Using Google Classroom for Literacy?
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| “Google is to students today what notebook paper was to children of generations past” (Education World) |
Google has completely revolutionized classrooms as we know it. In just five years, Google has risen to the forefront of America’s school classrooms and is now considered an “educational giant.” Today, approximately 50% of all schools, both public elementary and secondary, use Google Chromebooks and Google Docs to compose their homework assignments. In addition, more than 30 million school children use Chromebooks and Google’s Education apps. With all this data, how have schools been using Google? More specifically, how can schools use Google Classroom for literacy circles?
More Statistics: https://www.educationworld.com/a_news/how-google-has-changed-classroom-just-five-years-1365475664
Google Classroom can enhance the development of Literature Circles. Here are two ways teachers have used this digital platform in their classrooms:
#1 One way this can be done is by having students create their own Google Classroom classes for Literature Circle book groups. With the teacher as a virtual co-teacher, he or she can monitor the classes for each group. Once groups are created for each book, students can post job assignments with descriptions to be completed for upcoming meetings. They can also post in the class stream and comment when necessary, and even add in digital resources such as links to Audiobooks and PDFs of their books so group members can complete assigned reading from home if they do not have the book handy. This is a great way for students to take charge and utilize Google Classroom to their advantage.
Students not only decide how they want to set up their book club classroom but also:
Choose which book they will read
Which role they will assume
Decide how much they will read for each section
To learn more visit: https://thegoldenageofeducation.com/2017/05/10/student-created-google-classroom-classes-for-literature-circles/
#2 Another way to use Google Classroom during Literacy Circles is by adding a technology station in the group stations. To begin, you as a teacher look at the reading strategies you teach at your grade level such as compare and contrast, inferences, story elements, etc. Then, you determine which you would like to utilize. Whether it is new material or review, it is helpful to use the technology literary station to give students practice. Google Classroom also helps with differentiating as you can assign students different work. One group can work on inferences, while another can practice story elements.
Once you decide which strategies students should practice, you can choose what activities to do. This can be charts or graphic organizers that can be easily created on Google Drive and uploaded onto Google Classroom. For example, you can create a t-chart for students to make predictions as they read the text! In order to check to see if students are doing their work, Google Classroom will show you which students have and have not finished. Here I have created an example of a t-chart:
Click here to learn more! http://www.glitterinthird.com/2018/11/using-google-classroom-during-literacy.html
Connection To Text: Read The World (Pg. 43)
While reading, I was able to make a connection with the Try It on page 43 called, “Use Web Features Effectively.” This lesson helps teach students how to use new features on websites. By doing so, the teacher can create a chart to offer scaffolds for students as they work, freeing teachers from tech support duties. In relation to using Google Classroom, you as a teacher can develop a chart containing Google Classroom shortcuts in order to show students how to use the online classroom efficiently. This can include how to access certain activities, how to post or comment, add in resources, and create their own classrooms.
Wanna Learn More?
The video below contains additional strategies on how to use Google Classroom for Literacy including: Using Audiobooks, sharing PDF files, and embedding differentiation.
Need help setting up your own Google Classroom? Click the link for a step-by-step guide PLUS tips and tricks!
https://ditchthattextbook.com/the-google-classroom-quick-start-guide-tips-and-tricks/
Hi Amanda! Awesome job on your blog post. I've used Google Classroom before, but never in the ways in which you've shared. I think having Google Classroom pages for literature groups is a great way to incorporate technology into literacy while also staying very organized. Students can add valuable resources to their page to share with others regarding their book, author, genre etc. The possibilities for a page as such are endless, but are most importantly, beneficial to all students. In addition, the videos you provided are detailed and helpful ways to apply this technology to literacy programs. Something else I thought of while reading your post was the Google Classroom feature, Google Hangouts. Having Google Classrooms set up allow groups of students to easily set up a virtual meeting as well. This can be a way for students to connect outside of the classroom to discuss their assigned book and complete group projects. My school now has a book club and we use Google Classroom to post all of our announcements and updates, as well as have book club meetings via Google Hangouts. Overall, great job - thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHey Amanda! I really enjoyed reading through your blog and was captivated by the questions that you intertwined throughout it. I think that the features that you can use with Google Classroom are extremely beneficial especially during this pandemic where you are unable to have the bookclubs in person as you were in the classroom. I love the idea of using google classroom to promote a bookclub for the students because it enables them to take control of their own learning. The students are able to set up their bookclub page in whatever way that they think would be best which allows for them to be creative. In this digital age, I think that google classroom is fantastic tool that us teachers can use to better reach our students. I really enjoyed reading through your blog as it has opened my mind to new possibilities on how to integrate Google Classroom into my room one day!
ReplyDeleteHey Amanda! First off, I thought the layout of your blog was very good. I was very intrigued that your blog was about google classroom since so many teachers during a time like this are using this resource to their benefit. Before reading your blog, I never thought of using google classroom for a way to promote literature. I loved your idea of bringing in literature book club groups to google classroom. This is such a unique and interesting way for students to become engaged! I love how teachers have the ability to monitor their students too. That is super helpful for the teacher to be able to see what the students are doing and where they need assistance. I also liked when you said, "They can also post in the class stream and comment when necessary, and even add in digital resources such as links to Audiobooks and PDFs of their books so group members can complete assigned reading from home if they do not have the book handy." During this pandemic, this is very useful for students. This way, students will not fall behind or left out in any way. Overall, I really loved your blog! I never thought google classroom had some many different features and tools, but after reading your blog, I am excited to use this in the future. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda, great post! I really enjoyed reading this post. The topic you chose to talk about, being google classroom is extremely relevant and has a clear impact on education today. How you start the post by explaining what it is you are talking about and using statistics to emphasize your point, I feel had a great impact on the overall tone of the post. It immediately grabbed my attention and made me want to read every word right away. Further into the post I really like how you broke down 2 clear tools this resource uses. You show how this tool can be used by students and teachers and give insight into how this will benefit the class. This post was very well written and has a clear direction. You made it clear that this digital resource has been proven to work as well as it's potential going forward. Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda! Great post, this was so informative. I love learning about new ways to use Google Classroom, especially since that seems to be the way education is moving towards. I liked how you included videos (I find watching a youtube video easier than reading an article and I like how the presenter shows you their screen so you can easily do the same thing on your computer). I've been doing a lot of learning through youtube videos these past few months. I also appreciated how you added links for more information, so helpful! Thank you again for all the great tips! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda, this post is so helpful! I really like how you focused in on how to use google classroom specifically for literacy circles. I have seen how teachers set up their google classroom and post assignments. I think it is a great idea to have separate classrooms for book clubs like this. I haven’t seen anyone use it this way and will be keeping this idea in mind when I have my own classroom. I think it is so important to provide students with the opportunity to take charge of their learning. I liked that you included that in their own google classrooms the students can be in charge of their reading and posting things along with the teacher. I also really liked the video you included about literacy in google classroom it was very relevant to your post. Overall, this was really insightful and taught me a lot. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHey Amanda! I really liked this post. It's super relevant to whats going on in education now with COVID-19. The school I'm completing my internship at has Chromebooks carts for almost every classroom and the students are really adept at using the Google education apps for a variety of reasons but I haven't seem them used too much during Reading or Reader's Workshop. I really liked your idea of having the kids create Google classrooms for their book groups. I think this would not only give them more responsibility over how their group functions but it might also make it feel a little less like an assignment and a little more social. Kids could post comments about the book and have discussions right in the Google classroom. It would almost be like a Facebook feed for their book group. Your post truly got me interested in learning about more ways teachers can use the Google education apps in the classroom. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda! I loved reading your blog and found it to be very informative and relevant with our current situation. Google classroom is a huge part of online learning today. I really liked the idea of separate google classrooms for book clubs. I think it is a great way to keep the students engaged and hold them accountable with their reading. I also like how they have an option to pick a book that interests them. I love the Google web visuals. I find them to be very helpful for not only students but adults! Great post. I learned some additional information about Google Classroom.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Amanda ~ Excellent blog! Although I know that 'google' has been around for quite awhile- before March it was really just a search engine for me. I got a crash course in google classroom and its capabilities and have since been using it daily with my students. In first grade the students really had no exposure at all to GC before the start of distance learning, but it is very user friendly. I had never thought of having students set up their own GC classrooms for their books clubs. That is such a neat way to have students during these uncertain times, still maintain a connection to their classmates. While at this time its a little too much for 1st grade, I will definitely be passing on this idea of students creating their own book club GC to the upper grade literacy teachers. Thank you for a very informative blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda, great work on your blog. Google classroom is a key staple for the upper grades in Elementary and beyond. It gives them opportunities to manipulate a key board as well as whatever assignment is at hand. My third grade students become well versed in Google Classroom by the end of the year due to all the practice. I liked how you touched upon using it as a resources for Literacy Circles. I have used them for "round robin" writing technique with a small group where I start a story with a sentence in a Google Doc and allow the students to make edits on the document by adding one sentence to develop the story. I love the Try It you referenced; it would be great for teachers to make mini anchor charts of these posters for students to hold throughout the year and reference back to when using Google.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda! Great blog post on Google classroom! I can’t believe how much Google influences our classroom today. So many students use Google Chromebooks and all Google applications, such as Docs, Sheets and even Slides. I was so interested to read about how Google Classroom can be used with literacy. I really like the idea of how we can create Google Classrooms for literature circle book groups. I think that is such a smart idea because it keeps all of their information in one place, and they can access their information from any device! I also like the idea of including a technology station during a rotation you may have for literacy. I actually have never seen that done before, so that is something I would love to try to include in my future classroom, or even when I student teach! In regards to connecting it to the text, I feel that this Try It would work great with teaching students how to use Google Classroom! Great work – I can’t wait to explore Google Classroom more in the future with literacy!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda, this post was so well done! I felt that it was so clear and informational that makes it so helpful for educators. It is so true how google classroom has become so important especially during these unfortunate times. I really liked how you discussed using this by adding a technology station with the group stations. I think that stations are so useful with students in helping them learn, and you detail very well how to do it. Awsome job!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda! I really enjoyed reading your blog post. I found it to be very informative. I actually do not feel that I know very much about Google Classroom so this was the perfect blog for me to be reading at this time. I find it so interesting that around 50% of schools use Google Chromebooks as well as Google Docs for homework assignments. I like that you included this fact because it shows just how significant Google’s impact has become in schools in America and how important it is for teachers to understand this tool. I really love the idea of adding technology to group stations. This is a great way to use Google Classroom during Literacy Circles as you stated! Google Classroom seems to be an easy way to help differentiate assignments for your students so that different groups could be working on different activities at the same time.
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