence. The site generates a variety of options using universal characters. These options are fancier than a standard font. Each option has a Copy button and you can paste the fancy text anywhere you can enter regular text-and that includes posts in Google Classroom. Fancy text will surely stand out from the rest of the post. Use fancy text to emphasize titles, due dates, names, project requirements, book titles-whatever you want to stand out in your post.

The Unicode Standard is the global way of encoding the characters that all computers use. The Unicode Standard has over 136,000 characters, which includes ordinary letters, numbers, symbols, and emojis. It also includes versions of each letter character as different glyphs. You might call these letter variations 𝕗𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕪. 😁

A word of caution. Older operating systems might not display some fancy text and instead display boxes. I've found Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and Kindle Fire in particular do not support all of the fancy text choices. I tested fancy text on iOS, macOS, Windows 10, and Chrome. All the fancy text displayed just fine in the latest versions of those operating systems. However, fancy text was usually not recognized in search, by screen readers, or by translators.

While an app is not required to use Google Classroom, the iOS and Android apps have an ability that the web version does not: markup tools. A teacher can use a finger or a stylus to add colorful annotations, handwriting, and highlighting to a student's assignment. These markup tools are helpful for providing feedback, especially when it comes to inserting suggestions, editing marks, and other annotations.

To access the markup tools, the teacher first opens an assignment to view Student Work. After select a document, a preview is shown. Tapping the pencil icon opens a copy of the students' document and a set of tools are available at the bottom of the screen. When done, a copy is saved as a PDF or image file with "Edited" added to the file's name. The student can view the annotated copy by opening the assignment in the Google Classroom app or on the web.

The student's original document is untouched because annotations are added to a copy of the document. I like this because it gives students an opportunity to revise the original document after receiving suggestions from the teacher.

Eric Curts has written a detailed post about the amazing features of the Google Classroom app.

Most of the feedback on student work likely takes place outside of Google Classroom and inside G Suite documents. When you add a comment to a Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, or Drawings document, you don't see any text formatting tools. Usually if someone wants to draw attention to words in a comment, they use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. All caps is a way to add emphasis, but it also looks like the message is being shouted. You do not have to use all caps to add emphasis. Google provides a way to bold, underline, and strikethrough text in a comment in a G Suite document. Type an asterisk before and after the word or phrase you want to make bold. Type an underscore before and after the text you want to italicize. Type a hyphen before and after anything you'd like to strike through. The formatting will be applied after you click the blue Comment button.

Learn more about Google Classroom...

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Google Classroom Tips - Learning in Hand with Tony Vincent

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You don't have to immediately publish a post. You can compose an assignment, question or announcement and click the arrow next to the Post button to schedule it for publication at a specific date and time. You can always view and edit a scheduled post under Saved Posts at the top of the class stream.

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In this download, you will get two Google Classroom Cheat Sheets, one for teachers, and one for students (54 pages total!)

This is a great reference guide for experienced users, and a fabulous tutorial to help new users learn the basics of Google Classroom.

Oh, and guess what? This fantastic guide is FREE for Shake Up Learning subscribers!

What's Included in the Google Classroom Cheat Sheets?

In this free download, you will get two PDF cheat sheets:

The Google Classroom Cheat Sheet for Teachers is a 40-page guide to help teachers make the most of this robust online learning tool.

The Google Classroom Cheat Sheet for Students is a 14-page reference guide to help students understand the platform. (Please review this cheat sheet before distributing it to your students to ensure it is appropriate for their skill level.)

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The Google Classroom Cheat Sheets for Teachers and Students (FREE Download)

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In this download, you will get two Google Classroom Cheat Sheets, one for teachers, and one for students. This is a great reference guide for experienced users, and a fabulous tutorial to help new users learn the basics of Google Classroom.

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Google Classroom Starter Kit for Students

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Google Classroom Starter Kit for Students

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Our district is taking baby steps towards using Google Classroom, and I thought it would be a good time to begin a related "Best" list.

You might also be interested in:
The Best Resources For Using Chromebooks In The Classroom - Help Me Find More The Best Resources For Learning How To Use Google Docs/Google Drive The Best Posts To Help Understand Google's New "Books Ngram Viewer" The Best Resources For Google Earth Beginners Like Me The Best Sites For Learning About Google Translate
Here are my choices for Google Classroom resources:

You have to start with Alice Keeler, and these two links are good places to begin.

Of course, Vicki Davis' 100+ Great Google Classroom Resources for Educators is the other key treasure trove.

You probably don't need to look any further than the sites of those two great educators but, if you're interested, here are a couple more:

Learn Google Classroom is from Ed Tech Teacher.

Everything You Need To Know In Google Classroom Part One and Part Two.
This Is Intriguing - Now Anyone Can Create A Class In Google Classroom
Welcome to your first day of Classroom is from Google Ed.

👨‍🏫 New post on Learning in Hand: Tips for Teaching with Google Classroom... https://t.co/lSETeyYUvX

Got a good one I should add?!?#GoogleEdu #GoogleClassroom #edtechchat pic.twitter.com/pNK8W1bDoe

- Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) January 6, 2018

A Google Classroom Cheat Sheet is from Tech Tips 411.

Google Classroom Gets A Redesign is from TechCrunch.

Get quizzing with locked mode, and grade away with Classroom is from Google, with a follow-up post from Richard Byrne, A New Gradebook for Google Classroom!

So... you want to start using Google Classroom, eh? Just need some help getting started?

I made this page to help👉 https://t.co/R4ViNjLPi8

Playlist 👉 https://t.co/xwrpS43NTc

Even more awesome👉 https://t.co/1Q0FSv0UOU

Feel free to share!#EdTechTeam #KyGoDigital @GoogleForEdu pic.twitter.com/5rzjP7P8hd

- Donnie Piercey (@mrpiercEy) March 11, 2019

GOOGLE UNVEILS TWO BIG TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS: "ASSIGNMENTS" & "ORIGINALITY REPORTS"
The Google Classroom Cheat Sheets for Teachers and Students! is from Shake Up Learning

The Google Classroom Student Starter Kit is from Tarvara Academy.

10 Google Classroom Tips for Remote Learning is from Shake Up Learning.

Classroom Cheat Sheet 2.0 looks pretty good.
VIDEO: HERE'S HOW TO TRANSFER GOOGLE CLASSROOM GRADES TO YOUR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM "GOOGLE ASSIGNMENTS" GOES LIVE IN G SUITE FOR EDUCATION NEXT WEEK - IT SEEMS TO MAKE LMS INTEGRATION EASIER

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A Beginning List Of The Best Resources For Learning About Google Classroom

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Our district is taking baby steps towards using Google Classroom, and I thought it would be a good time to begin a related "Best" list.

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As we enter into this time of school closures, students are now at home and parents are an integral part of students' learning. Teachers are assigning work with Google Classroom and students are required to do school at home.
How can teachers learn to use Google Classroom?
This post is a list of tips, ideas, and resources to get started with Google Classroom. Distance learning is new for many teachers. While we have had technology in our classrooms, we have received immediate feedback from students about whether or not the technology was working and whether or not the assignment was appropriate for them.

Over the next few weeks, teachers will start using Google Classroom for the very first time. It can be daunting to learn new technology. Many of our students are also using this new technology for the first time. I hope that the resources you find below will help smooth the transition.

I have one caveat: I don't actively use Google Classroom. I will be the first to admit that I don't have much experience using the platform ( beyond Google Slides and Forms that I'm adding to existing resources). However, I am really good at finding answers to problems and making life easier for teachers and students. I can pull together tutorials and resources that help teachers get started with Google Classroom!

Distance Learning Google Classroom Tips for Teachers

Many teachers are using Google Classroom for Distance Learning. Some teachers are new to the platform and just setting it up. Some teachers need some organizational tips, and some have been using the platform for quite a while. Whatever your stage, I hope you find some ideas and resources below.

The first set of ideas are videos that will help you get started with Google Classroom. The second set of ideas is a list of organizational ideas that will help you communicate better with students and organize assignments.

Getting Started with Google Classroom

Here are some video tutorials that will give you ideas when getting started with Google Classroom and ways to use Google Classroom. Not all of these videos will be for elementary students, but they will give you plenty of ideas on how to use the platform for your own students.

This first video is from Google and will help you get set up and started with this platform.

Assigning Work to Students

I had a question come up about how to assign my Reading Comprehension Graphic Organizers to students in Google Classroom.

Here are some key tips for assigning work:

1. Make a copy of your copy. Retain the original document so that you can delete slides from the version you assign students. This way, you only need to give them one graphic organizer at at time but still have ALL of the graphic organizers in one main document. This best-practice applies to all of the Google resources you have. Make copies so that your students don't mess up your original.

2. Move the copies into folders. Move YOUR COPY into a folder for all of your originals. Move the STUDENT COPY into a folder that you assign out to students. This keeps your originals and student copies separate AND it puts all of the files for students in one place, which makes them easily accessible when you post assignments.

3. Change the share settings. In order for students to type in the document, you need to give students EDIT access to it.

I also made a quick video about it:

Organizational Tips and Tricks for Google Classroom

Once you have the basics structure of your Google Classroom in place, you'll start assigning work to your students. BEFORE you assign work, consider the structure you want to use to organize all of the assignments. You need to figure out this structure before assigning assignments. Assignments can't be moved after being assigned.

Create Topics or Categories

After you create an assignment, but BEFORE assigning it, go to the right side menu. There is a drop-down to create a topic. Once you've created a topic it's always there.

Which topics should you create? That's up to you! Consider creating topics by subject, by dates, or days of the week. Whichever makes more organizational sense to you as the teacher and is easy to communicate with your students will be the best.

Posting Assignments

Only post assignments when you actually want students to work on them. You can still make assignments and save them as drafts. When you post an assignment it becomes public for your students and finalized.

On that note, make assignments ahead of time. You can batch them and create many of them. Just keep them in draft form and assign them when you want students to actually work on them.

One other suggestion is to number assignments if you want students to complete them in a certain order. This helps students know the order in which they were posted and the order in which you expect them to be completed.

Schedule Posts

You can schedule assignments to post. This will help you batch your work and assign it over a period of time. Do you want students to read a passage one day and answer questions another day? Create two different assignments for them and schedule them separately.

Hide Notifications in Your Stream

Hiding notifications in YOUR stream keeps it cleaner and prevents all of the assignments from showing up that you assign in classwork. This keeps the stream dedicated to announcements instead of all the updates.

Create Multiple Classrooms

Instead of creating different topics above (which you can do in addition to this suggestion) consider creating different classrooms. Perhaps you have a math classroom and a language arts classroom. Post assignments to each one and organize the topics in the classroom by date.

Have a Category for "Other Fun Stuff"

This can be a place where you post additional links and files that students can do if they want to dive deeper into a topic or website. This is a place where you can also post extra work for parents who are asking for more assignments.

A Google Classroom Help Sheet

After you have gotten started, Google Classroom Help Sheet will likely answer MANY questions you have about using the platform with your students.

Separating a PDF to use in Google Classroom

Many of the resources you purchase from me and other TpT sellers are in a PDF format. Can you use them on Google Classroom? Check the terms of use, but most likely, yes you can!

Here is a tutorial on how to separate pages from a PDF to use in Google Classroom:

Homeschool with Google Classroom

Can you use Google Classroom in your homeschool? Yes!

I found this blog post about homeschooling with Google Classroom. It goes in-depth about how to use Google Classroom as a homeschool family.

While I set up a Google Classroom several years ago, we do not homeschool using Google Classroom. My oldest has dyslexia and requires more one-on-one help. The way we homeschool is more about interactions and family time than specific tasks. The tasks we do are also repetitive, so there isn't' as much of a need to assign work. I can see using Google Classroom for homeschool in a few years when my boys are older, more independent, and have more work to complete.

More Tips and Idea for Getting Started with Google Classroom

This next video is from a teacher who actively uses the platform with her students.

Here are a few more videos.

These videos are for students and teachers. They will give teachers a good perspective on how their students can interact with the platform.

More Ideas about School at Home or Distance Learning

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Google Classroom Tips for Elementary Teachers

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As we enter into this time of school closures, students are now at home and parents are an integral part of students' learning. Teachers are assigning work with Google Classroom and students are required to do school at home.

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Teachers' Essential Guide to Google Classroom

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Teachers' Essential Guide to Google Classroom

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Editor's note: Shaun Langevin contributed to the most recent update of this article. Use these links to jump to any section below:
Google's most popular tools-Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs-are staples for getting organized and getting work done. These collaboration-friendly tools have revolutionized the way we communicate, work together, and store information online. For teachers and students, the education-friendly platform Google Classroom brings the benefits of paperless sharing, assessment, and digital collaboration to classrooms. Tens of millions of teachers and students use Google Classroom in thousands of schools worldwide, making it one of the most popular edtech tools around.

Read on to find answers to teachers' most commonly asked questions about the platform, with all kinds of information on how you can use Google Classroom with your students. Also, be sure to check out our guide for parents and caregivers, and our detailed review of Google Classroom's learning potential.

Google describes Google Classroom as "mission control for your classroom," which might be the easiest way to think about it. Simply put, it's a platform that ties together Google's Workspace tools (formerly known as G Suite) for teachers and students. It also acts as a digital organizer where teachers can keep class materials and share them with students-all paperless-ly. From there, you can pick and choose the features you want to incorporate. This flexibility and seamless integration with Google's popular tools have made Google Classroom one of the most widely used edtech tools today.

Technically, no. Google Classroom is not a stand-alone learning management system (LMS), course management system (CMS), or student information system (SIS). That said, Google regularly adds new functions to Google Classroom. As of August 2023, Google Classroom can sync data with Skyward 2.0, Skyward Qmlativ, Follett Aspen, and Infinite Campus student information systems. As Google continues to add features, it may start to look, and function, more like an LMS. But for now it's best to think of the tool as a one-stop shop for class organization.

Streamline how they manage classes. The platform integrates with Google's other tools like Docs, Drive, Forms, Meet, and Calendar, so there are many built-in "shortcuts" for classroom-management tasks. For example, if you post an assignment with a due date, it's automatically added to your students' class calendar for them to see.

Digitally organize, distribute, and collect assignments, course materials (think: videos, websites, PDFs, and more), and student work. Teachers also can post an assignment to multiple classes or modify and reuse assignments from year to year. If your students have regular access to devices, Google Classroom can help you avoid some trips to the photocopier and cut down on some of the paper shuffling that comes with teaching and learning.

Communicate with students about their classwork. You can use the platform to post announcements and reminders about assignments, and it's easy to see who has or hasn't completed their work. You can also check in with individual students privately, answer their questions, and offer support.

Give students timely feedback on their assignments and assessments. Within Google Classroom, it's possible to use Google Forms to create and share quizzes that are automatically graded as students turn them in. Not only will you spend less time grading, but your students will also get instant feedback on their work. Teachers can view individual and class data within Forms or an automatically generated Google Sheet.

Anyone! Google Classroom is included as a free service for anyone with a personal Google account. It's also free for organizations using Google Workspace for Education or Google Workspace for nonprofits. In most cases, teachers and students can access Google Classroom using a Google account provided by their school. While teachers and students in schools are the primary users of Google Classroom, some features can be used by administrators, families, clubs, after-school programs, and homeschoolers.

Because it's a fairly flexible platform, educators use its features in a lot of different ways. With Google Classroom, teachers can:

Formative: You can quickly create, distribute, and collect digital exit tickets or auto-graded assessments. And you can pose discussion questions for quick insights into what students are thinking.

Summative: Tests can include traditional question types like multiple choice, short or paragraph answer, checkbox, and more. There also are options for students to upload files (like movies or photos) when responding to a question or prompt, allowing students to share their knowledge in a variety of ways.

Grading and rubrics: Teachers can simply assign points to different assignments, or give different weights to different types of assignments (essays, classwork, homework, etc.). You can create rubrics right in Google Classroom, and students can view these as they work. Turned-in work can be graded using the rubric, and the score will be automatically calculated. Take note, however, that it isn't possible to use standards-based grades (at least not yet).

Plagiarism check: Another feature called "originality reports" is essentially a plagiarism-checking tool that compares a student's Google Document with webpages and books readily available on the internet. If the feature is turned on, students can run reports before submitting assignments-and teachers can run them after. Teachers may want to use the originality reports feature as an opportunity to teach the importance of citing sources.

Can teachers use Google Classroom for assessments and grading?

Yes. Google Classroom can help teachers streamline summative and formative assessments through its own features and third-party integrated tools.

Do teachers use Google Classroom to teach live, like with Zoom?

Some teachers use Google Meet as a video conferencing solution (instead of Zoom or a similar tool). Google Classroom integrates with Google Meet, and teachers can set up video meetings from within Google Classroom for live, or "synchronous," instruction. By default, students can't begin a meeting before the teacher, or rejoin the meeting if the teacher is the last person to leave. Google Meet videos created from within Google Classroom are only accessible from school-managed Google Workspace for Education accounts.

In addition to live-video capabilities, the recording feature in Google Meet gives teachers an easy tool for creating prerecorded video lessons for asynchronous learning, which students can watch on their own time. The Google for Education Teacher Center has helpful video tutorials about Google Meet to help teachers get started.

How do I set up Google Classroom?

The basic setup process for Google Classroom is pretty intuitive, even for first-time users. The Google for Education Teacher Center offers several tutorials for getting started-this is your best bet if you're looking for the most up-to-date videos and information. There are also plenty of do-it-yourself tutorials on YouTube posted by teachers and tech-integration specialists. Many of these teacher-created videos include practical tips and tricks they've learned from using the platform in their classrooms.

How can Google Classroom support differentiation in the classroom?

Read Along: This tool pairs young readers with a digital reading assistant named Diya, letting teachers assign activities based on grade or Lexile level while also tracking reading metrics like speed and fluency.

Reading Mode: Students and teachers can now customize how they view digital texts by adjusting typeface, font size, and colors, in addition to reducing potentially distracting elements like images and video.

Google Classroom makes it easy to customize assignments for individual students or small groups. Teachers can give modified or differing assignments to specific students or groups in a class. You also have the option to check in with a student privately to see whether they have questions or need extra help. An online differentiation strategy like this can make your efforts less conspicuous to the class, so students won't feel singled out in the way that they might with other types of in-person differentiation.

In addition, Google Classroom has unveiled new accessibility tools to allow for students of all learning abilities to engage with classroom content:

With or without a tool like Google Classroom, differentiation is always going to be a matter of creative problem-solving, and there's no one or "right" way to do it. Luckily, lots of teachers share their tips, tricks, and creative solutions online. Here's an example of how one teacher uses Google Classroom to meet students at their levels.

How can administrators and curriculum coaches use Google Classroom?

Google Classroom isn't just for teachers. Superintendents, principals, and curriculum coaches can benefit from using Google Classroom to organize staff notes, announcements, dates, documents, and other resources for teachers and other school staff. When using Google Classroom in this way, administrators can intentionally model many of the technological skills and proficiencies they'd like teachers to use.

Curriculum coaches can create anonymous questionnaires (using Google Forms) to receive feedback on recent professional development. Coaches can even go a step further and upload videos of model lessons for teachers in their district to view-a great way to bring teachers who are new to a school or district up to speed.

How can families and parents stay in the loop with Google Classroom?

Google Classroom has options for teachers to send out updates about students' classwork, but it doesn't offer the level of communication you'll find in tools like Seesaw, ClassDojo, or Remind. Google refers to parents and families as "guardians" who can opt in to receive email summaries about missing work, upcoming work, and other class activity. However, it doesn't include direct-messaging features for families or allow families to comment on their children's work.

What's new in Google Classroom?

The platform has been updated quite a bit since its launch, and Google continues to introduce new features regularly, often based on feedback from teachers.

*Please note that there are different membership tiers with Google Education tools, which may impact which new features you and your school district have access to in Google Classroom.

Mix up the types of resources you share with students in Google Classroom. In addition to Google Workspace tools like Docs and Slides, teachers and students can share other types of media, including images, links to websites, YouTube videos, and screencasts.

Provide students with a variety of options for submitting work. For example, you might offer students the choice to respond to a reading assignment with a comment, video clip, or drawing that shows their thinking (see our section on differentiation above).

Use Google Classroom's stream page to create an interactive hub. Within Google Classroom, the Stream is a feed where everyone in the class can find daily agendas, announcements, and upcoming assignments, and it's the first thing students see when they log in. You can also set up class discussion boards on Stream, where students can interact online by asking questions or commenting on each other's posts. These discussion boards can help increase class participation and offer students more equity in having their voices heard (or read) by the class.

Integrate digital citizenship lessons. You can use the Stream as a closed social network of sorts, and it can be a great way to help kids practice using all kinds of different digital citizenship skills like engaging in civil discourse or deescalating digital drama in a "walled garden" setting.

How can I make Google Classroom more engaging and interactive for my students?

Check out the following tips to make the Google Classroom experience as engaging as it can be:

What other apps and websites integrate with Google Classroom?

There are now hundreds of external apps and websites that integrate with Google Classroom, and the App Hub is a great place to explore your options. Some of these apps may partner with Google, while others create and publish their own third-party add-ons as Chrome extensions. If you're using Google Classroom extensively, integrating other edtech tools can be a way to streamline your instruction.

For example, say you want your students to study some vocabulary words using Quizlet; you can use the Google Classroom integration to directly share and assign a particular flash card set to your class. Or if you're looking for other learning content online, there are integrations with publishers like Newsela, Khan Academy, and BrainPop, among others-you'll find all kinds of articles, videos, and other educational content to share with your students.

What is Google doing with my students' data? Should I be worried about privacy?

As an educator, protecting your students' privacy and data should definitely be a consideration whenever you're choosing a digital tool for your classroom. Anytime a tool might collect data from students, it's essential to ask questions about how the companies involved are securing, using, or storing student data. For more information, be sure to read our full privacy review of Google Classroom.

Google says that data privacy and security are high priorities for all Google Workspace for Education products. However, educators should keep in mind that parents and families have a right to opt out if they don't want their children to use Google products in school. Before launching Google Classroom, school administrators and teachers might want to have an alternative plan in place for students who may opt out.

In the past, some educators, families, and advocates have expressed doubts about Google's ability to deliver on promises about privacy and data protection. What's more, the prominence of Google branding and products in schools has raised questions about the trade-offs of allowing Google to build its brand in schools. Whether you use Google Classroom or not, it's important to get students thinking critically about data privacy and the commercialization we see in different aspects of our lives-including our classrooms.

Where can I find more ideas about using Google Classroom?

If you're looking for official information about Google Classroom, check out Google for Education's X (formerly Twitter) feed for product updates, ideas for teachers, videos, and even a newsletter about Google Workspace for Education products. Many Google Classroom fans are also posting and even podcasting about all the ways they're using the platform with students. With millions of teachers and edtech specialists field-testing, experimenting, and innovating with Google Classroom, it's easy to find tips and inspiration from fellow educators online.
Image courtesy of Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.
As you're using Google Classroom, don't be afraid to get creative with your own strategies, hacks, and innovative uses for the platform. Like most edtech tools, Google Classroom is what you make of it, and how it works will probably look very different from classroom to classroom. What's most important is to find the strategies and tools within Google Classroom that work best for you and your students. Feel free to share the ways you're using Google Classroom with your students by adding a Community Rating to our review!

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Teachers' Essential Guide to Google Classroom | Common Sense Education

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What is Google Classroom? And how are teachers using it? Learn more about this popular platform and how to use it with your students.