5 Ways to Use Google Sites to Enhance your Flipped Classroom

How to Use Google Sites in your Classroom! 

So easy, even Mittens the Kitten can do it!

Google Sites is an online free website maker that is offered by Google. There's some things that make it a lot greater than your run-of-the-mill blogging website. The key feature to Google Sites is that it is (like everything else in Google land) connected to all of your Google Apps. This allows for seamless implementation of all of your Google Apps features, including created Google Docs, Forms, Spreadsheets, Presentations, and everything in between.

A fully functioning site is a must-have for effectively tech implementation in your classroom. Here's 5 ways that you can use Google Sites to enhance your flipped classroom. Over the next several weeks, I'll be developing each of these in more detail and sharing directions on each one. This is a quick overview to get you started!

1. Create a digital professional portfolio

Create a professional portfolio and make yourself stand out against the rest. Your administrators and future employers have one place to go to see your entire professional experiences. You can embed forms, assessments you've created, videos of your teaching or professional development facilitation, and examples of student work. The entirety of your professional experiences captured in one place will definitely make you stand out and solidify your technological prowess. :) 

2. Create a class website for students and parents.

Google Sites is an easy way to create a student web page. They already have pre-made templates for classroom websites that you can use, or try out your own! Create a place where you can post homework, school dates, project dates, and information that students and parents can use to contact you. No more kids saying "I didn't know what the homework was!" It'll also give you a place to store and place your flipped classroom lessons and embed your assessments straight into the page for students. One-stop shop for your students and an easy to maintain site for you!

3. Create a common planning site for you and your colleagues

Google Sites allows you to share privileges with many teachers. Create a Google Site that allows you  all to share, store, and create resources to share with your students. No more sifting through emails to find that attached file, create a file cabinet in a Google Site that stores everything and organizes it by subject, standard, or skill. You can also post common assessments for students to take. Google Sites allows you to adjust permissions for each page - making a teachers only section for your page so you don't have to make 20 different sites for each group that you're apart of. 

4. Make a digital lesson plan book for yourself. 

See our post on How to Create a Digital Lesson Plan Book, or check out the real thing! If you want permissions or want me to send you a template for you to make your own changes to, just send me an email in the Contact form and I'll be glad to! In the next few weeks I'll be publishing my own personal lesson plan site so you can see how these things can really come to life. I've added links to external sites I use on the regular such as Super Teacher Worksheets, Google Classroom, and Go Noodle. 

5. Use a Google Site to organize your Math or Reading workshop

I'm in the process of developing an all-encompassing Guided Reading site. This site contains my lesson plans and resources, and pages for my students to complete reflections, assessments, and view blended lessons on those necessary review skills that we don't have time to teach during the regular instructional day that students can work on as part of their independent times. Students can log in with their own Google Apps accounts and complete their self-guided work. It's an easy way for me to implement accountability and trust that they are finishing everything they need to correctly, while keeping track of everything they're doing so I can give them feedback. 

Google Sites is a fantastic Google App. Website design is something that requires a bit more skill that most Google Apps, but they make it very easy to implement and create on your own. Never fear, there's tons of resources out there (including us!) to provide you with thoughts, ideas, directions, advice, and feedback on creating the best Google Site for your classroom. 

Enjoy!