Practical Uses for Google Apps in Your Classroom- Middle School ELA/SS by Lesley

Google Apps in the Classroom

2015-02-16 16:58:45 UTC

I already utilize Google Apps and Google classroom in my science class.

It works well for online content, such as labs and Google forms for quizzes.

Also Google Apps are great because it lets the students use the App directly

from their document instead of having to go to another web page, such

as thesauraus, Easybib, or dictionary. -Sarah Pearson

2015-02-16 19:41:22 UTC

We started using google docs last year in our classrooms. One way we use it is to create and share assignments with other teachers and students. I recently created a rubric for our writing assignment this grading period, and was able to share it with my other team members. It's nice that it saves into your account and can continue to access it and make changes as needed.Another way we incorporate it is by having our students type their writing assignments directly in it. We have always had issues with students forgetting to save their work, and this eliminates that since it saves automatically after every key stroke.

Jen Govert

Google Apps on the Classroom

2015-02-22 21:28:18 UTC

Although I am a novice in the world of Google Apps, there are still many ways I can use it in my classroom. One such way is through Google Docs which would allow me to share a given writing of some sort with my class, and then monitor their responses. Examples of this would be vocabulary discussions, completing stories, sharing poetry, and other such writings the students and I could build and share. Secondly, Google Slides would allow me to prepare a blank outline of a given chapter for the students to fill in as they read it. This would allow me to insure the students read the chapter, and highlight the most important information at the same time. -Todd Helfen

Google Apps in My Classroom

2015-02-23 02:17:22 UTC

Google Apps includes so many different resources, all of which are beneficial in the classroom. The one that stands out to me the most is Google Documents (Docs). This is probably because my students started using Google Docs last year and were sharing materials with me before I even knew what this was ALL about. The idea of work being completed in "real time" was emphasized greatly in the tutorials, which is pretty neat. The students and I can share documents with each other, and we are given options to edit, comment, or view. Even if a student is not given the option to edit the document being shared, he or she can view the document and still make a copy of it. This copy can then be edited to fit each student's needs. For example, if I am sharing grammar notes with students, they can add additional examples or notes to their copies. I am also interested in the Google Calendar for students. I would like to make a calendar for homework assignments that could be shared with students and parents. Everyone could just check the calendar instead of having to call the school and listen to the homework recording. Many students do not call the school when they are not sure of the assignment because, in their words, it takes too long because they have to look up the phone number and extension for each teacher. Middle school students like immediate answers. I could see this as something they would use! In fact, I believe the calendar is something you have told us that you use. Clearly, I am just scratching the surface of the benefits of Google Apps in my classroom, but Google Docs and Google Calendar are the two that stand out to me right now.

Melinda Weiss

Google Apps in the Classroom

2015-02-24 20:33:35 UTC

Currently I am not using Google Apps in the classroom, but I can see the benefits that they have. One of the most important uses will be Google Docs to help provide feedback to students on their writing. Not only will I be able to guide students in making corrections, but I can also provide models of well written work. The second important use in Google Docs will be that students can share their work with others. For the first part of this assignment, I used questions to go along with a particular reading and created a numbered chart in Google Docs that will allow students to post their answers without revealing their identity. We can use the answers that students provided to guide discussions in class. Also, struggling students may be able to better understand the question or material by reading the responses of their peers. -Kelly Reder

Google Apps in the Classroom

2015-02-26 13:22:11 UTC

I have already used Google Docs in my classroom for our country projects that we do each spring. I have shared my expectations and examples with the students . I'm excited to see the EasyBib that I used from our corporation website now easily available for the kids to use to make their bibliographies. it also was very helpful when they came down to writing their reports because as they had questions I could reply on my time. I was able to help them revise their work also as they shared their rought drafts with me. It was great!

The Snagit extension can also be a quicker tool for them to make their title pages more interesting.

As for a language arts teacher, I'm thrilled with the Thesaurus add-on makes the documents more like Word. I always try and get the students to improve their word choice in their writings, so I think this could be really useful.

Finally for the poor readers, having the option of having material read to them will help them in understanding since they have poor word attack skills and they can't comprehend what is written on the page.

Debbie Bennett

Google Apps in the Classroom

acarter610 — 2015-02-26 20:50:04 UTC

I've been using Google Classroom quite a bit recently because of its convenience. I can assign the Google Doc assignments to the kids in the classrooms and it will automatically make a copy of the assignment for them. They can also turn in the assignment online. I have also created tests using Google Sheets and have used an extension called Flubaroo that will grade the test for you and give individualized results. It's an easy way to see which questions were most often missed and which students are struggling on certain questions. - Aaron Carter

Google Apps in the Classroom

2015-02-26 21:37:51 UTC

I love using Google Apps in the classroom to engage my students in an online forum.

One way that I used Google Drive this year is by having my students create their own

individual "turn in" folders and share them with my Google Drive account. This has been

very helpful when we write essays in class with laptops, because the students do not need to worry

about sharing each document with me separately. Instead, I had them create "turn in" folder in the

beginning of the year so that every essay we write is included in the folder.

Another Google App that I use in my classroom almost daily is Google Docs. I like how Google Docs allows

students to share their work with other classmates to collaborate and review when we conduct our peer edits.

Another great feature of Google Docs is that I can see how long my students were working on the essay compared

to how much work they accomplished in that time. It's a nice feature to be able to monitor how long it takes

different students to complete the same assignment.

Chrissy Kvachkoff

Google Apps in the Classroom

bpopiela — 2015-02-26 22:24:13 UTC

I have used Google docs one time in my own classroom. Because I was not very proficient with it, it did not go some well. I am hoping with more practice, I can reap the rewards of all of these apps.

I can see the use of Google Docs benefiting the my English classroom. Students can collaborate on assignments that require some discussion. The Google doc I recently created had a graphic organizer that would be used for a writing assignment. The student and I could collaborate on their thoughts or ideas before they started writing.

Currently, we are working on a creative writing assignment. I could leave comments for the student and help them enrich their images, flesh out their characters and help them focus on the parts of plot they need to work on.

Reading some of the other posts on this page, I would like to see how the calendar could help remind students about up coming homework assignments and assessments.

-Brian Popiela

Google Apps in the classroom

2015-02-28 03:35:02 UTC

Throughout this past school and after attending various professional development sessions with our technology instructors, I have learned how to incorporate Google Docs and have also created a Google Classroom which students in my Eng/LA class utilize. My class has been completing a Unit on the novel Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Before reading the book I created a building background knowledge activity in Google classroom that my students were able to access and complete at there own pace on line and submit their assignments online by the assigned due date. As an instructor, I was able to view student progress, making editing comments to their submitted assignments, and also monitor student progress (those who have and have not submitted their assignments). I have also created spelling tests through using Google Docs, created a link and posted it on my teacher website for students to access. Instead of using paper/ pencil students are able to click on the link and type their responses. I have then used the Flubaroo Add-on feature to grade the tests and provide immediate feedback to students by emailing them their feedback. One of the greatest benefits I have seen using this feature is the breakdown of student responses. It outlines the most frequently missed questions and provides student responses that I can view.

Tiffany Kranz

Google Apps in the Clasroom

ahoward8 — 2015-03-04 00:21:49 UTC

Although I have not used Google Apps in the classroom yet, I have found many new tools that I am excited to use within the classroom. One app that I have found will be very useful within my classroom is the Select and Speak. This Google App can be a very useful tool for struggling readers, especially ELL students, who don't know the language very well. I believe it can help students who struggle with phonics and comprehension. I also enjoyed using Snagit for the first time. I think this is a great tool for students who need to capture an image for an assignment. I am looking forward to incorporating these Google Apps into my teaching. - Anna Howard