Looking for G Suite educational fun? Then you’ll want to come along on this blog entry featuring amazing G Suite templates. The takeaways come from the Teachers Using Google Suite for Education group. I always learn something new and thought I’d share some of those takeaways with you.
G Suite Template #1: Meme Generator
Need a way to enhance the modality effect (.55 effect size) in your classroom with visuals? Use a meme generator. You may recall I wrote about meme generators before. In my blog entry, ESL/ELL Playing with Words, I said:
To help…students with vocabulary development, have them construct memes. A meme is a cute photo or picture with humorous words. The more popular memes quickly become Internet sensations. Memes can be ideas, values, or behaviors that are contagious. Pair quotes with pop culture images and you get a meme that must be shared. Meme quote generators help students engage in language play. Deepen their experiences with interpretation, reasoning, and inferential thinking.
“My students and I frequently use memes to reflect on our learning experiences,” says Steve Wick. Steve Wick (@wickededtech) has put together or developed these using Google Drawings. The idea is quite clever, as Steve has put several backgrounds into Drawings. You may want to set aside time to explore Steve’s collection of Google Drawing templates.
Students/staff just need to drag the image over, then adjust the text. Get access to Steve’s Meme Generator II Template for Google Drawings. He includes some fascinating directions and an activity.
G Suite Template #2: Dog Bones
“This template is PAW-some,” says Kris Szajner (@kszajner). The purpose of this template is to support addition and subtraction. Students add or subtract bones to the presentation to match a changing number.
How could you encourage simple math with G Suite EDU tools?
G Suite Template #3: Slides Timer
Need an easy way to add timers to your Google Slides? ClayCodes.org offers a free extension, Slides Timer. It “brings timers to life when it appears on presented slides.” You can use text placeholders (e.g. <<0:00+, <a rel=”noreferrer noopener” href=”http://<5:00->, <) to insert a timer where you want. This means that if you want a five-minute count down, you would type <a rel=”noreferrer noopener” href=”http://<5:00>.
While it’s easy to open a Google Search window with a timer or view a YouTube video, this offers another fun option.
G Suite Template #4: Animal Research Project
“The template is perfect for newer researchers,” says Sarah Kiefer (@kiefersj). Intended for younger students, the template offers a nice, easy to navigate space that students can use to organize their research.
Looking for more templates like this one? Be sure to visit Sarah’s Templates for Teachers website.
G Suite Template #5: Build Data Dashboards with Google
Need to build a data dashboard, but not sure how to use a high-powered tool? Dr. Wanda Terral (@wterral) offers up this Google Slides template. In her presentation, she suggests that we do something different with our data by turning our data into informative dashboards and reports. The Google Data Studio is free and available online.
If you are looking for even more G Suite templates, be sure to check out these.
There you go; five amazing takeaway templates you can use to get started. Each opens a door to what is possible with G Suite EDU tools. Time to walk on through the door.
