I have given students the opportunity to find where to get help when they are at home in my lesson "I am Home and Stuck How Do I Get Help?" Now, I want to make sure students know how to use some online tools.
In my classes, I use Google Drive to upload projects and the Desmos Graphing Calculator to explore concepts. Over the next few lessons, I make sure that all of my students understand how to use these applications to support their work in this class.
Before this lesson I make folders in my Google Drive for each of my classes. I have shared the appropriate folder with the students. This folder is where students will upload class projects and other assignments.
As students enter class the following directions on the board:
** Every student in our district has a district email address but many students never used their school email or have forgotten it over the summer. I have a list with the students' emails and passwords.
After all of my students log in to their Chromebooks, I show students where to find the application bar on the Chromebook. Then, I direct students to the Google Drive tab.
I provide each student with a copy of the Exploring Google Applications activity. For this activity, students produce a Google document and they answer a few questions. As they do so, they practice using some of the features of Google Docs. Finally, the students will move their Google document to the class folder and share the document with me.
While students work I move around the room and troubleshoot. I put a space on the board for students to share any tool they find and want to share. If I notice something interesting I put the information on the board.
With 10 minutes left in class, I bring the class together. We look at a list of interesting Tricks & Shortcuts on the board. Students show the class the trick or tool. Students have their Chromebooks open so they can follow as a "trick" is presented.
With 5 minutes left the class, students need to put their Chromebooks away. Since this is our first day using the Chromebooks, I discuss procedures for clean up today. I remind students to make note of which Chromebook they used today. If students use the same Chromebook each time, the login process is quicker. I explain this to the students. (I will also record Chromebook students use, so I have some information to work with if something goes wrong with a computer.
Finally, I have learned to talk with my students about keeping the charging cords neat. I will not dismiss the class until all Chromebooks are returned and the cart is neat.