Thing 24:  Google Drawings

Since our school is fully integrated with Google educational tools and uses Chromebooks, I thought I should see how Google Drawings could be used in the classroom or for personal use.  Glad I did as I liked the many options for creating visual graphics.

Teachers and students could find many ways to utilize the graphic organizer templates in the Google Drawings Resources posted by Eric Curts.  The training video explains how these templates can be used for a wide variety of subjects from the life cycle of insects to writing and word exercises. Math teachers could make use of Google Drawings with whatever shapes they want students to accurately measure (a video is dedicated just for math).  Mind mapping could also be used with this tool.  Students may prefer to show what they have learned by creating a graphic organizer to demonstrate their knowledge instead of writing an essay.  Students can also organize their research and writing by using them.  This free tool also allows the collaborative sharing of the templates.  It is also easy to insert pictures, links, videos, etc.

I was excited to watch the video that Curts posted on creating greeting cards.  I have done it in Microsoft Publisher and this is similar in the way it functions, except maybe a little easier.  You just copy the template and begin to put in your own wording and pictures.  The Research option helps you find a good image which can be dragged and dropped into the template.  Users can choose from up to 700 different fonts too.  You need to flip the message/images for the top half when you are done, but that is really easy with the rotate or flip vertically tab.  I will definitely be coming back to this Google Drawing tool in the future.  Check out my card with the link below.  I tried to insert it as a picture but it was not working.  It might be because I saved it as a pdf instead of a jpg.

Greeting Card with Google Drawing Tool

Another way the I can use this tool at school will be for creating pathfinders, brochures, newsletters, and posters.  The posters can be interactive with any multimedia resource that you would like to incorporate.  Infographics may be great as tutorials for technology instruction or as a way to share information in a simplified graphic.  Visual learners will appreciate the many ways that the Drawing tool can create and share information.

Lastly, I have opened a free account with The Noun Project to get some really great icons to use in school publications and signage.  This is the most diverse collection of royalty-free icons (over a million to choose from). You can even change the color and size.  'Love the simple reading and library icons.  Check it out below: