Google My Classroom

With God all things are possible in the IT Department

Tips and Tricks

Forgot to Sign out or Someone has hacked your account?

1. Scroll to the bottom of your Gmail Account

2. In the Right hand bottom corner - click on Details

3. Click on Sign out all other web sessions

Closed a Tab by Accident?

Mac -- Command + Shift + T

PC/Chromebook -- Control + Shift + T


Set a Timer in the Google Omnibox

Type Timer 1 Minute


Increase/Decrease your Font Size

In Google Docs, if you hold down Command(or Control) and Shift you can then press the period key to increase the size of the text up one point at a time and the comma key to decrease the size down one point at a time.


Edit Iphone Text

Type something on your Iphone and need to change it? Just hold down your space bar and it will go backwards in your text until you find the place you want to edit.

gzaas!

gzaas! is used to display full-screen text messages. It's a great way to share a web link or welcome message with your class or audience.

  1. Type in your text.
  2. Click the gzaas it! button and select font, colors, backgrounds, styles and more.
  3. Click the Share It button if you want to create a link to your message or just display the image through your projector.

Website: https://www.gzaas.com/

Be careful if you are displaying a URL that is case sensitive because some of the fonts are in all caps.


Cool New Google Shortcuts

Want to quickly create a Google Doc, Slide, Site or Form? Just type one of the following and you will be ready to create!

View Pure for YouTube ( No Ads on YouTube)

View Pure - Viewpure.com

Create a link to YouTube videos without ads and links to other videos using this site.

  1. Copy the URL (web address) of the YouTube video.
  2. Paste the URL into blank and click the Purify button.

The new link contains the YouTube video without ads.

Make sure to check out the Teacher Resources for some excellent information!

Classroom Screen

ClassroomScreen allows the teacher to create a digital board of widgets for students to help them focus on their work/tasks.

You can…

  • Choose a background
  • Type your instructions in the text area and zoom
  • Choose a work symbol
  • Set a timer
  • Show the clock & calendar
  • Use the traffic light
  • Pick a random name
  • Use the calculator
  • Draw in-screen or full-screen
  • Generate a QR-code
  • Drag and drop the icons in the right place
  • Select a language


Creative Ideas for Using Classroom Screen

  • Use an image of the book or a page from a book you are reading as the background picture on your Classroom Screen.
  • The Full Screen Drawing widget has graph and lined paper as options.
  • Use Classroom Screen to have assignment choices in a Text widget for students to select.
  • Have the Text widget with bell ringer instructions written on it when students enter the room.
  • The circle with yellow and green icons in the bottom right of your screen opens up a poll option.

Augmented Reality

This cool trick only works on phones/iPads that are AR-enabled.

On your phone:

  1. Open Safari.
  2. Type in Google.com.
  3. Type bear in the search box Scroll down until you see Meet a Life-sized Bear in 3D.
  4. Open it up Click on AR at the top.
  5. Tap on the bear.


Here’s how to look at life-sized animals in AR through Google Search

Maps From the Top

Google Maps with the satellite view to make up a fun activity. You are trying to guess famous landmarks in the USA or around the world.

Maps from the Top Powerpoint Link

Flippity.net Quiz Show and Flash Cards

Flippity.Net easily turn a Google™Spreadsheet into a set of online flashcards, typing test, spelling test, word search, and 15 other cool tools you can use in your classroom.

Each Flippity tool has a demo, instructions, and template. Choose 1 or more to make your own resource.

website: http://flippity.net/

Jeopardy Style Quiz Show Example

Directions to Make Your Own (Jeopardy Style) Quiz Show?

Step 1: Modify the Google Spreadsheet Template

Make a copy of this template. (Sign-in, click File, then Make a copy…)

Step 2: Edit all the categories, questions, and answers.

Step 3: Publish Your Spreadsheet

Go to File, Publish to the Web…, then click Publish.

Copy the link under the Link tab.

Step 4: Get Your Flippity.net Link

Click on the Get the Link Here tab of the template (at the bottom).

Paste the link in the light green cell to get the link to your Flippity Quiz Show.

Step 5: Click, Bookmark, and Share

Click on the Flippity.net link to test out your game.

Make a shortcut or bookmark to get back to the game whenever you want to play.

Google's Autodraw

AutoDraw is a tool that was developed by Google's Creative Lab. The user simply starts drawing an object on the screen and Google pops up with suggestions at the top of the screen. Click one of the suggestions and your drawing becomes more realistic with the help of AI and real life artists!

The user can move each drawing around the screen, resize it, fill in with colors, and more.

Try drawing a car, umbrella or a tree. And then try a couple of the Autodraw tools

A good blog post about Autodraw

Website: https://www.autodraw.com/

Google's Poem Poet

Google’s latest experiment PoemPortrait pairs your selfie with an artificial intelligence-generated poem.

Make a poem. Hopefully you have a webcam.

Read the blog post: Poem Portrait Blog

website: co/poemportraits

Chrome Music Lab

The Chrome Music Lab (CML) was created by Google in 2016. It is an online resource originally created for music teachers and students. But anyone can experiment with the 13 different music experiments. It’s simple to use and allow visitors to explore sound and create with sound.

Make some MUSIC.

website: https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Experiments

50 Lesson Ideas for the Chrome Music Lab https://midnightmusic.com.au/2018/09/50-lesson-ideas-for-the-chrome-music-lab/

The Glide App

Did you know that you can easily create a mobile app from one of your Google Sheets?

Glide is a service that lets you add information to a Google sheet, then quickly create an app from its contents, all without coding. Just pick one of your sheets and Glide assembles it into a polished app that you can customize, share with a link, and even publish to the app store.

NOTE: You can not go to the app store and download the app. You can use the app from your web browser or scan the QR Code on your phone and it will look like an app. Try Nancy's Watson's app to check out how the Glide App works. If you want the app in the App Store, you will have to pay money.

Give it a go and try setting up your own Glide App.

  1. Go to the Glide website.
  2. Click on Create an App and sign in with your Google account.
  3. Click on New app and search for your Google sheet.
  4. Wait for your app to be created.

To get an idea, how the app works. Go to the DigCit app link or scan to QR code to open the app on your phone.

Nancy Watson, Region 10, made a digital citizenship app and a YouTube explaining her app

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H8ixwEaR0s&feature=youtu.be

DigCit App: https://digcit.glideapp.io


Helpful Information on the Glide App

Diana Benner's Blog on the Glide App: https://blog.tcea.org/mobile-app-from-google-sheets/

Diana also is crowdsourcing Glide App Ideas: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ef43S0uiyWdOjir2F5_WwvkiuXdlXNT42irSJXOjB5Y/edit

Welcome to Glide App YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9fJR6JJ89mUv96qTJ6aQlZdiLfi7IqQY

Resources