Creating a class within Google Classroom

1) Visit classroom.google.com

To get started, sign in to your Google account. Once you are logged in to Gmail, head to classroom.google.com. This is where you will do most of your work. Verify your account is active by looking for your icon in the upper left-hand side of the screen.

2) Create your first class by clicking the "+" button

After logging in, look for the "+" button. Select this, and it will open a drop-down box. Choose the option to "create class." Google will then give you the option to add your class to a school or university network, so see if your institution is listed. If it is, choose your school and agree to proceed.

3) Enter the class name and information about your class

Now you're ready to add your class details. Enter the class name and subject. You can also add a room number. If you're dividing your classroom into groups, you can add sections. Select "create" to generate your class.

4) Customize your Google Classroom

Now you're ready to personalize your Google Classroom. You can change the large banner image that is automatically generated to be appropriate for your class. Consider adding a thumbnail for each class, so your students can find theirs.

To change the top banner image, find "select theme" or "upload photo" from the bottom right of the image. Choose the image that fits your class theme or subject area best.

Now, create some work to ensure your students have something to do when you invite them. Go to the Classwork section and hit the "create" button to add your work. You will see options for "assignment," "quiz assignment," "question," and "material." There is also a link to reuse a post you've used in the past. Add the work you want to show when you invite students to the class.

View the due dates on your assignments using the calendar. There is a calendar icon on the page you can click that will take you to the classroom calendar. This calendar gives you a quick overview that will tell you if you've assigned too much or too little work in any given time period.

5) Invite students to your Google Classroom

Once you've customized the program, you're ready to invite students to join classes. Determine the easiest way to add students, and send out the invites. You might want to send different types of invites to ensure you get as many students as possible into your classroom. Don't forget to add any co-teachers that will need access to the platform.

• You can invite students with a link to your classroom.
• Generate a class code students can use to join.
• Send out an email invite to add students.