The Future of the Google Drive Template Gallery

Templates can be a helpful resource when creating a new document, slideshow, or spreadsheet. They can provide you with a starting point for a resume, report, budget, class presentation, or such.

This can be helpful for young students so they do not have to create an entire project from scratch but can start with the shell you provide and fill in their content. This can also be useful for older students to simply save time when completing a lab report or creating a tri-fold brochure.

For many years Google has provided templates for Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Drawings. Recently though, Google has been maintaining two different template galleries: the old template gallery and the new template gallery, each with their own unique features.

Many of us have been wondering about the future of the template galleries. Would the old gallery be retired? If so, what would happen to all the old public templates? And what about the templates we loaded specifically for our domains?

Recently Google sent out an email to domain admins with information that helps to shed some light on what’s to come for the template galleries. See below for details.

Spice Up Your Slides with 600+ Free Design Templates

Google Slides is an excellent tool not just for creating presentations, but for making eBooks, stop-motion animation, Choose Your Own Adventure stories, comic strips, and much more. However, one aspect that is a little lacking in Slides is the amount of design themes available by default.

When you create a Google slideshow you are given a simple list of 23 basic design themes to choose from. These control the colors, font choice, and overall style of the presentation. Although these are a great place to start, and work well for most presentations, what if you want a different look and feel. Certainly you can manually change the font face, font colors, background color or image, and more.

However as educators, the one thing we have less of than default design themes is time. Thankfully there are many websites that have created and shared hundreds of templates that can be used for your new Google Slides presentations.

In this blog post we will look at a wide range of online resources that provide over 600 design theme templates (as of last count) for you and your students to use in your creations. In most cases you will simply need to click on the templates provided and then make a copy for your own use. Once you have your copy, you can edit the slideshow however you want and add your own content.

New Pear Deck Critical Thinking Templates for Google Slides

Pear Deck is an awesome add-on for Google Slides that lets you add interactive elements to your presentations including multiple choice, text entry, numeric entry, drawing, and draggable activities.

I have shared posts about Pear Deck several times on this blog including:

• Supercharge Google Slides with Pear Deck Add-on
• 21 New Free Interactive Pear Deck Templates for Google Slides
• 9 Awesome Add-ons to Supercharge Google Slides

Recently Pear Deck rolled out some updates to the add-on that provide more content and easier use, with a big focus on integrating critical thinking skills into your slideshows. In this post we will take a look at these great new updates that are available for you today.

21 New Free Interactive Pear Deck Templates for Google Slides

Last month I shared a blog post about the new Pear Deck add-on for Google Slides (as part of my "12 Days of Tech-Mas" series of posts).

The add-on is a simple, but fantastic, way to take your existing (or new) Google Slideshows and make them interactive. You can add multiple choice, text entry, numeric entry, drawing, and draggable activities to each slide. When the presentation runs, the interactive slideshow displays on each student's device, so the students can actively participate and you can collect their responses.

As awesome as that is … it just got better!

The Pear Deck add-on just got a major update that includes a fresh look with an easy-to-use sidebar, and (best of all) 21 new pre-made high-quality interactive templates. With a few clicks you can add these to your slideshow, edit them if needed, and engage your students more than ever.

See below for all of the details on each of the 21 new templates. Plus you can win a year of premium Pear Deck access by filling out the raffle form at the very bottom of this post!

Rainbow "Scratch-Off" Drawing Templates for Jamboard

When my kids were young, one of their favorite art activities was using rainbow scratch paper to create pictures or to write words. It is a fun way to be creative and is motivating to discover the colorful pattern underneath.

With that as an inspiration, I created a digital version of rainbow scratch paper using Google Jamboard. Actually I created a dozen templates, each with a different rainbow pattern underneath!

See below for links to the templates, along with a short 4-minute video and written directions on how your students can use these Jamboard templates to create some awesome rainbow art. And  I would love to see what they make, so please feel free to share their creations online and tag with the hashtag #controlaltachieve

Jeopardy Game Templates for Google Slides

Many years ago the height of technology integration was creating an interactive Jeopardy game in PowerPoint. So, I decided to go a little retro and recreate the Jeopardy game in Google Slides.

The key to making a Jeopardy game is to use the "Link" tool in Google Slides. Normally a slideshow is designed to be viewed sequentially, one slide followed by the next in order. However, Google Slides allows you to put links in slides that can link to any other slide in the presentation, regardless of order. By using links to other slides, a presentation can be created that is non-linear, in which the user can choose which slides to view.

Using this technique I created two Jeopardy Game Templates. One has five categories and the other has six categories. In each template all the items are already hyperlinked, so all you have to do is make a copy of the slideshow and then add your questions, answers, and topic descriptions.

Google Docs Calendar Templates for the 2023-2024 School Year

A couple years ago I created some Google Docs templates for a colleague who was looking for a simple one-page document to show important calendar dates for an entire school year. The templates were a big hit and many people found them to be helpful.

Although it still feels like the school year has just gotten started, I have received several emails lately from folks asking if I have made a version for next year ... the 2023-2024 school year.

So for all of you super organized people who are already planning for the next school year, I am happy to say, yes, I have versions for 2023-2024. See below for the links to get your own copies of these templates, as well as some basic directions on how to edit them for your own use.

Google Docs Calendar Templates for the 2024-2025 School Year

A couple years ago I created some Google Docs templates for a colleague who was looking for a simple one-page document to show important calendar dates for an entire school year. The templates were a big hit and many people found them to be helpful.

Although it still feels like the school year has just gotten started, I have already received emails from folks asking if I have made a version for next year ... the 2024-2025 school year.

So for all of you super organized people who are already planning for the next school year, I am happy to say, yes, I have versions for 2024-2025. See below for the links to get your own copies of these templates, as well as some basic directions on how to edit them for your own use.

Google Docs Calendar Templates for the 2022-2023 School Year

Last year I created some Google Docs templates for a colleague who was looking for a simple one-page document to show important calendar dates for an entire school year. The templates were a big hit and many people found them to be helpful.

Although it still feels like the school year has just gotten started, I have received several emails lately from folks asking if I have made a version for next year ... the 2022-2023 school year.

So for all of you super organized people who are already planning for the next school year, I am happy to say, yes, I have versions for 2022-2023. See below for the links to get your own copies of these templates, as well as some basic directions on how to edit them for your own use.

Jamboard for Teaching and Learning

I am a massive fan of charcuterie, so nothing would make me happier than if Jamboard was literally a board with lots of yummy jams on it, along with meats and cheeses.

Even though that is unfortunately not the case, Jamboard is still a pretty awesome thing!

Jamboard is actually a tool from Google that is an online, interactive, collaborative whiteboard. It has loads of useful features including drawing tools, sticky notes, images, shapes, textboxes, backgrounds, and much more. Jamboard can be used for brainstorming, designing, collaboration, and learning activities of all sorts.

Recently I recorded a webinar where we took a deep dive into Google Jamboard. We looked at how to use all the features of Jamboard, as well as explored templates, ideas, and examples for how it can be used in schools for teaching and learning.

See below for the recorded video, as well as links to my Jamboard resource doc and slideshow, as well as detailed directions.

Google Docs Calendar Templates for the 2021-2022 School Year

With this school year winding down, many folks may already be planning for next school year. One of those tasks may be to put together a calendar for parents or staff or others.

Although I love Google Calendar for my own organization, as well as shared events, sometimes people still appreciate a quick one-page document with helpful calendar information for the year. Recently I was helping a colleague with that need and was not able to find a Google template that quite fit.

To help out I made two editable Google Docs templates that can work well as one-pagers with important dates and details for the 2021-2022 school year. See below for the links to get your own copies of these templates, as well as some basic directions on how to edit them for your own use.

Googley Activities and Tools for Primary Students

A common question I receive from folks is how can younger students use Google tools? I am always happy to email them my collection of resources, but figured it might be easier if I pulled everything together in a single blog post.

Over the years I have come across and/or created a wide range of fun and creative ways to use Google tools with primary aged students, typically considered to be pre-K through grade 2 or so. In this blog post I will share descriptions of and links to these activities. As I make new ones over time, I will try to come back and add them to this post so this stays up to date with all my resources.

See below for the resources and have fun learning!

Google Slides Tier List Activity

I am always looking for ways to engage students in critical thinking and communication.

Recently I have been working on an activity that gets students comparing, contrasting, and prioritizing concepts, as well as defending the rationale for their claims.

This activity is based on something called a "Tier List".

A tier list is a concept that was originally developed in the video game culture where people would rank characters or items from the game based on how important they were. Typically the levels would be letter grades such as A through F, but often with the addition of an S-level that would be the highest rank (from Japanese word for "Exemplary").

Over time people have used the tier list format to rank a wide range of concepts, which I thought would work great for students. What I came up with is a Google Slides "Tier List" activity for schools:

• It is a high engagement student activity
• It encourages critical thinking, communication, comparing, contrasting, prioritizing, and defending rationales
• It can be used in any subject or grade level
• It should only take 15 to 30 minutes, and can be used multiple times throughout the year with different content.

See below for all the details about this activity including a tutorial video, examples, and templates you can make copies of.

Have Students Create Educational "Motivational Posters" with Google Drawings

We are all familiar with motivational posters. They typically have a black background, one large image at the top, then a word or short phrase in large type below it, and finally a short inspirational sentence at the bottom. These motivational posters have been around for decades, and most likely can still be found in the classrooms, libraries, and offices of your schools.

However, beyond just providing some encouragement to students, motivational posters can actually be used as a fun and educational activity. With some simple technology tools, students can create and share their own motivational posters. These creations can be used to show students learning and understanding of any concept being taught in your subject.

See below for some free templates, directions on how students can create the posters, and ideas for how this activity can be used in your class.

Educational Activities and Games with Flippity

Educational games can be a fun way to engage students while also teaching or reviewing subject area content. These can include activities such as word searches, crossword puzzles, bingo games, flashcards, Jeopardy games, and more.

There are lots of tools online that can be used to create such activities. One creative option is to use Google Sheets templates from Flippity. This is a free website that provides a wide range of templates that you can download, fill in with your own content, and then play online through the Flippity site.

As an educator you can make these activities for your own use or for review games for your class. However, students can also use Flippity to make their own activities, which could be a fun alternative project for those interested. For example, a student could create a set of digital flashcards for the content being covered in a particular unit.

See below for how to access the templates and then use them to make your own interactive projects.

Play Backgammon with Google Slides and Drawings

So I am a big fan of tabletop games, as my bookcase full of games will show. They are a great way for people to connect, as well as build critical thinking skills. Although I mostly play newer games, I still love some classics such as backgammon.

Recently I created a backgammon template in Google Slides and Google Drawings that anyone can use to play the game in person or remotely with a partner.

See below for links to templates so you can get your own copies, as well as a short video and written directions on how to use the templates.

Play the "Royal Game of Ur" with Google Slides and Drawings

As I have mentioned before, I am a big fan of board games and card games and dice games and most any game. They are a great way for people to connect, as well as build critical thinking skills.

In addition to playing games, I enjoy making digital versions of games, such as checkers and chess and backgammon and battleship. These digital versions allow people to play the games remotely or in person, and you don't have to worry about losing pieces under the couch.

My most recent game template is for "The Royal Game of Ur" which was first played in ancient Mesopotamia about 4,500 years ago. In this game two opponents use both strategy and luck to try to move their pieces off the board first. In addition to critical thinking skills, this game also ties in nicely with probabilities in math and with exploring the history of when the game was played.

See below for links to templates so you can get your own copies, as well as a short video and written directions on how to use the templates.

Super Prompt - An AI Prompt to Create AI Prompts

Recently I shared a blog post with a list of some of my favorite AI Prompt Libraries for Educators.

The idea is that it can sometimes be a challenge to come up with a good prompt for AI chatbots, and thankfully people have been kind enough to share high quality educational prompts that they have developed, tested, and refined.

I decided to go one step further with this. I wondered… would it be possible to come up with an AI prompt that could be used to generate AI prompts?

Sort of like "Promptception". Or maybe "One prompt to rule them all" if you prefer a Lord of the Rings reference instead.

So after lots of trial and error, I did manage to come up with a "Super Prompt" that seems to work pretty consistently and generates useful educational prompts. You simply fill in what sort of task you need, such as a rubric generator or lesson plan generator or student writing feedback generator, and the super prompt will create the prompt you need.

See below to get a copy of the super prompt, along with usage notes and examples. Chances are I will continue to tweak the super prompt to improve it, and would welcome any suggestions you have.

EdTech Links of the Week - 11-01-22

Each week I keep an eye out for the latest edtech resources through blogs, social media, podcasts, videos, user groups, and more. I then try to reshare these resources in many ways.

One way I share these is here on the blog in these "EdTech Links of the Week" posts. See below to explore the latest batch of resources, and be sure to share with others who may benefit.

If you want to make sure you don't miss new resources, you can:

📰 Sign up for my weekly email newsletter here: Newsletter link

🐦Follow me on Twitter here: Twitter link

🔗 Subscribe to the RSS feed for this blog here: RSS feed link

And as always, please let me know of any resources that you recommend. I would love to learn from you!

Google Meet Attendance Template (Non-Enterprise Version)

Google Meet does have a built-in feature to collect attendance but that is only available for people who are using the Enterprise version of G Suite, which means schools that pay for the Google tools. 

Note: If your school does use the Enterprise version, then be sure to check out my other post that explains how to use the built-in attendance feature here: Google Meet Attendance Template (Enterprise Version)

However, if your school uses the free version of the Google tools, then the attendance feature will not be available for you. So to help with this, I came up with a possible workaround to collect attendance during a Google Meet, and to track attendance over time.

So what is this workaround? For this option we are going to use a template I created that includes a Google Form for the students to submit their attendance, and a Google Sheet to collect the attendance, and then a pivot table to track and summarize the attendance over time.

See below for a short 7-minue video explaining how to use this option to collect and track attendance, as well as a link to get your own copy of the templates.