Greetings CHAT families!
Last year because of the potential restrictions from COVID-19, I put all of my materials and assignments on Google Classroom. For many students, Google Classroom helped them keep track of assignments, was a repository of any handouts from class that they had lost, and offered an online way to complete homework. Considering those benefits, I will again be using Google Classroom for my classes at CHAT. Below are explanations and descriptions of some helpful resources to help you get set up for the year.
Online Option using Zoom.
If at any point we require distance learning this year, the classes will meet via Zoom
Students who are sick or out of town can attend my classes via Zoom.
Follow this link: Tamera Prichard’s Zoom classroom. (password: chat)
Note: Google Classroom offers a Google Meet address for the classes, but at this time I will not be using Google Meet
The G-Suite for CHAT Classes
Kim Nelson has assigned an email account with chatclasses.com to all of my students. (Last year’s students will continue with their emails.) This is essential for using Google Classroom and the multiple tools that come with the G-Suite for education. Mrs. Nelson has also made some videos and a teaching sheet for using your CHAT email account and getting into Google Classroom. She uses an Algebra 1 class as an example, but the steps will be the same for my writing classes.
How to Sign in to Gmail and Google Classroom for CHAT students
Intro to Google Classroom for Students (20 minutes)
How to scan a multi-page document using Genius Scan (free) and get it into Google Classroom (Note: Genius Scan is phone app that scans documents and saves them as PDFs.)
Google Drive
With the G-Suite, students have access to Google Drive, which is a multi-dimensional platform for documents, slides, spreadsheets, etc. Think of it as a filing system for your digital content.
To get started, students should create separate folders for each of their classes. For some classes, they might want folders within a folder. (e.g. A Writing 2 folder could have subfolders for Essays, Grammar, Literature.)
A well-organized Google Drive will help students stay better organized with their school work.
Google Classroom
All assignments for the semester will be posted in Google Classroom even if we’re face to face.
Students will be added to the roster and will get an invitation to join the class. Follow the links in the email. Parents will also be added. If you prefer to not be added, let me know.
The assignments will come in one or more of the following formats:
An attached Google Doc on which students can type
A quiz or form that students can complete
A discussion question on which students can type a comment or respond to a classmate
An assignment where a student can upload a document or some other type of electronic work
Students will need to remember to “Turn in” their homework via a button on the assignment page.
Google Classroom has an attached gradebook and should be used for checking for missing work. This year I will be using it as my online gradebook.
Google Classroom also has a calendar that keeps track of due dates for assignments.
Communication
Email: My email is tammy.prichard@chatclasses.com. (Some of you have my older gmail account, so please change it to this one.)
Blog: I send weekly notes in an email and post them on the class blog. I will also use the blog for sharing other information, such as videos, websites, etc.
Finally, the 2 most important questions
“Where to find worksheets and materials?”
Attached to Class Notes emails.
Attached to Google Classroom assignments
In the shared folder for your class
Note: These documents can only be accessed by students with CHAT emails; they are also set to be “View Only.”
On the gradebook after the assignment has been posted on Classroom.
“How can students hand in homework?”
When we’re face to face, all work can be handed in physically in class
For face to face OR distance learning: Via the Google Classroom assignment (using the attached document or uploading material)
If and only if the Rocketbook app is not working or a student is still in the process of figuring out Google Classroom
Send an electronic version (i.e. pdf, Google docs, or Word document – NO Pages or photos) via email.
The specific name of the assignment must be in the subject line.
Send only one assignment per email.
