Technology Tip: Using Google Slides to Create Presentations

Hi y'all!  This is Stephanie from The Learning Chambers.  I truly heart using Technology in my classroom!  So this month, I was super excited that I would get to post about my favorite thing!!  The only hard thing was deciding what to share in this post.  I finally decided to post about my kids new favorite thing....using Google Slides.

My second graders love creating presentations, but they often get bored doing the same old poster or foldable presentations.  Google Slides is a simple and effective way to help your students create an online presentation. 

Here are 3 tips that will help make Google Slides work in an elementary classroom...

Google Slides Tip #1:  Make it easy for students to log in.

My first tip is to make it super easy for your students to log in.  I collected paint card samples from Lowe's and wrote my students' log in information on the cards.  I then placed them on a ring and now my students can use the cards to help them log in.

Since my school district is a Google Apps district, each of my students have their own unique log in and password.  If your students don't have their own email address to setup a Google account, I would suggest to create a class account that the students can use to create presentations in Google Slides.

Google Slides Tip #2:  Have your students become the teacher.

When it comes to technology and elementary students, I feel like I'm constantly repeating myself and reteaching the process and steps.  One thing that has worked well for my class, is to teach in small groups and then have the small groups of students become the teacher.  When I introduced Google Slides to my second graders, I met with a couple of small groups to teach them how to use Google Slides.

I taught a small group how to create a presentation...

How to change the background...

And how to add pictures and text...

Then, the small groups help teach the other students how to use Google Slides.  The kids love teaching others, and it is fun to watch when they discover how to use some of the more advanced features of Google Slides on their own!

Google Slides Tip #3: Use comments to guide and give feedback on student's presentations.

The last fun tip about Google Slides is that it is super easy to leave your students comments about their presentation.  When my students finish their presentation, they email the link to me by clicking on the share button.  I did have to teach them how to share it with me and give me the rights to comment on the presentation.

Just click on comments in the top right corner and then click on add comment.  You can quickly type in a little comment to help guide your student to help them complete their presentation.  They love the immediate feedback!

I hope you found my tips to making Google Slides work in your classroom helpful.  Do you use Google Slides with your elementary students?  I would love to hear how you make it work for your classroom.  Leave me some comment love :).

Happy New Year from The Elementary Entourage: Organization Tips for your files & a FREEBIE!

Happy New Year Friends~

I'm glad to be back here on our collaborative blog with you today! For the first half of the month we will be hosting an open link up for everyone to get ideas & inspiration to start your New Year right. Here is the schedule for January 1st ~ 17th. If you are a blogger, we would be honored for you to link up any posts that fall into the following categories! 

So I am here today to show you a few way I get organized...

Who loves Google? Who loves Google Drive? I do, I do!!!

I'll admit, I never was a Dropbox gal. Mainly because I was never in a school that used it, that was until last school year when I arrived in NC. I had everything on multiple thumb-drives for years. The system worked for me, but I couldn't access my files if I didn't have my thumb-drive, but I always had internet. So I turned to Google Drive a little over a year ago & I haven't looked back [I am looking forward though, I would like to have my files on a portable hard drive to be safe, but that's a New Year's Resolution of mine, it's in my Amazon cart as we speak]. 

There are many ways to set up & organize your life using Google Drive. I also like the simple way of sharing a file or folder if wanted as well. This is a one stop shop for me so to speak, I have all my files in one place. I can go here to get a product I've purchased, a product I've made, school files, personal files & more [I haven't completely merged all of my files here yet, it's a work in progress]. A lot of teachers at my school like to use the Teacher Share drive. That is fine too, but you can't access it when you are off campus & they are usually cleared out over the summer break. 

Here is a video clip on using Google Drive for saving and/or sharing your files:

[Click on the image below for a direct link to the video]

Lastly, here is a little FREEBIE to organize your Log In's & Passwords for 2015! It's editable as well. Just download your copy & save in PowerPoint. You can edit it there to add your own information.

[Click on the image below to grab your copy]

I am wishing everyone a safe & healthy New Year! Thanks for following The Elementary Entourage!

Please link up any blog posts of your own below about getting organized for the New year!

An InLinkz Link-up