Episode 1: Writing with Google Docs

Just as it is key for detectives to collect evidence to solve a crime, teachers must also collect evidence of learning in order to provide effective instruction. This evidence of learning can certainly be a final grade however, how do we know along the way that students are progressing toward the learning goal? Luckily, technology can be a tremendous help with collecting evidence of active learning while at the same time keeping students accountable for their work. ​Our focus will be on using Google Docs for Brainstorming, Picture Prompts, and Reader's Response

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➕ Benefits of Google Docs
While there are many benefits to selecting paper and pencil for written communication, composing even small pieces of writing using Google Docs provides students with a modern opportunity to use technology features to create, collaborate, think critically, and communicate. ​

• Saves automatically - no more lost drafts!
• Accessibility - access from any device any time.  Even off -line!
• Compatibility with other platforms - upload Word or PDF files and easily convert to Docs
• Customization with a variety of fonts, tables, images, background colors
• Ease of collaboration by Sharing files
• Explore! - A feature to promote research without leaving the Doc
  
• ​Share beyond the classroom capabilities 

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 💡​ Google Docs for Brainstorming
​Promote student collaboration by providing multiple students with edit rights to the same assignment or prompt on one  Google Doc.  Students benefit by reading the ideas of others and then springboarding into their contributions as their confidence grows. Provide students with their own writing space within the Doc by inserting a table into a Google Document and then encourage or assign students to contribute within specific cells of the table.   Distribute to students by assigning through Google Classroom to whole class or groups, and let the ideas flow. 

• Brainstorm as a group by projecting  the Google Doc
• Color code the table for even more organization
• Get creative - change font color and style
• Use for any content area and grade level
• Great for helping others get started with ideas
• Post the Google Doc with ideas before, during, and after while students work on the assignment tied to the brainstorming ideas

🔑 Resources:
​Brainstorming Template

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🖼 Google Docs for Picture Prompts 
With a single Google Doc you can quickly add an image to spark ideas for your students in any content area.  Search copyright free Google images, add from Drive, Photos, or URL  by using the Add Image button from the toolbar or the Explore button in the bottom right hand corner.    A 7th grade math teacher we know used a collaborative Google Doc with an image representing some sort of Slope (remember, we are not the math specialists)  and prompted the students to respond in writing to show what they know.  Since this was a collaborative file, students were able to work together and even read previous responses as they developed their own.  Teachers could also have students share the document with someone outside of their physical classroom to collaborate and communicate directly within the document to create a story. 

• Use the image as free write, warm up, prediction, art interpretation, or journal entry
• Create an amazing introduction to your writing, based on the picture.
• Select a character in the picture and write about their experience from their perspective. What is he thinking? Why is he in this particular scene?
• Select an image to complement a standard from your content area and prompt students to create their own caption and written description as if they are writing a news article.
  

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🔑​ Resources:
Picture Prompt Template 

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📖 Google Docs for Reader’s Response ​
One of the easiest ways to use Google Docs with students is to add content to the same Doc, over and over again.  Try to think of this as an easy opportunity to organize student work and to build a record of growth without really trying!  A student could open their existing Doc, add the date, and then simply begin adding information to their Doc depending on the focus of the small group or rotation. To go a little further, have partners share, compare and discuss the added information. 

• New vocabulary words encountered while reading
• Evidence of dialogue or any word other than “said.”
• Author's use of transitional words,
• Examples of interesting topic sentences

🔑​ Resources:
Reader's Response Template

​ How have you used Google Docs for Writing  in your lesson design?  Add your experiences and questions to the comments of this post and give us Somethin' to Tech About!

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Additional Resources:

Getting started with Google Docs
ISTE Standards for Educators
​ISTE Standards for Students
​Guide to the 4 C's
Technology Integration Matrix