Elementary Classroom
Using Technology in the
10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Google Forms
I’m always looking for new project management ideas. With almost 375 students working on a variety of projects that need to be turned in and graded, and a dwindling lab budget for copy paper and ink cartridges, if there is a way to go digital, I’m on it! One of the most versatile free web tools that I use is Google Docs – specifically Google Forms. If you are also interested in ‘going digital’ while saving $$, the environment, and your time, read on!
1. Get to know your students by creating an All About Me form at the beginning of the school year. Find their likes and dislikes, their favorite and least favorite class, what they are good at in school and out of school, after school activities they enjoy. As the school tech teacher, I’d like to know what kind of home technology they have (How many students have computers that they can use at home? How many have Internet access? Dial-up or cable?) Have they ever completed a keyboarding program? What is their favorite thing to do on the computer? What are they excited about learning in the computer lab this year?
Tip: When setting up a form, the first and most important required question should always be What is your name? You don’t want to forget this – I speak from experience (27 no-named quizzes)!
2. Check weekly Spelling tests by setting up a 1-10 text box form for your 10 spelling words. If you have 1:1 or are in a computer
lab, you can have all students access the Form at the same time and type in the words as you say them. Or, in a classroom setting with just a few computers, you can record yourself reading the words (via AudioBoo) for kids to listen to. Or, you can write the definitions or a sentence with a blank for the word in the Form as the ‘question’ and they can type the word into an ‘answer’ text box.
Tip: Make the spreadsheet self-checking by clicking the drop arrow to the right of the column letter, clicking on Conditional formatting, selecting Text does not contain, write in the correct spelling of the word, and making the background red. Once you save the rule, all cells with misspelled words will be red.
3. Use a form as an Entrance ticket (to find out how much they already know about today’s topic) or Exit ticket (to see how well they have learned today’s activity). This could be a simple scale or a drop down list or a paragraph text box for more detail. Easy to sort to see who got the concept and who needs more time practicing.
Tip: Select all the students’ feedback in the ‘what I learned today’ column and pop the words into Wordle for an interesting view of what your class felt was the most important part of the lesson!
4. Create a database for books individuals have finished reading. Include the student name, the title, author, genre, a short summary of the story (no spoilers!), a rating scale (1: Yuck – don’t bother reading this to 10: This was amazing! I loved it!), and
18 | SPRING/SUMMER 2012 | MACULJOURNAL
By Marilyn Western
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