6 Steps to Success with Google Classroom Assignments

Pressing the correct buttons to create an assignment in Google Classroom is easy. The harder part (and most important part), is understanding the 6 components that help create those “high quality” assignments in Google Classroom. Follow these 6 steps to create high quality Google Classroom assignments every time and in turn, receive high quality work from your students.

1. Front-load, front-load, front-load (like any lesson planning, front-loading is often the key that will define the success of the lesson)
2. Choose the outcome for students. What will they turn in? (what exactly will the students be turning in? A Google doc, a Venn Diagram, a Google Slideshow, a video of themselves presenting their assignment?, a digital image, the possibilities are endless. Will each student use the same format, or will you give a few choices for what they can turn in?)
3. Insert videos (insert a “kick-off” video to hook and engage your students. Also, insert video(s) that students can re-watch that covers the content or steps you want your students to master)
4. Attach links to websites you want students to visit (find a few websites you want your students to visit as resources. Less is more, two websites is better than 20 websites)
5. Include higher-order thinking skills (every assignment doesn't have to touch the top of Bloom's Taxonomy, but make sure your assignment is more than "remember & repeat")
6. Attach a rubric (make sure students know what they will be graded on, and what the teacher expectations are. This can be a generic rubric, or a more specific rubric for those large projects)

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The buttons to press to create assignments in Google Classroom:
From: https://support.google.com/edu/classroom#topic=6020278

While you’re creating an assignment, you can save a draft and assign it at a later date. In the web version of Classroom, a draft is automatically saved if you stop typing for a few seconds, or you can manually save it.  See Draft an assignment below.

Create an assignment

1. Sign in to Classroom at classroom.google.com.
2. Select the class.
3. At the bottom, click and click Create assignment.
4. Enter the title of the assignment.
5. (Optional) Enter a description.
6. Choose one of the following options:
• If you want to post the assignment immediately, click Assign.
• If you want to save the assignment for a later date, next to Assign, click the arrow and select Save draft.

Change the date and time an assignment is due

    By default, the assignment is due the next day, but you can change this. To specify a due date:

1. Next to Due, click the arrow.
2. Click and select a date.
3. (Optional) To set a time for the due date, next to Time, click the arrow and select or type a time. To create an assignment with no due date, click to remove the due date.
4. Click Save.

Add materials to an assignment

You can add attachments, such as Google Drive files, YouTube videos, or links to your assignment.

1. (Optional) To upload a file, click , select the file, and click Upload.
2. (Optional) To attach a Google Drive item, such as a document or form:
• Click .
• Locate and select the item, and click Add.
3. (Optional) If you attach a Drive item that isn't a Google Form, you can decide how students interact with it by choosing one of the following options from the drop-down list next to the attachment:
• Students can view file—Students can read the file, but not change it.
• Students can edit file—Students can make changes to the file.
• Make a copy for each student—Students receive an individual copy of the file that they can change.
4. (Optional) To attach a YouTube video, click and do one of these options:
• To search for a video to attach:
• Click Video search.
• Enter keywords in the YouTube search bar.
• Click the video that you want to attach and click Add.
• To attach a video link
• Click URL.
• Enter the link for the YouTube video and click Add.
5. (Optional) To attach a link, click , enter the link text, and click Add.
6. (Optional) To delete an attachment, click X next to the attachment name.

Post an assignment to multiple classes

In the web version of Classroom, you can post an assignment to multiple classes.

1. (Optional) Next to the attachment icons, click the class name dropdown.
2. Check the box for other classes to which you want to assign.
3. (Optional) To save a draft to assign later, next to Assign, click the arrow and select Save draft.
4. Click Assign.