Using Google Classroom elementary assignments in schools is a great tool to use when you have technology in the classroom, or when distance learning. It allows you, as the teacher, to grade, view and assign work effortlessly. You can save all of your assignments in you Google Drive and it’ll be there for next school to assign! Google classroom for students is easy to learn, as its interface is simple.
Here are my top 5 reasons why teachers should be using Google Classroom in elementary classrooms.
1. Google Classroom Suite
Google Classroom is one app among many Google includes in their suite. When using Google Classroom for your classroom, your students also have other apps available to them. Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Forms, and Google Slides among others. Access to all of these apps for free allows you to make content in a wide variety of ways that students can interact with.Â
One way I use this in my own classroom is having students complete a interactive Google Slide game and then fill out a Google Form to demonstrate their understanding. It’s the perfect way to give practice while also including a common formative assessment!
2. Google Classroom Organization
Google Classroom allows you to create topics to put assignments in to organize them. You can use these as subjects or sub-subjects like math or math-place value. You can also use them to organize the assignments students need to do for each day.
In the picture above, I have all of my assignments organized by day. It makes it easier for my first graders to find what they need to complete each day. It also helps parents navigate Google Classroom when they’re helping their student at home.
3. Easily Check Grades and Work
When you go to the “Grade” tab at the top of Google Classroom, it allows you to see all of the work assigned to your students and what they have turned in. When turned in, it can also allow you to see the copy of work they did if you had them make a copy of a Google Slides, Docs, or Sheets assignment!
It is so nice assigning work to students and checking the next day to see who has done it, what they have done, and if I need to provide additional support. You can message students within the assignment to provide feedback. If you provide scores on your assignments, it will also tell you the class average for the assignment. It has saved me SO much time.
4. Google Classroom Allows a Variety of Content
Google Classroom is a great way to send a variety of content to your students without them having to find it. Games, videos, pictures, and more. Gamification is a great way to have students more engaged through Google Classroom (learn more about it here).
Google Classroom allows you to send YouTube videos, URL links, and files that you directly upload or from your Google Drive. I have added YouTube videos to my assignments to be the “hook” to my lessons. I then add links and files to have students complete the assignment. You can make it as simple or as complex as you want.
5. Assignments Stored on Google Drive
One of the biggest reasons why I love using Google Classroom is you can have your work saved in Google Drive and easily use it in your Google Classroom year after year. When you have built up a list of assignments throughout the year, it makes it easy to provide work for homework since students can access it at home. You can also use it for centers, early finishers, and more.
It is hard for me to be organized with paper blacklines. I lose them all the time since I hate filing cabinets and don’t want any in my room. Having some of my assignments stored on Google Drive and assigned through Google Classroom has made my life so much easier.
Creating all of those assignments can take a lot of time, but it’s so worth it. If you want a jump start to your Google Classroom assignments, check out my math and phonics Google Classroom products here.
Conclusion
I hope I have provided you some useful reasons why Google Classroom could be useful in your elementary classroom. I thought it may be too hard for my 1st graders to understand, but they picked it up within a week. It has streamlined my assignments and has made it easier for students to access assignments.
Distance learning may have sideswiped some of us into digital teaching. When life comes back to a little bit of normalcy, you can apply Google Classroom to create a strong blended classroom. It is a fantastic tool if embraced and used for what YOU want.
Stay Safe,
Adrian
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