Here are some routines we use in our Google Classroom.
1. Lesson Plans
Maybe save the three-page narrative for blogger, but Classroom is a great place to write lesson plans for a student audience. I write one post per week to avoid clutter on the stream and include essential questions, activities, materials, and homework assignments.
Google Apps for Lesson Plans
2. Stream Comments
Students can make comments on the stream. This is awesome because if they have a question, I get an email when the stream post is made, which means I can respond in a timely manner. The other benefit is that sometimes students have the same question and can see that it was asked and perhaps a response has already been posted.
3. Discussion Questions
It's important to be able to manage student responses and provide feedback in a timely manner. The Question tool is quick to use and allows teachers to comment and assign a score to each post.
Discussion Ideas
4. PDF of Slide Notes
Providing the slides or notes can be very powerful. It's a great way to teach note taking skills like restatement and labeling groupings of details or ideas. Sometimes we take our work elsewhere to take in a new environment.
5. Link to Drive Folder
One of the easiest ways to share documents among students or from the crowd to one place is a Google Drive folder. Set the permissions to "anyone with link the can edit," and you can receive rich content like images. Click the images and Drive will provide a slideshow. Who needs PowerPoint, right?
Corwdsource with the Drive App
6. Sub Plans
It's not the neatest way to do it, but it's quick and easy. Right click and print the stream. It will PDF or print whatever is loaded. I usually highlight the important parts and make notes to help the substitute understand the expectations.
7. Share YouTube Playlists
Why share video after videos on the stream. Share a YouTube playlist in the "About" tab via link. I usually make a playlist for each unit.
8. Share an "Auto-Copy"
The last chunk of text on a doc URL is "edit." Change "edit" to copy on the doc URL and share it if you want to ensure that the recipient makes a copy. When the "copy" link is clicked, users will be prompted to make a copy.
9. Quizlet Decks Folder
Why share each deck separately on the stream? It clutters and causes confusion. Put a link to a Quizlet deck folder in the "About" tab. Now, students know exactly where to go to practice vocabulary and background information.
10. Email Blast
This one is self explanatory. Sure, I would prefer to send short messages through Remind, but Classroom sets me up to quickly email a group of students with a similar issue like missing work, for example.
Thanks for reading!