Creating a Google Slides Project

One of the most popular apps in a student’s Drive is Google Slides. Google Slides is much easier and quicker to use than Microsoft’s PowerPoint. While Powerpoint offers many bells and whistles, Google Slides’ more limited selection of features makes it easier for students to focus on what’s important: the message of the slideshow. And, because everything created in GoogleClassroom is automatically saved, it makes finding the project easier for students. The video shown below demonstrates the following skills:

  • Page set up using the file menu 
  • Creating a title slide with author’s name
  • Adding more slides using the menu or Ctrl + D
  • Theme selection
  • Downloading a picture from Pixabay
  • Inserting a picture from your computer; cropping
  • Font selection and size
  • Creating a bulleted list
  • Creating a title slide with credits

Google Slides and Dot Day

Over the past few weeks, students in grades 2-6 have used Google Slides to create artwork for Dot Day, which is celebrated around September 15th-ish.  Working with Google Slides requires students to log into their computer, navigate to Google Classroom, select the correct class (computer lab), and then scroll to reach and open their assignment. When their project is completed, students go to their file menu and download their slide as a png (portable network graphic). Once downloaded to their computer, students open a second tab and navigate to a collaborative digital canvas at Padlet. This helps students  practice working with two web pages at once and an opportunity to bookmark the site. Students use Padlet’s add button to upload their image and add text. This gives students an opportunity to practice their digital citizenships skills and a chance to use technology tools to enhance their learning. Many students continue to use Slides for their own art, polishing their production skills. The video shown below highlights many of the skills used.

International Dot Day, September 15th-ish

international dot day digital badgeSeptember 15th is International Dot Day. You probably didn’t know that? I discovered this last year and am ready to embark on another dot day celebration in the CRES computer lab. So, what’s it all about? Well, activities center around the book, The Dot. A humble title, yes, but the message is big: don’t be afraid to try. The subject of The Dot is a young student named Vashti, who becomes artistically confident after her teacher frames the simple dot Vashti had drawn on paper. When Vashti sees her work framed the next day, it emboldens her. With her new found confidence, she completes numerous “masterpieces” and has a gallery showing. Vashti soon becomes an inspiration to others.

During the month of September, many CRES students, grades 2-6, will create dot art using Google Slides. The project will be delivered through Google Classroom. Each student will open their assignment in Google Slides and use a number of drawing tools to create their unique piece of circular art. When completed, students will upload their art to our Padlet canvas and share their masterpieces in celebration.

The digital canvas shown below is currently awaiting the addition of student art. Stay tuned! At the very bottom of this post, you can view a video sampling of student art from 2017.

Made with Padlet


#InternationalDotDay #TheDot #Padlet