Google Classroom Hack You Need

Google Classroom Hack You Need

I discovered this little trick by accident. But it made a HUGE difference to me as a teacher.

For the past 18 years, I have taught Technology in a junior high. I had my students twice per week for 40 minutes. That meant that my total number of students to issue grades for by November was in the range of 360. To boil that down – I had a HEAP of missing assignments to try to track down. It was HARD. Of the 360 students I was teaching, generally about 220 of them were grade sevens, new to our school, and unfamiliar to our teaching staff. So, I didn’t even really know which students to even keep an eye on. Here’s what I discovered.

I would start a blank document in my own Google Drive and I’d put the assignment name on it. It didn’t matter if it was a doc, a sheet or a slides assignment. I’d start a blank one with the assignment name on it, and then I’d close it down. Weird right?

Then I’d type up my assignment instructions in Google Classroom. I’d attach that blank document to the assignment and then I’d change the drop down menu to say “Make a copy for each student”. (It’s still a blank document!)

What that did, was it gave me a thumbnail view in the “Unsubmitted” view. Students who were taking the assignment and running with it would have typing appear on their thumbnails. Students who were not making progress continued to have shiny white (blank) thumbnails. I knew at a glance which of my students were needing me to intervene. It saved me SO MUCH WORK AND SO MUCH STRESS! This little discovery was a game-changer for me.

Free Math Apps for Chrome

Free Math Apps for Chrome

Fractions? Geoboards? Clocks? Vocabulary cards? Number Frames? The Math Learning Centre offers a small, but high quality selection of Chrome apps to assist with teaching mathematics. Have a student who has finished their work early? This resource may have what you need! Equally, if you have a student who is struggling, you may find something of value here.

Coin Games – Learn About Money

Coin Games – Learn About Money

Learning about money has always been challenging. It may perhaps be even more challenging to a generation who sees adults using much more plastic and now even cell phones as a mechanism for payment. But the fundamental concepts of currency and financial transactions are as important as ever.

The MATH IS FUN website has some games for kids to play to assist with learning about money – and they even have CANADIAN coins! 

 

Desktop Publishing with Lucidpress

Desktop Publishing with Lucidpress

One of the most common challenges new users to Chrome face is finding a replacement for a desktop publishing program. While there are many such programs on the market, one of the more familiar ones is Publisher.

The cool thing about the replacement – it’s WAY better than Publisher. The designs are more modern, the fonts are cooler and the layouts are not from 1995. Take a look at Lucidpress. The website itself boasts a nice layout, simple interface, and direct connection to both Google Classroom and Google Drive.

Further, there is a Lucidpress extension for Chrome, putting the power of Lucid right at your fingertips!