Before you start building a website in Sites, it helps to sketch out a rough map of the proposed Site (don't worry, it will change as you go along, but starting with an idea of where you're heading really helps!)

• HOME PAGE: A Site (like this one) usually has a home page that serves as an introduction to the site, and a brief description of what it's all about.

• PAGES & SUBPAGES: A Site can have an unlimited number of pages, although if there are many pages it is usually better to build subpages, ie add more pages grouped below a topic page.

• NAVIGATION MENU: This contains all of your pages and sub-pages. It can be across the top of the page, or on the left or right of the page.

• CONTENT: on each page you can insert text, images, video, links in a number of layout styles.

Naming your Site is like adding a title to a book - it is key to drawing in your viewers.

1. Log into your Google Drive and click New > more > Google Sites

2. Name your site (top L corner). Then add a Title to your Home slide

3. Click on the Themes menu (right) & choose a theme you like .

4. Determine the privacy of this site by clicking the button at the top R that looks like a person with a + on their shoulder.

   • If you want to work on this site with someone else, add them as an editor (but the site will stay in your Drive only)

   • Click the "links" button and determine if you want to share this with your teacher while you work on it. Keep the published Site as open to SRVUSD.

Your Navigation Menu is like a road map for your site and will be determined by how you are arranging your Pages & Subpages. In other words, establishing and arranging your Pages and Subpages is a really important step.

• Click on the Pages Menu and Click the + to add pages. The Pages indicate the large topics/themes of your site so name them accorningly. Short names are best

• Rearrange the order of your pages by dragging and dropping them on the list of pages

• Add a sub page to a page by clicking the three dots on the R of the page title

• All Pages and SubPages will duplicate the Header of your home page. To change the header, move your cursor to the header and choose from the variety of colocrs, styles and image options. Change the position or font of the Page title by clicking on the blue box

• Check your Navigation Menu on your Home Page & adjust or rename your Pages if needed.

Think of your Site as a house with many rooms. Keep the content of each page consistent with the topic and theme, but innovate with the layout and forms of content delivery.

• Click the Insert button and you will see a variety of options. Here are the most commonly used:

  • • Textbox

    • Image

    • Drive - insert a Doc/Form/Slides/Sheet

    • YouTube

• You have a variety of layout choices. Once you insert one, you can rearrange each element by dragging and dropping, customize the font, delete an element, or copy a section.

• This is a visual medium, so don't overwhelm a Page with too many images or too much font.

• Use Subpages to keep your a Page from becoming too long

• Click the preview button at the top pf the page to see what it will look like when you publish!