Over the past few weeks, we have been learning about the different text structures of informational texts. This is a challenging skill to master, and my students still needed some additional practice. So, on Friday, I took the opportunity to try out a tech tool and provide my students will a review of cause and effect text structure. In a Google Document, I copied a passage I had purchased off of Teachers Pay Teachers. Below that passage I created a graphic organizer using Google Drawings, which was inserted into the Google Doc. Because we don't have enough technology for each students to access their own Google Drive, this document was saved to my teacher Google Drive for all students to access.
In the beginning of this lesson, I showed students how to locate the appropriate Google Doc and how to create a copy. The copy was renamed with their group number, and their names were added under the title of the text. I instructed students on how to highlight information within the passage and how to type within the Google Drawing. Students picked their own groups and were sent off to begin reading and assigning typing roles for each part of the organizer.
Here is what I noticed when students were working. Students worked well together without arguments. Everyone, even my strugglers, were engaged within the reading and identifying
evidence. I feel this is because they needed to have appropriate evidence in order for their turn to type on the Chromebook to be successful. Students were not only experimenting with highlighting, many of them even changed the font colors as well. If students finished early they were encouraged to explore within the Google doc to insert images that would support the understanding of the text. Overall, this was a GREAT first experience using Google Docs within the classroom. I am sure my students are itching to learning more about them in the future.
Over the past few weeks, we have been learning about the different text structures of informational texts. This is a challenging skill to master, and my students still needed some additional practice. So, on Friday, I took the opportunity to try out a tech tool and provide my students will a review of cause and effect text structure. In a Google Document, I copied a passage I had purchased off of Teachers Pay Teachers. Below that passage I created a graphic organizer using Google Drawings, which was inserted into the Google Doc. Because we don't have enough technology for each students to access their own Google Drive, this document was saved to my teacher Google Drive for all students to access.
In the beginning of this lesson, I showed students how to locate the appropriate Google Doc and how to create a copy. The copy was renamed with their group number, and their names were added under the title of the text. I instructed students on how to highlight information within the passage and how to type within the Google Drawing. Students picked their own groups and were sent off to begin reading and assigning typing roles for each part of the organizer.
Here is what I noticed when students were working. Students worked well together without arguments. Everyone, even my strugglers, were engaged within the reading and identifying 
I am so glad that I came across this blog post as I personally love the ways that my school uses Google Docs during PLC's and have been curious about trying to use them in the classroom. I really like that you mentioned that it allowed even your struggling learners to participate, as sometimes I know that in group projects they can fade to the background. This sounds like a great tool for collaboration and also looks like it could easily be differentiated! It seems like your students picked up on how to use it quickly, which gives me high hopes for incorporating it into my classroom soon.
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