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danita.cobble@bullitt.kyschools.us
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From Matt Miller of Ditch That Textbook
Google Sites provide us and our students with the ability to create beautiful web pages. There are so many other ways to use this tool. Here are 20 tips and tricks you might be surprised to know!
Google Sites has been around for a long time and a few years ago Google Sites got a major update. Since then many more user-friendly features have been added to this fantastic web page-creation tool.
In a recent #Ditchbook Twitter chat educators shared their best tips for using Google sites in and out of the classroom along with tons of great tricks you might not have even heard about yet. Scroll down for 20 tips and tricks to help you and your students get the most out of Google Sites.
Using Google Sites in the classroom
Using Google Sites in the classroom
1. Provide a whole unit with resources.
1. Provide a whole unit with resources.
It can get messy to try to keep sharing resources with students during a whole unit of study. Packaging them in a site allows for easy updates and sharing of ideas.
I used it to provide a whole unit with resources. Ss created projects based on directions on site. Since it’s easy to edit we could be fluid with directions when Ss had ideas.
See Rayna Freedman's other Tweets
2. Package your HyperDocs.
2. Package your HyperDocs.
Google sites can be used to package large units like novel HyperDocs. All the links and resources they need to complete the work are all on the site.
A1.b Our friend @MsMarshallCMS uses sites to package her novel #hyperdocs. Check out this one for The Wild Robot
The Wild Robot Hyperdoc - Teacher Page
See Karly Moura's other Tweets
3. Use Google Sites to supplement Google Classroom.
3. Use Google Sites to supplement Google Classroom.
Use subpages in Google Sites to package content for your students. The website link can be added to an assignment in Google Classroom for students to easily reference during their work.
I love Google Classroom, but having multiple topics with multiple posts can flood the classwork section. I have found that using pages with subpages in a Google Site is a much cleaner and easier way to package content for students to navigate.
See Dan Stitzel's other Tweets
4. Teach students (and staff) about new tools or procedures.
4. Teach students (and staff) about new tools or procedures.
Sites provides an easy way to house all of the tips and tutorials that users might want to reference while learning something new.
I love creating Sites for our students when we have new initiatives or procedures. Our MTSS structure is a great example Ss were able to visit that site and receive updates and announcements on where to go, how the procedures were laid out, all in an easy format!
See Evan Mosier's other Tweets
5. Get gamified with digital escape rooms.
5. Get gamified with digital escape rooms.
Digital escape rooms are a fun way to introduce, practice or review content and a Google Site provides the perfect "room" for all of your clues and locks. Learn all about how to create a digital escape room for your students in this post.
I like to package escape rooms using Google Sites
See Mandi Tolen's other Tweets
6. Give students access to school from home.
6. Give students access to school from home.
Posting material on a class website gives students the opportunity to access material from home. Also a big plus for parents trying to help their students!
Google Sites can be used by the students to look up answers to homework, if they are stuck or even help them to study/prepare for a quiz or even a test upcoming.
See Joshua Otto's other Tweets
7. Have students create sites for classmates.
7. Have students create sites for classmates.
Creating a useful website is a valuable skill. Have students create their own website to share information with classmates or club members.
My scholars use it to build their portfolio for Applied Library Media Studies. The Friends of the Library club is using it as their platform to keep members informed.
See Kate Applebee's other Tweets
8. Show what you know with Google Sites.
8. Show what you know with Google Sites.
Give students the option to create their own site to demonstrate their learning after a lesson or within a unit.
Students can use this as a choice to demonstrate their learning. The beauty of Sites is that since it's all drag and drop, Ss can easily embed their own content, videos from YouTube, or links to other resources.
See Evan Mosier's other Tweets
9. Make your site interactive with the embed feature.
9. Make your site interactive with the embed feature.
You can use a URL or embed code to add to your website. Embedding an interactive Padlet allows your students to add content to the site and even comment on their classmate's work without being a contributor to the site.
Embedding an interactive @padlet into a Google Site increases engagement and interaction.
See Tom Sweeney's other Tweets
10. Use a Google Form inside a site for easy access to a daily check in.
10. Use a Google Form inside a site for easy access to a daily check in.
We want to connect with our students and know how they are doing every day. But it can be difficult to check-in with every student in every one of our classes. Embedding a Google Form inside of your site makes it simple and easy to get started connecting with all of your students. Find an example Google Form check-in template here.
Dylan Borkowski@DylanBorkowski
I use a site as my "home base" in the classroom. During instruction, I navigate through all of my material and content through a site, so everything I need is accessible. I also embed a Form for students to "check in" at the board in the AM
See Dylan Borkowski's other Tweets
Tips and tricks for using Google Sites
Tips and tricks for using Google Sites
11. Make a copy of a site.
11. Make a copy of a site.
The new Google Sites allows you to make a copy of a site. This is a useful feature if you want to share a site with someone to collaborate but don't want to lose your original site. Also great for making templates of site designs you use often.
New Google Sites let's you make a copy! Create one and if you like how your creation but don't want to redo...make a copy!
See James Varlack 's other Tweets
12. Share pictures easily with image carousel.
12. Share pictures easily with image carousel.
Inside of your Google Site on the right hand menu select "Insert" then "Image Carousel" to upload and select the images you want to share. You can even resize the carousel frame to the size you want.
Picture Carousel in Google Sites is a great way to share pictures in a concise, organized, and user friendly format.
See Tom Sweeney's other Tweets
13. Use an incognito window to test your settings
13. Use an incognito window to test your settings
If you are the owner of the site and the images and embedded resources it can be hard to know which ones are shared and which ones are still private. Checking your site in an incognito window allows you to see what your students or families will see.
Check it in an Incognito Window and try every thing! Has saved me from having frustrated scholars because I am able to fix sharing settings before they encounter blocked access.
See Kate Applebee's other Tweets
14. Look more professional with the button tool.
14. Look more professional with the button tool.
A button can look so much better than a simple hyperlink. Try it on a new Google site by clicking on "Insert" then scroll down to find the button option. From there you can add a name for your button and a URL or site page to link to.
Andrea (Thurmes) Ibberson@EdTechIbby
I love the button tool for links. Makes it look so much more streamlined. I like to curate resources into a site for students to use on research projects. Also great for creating staff resource pages too!
See Andrea (Thurmes) Ibberson's other Tweets
15. Show only the content you want by hiding.
15. Show only the content you want by hiding.
If you want to create the content just for yourself or if you are planning to release it later you can hide a page from navigation so that others can't see it even when it's published. Go to "Pages" then use the three dots next to the page name to choose "Hide from navigation".
The hide feature! I can build the pages all at once but hide the ones I don't want them to go to yet.
See Ⓚⓔⓔⓛⓔⓨ Ⓑⓐⓡⓡ's other Tweets
16. Add a favicon!
16. Add a favicon!
Make your site even more personalized by adding a favicon. Just click on the three dots in the top edit menu and choose "add favicon". You can add your own image or search for one to use.
I also like how you can add a logo to the site navigation bar and favicon to Google sites. It can really help give sites a personal and professional look.
17. Create a Google Slides template.
17. Create a Google Slides template.
On episode 83 of the Google Teacher Tribe Podcast Joe Marquez shows us his hack for creating a template in Google Sites. Listen to the episode below!
I love this hack that @JoeMarquez70 shared on How to Create Google Sites Templates with Joe Marquez - GTT083 - Google Teacher Tribe Podcast https://googleteachertribe.com/how-to-create-google-sites-templates-with-joe-marquez-gtt083 …
18. Insert collapsible text boxes.
18. Insert collapsible text boxes.
A brand new feature added to Google Sites now allows you to insert collapsible text boxes. Check out this Google Blog post to learn more about this awesome new feature!
#DitchBook did you see this new feature of google sites? Just came out within the past couple of weeks
G Suite Updates Blog: Insert collapsible text boxes into new Google Sites https://gsuiteupdates.googleblog.com/2019/11/collapsible-text-boxes-new-google-sites.html …
Bonus! A Site full of Sites tips and tricks!
Bonus! A Site full of Sites tips and tricks!
Check out this Google Sites tips and tricks presentation created by Raul Cortez. TONS of great stuff here!
Recently presented on my Sites tips and tricks which you can check out on my Google Site: http://bit.ly/istaylearning
See Raul Cortez's other Tweets
Taking Google Sites beyond the classroom
Taking Google Sites beyond the classroom
19. House all of your professional resources in one place.
19. House all of your professional resources in one place.
A Google Site is a great way to showcase the work you have done as a professional educator. Whether your preparing to change positions or want to share your resources all in one place a Google Site provides a simple and free way to package it all.
I like to collect all my professional "proof" of the work I do at school for work evals on a site. So simple. I also like to now house all my presentations I give at conferences or PDs. I can duplicate it and make it event specific in a snap too!
See Michael Wesely's other Tweets
20. Take your sites skills out into the world!
20. Take your sites skills out into the world!
That pre-school meet-up group, your son's swim team, a book club are all fantastic groups that might be looking for a way to easily share information and resources. Wow them with you Google Sites know-how and help your group get organized.
Uses for Google Sites beyond the classroom ...
- Home base for clubs, activities, sports teams
- Create a parent portal with info, class photos, contact info
- Outreach from the front office with news, documents, info
See Matt Miller's other Tweets
Google Classroom & Google Sites work together
Google Classroom & Google Sites work together
Click on Alice Keller's video to see how Classroom and Sites can work together.
Google Sites
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