Spreadsheets & Google Sheets aren't just for math!

Jessica Pederson

Digital District Day 2021

(but we’ll also talk about math examples)

Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Sign in once for the whole day: bit.ly/SFUSDPDsignin (7hrs)

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Jessica Pederson

Digital Learning Integration Designer,

Google for Instruction & Productivity

SFUSD Department of Technology

Get help: help.sfusd.edu or (415) 241-6476

Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Our norms for today

Stay muted so that others can hear.

Type questions into the chat.

Take what you can today, come back for more later.

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Today’s Agenda

• Opening moves: norms; framing (AKA “why Sheets?”)
• Google Sheets basics: what you absolutely have to know
• Math examples
• Non-math examples
• Closing moves: share out; next steps

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

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SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Chat Check

In the chat, give me one word about how you feel about spreadsheets.

• Noun
• Verb
• Adjective
• Feeling
• Exclamation (school appropriate)
• Etc.

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Why spreadsheets?

78% of mid-skill jobs require spreadsheet skills.

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• Accounting/finance
• Computer science/coding
• Retail management
• Entrepreneurship

• Project management
• Business/data analysis
• Sales management
• Teaching

and more!

Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

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EMPOWER

students through agency, voice, identify

ACCESS

content in rich, multimodal ways

CLOSE GAPS

in access, achievement, & opportunity

ENGAGE�students in deeper

learning

Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

What you need to know about spreadsheets to get started with Google Sheets:

• Rows are horizontal and have numbers
• Columns are vertical and have letters
• Cells are referenced by their column letter and row number (H15)
• Rows & columns can be resized to any size
• Cells can be merged
• Resource: Google Teacher Center - Sheets

Everything else you can �Google as you go!

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F10

C6

Spreadsheet lessons from Common Sense

Strengths of Sheets

• Can delete unneeded rows columns
• Customize color/thickness of borders
• Easy to rearrange rows or columns
• Insert images into cells or on top of cells
• Graphs/charts go on top of cells or in their own tab
• Can insert checkboxes for lists

• Not limited to specific dimensions
• Tabs along the bottom for different spaces
• Can use formulas & features to make an activity more “responsive” / “interactive”
• Tie in with forms for easier data collection & analysis

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Spreadsheet = giant table

Strengths of Sheets

Alice Keeler’s Student’s guide to Google Sheets

Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Sheets tips & tricks

• Use the tabs along the bottom for different spaces
• Different steps, activities, people, etc.
• Can now put multiple links in the same cell
• Can also link to specific cells in the spreadsheet
• “Data validation” = drop-down of choices in that cell
• Located under Data menu (choose “list of items” for the type)
• Good for standardizing answers (rubrics, for example) or options
• Conditional formatting = formatting is dependent on cell’s contents & automatically applies itself
• Great for self-checking activities, such as the cell turns blue if the entry is incorrect
• Resource: Video about conditional formatting (3:27)
• Advanced: Use formulas for a “responsive” feel
• Example: Scavenger Hunt counts checked checkboxes & changes encouragement message based on count (COUNTIF & VLOOKUP)
• Resource: Overview of common Sheets formulas

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Respect our norms �(& yourself)

Take what you can today, come back for more later.

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Our goal(s) today:

• Get some new ideas
• Locate some resources
• Have a growth mindset

Your next steps after today:

• Review these materials, links, & resources
• Rewatch the recording (as many times as you want!)
• Come to Digital Learning Team office hours
• Submit Help Desk tickets with questions

Math examples

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Alice Keeler’s “A call to Math teachers to use spreadsheets”

Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Example: Math puzzle

• Students fill in numbers to solve the puzzle
• A correct answer turns the square green (conditional formatting)
• Conditional formatting can also be done with text (use either “is exactly” or “contains”)
• Could have multiple puzzles in one spreadsheet, each using different tabs → anchor activity?
• Get the math puzzle template

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Example: Graphing data

• Can use student collected data or provided data sets
• Example: Romeo & Juliet - survey people of different ages on who is responsible for the ending
• NY Times has a weekly “What’s Going On in This Graph?” activity
• New graphs posted on Fridays during school year
• Also have collections of graphs for some topics
• Watch the NYT intro video
• Not just for math: science, social studies, culture & society, current events, health, etc.

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Non-math examples

• Use Sheets for anything that needs a table!
• Pixel Art
• Drag-n-drop matching
• Learning Databases (comparison)
• Question Game Board
• Battleship game
• Word search
• Task lists (checkboxes)
• Streamlining your own workflows
• Teacher data analysis

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Pixel Art

• Similar to paint-by-number
• Uses conditional formatting to set colors for specific values/letters - when the value or letter is inputted into the cell, the cell changes to that color
• ES - give them a premade canvas (Template from A. Keeler)
• MS/HS - make their own canvas
• More ideas from Eric Curts - ideas for other subjects
• Another twist: Mystery picture = sections of image appear when correct values (or words!) are entered

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

More non-math uses

Learning Database

Drag-n-Drop matching

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Organize info, then sort/filter the info to find commonalities

Resource: More on Learning Databases by Eric Curts

Question Game Board

• Students answer questions to automatically move their avatar/piece around the game board
• Note: student’s piece moving is a reflection of completion, not correctness – is not auto-grading!
• Resource: Google Sheets game by Alice Keeler
• Read the blog post for instructions
• Get her template
• Also has a grader tool to go with it for faster feedback

Heads up: This does take some time to set up & build/ create, especially the first time you use the template

It will be easier to set up for those who feel a little more comfortable in Sheets.

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Battleship

• Great for students who are new to spreadsheets to practice cell references!
• Resource: Blog post from Technology for Learners
• Video tutorial on how to set up the game (5:09)�Could also be set up by you and distributed as a template in Google Classroom
• Alice Keeler also offers a template�AK mentions an extension, but SFUSD students aren’t able to add extensions – students will have to switch back & forth between the Board and the Guessing tabs if playing in pairs
• Can be played in pairs or as a whole class

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Word Search

• Research shows word searches aren’t effective teaching/learning tools, but we all need breaks and fun activities!
• Can create your own, but it takes a lot of time to fill in letters…
• Can use Alice Keeler’s word search template instead!
• Check out her blog post on how to use this template or watch her how-to video

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Task lists

• Can insert a checkbox in a cell under the “Insert” menu
• Great for simple to-do lists where students can check off their progress
• Can use formulas to have the Sheet “react” when they check something off
• In my Google Sheets Scavenger Hunt, rows 23-37 are hidden -- this is where the reaction phrases are stored
• Uses a COUNTIF in cell D22 to count checked boxes and a VLOOKUP in cell E22 to put a different phrase there based on the count in D22
• Reactions can be a preset message, color/format changes, different badges, etc.
• Keeler’s badge game: how-to, template

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Deck: https://tinyurl.com/ddd-sheets21

Streamlining your own workflows

• Macros - can perform the same repeated task on multiple sheets �(deleting a column, inserting a row, formatting text/cell, etc.)
• Ben Collins’ video on macros (12:45) -- you only need to watch the first 3 minutes
• Alice Keeler’s blog post on macros -- scroll down to “Cheat Coding with Macros”
• Google’s Help article about macros
• Add-ons - add extra functionality to Sheets
• See the list of SFUSD’s approved add-ons
• Alice Keeler’s templates - Alice Keeler’s teacher tools
• Google Apps Script - can code your own tools
• Write code in modern JavaScript, with access to built-in libraries for Google applications
• Designing in Sheets - our Sheets resource with best practices and tips/tricks for building activities, dashboards, and other things in Sheets

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Data analysis for educators

• Easiest way to get data is via Forms, but you can also import Excel files
• Easy to make graphs/charts
• Can use filter views to isolate rows with certain characteristics
• Use the Explore button for insights (bottom right corner)
• Can create dynamic dashboards in Sheets: dashboard example

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In this sample dashboard, the drop down allows you to choose between people, which automatically updates the data/graphs for the selected person.

Closing moves

Feel free to type into the chat or unmute and share any...

• “Aha” moments
• Lingering [deeper] questions
• Celebrations & Appreciations

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DDD feedback: https://bit.ly/DDD21-feedback

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SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Digital Learning Team office hours

12-1 pm

Mon - Fri

7:30-8:30 am

Tues, Wed, �& Thurs

Even offered over breaks! Check the calendar for days & times

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Check the PD calendar for upcoming dates: https://sfusd.edu/educatorPD

Link to join our office hours: https://meet.google.com/�hwj-uuok-ftk

Digital Learning team office hours are great for help with…

• Basic tech issues
• 1-on-1 support with settings or tools
• Tech advice (like which tool to use, etc.)
• Questions

SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Bio slide

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Jessica Pederson

Digital Learning Integration Designer,

Google for Instruction & Productivity

SFUSD Department of Technology

Get help: help.sfusd.edu or (415) 241-6476

Appendix of Digital Learning Resources & Support

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SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

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SFUSD’s Google Resources

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Resources for SFUSD employees

Resources for families

Google for Instruction

Submit a Help Desk ticket

Google Classroom Do’s & Don’ts

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• Do Make Clear to Students & Families that Google Classrooms are for Students Only: Parents/Guardians should not join Google Classrooms as students as this is a data privacy issue. Teachers should invite parents/guardians to Google Classroom guardian email summaries so they can see information about their child.

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• Do Consider Turning Off Comments (at first):

Until online behavior norms are established, consider turning off class comments to limit inappropriate behavior in Classroom. Once norms and trust are established, you can mute individual students as needed in the “People” tab to prevent them from adding comments.

• Don’t invite non-SFUSD accounts (like CBOs) to join Classrooms:

Non-SFUSD accounts will not be able to join SFUSD Classrooms, so all CBOs, partners, and volunteers will need to get an SFUSD email if interacting with students or their work.

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• Don’t Invite Parents/Guardians to be Students in Your Classroom: �This is a FERPA violation for other students in your class. Only students, teachers, and related school professionals can be in SFUSD Google Classrooms. Instead, use Classroom’s automated daily/weekly emails, called guardian email summaries, to keep families in the loop about Classroom assignments and information.

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Synergy is SFUSD’s Student Information System. All SFUSD teachers will use it to

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• View Student Information
• Contact families
• Log attendance
• Report Grades (grades 6-12)

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View our Synergy Setup Slide Deck for information on how to use this essential tool.

Google Sync with Synergy

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Synergy can sync with Google Classroom!

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Follow these steps to automatically update your Synergy Gradebook with Google Classroom assignments and view our recommendations for the sync!

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Why?

What?

Students learning how to conduct themselves online is a 21^st century skill promoting the Graduate Profile. We live in a digital world and it’s more important than ever to ensure our students understand how to be safe and responsible online.

Digital Agency Website with:

• Overview
• K-12 lesson plans
• Ready-made Asynchronous Content
• Family Resources
• Common Sense Certification

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Digital Agency

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Creating positive communities that empower our students, staff, and families to navigate digital spaces and resources adeptly and responsibly.

Get Resources & Learn More:

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SFUSD Digital Agency

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Support for Digital Learning Tools

SFUSD has a suite of approved and recommended applications that can be used to facilitate digital distance learning. The Department of Technology has created a variety of resources and professional learning opportunities to support teachers and staff with digital learning. These resources include:

SFUSD Approved Apps and The Digital Backpack

SFUSD teachers and students have access to digital tools that have been vetted for instructional use and compliance with student data privacy laws (eg COPPA, CIPA & FERPA).

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Clever is the tool we use for the Digital Backpack, your students’ personalized portal to their easy-to-access apps and your customized teacher resources. Clever also provides:

• Easy sign-in with badges or Google
• Customized teacher-pages (a great place for Zoom links), messaging, and app launching features
• Site- and District-Funded apps

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Educators can get up to 4 hours of PD credit for completing the Clever Academy!

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We don’t want you to sift through complicated data privacy laws and agreements, so we ask that you use our approved apps - you get tools that are safe, impactful, and compliant with the law

If your desired tool is not approved, submit a help desk ticket and the Digital Learning Team will be happy to assist in finding a similar tool in our approved app library!

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Core Digital Tools: Resources for Teachers & Families

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Learn more about the new Zoom features for teachers and students!

SFUSD Zoom

Zoom Do’s & Don’ts

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• Do Check the Waiting Room: Check participant names against class rosters before allowing participants in from the waiting room

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• Do Turn Off Screen Sharing: While on by default, make sure you have this turned off in your settings to prevent a participant from sharing something in appropriate.

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• Do Only Allow Authenticated Users: Only SFUSD students and employees should access student-focused Zoom meetings.

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• Do Manage Chat: Make sure students cannot chat to each other, student-to-student. Turn off the ability to chat everyone until online norms are established

• Don’t Make Zoom Links/Invites Public: You are asking for someone who shouldn’t be in the class to join you.

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• Don’t Allow Meetings to be Open to External Participants:

While SFUSD’s default is restricted to SFUSD, many teachers/staff requested external access. Keep “Require Authentication to Join” checked unless you are expecting non-SFUSD guests.

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• Don’t Leave Breakout Rooms Unsupervised

Students should have adult supervision in break-out rooms; and should not be encouraged to create breakouts on their own using SFUSD accounts.

Video: Top 7 Zoom Safety Tips (1:44)

Where to Post Zoom/Meet/Classroom Info

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• Password-protected Class Sites in Synergy - Families can access through ParentVue and Students through StudentVue

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• Emails or messages sent through Synergy to students & Families

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• Google Classroom or Seesaw - do not share join codes to Classrooms/Seesaw as this opens the potential for students not in the class to access meeting links

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• Meeting Invites - that only have the students’ SFUSD emails invited

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• Meeting Agendas and/or Slide Decks with appropriate sharing settings

Share Class Information Securely & Consistently

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Being able to access classroom information securely in one place makes navigating distance learning easier for families, especially for middle and high schoolers and families with multiple students in the district.

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Post general class information, such as schedules, syllabi, Zoom/Google links on your Class Site in Synergy!

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Parents and Students will be able to access class information consistently in ParentVue and StudentVue.

Tech Resources for Families

All Icons on This Slide Are clickable when in “Present” mode

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Image: pexels.com. Labeled for reuse

.EDU

The Portal for All Family Tech Solutions & Info

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Family Portal (ParentVUE)

With an account, parents/guardians are able to:

Resources for Families: sfusd.edu/parentvue

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Strengthen family communication

and engagement to support our students anytime, anywhere.

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ParentVUE is accessible in six languages. English, Spanish, Cantonese, Arabic, Tagalog, and Vietnamese

Help Families Activate:

Resources for SFUSD Staff: sfusd.edu/parentvuetoolkit

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86% of students have at least one parent/guardianw ith an account. Click on the Dashboard to see your site’s rates.

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Getting Started with Seesaw

• Seesaw Basic Set-Up for Teachers
• Seesaw Self-Guided Webinar
• Seesaw Help Center
• Seesaw for Families Page
• Getting Started: 1-pager

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Seesaw Do’s & Don’ts

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• Do enter through Clever: Students and teachers should always enter Seesaw through clever.sfusd.edu

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• Do check settings for posts and comments:

In your classroom settings, make sure new items and comments are set to require approval by teacher

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• Do invite co-teachers from the district:

Paraprofessionals, coaches, interventionists and itinerant teachers can all be added as co-teachers to participate in your class.

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• Do invite families to your class:

When families are invited from the Seesaw class settings, they will only be able to view their own child’s work.

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• Don’t create your own Seesaw class for your homeroom class: Your homeroom class will be loaded and updated automatically, so you shouldn’t make a duplicate.

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• Don’t change the roster of your homeroom class: All roster changes should happen in Synergy and will copy over to Seesaw automatically.

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• Don’t make Seesaw join codes public:

Sharing join codes on a public website will allow anyone to join your class. Only students and teachers, and school administrators should participate in your class.

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SFUSD’s Digital Learning Scope & Sequence identifies digital learning competencies that help prepare students to meet SFUSD’s Graduate Profile and the ISTE Standards for Students

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Access the DLSS at: bit.ly/SFUSD_DLSS