Ideas For STEM Teachers
Ideas For STEM Teachers
Using The Variable Feature
Using The Variable Feature
Math and Science teachers often get frustrated with Google Sites because they think it’s just for "blogging" or "newsletters."
This "Pro-User Cheat Sheet" is designed for math, science, and STEM teachers. It gives you something beyond the basics of what can be put on a class website.
Goal: Move beyond basic text and images to create a "Living Lab" for your students.
1. The "Interactive Graph" Embed (Math/Physics)
The Secret: Don’t just take a screenshot of a graph.
The Pro Move: Go to Desmos or GeoGebra, create a graph, and use the "Share > Embed" code. In Google Sites, use the Embed tool (< >) and paste the code.
Result: Students can move sliders and interact with the math directly on your website.
2. The "Clean" Data Dashboard (Science)
The Secret: If you embed a whole Google Sheet, it looks messy and hard to read.
The Pro Move: In your Google Sheet, highlight just the Chart or Graph you made from your lab data. Click the three dots on the chart > Publish Chart.
Result: In Sites, when you embed that link, it shows only the graph. If you update the data in your Sheet, the graph on the website updates automatically!
3. The "Equation Specialist" (Latex/Symbols)
The Secret: Typing math equations in Google Sites text boxes is a nightmare.
The Pro Move: Use an Add-on like Hypatia Create or Equatio to make your equations in a Google Doc.
The Integration: Use the Doc Variable Create your "Equation Bank" in a Doc and embed that Doc (or specific sections) into your Site so the formatting stays perfect.
Note: The "Variable" feature is available in Google Workspace Education Plus and Teaching and Learning Upgrade accounts.
The Goal: Create a "Smart Placeholder" that allows you to change a value once and have it update throughout your entire document instantly.
Step 1: Create a New Variable
Open your Google Doc.
Type the @ symbol and start typing "Variable."
Select Variable from the menu.
Click Insert new variable.
On the right-side panel that appears, give your variable a name (e.g., Class Period, Student Name, or Date of Lab).
Click Create.
Step 2: Insert the Variable Elsewhere
Whenever you need that same information again in the document, type @ followed by the name of your variable (e.g., @Class).
Select it from the list to drop the chip into your text.
Step 3: Assign or Change the Value
Click on any instance of the variable chip in your document.
Type the actual information (e.g., "Period 3").
Press Enter.
The Magic: Every single instance of that variable in your Doc will now automatically update to say "Period 3."
Great for Math and Science Teachers!
1. The "Lab Parameter" Swap (Science)
The Scenario: You’ve written a 5-page lab document about testing the boiling point of Salt Water. At the last minute, you realize you don't have enough salt, so you have to switch the lab to Sugar Water.
The Variable Advantage: If you used a variable called {Solution Type}, you don't have to "Find and Replace" (and hope you didn't miss one). You change "Salt" to "Sugar" in the sidebar, and every step of the procedure, every data table header, and the conclusion prompt updates instantly.
2. The "Changing Variable" Problem (Math)
The Scenario: You are creating a word problem worksheet. You want to use the same word problem structure but create "Version A" and "Version B" with different numbers.
The Variable Advantage: Create a variable called {Train Speed}. In Version A, set it to 60 mph. For Version B, just change that one variable to 45 mph. The entire worksheet remains perfectly formatted, but the math challenge is different.
3. Interactive Lab Reports (Student Use)
The Scenario: Students are writing a formal report.
The Variable Advantage: Have students create variables for their {Independent Variable} and {Dependent Variable} at the very top of their report. As they write their Analysis and Conclusion, they must use those variable chips. This ensures they are consistently using the correct terminology throughout their scientific argument.
4. Interactive Lab Safety (Google Forms)
Don't just link to a safety quiz.
Embed the Google Form directly onto a "Lab Safety" page.
An "Advanced" Twist Idea: Use Conditional Branching in the Form so students can't "finish" the site page until they get the safety questions right.
5. Science "Observation" Galleries
Avoid the "Wall of Images."
Use the Image Carousel for "Before and After" experiment photos or "Step-by-Step" dissection guides. It keeps the page short but the content deep.
Template Tip: If you have a syllabus or a permission slip, use variables for the "Date" or "Semester." Next year, you only have to change the date in one spot!
The "No Value" Look: If a variable hasn't been filled in yet, it will have a thin black outline. Once it has a value, it looks like normal text but acts like a smart button.
The Sidebar: If you have 10 different variables (Name, Date, Score, Topic), go to Tools > Variables to see them all in a tidy list on the right and fill them out like a form.
Once you’ve created variables, you can manage them all in one central location: the Variables Panel.
How to Open the Variables Panel
If the panel on the right isn't already open, go to Tools > Variables.
1. How to Rename a Variable
Use this if you made a typo or want a more descriptive name (e.g., changing "Var1" to "Chemical Name").
In the Variables Panel on the right, hover your mouse over the name of the variable you want to change.
Click the Pencil icon (Edit name).
Type the new name and click Save.
Note: This updates the "label" of the variable everywhere it appears in your document, but it does not change the data you've already typed into it.
2. How to Delete a Variable
Use this if you want to completely remove a placeholder from the entire document.
In the Variables Panel, hover over the variable you wish to remove.
Click the Trash Can icon (Delete variable definition).
A warning will appear. Click Delete to confirm.
Warning: Deleting a variable from the panel will completely remove every instance of that variable (and any text inside it) from your document. It does not turn it back into regular text—it disappears entirely!
Note: People often think deleting the "Variable" will leave the "Text" behind.
Tip: If you want to keep the text but stop it from being a "smart variable," you actually have to manually type over it or copy/paste it as plain text before you delete the variable definition.