Google Sheets Teacher Planbook

August 19, 2021August 19, 2021Leave a comment

Digital planbooks have gained popularity throughout the years as they allow educators to access, share and collaborate on their lesson plans from any device or location. Over the years, I have created my digital lesson plans using a variety of different Google Workspace applications- but Google Sheets is my FAVORITE!

Why Google Sheets?

While most people primarily use Sheets to manipulate and share data, I have found a variety of innovative uses for the application through exemplars posted on social media and during my own exploration. Sheets allows your to create and customize a template that may be duplicated each week as you complete your plans. If interested, you may color code Sheet Tabs and also add calendars, links, text, Emojis and images. Educators may share and collaborate with colleagues, substitute teachers or administrators while assigning different editing permissions.

If you understand the basic functionalities of Sheets such as how to add, hide and merge cells then it easy to create a nice template for your lesson plans! Or, click here to make your own copy of my Google Sheets Planbook Template. Pro Tip: I use the Crop Sheet Addon to remove extra columns and rows.

Screenshot of Template (Click to Access)

Example Template created in Sheets (Click to access)

Video Tutorial

What application do you use to create your digital planbook?

Curate and Collaborate on a YouTube Channel by Adding User Access Permissions

March 31, 2021March 31, 2021Leave a comment

Many educators are creating and curating content on their YouTube channels. But, did you know that YouTube Studio allows you to INVITE other Gmail users to your channel and assign different access permissions?

Here’s how!

Go to Studio.YouTube.com
Click on the gear to access the SETTINGS
Select PERMISSIONS
Select INVITE
Type in user’s Gmail address (they must have a Gmail account)
Select ACCESS permissions for each user

What access permissions are available?

After you enter the Gmail address of the user that you wish to invite to your channel, you may then select from the following permissions:

Manager: Can add and remove others, edit everything. Can’t delete channel.

Editor: Can edit everything. Can’t add or remove others, delete videos or the channel, or enter into contracts.

Editor (Limited): Can edit everything. Can’t add or remove others, delete videos or the channel, enter into contracts or see revenue information.

Viewer: Can see everything. Can’t edit anything.

Viewer Limited: Can see everything except revenue information. Can’t edit anything.

Once the user accepts the invitation they have access to add, edit and/or view your channel!

How could inviting users and assigning permissions be helpful in education?

There are so many ways this feature is helpful in education. Here are a few examples:

Invite Users as Viewers: Teachers could invite students (13+), colleagues, families, and/or administrators to their channel as a viewer. This is a great way to let people know your channel exists and there is content there for class or general information.
Curate content as a school, team or district with Editors or Managers: Participants could be assigned either as Editors or Managers to curate content and also help monitor users and submissions. This would be a nice way to streamline the curation process and also empower other users to participate in the channel. For example, I recently added a colleague as a Manager for our new Google Educator Group New England YouTube Channel. Now we can collaborate on content for our Group!

Do you collaborate with your YouTube channel? I’d love to hear about it!

Google Chrome Has a New QR Code Generator! Tutorial and 20 Integration Ideas

February 16, 2021February 16, 20211 Comment

What is a QR code?

QR codes are scannable barcodes that allow users to gain access to information quickly. Users may use their device’s camera (if scanning QR codes are supported) or download different QR code apps and extensions such as The QR Code Extension to either scan or create codes. The QR codes may link to videos, websites, games, documents, slideshows, and more!

Google has made it easy for teachers to create QR codes as there is now a QR code generator built into Google Chrome! Once users are at the desired destination, they may click on the generator (located in the Omnibox) and immediately have access to download a QR code.

How may educators use QR codes in education?

You may be wondering how educators may use these codes during their instruction. Over the years, I have used QR codes quite frequently. Whether you use the QR code generator in Chrome or generate codes using other popular edtech apps such as Seesaw and Flipgrid, there most certainly are dozens of ways to enhance your instruction with QR codes!

Here are 20 ideas for using QR codes in the classroom:

Self-publishing: Allow students to publish and share their work by creating QR Codes. The codes may link to slide-decks, movies, published writing, artwork and more!
Share Thinking: Allow students to share their thoughts, questions, and connections by posting QR codes along with published work. For example, if students display their artwork they may share their artist statement via QR code! Or, they may posts QR codes linking to audio comments, questions and connections.
Access Read Alouds: Generate QR codes linking to students, staff, and authors sharing read alouds.
Resource lists: Create a QR code for students to place in their folders or agendas so they may quickly access important sites and documents.Or, have students generate QR codes to resources they used during research projects.
Revisiting Anchor Charts: Display QR codes showcasing important anchor charts students may need to revisit throughout the year.
Book Reviews: Place QR codes on books or display in the classroom or school Library. The codes may provide quick access to student and staff book reviews and recommendations.
Displaying Exemplars: Share examples of different exemplars for students to explore prior to starting a project. Or, after projects have been completed.
Scavenger Hunts: Post QR codes around the building for students to participate in a scavenger hunt!
News: Create a bulletin board with QR codes providing quick access to important school information and news updates.
Tutorials: Empower students by allowing them to create their own tutorials for other students to reference via QR codes. And, of course teachers may share their tutorials too!
Quick Access to Assignment: Generate QR codes students students may quickly access assignments.
Pre-filled Forms: Use QR codes to link to Forms such as surveys, exit tickets and digital hall-passes.
Presentations: Add the QR code onto your presentation slide so students and staff may quickly access your resource.
Differentiate Instruction: Provide different QR codes for different flexible groups to access assignments, games and resources.
Self-correcting stations: Allow students to self-correct by creating solutions and sharing via QR codes.
Double-dose of Directions: Do your students often forget the directions to the assignments? Use QR codes to add audio or video directions to worksheets and rotation stations!
Portfolios- Students may quickly generate QR codes to add completed work to their portfolios. Students may take photographs and videos of experiments, posters, and other non-digital activities and upload the files to their Drive. Now, they may create the QR codes!
Digital Contact Card: Share a digital contact card with students and parents by printing out QR codes with links to your contact information.
Newsletters/Yearbooks- Add QR codes to the hardcopies of your newsletters or yearbooks to quickly access videos and presentations you wish to share.
Clever Badges- Ok. This has nothing to do with Google Chrome. But I had to mention how the Clever app makes it so easy for even our youngest learners to login to their devices and different websites simply by using QR codes.