We live in an increasingly connected world. When even our youngest students go home from school, many spend time on some type of electronic device. Due to this, it is harder for teachers to hold students’ attention during the school day. Some teachers think that any integration of technology will automatically yield students eager to learn, and that by simply posting an assignment in Google Classroom they’ve done enough to peak their students’ interest. This is not the case.
While a Learning Management System like Google Classroom is necessary for organization, these systems are not always designed for student engagement. In truth, they are designed for functionality. With this being said, there are several awesome apps that integrate with Google Classroom that can do the trick! With these amazing apps included in their lessons, teachers are utilizing their necessary Learning Management System while students are learning and having fun! Hence this post that includes some of my personal favorite apps that integrate with Google Classroom!
Benefits of Google Classroom
All things considered, there are many options out there to host and organize everything that is needed for your digital classroom. Note that I said digital classroom, not distance learning classroom. The digital age is upon us, and whether you are teaching online only, in-person, or some hybrid in between, digital learning is a must for any 21st Century classroom. With that said, it is overwhelming to pick the one Learning Management System that will work best for elementary students. When considering the options, it is important to select one that is not too overwhelming for students, their families, and yourself. Accordingly, I firmly believe that You Need Google Classroom in Your Life!
It's Great for Organization
First, Google Classroom is perfect for elementary students. It keeps everything organized for them in simplistic ways. In addition to the go-to Google Apps like Google Forms and Google Slides, there are so many different apps and programs that integrate seamlessly with Google. For one thing, Single-Sign On will be your new best friend! Second, it is easy for students to find assignments. When they are new to the digital world, this is very important. Google Classroom makes it easy to organize your assignments with topics. Lastly, it makes setting up differentiated assignments a breeze. In particular, you can easily assign work to the whole class or just to specific students.
Given how much you will be using this system to deliver your instruction and organize student work, it is so important to consider all the features when selecting a platform to use. Overall, Google Classroom will make your life easier. As for me, it’s seamless integration with apps that increase student engagement makes it a no-brainer!
Flipgrid with Google Classroom
First, I want to tell you a little bit about Flipgrid. Flipgrid allows every student to have a voice in the classroom. Their slogan is “Empower Every Voice,” and I attest that it does just that! There are so many ways that teachers can use Flipgrid to engage students. Most Flipgrid assignments are designed by the teacher where students are given a prompt and then record a video with their responses. For example, students may talk about a book they are reading or how to add or subtract two-digit numbers. Additionally, they may review the life cycle of a butterfly. Truly, the opportunities are endless!
I loved creating prompts where my students were solving a problem for the Principal, in particular. For example, I designed a word problem where she had to divide out the cupcakes for the PTO Bake Sale and her calculator quit working. On this occasion, students were asked to explain to the principal how to divide with remainders. Of course, I was blown away by their thoroughness in teaching our school principal how to divide multi-digit whole numbers! Here’s an example of what the teacher created portion of an assignment might look like.
Even better, teachers can select settings that allow students to watch each other’s videos. With this feature in place, students are able to talk, collaborate, and build relationships through this tool. However, this setting can also be turned off and only the teacher can watch the recording. With Flipgrid, students are going to build communication skills and become so confident using their own voice. In the meantime, you will be amazed that even your quietest students have something to say on Flipgrid!
Moreover, Flipgrid integrates with Google Classroom! After adding in the topic of the video, all teachers have to do is select the share button. Then, there is a Google Classroom button to click. All of the students on your Google Classroom roster will now have access to the assignment and be able to record their videos. Furthermore, there will be no confusion over where to find the assignment.
Looking to get started with Flipgrid? By all means, check out these quick video tutorials offered by Flipgrid for both students and teachers. They’ve got lots of great resources for getting started on their blog. Still wondering how you can make Flipgrid work in your classroom? They also offer lots of integration and innovation ideas, too. Just look for your grade and content area for ideas on how to use Flipgrid.
Quizizz with Google Classroom
Engagement and games come together with Quizizz! After trying Quizizz once, students will be begging to play again and again. With this amazing app, you will engage all of your students… not just the ones who finish first. Teachers can choose from Quizziz games that have been created by other teachers, or they can add in their own questions for any concept. Whether it’s questions over a story, the parts of a plant, or multiplication problems, this game will work for anything. Quizizz is a great way to check for understanding and gaining insight on how students are mastering the content.
Each question is automatically graded with easy-to-read charts. Subsequently, teachers can identify problems by student, class, or question. Students will love having friendly competition while practicing their content! In my experience, teachers will love the detailed data they can glean from the reports. In particular, Quizziz makes planning for differentiated instruction so much easier!
Better Than Kahoot
This amazing app brings in the competition offered by the Kahoot app, but allows for students to work at their own pace. Teachers still manage the time limit for questions and the whole game, but students work in their own time. Given these points, I believe it makes Quizziz a better choice for your classroom of mixed abilities. Students who need to take more time to answer a question can do so without the rest of the class essentially looking over their shoulder waiting for them to finish the question before everyone can move on. As students finish Quizziz questions, the leaderboard is updated. Quizziz has this along with many other accessibility features built in, so you can differentiate the learning experience. In short, Quizziz makes differentiated practice easy for teachers to manage!
One of my favorite features of Quizziz is the vast library of educator-created games already made for you. The best part about it is that you can duplicate a game and customize it to meet your needs! Teaching about the Industrial Revolution, but don’t like all of the questions you find in a given game? Copy the game, switch out the content, and share with students. Easy Peasy!
Destroyer of Worksheets
As above, Quizziz will integrate with Google Classroom with the click of a button! After starting the game by selecting Live or Homework, a code will be generated. On this page, there is now a Classroom Share button. All teachers do is click this button and then select which class it should be shared on.
There’s also a plethora of support out there for Quizziz. Want to know more? Check out their blog here. Namely, look for ideas on how to use Quizziz before, during, or after your lesson. So many educators think that the games work after the lesson only. It’s versatility will surprise you! With the self-named “Destroyer of Worksheets” (aka Quizziz), your students will be begging for more practice!
Flocabulary with Google Classroom
Teachers often hear students singing songs and dancing before class. Now, the love of singing and dancing has been combined with educational topics in Flocabulary. With this point in mind, teachers can explore videos made for a variety of subjects. Specifically, there are lessons for language arts, math, science, social studies, life skills, and vocabulary. Through the rigorous educational videos, students will surely have many fun ways to engage with the content. For example, even though the metric system can be so tough to learn for upper elementary students, Flocabulary gives them a catchy mnemonic to help them memorize the vocabulary! Needless to say, there are tons of fun videos that create catchy tunes in order to help students remember the different topics they are learning about.
Check out this video from Flocabulary about How to Use Rap In Your Classroom!
A Few Simple Steps
Likewise, integrate Flocabulary with Google Classroom by following these simple steps. First, classes will be imported to Flocabulary. Then, after deciding on the Flocabulary lesson you want to use, there is a big blue button to click to create an assignment. After clicking Create Assignment, the assignment can be shared to Google Classroom.
However much I love Flocabulary, there is one downfall. Unfortunately, it’s not a free resource for teachers. As much as I wish all of the videos were free, sadly they are not. However, I do believe it is DEFINITELY worth the cost of the subscription. All in all, I’ve been fortunate to work in a school that makes the investment. However, if my school did not purchase a subscription, I would have bought my own subscription for my classroom. Without a doubt, I love it that much! As it happens, Flocabulary does offer a few free videos free videos on YouTube. Admittedly nerdy math teacher moment – my favorite song is about the different types of triangles! 
Amazing Apps That Integrate With Google Classroom
All of these amazing apps help you to create engaging, interactive lessons for students in any content area or grade level. In short, their integration will certainly increase learning in your elementary classroom. Students are unquestioningly going to have a blast learning with these amazing apps and outstanding technology tools! Of course, it’s a win for everyone when kids are having fun while learning. Perhaps you have some other favorite apps that integrate with Google Classroom that you’d like to share. Connect with me on social media or drop a comment below to discuss your favs!
