Google Classroom will be the primary means by which we will facilitate learning opportunities remotely in the school district.

You will be able to create your Google classroom if you have not already created one by going to https://classroom.google.com and logging in using your school district email. All activities, assignments, chats and discussions will go here. This where your students will come each day to find out what they should be doing each day to take advantage of the distance learning opportunties our district is providing.

Tips for Your Google Classroom

1. Have a separate classroom for each class or section you teach.

• Example, if you teach 2 sections of math, you should have 2 separate Google Classrooms

2. Share your classroom code with your students. For K-3rd grade you can add your students using their email school google accounts. Put your google classroom links/code on your teacher webpage on the LBSDK12 site that all teachers use to post their weekly lesson plans.

3. Use Topics to keep your google classroom organized!

• Make sure to use a topic for each day.

• Have a section for students to check in

• Create a naming scheme that is consistent so students can easily identify assignments.

• Set clear but flexible due dates, remember some of your students will have little to no technology and may need more time to complete the assignments.

• Use the google gradebook to help students and parents see progress.

4. Create a welcome video for your students and post it to your Google Classroom.

5. Create a daily video for your students, they want to see you and they miss you!

6. Create a master check list of the tasks for each day and encourage the students to check that list. A great idea is to read the check list in your daily video for your students.

The First Week or Two

1. Get a routine in place! The quicker a routine is established for your students, the smoother the transition will be for distance learning.

2. Let your students know that running a classroom remotely is new for everyone, even if you've already had google classroom in place for paperless assignments. Find a way to engage them so they don't feel isolated during this difficult time

   • Post a picture of your home teaching space.

   • Introduce them to your pet.

   • A fun fact for the day.

3. Create a google form to "check in" and link it to the classroom. This will help keep track of your students and their level of participation.

4. Create a document or contract for digital classroom etiquette and expectations. Make this your first assignment for your Google Classroom.

5. Create individual Checklists for students so they know what areas to focus on and what assignments need to be completed.

6. Decided how you want to deliver feedback to your students.

Tips for Student's Home Learning Spaces

1. Recommend students do their learning in as quiet of an area of their home as possible to eliminate distractions.

2. Have them check your classroom checklist

3. Have them set a timer so they remember to take a break.

4. Add work that needs to be redone to the check list.

5. Remind students to reach out to you when they need help.

6. Remind your students to charge their devices nightly

Student Devices and Access

Remember our students come from varied backgrounds and may not have easy access to internet to complete assignments. The students may also have to share their devices with other students in the home and some of our students are losing their one hot meal of the day. Keep this in mind when setting assignments and due dates.

Instructional Video Creation

1. Use your iphone, ipad or Macbook to record your videos.

2. Consider uploading to Youtube as it easily ties into your Google Classroom and you can set up closed captioning, including on changing the native language.

3. Use video to send feedback as a whole to your class.

4. Use screencasting tools, like Screencastify, Screen-cast-omatic, quicktime or google meet to share your computer screen and show slide shows within your daily instructional video.

5. Offer video conferencing using Google Meet or Hangouts to meet face to face with your students live.

6. Set LIVE hours where students can interact with you daily and speak with you directly to address questions and concerns.

7. Keep the instructional videos short and to the point.

Synchronus vs Asynchronus Learning

1. Decide on daily or weekly options.

   • Will students all be able to participate live (Synchronus) or will they need to view content at different times (asynchronus)

   • Try to schedule some live learning for all students that are able to participate several times a week via video conferencing using Google Meet/Hangouts

   • Record these live sessions as well so students unable to participate live can view them again at a later date (screen casting software is great for this)

   • Have live hours daily for your students

2. Give paper options for assignments to be completed.

3. Schedule flexibility.

   • Don't expect all students to be able to have the same schedule as if you were still physically in school. This is important to remember for students with limited access.