Hi there! I know this school year is a different one, and preparation might feel overwhelming.

If you are starting the school year with an emphasis on digital learning, I’d love to help you get started.

I put together 12 activities (created with Google Slides) from some of my best-selling digital resources, and am offering them to you for free so that you can get an idea of how my digital resources work, and what types of activities are included.

This package includes activities for division, area, money, place value, and fractions.

Sign up here and I’ll send them right over!

Have a great day,

Shelley

P.S. Love these and want more? Find more digital resources HERE.

PIN FOR LATER

The post Free Digital Activities for Use With Google Slides™ | Best Suited for Grades 3-5 appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Math manipulatives are essential for building a conceptual understanding of math. As we head into a school year with many unknowns, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to continue teaching math conceptually. Even within the classroom, we are now thinking about how to manage handling manipulatives. Luckily, there are a ton of virtual manipulatives out there that can help!

Here are some of my favorite virtual math manipulatives.

Virtual Base Ten Blocks

Base ten blocks are useful for practicing many different skills: place value, addition/subtraction, multiplication, measurement, and more. They allow students to create physical representations of numbers to build number sense. Base ten blocks make addition, subtraction, multiplication, and even division simple to visualize. Cubes and flats are also a great way to introduce perimeter and area to students during a measurement unit.

Here are my favorite websites for virtual base ten blocks:

• didax.com
• abcya.com

Related: Teaching Math Using the Concrete Representational Abstract Model

Virtual Hundreds Chart
A hundreds chart is an excellent tool for counting, adding, subtracting, and recognizing number patterns. One way to utilize a hundreds chart is by skip counting to build a foundation for multiplication.

Math Playground has an excellent interactive 100 or 120 chart HERE.  Another alternative is this interactive 120 chart on didax.com.

Virtual Fraction Tiles
Fraction tiles are a lifesaver when it comes to teaching students about equivalent fractions and adding/subtracting fractions. They make it simple to model parts and wholes. I love these fractions tiles on ToyTheater.com.  Roomrecess.com is another great resource.

Virtual Number Lines
Number lines help students visualize the value of numbers in relation to each other.

I love this number line on Didax.com because it allows you to input any starting and ending numbers. Toy Theater also has a number line that may be useful for you HERE.

Virtual Rekenreks
The rekenrek is another fantastic tool for visualizing numbers and building and understanding of how they relate to one another. Here are two different styles of rekenrek.

• 20 bead rekenrek
• 100 bead rekenrek

Virtual Ten Frames
Ten frames are a must-use manipulative in any elementary classroom! Ten frames reinforce the relationship between 5 and 10, and make it easy to visualize how other numbers are related and connected.

Didax has a great virtual ten frame HERE.

Virtual Geoboard
Just like a physical geoboard, students can create shapes and line segments by stretching rubber bands from peg to peg on these virtual boards.

Here’s a useful virtual geoboard. I also recommend checking out this site for using other tools while using geoboards!

Virtual Math Clocks
I love these virtual clocks on Math Learning Center because there are so many options, based on your classroom needs. There are three different forms of clocks to choose from: a clock with fractions, one with free-moving hands, and one with geared hands.

Virtual Tangrams
Tangrams are useful manipulatives to practice geometric skills such as congruency, identifying and measuring angles, and symmetry. They are also fantastic for building STEM and problem-solving skills.

Here’s a great set of virtual tangrams on Toy Theater.

Other Helpful Tools
Here are some other helpful virtual manipulatives:

• dice
• money
• game spinner
• bar graph creation

The post The Best Virtual Manipulatives for Distance Learning appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Guest post by Tiffany Schmidt of The Learning Effect

If you don’t have access to Google Classroom, there are a few options to assign Google Slides to your students. If you don’t want to assign every page in a Google Slide file, check out this blog post for instructions on How to Assign Only a Few Slides at a Time.

For each of these options, you’ll need to start with a Google Slides file that only contains the pages that you want to assign. Students will also need a Google account, which does not necessarily have to be a Gmail account, but just an account with Google that gives them access to Google Drive.

1. Make a Copy for Each Student

This option is not ideal, but it works. You will need to follow these steps for each student.

Go to FILE > MAKE A COPY > ENTIRE PRESENTATION.

Rename the file and add the student’s name. Repeat for each student.

To share each student’s file with them, you’ll need an email address for them. Click the yellow SHARE button in the top right corner and type the email address into the box.

2. Force a copy to each student by having them click a force copy link

Click the yellow SHARE button in the top right corner. Click on ADVANCED in the bottom right corner of the pop-up.

Under WHO HAS ACCESS, click CHANGE.

Select ON – ANYONE WITH THE LINK. Save.

Copy the link to share and click done.

Paste the link in a notes doc or somewhere that you can edit the ending. Delete everything that includes edit?usp=sharing (or it may just say edit). Replace with the word copy. This creates a force copy link for students.

When they visit the link, they will get a screen like this that tells them to MAKE A COPY. A copy of the file will be added to their Google Drive.

Students will have to share their copy of the file back to you if you need to see their work. Have them share the file with you by clicking the yellow SHARE button in the top right corner and using your email address.

3. Give students the view only link and have them make a copy themselves

Click the yellow SHARE button in the top right corner. Click on ADVANCED in the bottom corner of the pop-up.

Under WHO HAS ACCESS, click CHANGE. Select ON – ANYONE WITH THE LINK. Right above the save button, you need to make sure ACCESS is set to Anyone can VIEW. Save.

Copy the link to share and click done. Share this link with students. You will need to tell them how to make a copy of the file for themselves. (They must be logged in to a Google account to make a copy, or the option won’t be available.) Go to FILE > MAKE A COPY > ENTIRE PRESENTATION.

Again, students will have to share their copy of the file back to you if you need to see their work. Have them share the file with you by clicking the yellow SHARE button in the top right corner and using your email address.

Options for Assigning Digitally without Google Classroom

While I have not used any of these learning platforms with Google Drive myself, I did some research to see what highly rated learning platforms support Google Drive use. If you need specifics on any of these platforms and how to use Google Slides with them, simply do a Google search for [learning platform name] Google Slides. I found a lot of information this way.

• Edmodo
• Seesaw
• Canvas
• Blackboard
• Schoology

A Note About Using Purchased Files Online

When using any files that you’ve purchased from TpT (or anywhere on the internet), you need to make sure you read the terms of use. Most authors will not allow you to share files online in a way that they can be accessed freely by the public. Using Google Classroom or other learning platforms are okay because only your students access those files. If your students have an account that they log in with, then usually that platform is secure and not accessible by the general public. When you change the share settings on a Google Slides file to ANYONE WITH THE LINK CAN VIEW, make sure you do NOT post the link anywhere public if the file’s terms of use prohibit this.

PIN FOR LATER

The post How to Use Google Slides if You Don’t Have Google Classroom appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Guest post by Tiffany Schmidt of The Learning Effect

Sometimes the files you want to assign have more pages than you want to give your students at once. There’s an easy way to only assign a few pages at a time without losing your master copy. This quick tutorial will show you how to do just that!

1. Open the Google Slides File You Want to Assign

Sign in to your school Google account and go to Google Drive. Open the file you want to assign.

2. Make a Copy to Edit & Rename

Go to FILE > MAKE A COPY > ENTIRE PRESENTATION.

Rename the file and decide where you want to save your new copy. By default, the file will save in the same folder that the original is in. Your copy will open in a new tab.

3. Delete the Slides You Don’t Want to Assign

Change to GRID VIEW to see all pages (see the screenshot below).

Use the Zoom option at the bottom of the screen to see the pages bigger or smaller.

Select any pages that you do not want to include in your assignment and delete them. You can do this by hitting the DELETE key on your keyboard or by right-clicking on one of the selected slides and selecting DELETE on the menu.

4. Assign the Resource

Go to Google Classroom and open the class you want to create the assignment for. Go to the Classwork tab. Click on CREATE > ASSIGNMENT. (For more details on how to assign a resource, visit the blog post How to Create An Assignment with Google Classroom.)

Fill in all of the assignment details that you wish to include. Click ADD > GOOGLE DRIVE to add your file.

If you recently edited the file, it will come up under RECENT. If not, you can click on MY DRIVE and locate it in the Drive. Select the file and click ADD.

** This next part is VERY IMPORTANT! If you want each student to complete their own copy, you need to change the setting on the file to MAKE A COPY FOR EACH STUDENT. **

For more details about using Google Classroom, check out the blog post I wrote How to Create an Assignment with Google Classroom.

PIN FOR LATER

The post Google Slides: How to Assign Only a Few Slides at a Time appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Guest post by Tiffany Schmidt of The Learning Effect

Google Classroom is a free tool for schools to manage coursework online. In order to use Google Classroom with students, your school has to be registered for a free G Suite for Education account. If you try to sign up for Google Classroom with a personal Google account, you will receive the following message.

Using Classroom at a school with students? If so, your school must sign up for a free G Suite for Education account before you can use Classroom. Learn More G Suite for Education lets schools decide which Google services their students can use, and provides additional privacy and security protections that are important in a school setting. Students cannot use Google Classroom at a school with personal accounts. Google Classroom

If you do not have access to G Suite for Education at your school, I’ve shared some alternatives to Google Classroom at the end of this post that will help you use Google Drive files with your students.

Google Drive and Google Classroom are NOT the same things. You do not have to have Google Classroom to use Google Drive.

Requirements to Follow This Tutorial

• G Suite for Education account
• Students already registered for your Google Classroom class
• Any Google file that you want to assign to your students – it can be something you’ve created or purchased from TpT (or similar)

1. Sign In to Google Account > Google Drive

Sign in to your school Google account and go to Google Drive. If you need to add a file to your Google Drive, I recommend signing out of other Google accounts for the next step. This will ensure the file is added to the correct account.

2. Add Digital Resource to Drive

If you have not already added a purchased file to your Google Drive, you need to do that first. All sellers do things a little bit differently, but typically you will get a PDF that contains a link that will have you COPY the file to your Drive. When you click the link, it will open a new tab in your browser. Click MAKE A COPY. By default, the file will save to MY DRIVE (this is the main cloud location located at drive.google.com).

3. Organization System for Drive (Optional)

You may want to consider creating an easy to use organization system within your Google Drive. Simply create a folder for your master copies and one for your edited assignments.

You can always re-download a new copy of a Google resource from TpT if you accidentally use your master copy for an assignment.

Please note: You will have to redownload a new copy if the file is updated. Because you made a copy when you accessed the file the first time, future updates will not be automatic.

4. Open the File and Make a Copy for Your Assignment

Open the file that you want to assign to students and make a copy. Go to FILE > MAKE A COPY > ENTIRE PRESENTATION.

Decide where you want to save your new copy. If you created a folder for assignments, save your copy there. You can also rename the file at this point if you want. (I will show you how to do it another way in the next step.)

5. Rename and Edit New Copy

Your copy will open in a new tab. You will know it’s the copy because Google automatically puts “copy of” in front of the file name. Use GRID VIEW to see all pages (highlighted at the bottom of the slide viewer in the screenshot below).

Select any pages that you do not want to include in your assignment and delete them. You can do this by hitting the DELETE key on your keyboard or by right-clicking on one of the selected slides and clicking DELETE on the menu.

Go back to FILMSTRIP VIEW to see one page at a time (highlighted at the bottom of the slide viewer in the screenshot below).

Click on the file name at the top of the screen to rename it. I recommend renaming the file to something that is easy for you and your students to recognize. Your students will see this file name.

If you need to, you can add additional instructions off the side of the page. Select the icon that is a square with a T inside, then click and drag to draw your text box. Anything you type in all students will be able to see.

Most TpT Google Drive resources should be in a Google Drive document format already. In Google Slides, students can add text boxes to answer on pages if the seller hasn’t already done so. They can also add shapes, pictures, and more to help them complete their assignment.

6. Open Google Classroom and Create Your Assignment

Go to Google Classroom and open the class you want to create the assignment for (if you have more than one).

On your main page is the Stream. Here you can see upcoming assignments, create and schedule announcements, change your class theme, and see your class code. The class code is needed for students to register for your Google Classroom course if they’re not already.

Go to the Classwork tab. Click on CREATE > ASSIGNMENT. Other options include Quiz Assignment (create a quiz using Google Forms), Question (short answer or multiple choice), or Material (something that you want students to have access to, but they don’t need to edit, such as notes, a calendar, etc.). All of these created posts show in your Classwork feed.

Fill in all of the assignment details that you wish to include. Google Classroom automatically saves everything as you work, so you don’t have to worry about losing anything along the way.

Click ADD > GOOGLE DRIVE to add your file.

If you recently edited the file, it will come up under RECENT. If not, you can click on MY DRIVE and locate it in the Drive. Select the file and click ADD.

** This next part is VERY IMPORTANT! If you want each student to complete their own copy, you need to change the setting on the file to MAKE A COPY FOR EACH STUDENT. **

If you don’t change this setting, the default is STUDENTS CAN VIEW FILE – they won’t be able to edit anything in the file.

The other option is STUDENTS CAN EDIT FILE – you only want to select this if you want the entire class to edit the same file. Just be warned that if one student deletes something (like a slide), it is deleted for everyone. You can recover the lost work, but it will undo everything that was created after the recovery time.

At this point, you can ASSIGN, or click the down arrow next to it for more options. You can schedule for a later date, save your assignment as a draft, or discard the draft.

7. Student View of Assignment

The next few screenshots will give you a glance of what a student’s view is like. They have an upcoming calendar that shows them anything you’ve added to the Classwork page with a due date. New assignments, materials, and announcements will show up in the class Stream. Notice that students can also add to the Stream if you don’t turn this setting off. (I’ll show you how to do this later.)

Students can click the assignment for all of the details. This is a student view of an assignment. Notice how the assignment shows the copy you made for the student under the YOUR WORK section. Students can leave a comment on the assignment for the whole class or a private comment that only the teacher can see.

When a student clicks on the file in their assignment, they will see their own copy (if you selected MAKE A COPY FOR EACH STUDENT). Google automatically renames the file copy with the student’s name. So awesome for you!

They complete their work right in the Google Slides file and then TURN IN back on the assignment page.

8. Grading and Sending Back to Student

Back to the teacher’s view.

When you click on an assignment, you can see which students are working on their assignment, who has turned their work in, and after the due date, who’s is missing.

Click on a student’s assignment to view their work. You can add private comments, a grade, and even add comments on specific parts of their work if you wish.

Highlight some text, right-click on it, and select COMMENT. This will allow you to give specific feedback on parts of a student’s work. I love this feature! It is such a helpful tool instead of just marking wrong or correcting something for the student without letting them know why. Leave them a note and let them know how they can correct their work. They will see any comments you leave off the side of the page when they open the file. When you hover over the comment, it shows where the highlight is on the page.

Another thing you can do while grading is go from one assignment to the next without closing the tab. Click the student name at the top and you’ll see a list of all students. You can see work that is in progress, too.

Some Features You Should Know About

You can export your grades from any assignment. Most grading software allows you to import CSV (spreadsheet) files to add grades. This is very helpful. You can also copy your grades to Google Sheets if you keep your grades digitally but not in a software system.

From the main Stream of your Classroom, you can click the gear icon in the top right corner. This will open your CLASS SETTINGS. If you don’t want students to be able to openly comment to each other, you can change that setting here.

Students can resubmit work if needed. I love this feature for writing assignments. You can help a student revise their work with feedback comments and they can resubmit the final copy to you.

Differentiate assignments for students by creating different versions of the files. Only the student who the file is assigned to can see their work – no one else in the class can, so they won’t even know they have a different assignment.

If you need more help with Google Classroom, their support page is really great.

Options for Assigning Digitally without Google Classroom

While I have not used any of these learning platforms with Google Drive myself, I did some research to see what highly rated learning platforms support Google Drive use. If you need specifics on any of these platforms and how to use Google Slides with them, simply do a Google search for [learning platform name] Google Slides. I found a lot of information this way.

• Edmodo
• Seesaw
• Canvas
• Blackboard
• Schoology

A Note About Using Purchased Files Online

When using any files that you’ve purchased from TpT (or anywhere on the internet), you need to make sure you read the terms of use. Most authors will not allow you to share files online in a way that they can be accessed freely by the public. Using Google Classroom is okay because only your students access those files. These other learning platforms are set up the same way. If your students have an account that they log in with, then usually that platform is secure and not accessible by the general public.

Do You Have Another Question About Google Classroom or Google Slides?

If there is something that I didn’t cover in this blog post that you still have a question about, please leave a comment below and I’d be happy to get back to you with an answer.

LOOKING FOR DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR DISTANCE LEARNING? FIND THEM HERE.

PIN FOR LATER

The post How to Create An Assignment with Google Classroom appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Journal writing is a great way to get your students writing about things that matter to them. This free daily journal template is created with Google Slides, making it compatible with Google Drive/Google Classroom.

Download this journal template for free on Teachers Pay Teachers HERE.

Looking for other digital resources? See them all HERE or browse a couple of them below.

PIN FOR LATER

The post Free Daily Journal Template for Use with Google Drive appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Hi parents and teachers! This week I’m working with my kids on subtracting numbers like 9, 19, 8, and 18. We had a couple of “lightbulb” moments with this strategy, so I thought I’d make a little video to share with you. I’m planning on making more of these over the coming weeks, so be sure to be following along on Facebook or Instagram!

The video below will be useful for you or your kids to watch in order to learn this strategy. I also want to make sure that you understand the “whys” behind this strategy, so once you’re finished watching, scroll down to read more about the rationale for this strategy, as well as some ideas that you can use with your kids for taking it even further!

Who can use this strategy?

Number lines are a useful tool for any age! Personally, I did this lesson with both my 4th grader and my 7th grader, and they both had some lightbulb moments! If your child is comfortable with 2-digit numbers, understands that 9 is one less than 10, and comprehends addition and subtraction, try it!

Why use a number line?

A number line is an important tool for making math more visual. When numbers are represented on the number line, it makes it easier for kids to “see” them. Once your child works with this strategy for a while, he/she will be ready to move away from the number line and simply do it mentally.

What if these numbers are too low for my kids?

The great thing about this strategy is that is transfers. The big idea here is flexibility with numbers. If you have an older child, challenge him to see if this strategy would work to solve 128-39, or 276-58. Basically what we are teaching here, is that we can manipulate numbers, make them easier to work with, and then make up for the difference later. I do recommend starting easy though, and then progressing as your child is ready.

Why not set this up vertically and use “borrowing” like I was taught?

When your child is in older grades, she WILL learn the traditional algorithm using “borrowing.” However, a lot of research has shown us the importance of understanding what the numbers mean before we get to that point. This strategy will help build that essential understanding.

I recommend working with this strategy in-depth for a day or two until your child is showing a solid understanding. Try to extend it to other numbers. Challenge your child to see if it works with other numbers as well. Some ideas for investigating this strategy are:

• “I wonder if this will work with _____________.”
• “I wonder if there are any numbers that this doesn’t work very well with?”
• “Do you think this would work when we subtract a number that ends in 7 or 8? How would that work?”

PIN FOR LATER

The post Subtracting 9 and 19: Teaching Video appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Are you searching for resources that are suitable for at-home learning? In this post, I’ll highlight some of the best options for learning math from home. These resources are best-suited to grades 2-6 students.

MATH PROJECTS

My line of math projects is a fantastic resource for at-home learning. There are currently over 30 available. All math projects incorporate high-interest topics with relevant math skills. Many teachers report that their students beg to work on these and don’t even realize they are doing math in the process! Whether your child is running a candy store, being a superhero, or going on a camping trip, there are many options to engage!

All math projects (with the exception of the holiday ones) have now been converted to a digital option for Google Slides.

See all math projects here.

MATH STATIONS

Many homeschool families use my line of math stations to teach their children addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Math stations are a strategic way to learn basic math facts and strategies. I understand that everything you have seen on social media about the so-called “new math” probably has you feeling overwhelmed and intimidated. But I want to assure you that “new math” is not as new as it sounds. These stations will help you understand how your child learns best. My goal with all of my resources is to make math fun – not frustrating or overwhelming.

I currently have math stations available for Grades 1-4. However, if you have a 5th or 6th grader who needs some practice with basic facts, the 4th grade stations will work well. As you’ll see in some of the pictures, I recommend that teachers set up these stations in tubs or bins. However, for your homeschool situation, you can simply make the station into a booklet for your child as shown below.

See all Math Stations HERE.

MATH VIDEOS

I’m working on creating student math videos! I hope that these will be useful to you whether you’re a teacher or a parent! See the video page HERE.

PIN FOR LATER

The post Learning Math At Home appeared first on Shelley Gray.