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Alice Keeler

Google Classroom: Writing Assignment Directions

Google Classroom: Writing Assignment Directions

Google Classroom Create Direction

One thing I love about Google Classroom is it’s simplicity. Almost any teacher can be up and running with a blended classroom in 30 minutes. However, Google Classroom is not a learning management system (LMS). You are not able to reuse classes and parents can not view the stream of assignments. When creating assignments the directions space is not a rich text editor. This means you can not bold text, change font size, insert images or embed video.

Google Doc

I recommend you create your directions in a Google Doc and attach it as the first asset in Google Classroom. This has many advantages.

Reusability

Directions created in a Google Doc can be inserted into any Google Classroom assignment. They can be used semester after semester.

Sharability

Google Docs can be made visible to parents through your classroom website. The directions documents can also be shared and collaborated on with other teachers.

Updateable

If you create an assignment in Google Classroom and assign it to multiple sections, you have to edit each section individually if you need to edit or update the directions. Keeping the directions in a Google Doc allows you to make edits in one place but be updated in all of your Google classes.

Consistency

Get in the habit of always providing your directions in a Google Doc. Students will look for the first asset in your lesson set to find the directions.

Rich Text Editor

While you can not embed a video in a Google Doc, you are able to insert images and screenshots into your directions. You can also vary the font size, type and color. Directions in a Google Doc can be more detailed.

Save Space

Lengthy directions in the Google Classroom stream can clutter the stream. Make it easier to find assignments in Classroom by limiting the amount of text in the description section of an assignment.

Assignment Descriptions

Instead of listing the full directions for an assignment in the description area, give a brief overview of the learning objective and procedural directions for how to submit the assignment.

If you attach a document where every student receives a copy, the document is not visible in the stream. Include in your description box “Click on the OPEN button and locate the Google Doc template. ”

Suggested Descriptions

For this assignment, you will be adding a slide to the collaborative presentation attached. Open the directions document for full details. When you have added your slide, come back to Classroom and click on OPEN. Use the Add button to link to the slide you contributed. Click on the blue ” TURN IN ” button.

For this assignment, you will be writing an essay explaining the challenges of world peace. Open the directions document below for full details. Click on the OPEN button and click on the “Create” button to create a Google Doc for your essay. Click on the blue “TURN IN” button after completing your essay.

2 thoughts on “Google Classroom: Writing Assignment Directions

  1. Hi Alice, I was sent in your direction for Google Classroom inquiries and I’d like to ask a question about the assignment section of Google classroom. The assignment I am planning is book review that students share with their class. I’d like to create this as an assignment for record-keeping/marking purposes. Unless I’m mistaken though, assignment submissions are only visible to the teacher… Is this correct? Is there an option to change this that I have not found? Or is my only way around this to get students to submit twice – once as a post in the classroom and again to the assignment section? Thanks, Jess.

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