Google Apps Ideas for Elementary Teachers

This week, I will be sharing Google Apps tips with some of the elementary school teachers in our district.  I thought I would also share it here in the event that it benefits someone else.

Look for tips on Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides & Forms.  Slides include links to Video Tutorials and Sample Material.

The Techy Coach Chrome Extension

Techy Coach Video Tutorials are now available to users as a Chrome Extension.  Now you can access tutorials through a popup window, allowing you to work while you learn.  

Topics available through the extension include:

• Google Drive
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Google Forms
• Google Slides
• Google Drawings
• Google Classroom
• Gmail
• Google Calendar

Just go to the Chrome Web Store and search for Techy Coach.  You can also use this direct link.

Create Appointment Slots to Book Parent Conferences or Check Out Equipment

Recently a question to the Techy Coach was posted regarding the ability to reserve Chromebook Carts. A teacher is asking if there is a good way to use a Google Form to reserve carts, and also populate a calendar event automatically.

There are a few ways to do this, but if you are a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) User, the best way is through the use of Google Calendar Appointment Slots.   Appointment Slots are an option available to GAFE Users on Google Calendar, that allow you the benefit of assigning slots in your calendar that users can click on to reserve almost anything you choose.  One of the best uses besides checking out equipment is as a means of booking Parent Conferences.  Watch this video or view the steps below to get started:

Create an Appointment Slot

1. Open http://calendar.google.com
   
2. Login and click anywhere on your calendar to create an appointment.
3. Click Appointment Slots at the  top of the box.
4. Enter a name for the "what" portion of the event, such as "Chromebook Reservation"
5. Be sure to choose the correct Calendar that you want your appointment slots to appear in. If you have not already done so, it might be a good idea to create a secondary calendar other than  your personal calendar for Appointment Slots.  To create a secondary Calendar, watch this video.
6. Click Edit Details.  A full screen editor will open.
7. Edit the details of your appointment slots, including time blocks, and how often the slots will repeat on the calendar.
8. Copy the Link to your Appointment Slots and share with your colleagues.
9. Save your event.

This is how appointment slots appear for 1 hour blocks that repeat every day, Monday Through Friday:

When users click on a slot, a reservation in their name appears that they can save.  The slot will appear on both their calendar, and your calendar.  No one will be able to sign up for the same slot, meaning that slot has been reserved.

Share Your Calendar

After you create your Appointment Slots, you can share your calendar with your colleagues so they can see when slots are available or when they have been reserved.  To share a calendar with someone:

1. Select the calendar you would like to share.
2. Click the dropdown menu to the right of the calendar.
3. Choose Calendar Settings.
4. Three Options for Sharing:
1. Calendar Address - Next to Calendar Address, click the HTML Button and copy the link provided.  Then share by email with your colleagues.
2. Embed This Calendar - If you are comfortable with HTML Code, you can use the Embed option to setup your calendar and then use the Embed Code to place it on a webpage.
3. Insert in a Google Site - If you have a Google Site, you can also edit any page on your site, click Insert and Choose Calendar to place your calendar on your sitepage.

Tip:  If you are sharing your calendar with those outside your organization, you may need to change your public sharing options.  

You can also watch this video that explains how to Share a Calendar:

Tutorial Showcase: Google Calendar

Many people who still rely on paper calendars or planners are truly missing out on the dynamic features available in Google Calendar.  If you are a new Google user, or if your an old one that is looking for a few new tricks, check out these features and watch one of the many tutorials available through the playlist below (6 videos). 
Features:

• Share a Calendar
• Create a Secondary Calendar
• Schedule events using Appointment Slots (GAFE Only)
• Attach Documents from Google Drive
• Use Calendar to Communicate Assignments and Due Dates in Google Classroom

 These videos can also be found on the Google Calendar page.

Raise the Bar on Communication with Google Classroom and Google Calendar

One of the great features of Google Classroom is that teachers can assign work using documents created in Google Drive and Students can easily turn in work without the headache involved with sharing to multiple users.  But many teachers relate the frustration of not being able to share their Stream with parents so they can keep up with what is going on in Google Classroom.  Apart from giving parents their students' passwords, for a long time, there was no good solution for communicating that information.  

But several months ago, Classroom was updated to include the creation of a Google Calendar with each new course that is created.  If you have not taken advantage of this feature, you simply must.  Having a Calendar for the course creates that avenue of communication with parents so many teachers need and want.  

Dig in to this tutorial to learn how you can take advantage of the features in Google Calendar to communicate due dates, projects, and announcements to the parents of your students.

This video tutorial covers:

• How to access  your Google Classroom Calendar
• How to share your Calendar with parents
• How to post your Class Calendar on Google Sites

Copy Events from a Shared Google Calendar to your Personal Calendar

Sometimes when you subscribe to another organizational calendar, you want to copy events from that shared calendar to your personal calendar.  There is a quick and easy way to do this in Google Calendar.  To do this:

1. From Google Calendar, click on the event you wish to copy.2.  Choose Copy to My Calendar.3.  A dialog box will open allowing you to edit and save the event.  4. Make changes if necessary and click Save.

The Essential Guide to Google Calendar Part III: Share a Calendar

In the previous video for the Essential Guide to Google Calendar, we explored the creation of Secondary Calendars.  At some point, you may want to share your calendar with fellow teachers, parents, or students for the purpose of sharing information, or even sharing management and editing responsibilities for that calendar.  To help users understand how to share a calendar, Part III explores calendar sharing.  Check out the video here:

The Essential Guide to Google Calendar Part II: Secondary Calendars

In Part II of the Essential Guide to Google Calendar, we explore Secondary Calendars.  In addition to the primary calendar associated with your Google Apps account, you can also set up and share secondary calendars for any reason with anyone.  For instance, if you have an athletics schedule that you would like to keep track of and share with parents, faculty, staff and students, you can do that!  Users can create multiple calendars, track them by color coding them, and set up events in each, while viewing them from the same screen.  Watch the video below to learn how to setup secondary calendars.  

Look for future tutorials in this series on Embedding Calendars, Google Classroom & Calendars, and Setting Up Appointment Slots. Did you miss Part I:  Getting Started?  Check it out here!

The Essential Guide to Google Calendar Part I: Getting Started

For those of you who are new to Google Calendar, there are several great features that you'll love, including:

• Appointment Slots (GAFE Only)
• Shared Calendars
• Multiple Secondary Calendars
• Video Calls (Hangouts)

Watch the Essential Guide to Google Calendar series to find out what you've been missing!