This often overlooked app is quite possibly the most powerful Google app you’ve never used! This simple tool can help you annotate over content or create graphic organizers, posters, mind maps, flow charts, infographics, interactive personalized lessons and even memes! Students can use it to demonstrate their understanding, collaborate with others and showcase their creativity. Click on any of the tabs above to start learning about all this tool has to offer.

Ways you can Utilize this Tool in your Classroom

1. Insert an image of a Blackline Master (there are thousands available free online) and mark it up or have students mark it up.
2. Mark up screen shots to show students how to complete a process online.
3. Create Venn diagrams and other mind maps/graphic organizers. If you use these often, consider making your own templates!
4. Make comic strips by inserting photos and adding speech bubbles. Students of all ages love to show what they know with comics. Comics can also be a great way for you to introduce a lesson topic.
5. Help ELL or foreign language students learn vocabulary or prepositions by asking them to rearrange labeled furniture on a floor plan according to specific verbal or written directions.
6. Use Google drawing for virtual manipulatives (via Alice Keeler)
7. Have students make backgrounds for Google slide presentations.
8. Create geometry drawings.
9. Visual vocabulary: Have students create a picture or symbol that helps them remember/understand the meaning of vocabulary word. Try out this Frayer Model Google Drawing template!
10. Make a family tree.
11. Make character wheels to show personality traits for characters in books.
12. Design classroom or project posters.
13. Make word webs (via Teachers Using Tech.)
14. Create seating charts.
15. Make timelines that include images and dates.
16. Create your own KWL charts and have students complete them together in small groups.
17. Make a GoogLink! Ever heard of ThingLink? You can do a similar process with your students to create an image with links in Google Drawings.

Sources:

Many of the examples listed in this site are ones I've created myself and used with students. Others I found through research where the individuals offered up the templates for use. If you would like to explore more options, please visit the sites below. Thanks!

• Engaging Students - Black Gold Regional Division: Google Drawings Sorted by Grade Level and Subject Area
  • This incredible website created by Kyle Porter and Darren Maltais, Black Gold Regional Schools, contains an absolute treasure trove of google drawing templates that will inspire and amaze you!
• The Electric Educator: Graphic Organizers with Google Drawing
  • John Sowash created 5 of the reading templates from the template page--Story Butterfly, Main Idea Umbrella, Problem and Solution, Comparison Chart, and Main Events Quilt.
• Diane Main's Google Drawing Training Site
  • Diane Main created the Somebody Wanted But So Then Template and all 3 Math templates on the template page.
• 15 Free Google Drawing Templates
• Lesson Plans with Google Drawing
• Using Google Drawings Like a ThingLink
• Assessment in Google Drawing
• Engaging Students Google Resources Templates