9/23/2020 The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide + resources, tips and tricks!

- Ditch That Textbook

G SUITE | MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020

The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide

+ resources, tips and tricks!

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.

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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!

Quick Navigation

How to set up your class in Google Classroom Google Classroom tips and tricks

Using Google Meet in Google Classroom The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide ebook

How to use Google Classroom in everyday class Top Google Classroom blog posts

How to set up your class in Google Classroom

Follow these steps to set up your Google 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.)

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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 (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.

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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 T l " i ibl t t d t " if t t d t t b bl t d thi li k h
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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.

Read post

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:

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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.

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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

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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.

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.

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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.

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The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide ebook

Want a quick and easy way to share this resource with your colleagues? 

Now you can download this step-by-step guide in an ebook!

Click here to download the ebook. It’s FREE!

Top Google Classroom blog posts

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

Read Post Read Post

Read Post

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