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Exploring Google Sites for Intermediate Classrooms

Katelyn Scott

B.Sc, B.Ed., MEd (in progress)

Heather Mathieson

B.A., B.Ed

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Download the presentation: goo.gl/lSfbqL

Brock University

Peel District School Board, Grade 7/Library

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Overview

Google Sites IS...
Google Sites CAN…
How WE used Google Sites

Observations
Tips & Tricks

HOW YOU can use Google Sites…

Teacher-centered
Student-centered

Google Sites PLAYS WELL WITH…
ADDITIONAL USES for Google Sites

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Google Sites IS

goo.gl/lSfbqL

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Welcome to Our CONNECT Sites Page

Create a page: It's that time of year…"My Summer Vacation"
Add 1 photo of something you hope to do this summer
Add a textbox

Write a paragraph describing something you plan to do this summer

Extra time?

Play with level of texts
Background colour of panels on page
Font

(Student view)

goo.gl/lSfbqL

sites.google.com/view/sitesatconnect2017

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Use Google Sites to

(Teacher-Centred Uses)

Homepage

Embed a calendar

Parent Page

Homework

Learning materials

(embed rich multimedia content)

Subject-specific pages

Create a classroom website

Discussion Board

(Growing Wiki)

File Cabinet

goo.gl/lSfbqL

Kate

5-7 mins

Sample Grade 4 pprtfolio: https://sites.google.com/a/apps.edina.k12.mn.us/caroline-s-4th-grade-portfolio/

Sample project: https://sites.google.com/a/apps.edina.k12.mn.us/new-york/

How teachers can use Sites (teacher-focused uses)

can be used to create a classroom webpage, student ePortfolios (that can be carried over year-to-year), a webpage for a unit or project, and more.

Create a webpage for the class where to include course materials and rich content including videos, images, slides, and audio recordings

Use it for posting homework, assignments, and class events

You can also use it as a discussion board where every student can have a say

Create a page for posting announcements , class events, reading materials, classroom rules, and many more

Use it as a wiki and let your students collaboratively work on their assignments and edit content

Use the File Cabinet page to upload documents, PDFs and other materials to share with your students

You can also create a private page where to share information with parents like curriculum resources

Embed a calendar to keep track of your deadlines or Google Spreadsheet to keep track of your research

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Use Google Sites to

(Student-Centred Uses)

Digital Portfolios

Present rich, multimedia research products/findings

Collaborate on group projects

(& manage projects to-do lists)

Track on-going research

(with embedded Sheets)

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How WE used Google Sites

goo.gl/lSfbqL

7 mins - H

Recently Katelyn has been coming to the school

-made a single site for all students, created pages (scaffolding, gradual release)(teacher directed)

-add objects to the page

-important to have time for purposeful play - confident using the program

-removed school content and thet posted about math reflections they already had time to previously reflect on

-important to work with familiar content to ensure students are focused on learning the new technology

-talked about goals, allowed time for reflection and revisions

-explicitly told students why they were using this platform - share learning, as communicating our thoughts is our gol this year, as we have learned the clearer we can explain our thoughts to others, the clearer our own understandings become - activating out metacognition

- asked students to record problems, questions and concerns - focused on their problems

-became more independent as we bring in my teachig partner and i am supporting him as the librarian and tech support

- the three of us will be continuing to work together to support my grade 7 students by organizing more time for our teacher expert Katelyn to come in, I provide additional support to my co teacher John on a more regular bases

- small group sizes

-John focuses on the history curriculum, where I am focusing on supporting them use new technology to communicate their thinking

- allowing us to differentiate our teaching easily, as students who are moving more quickly can join me sooner, as students who require more support can place a higher focus on the content then the new technology

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How WE used Google Sites

Our New Online History Adventure

https://sites.google.com/pdsb.net/teachersbna

goo.gl/lSfbqL

7 mins - H

Recently Katelyn has been coming to the school

-made a single site for all students, created pages (scaffolding, gradual release)(teacher directed)

-add objects to the page

-important to have time for purposeful play - confident using the program

-removed school content and thet posted about math reflections they already had time to previously reflect on

-important to work with familiar content to ensure students are focused on learning the new technology

-talked about goals, allowed time for reflection and revisions

-explicitly told students why they were using this platform - share learning, as communicating our thoughts is our gol this year, as we have learned the clearer we can explain our thoughts to others, the clearer our own understandings become - activating out metacognition

- asked students to record problems, questions and concerns - focused on their problems

A

-became more independent as we bring in my teachig partner and i am supporting him as the librarian and tech support

- the three of us will be continuing to work together to support my grade 7 students by organizing more time for our teacher expert Katelyn to come in, I provide additional support to my co teacher John on a more regular bases

- small group sizes

-John focuses on the history curriculum, where I am focusing on supporting them use new technology to communicate their thinking

- allowing us to differentiate our teaching easily, as students who are moving more quickly can join me sooner, as students who require more support can place a higher focus on the content then the new technology

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Google Sites VS. Classroom

Google Sites

Website development and maintenance
HTML can be added for higher functionality
An Open system

Parent access
Authentic audiences

A one stop shop to share resources that can be viewed, read, and downloaded by students and parents (a digital hub)

Classroom

Assignment creation, distribution, collection and grading (quick and efficient), with auto-generated folders)
Easily share documents with students with different permissions (view only/edit/receive a copy)
A place to post questions and announcements
Distribute timely links
A simplified LMS (no gradebook, no units)
Creates a linear "feed"
A closed environment

goo.gl/lSfbqL

AoL

AfL/AoL/AaL

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So What?...Why Use Sites?

Google Sites offers several advantages:

Student portfolio can be carried from grade-to-grade
Connect to schools from around the country and the world
Can strip YouTube videos of ads! Embed just the video
Allows for multiple teachers to collaborate on content for grade level/department (or your Board and personal gmail)
Easier to "reuse" content year-to-year

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HOW YOU can use Google Sites

Guided Tour!

Start building your own sites with the remaining time! We are here to support!

goo.gl/lSfbqL

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Thank You!

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A few key resources worth looking at:

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Apps VS Extensions

Apps

Applications that run inside the Chrome browser. They are essentially bookmarks to the program that runs on the web or in the cloud.

Extensions

Extend the functionality of Google Chrome and the websites being viewed in it.

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Google Sites LINGO

Dashboard: A Two column webpage with four placeholder gadgets that helps users get started creating an overview of information or embed gadgets�Webpage: This is a simple and basic page where users can put their content or embed their gadgets�File Cabinet: This is where users can upload and share files. It allows you to create folders�Announcements: this section lets you add recent announcements to your page�List: This is where you can create to-do lists or assignment lists.

goo.gl/lSfbqL