As a computer applications curriculum developer, teachers often ask if we have Google Docs lesson plans and activities.
While AES provides a digital curriculum to teach Google Applications and other technology topics, our solution may not be the best fit for everyone. Some teachers are simply looking for supplemental activities to add to their existing computer applications curriculum.
To help you choose the right Google Docs lesson plans for your classroom, we put together a list of other popular options.
Three of the best middle school Google Docs lessons are:
- Google Apps Student Projects from Cult of Pedagogy
- Google Docs Activities from Effingham County Middle School
- Google Docs Lessons & Activities from Gavin Middleton
On this page we'll get into the details of each resource to help you teach the best Google Docs lessons possible.
1. Google Student Projects (Cult of Pedagogy)
Cult of Pedagogy is one of the most popular outlets for Google Docs lesson plans.
While the full resource includes materials to teach Docs, Slides, and Forms, you'll find six project ideas specific to Google Docs:
- Annotated Bibliography
- Book Review
- Collaborative Story
- Media-Rich Research Paper
- Super Simple Blog
- Table
Each project directs students to use Google Docs in a new way that helps them learn different features of the software.
This works great for larger classes where students want to dive into the same subjects together. It’s ideal for peer-to-peer learning, especially when you have some students ahead of the pack and others that struggle.
These projects are also useful for smaller classes where you want students to work at their own pace. They’ll be able to walk through the projects themselves instead of feeling the pressure to keep up with the class as a whole.
The downside is that these lessons are just lessons - they don't include any assessments or rubrics to help you grade student work.
Even with this downside, you can get a ton of value from these projects by incorporating them into your computer apps curriculum.
2. Google Docs Lesson Plan Ideas (Effingham County Middle School)
If you’re looking for age-appropriate Google Docs activities for students, Effingham County Middle School is a great source.
These Google Docs ideas come straight from middle school teachers themselves and are hand-crafted for students between sixth and eighth grades.
The lessons start with a brief vocabulary overview that highlights each Google application.
Next, the lesson plan links to Google for Education’s Computer Science section, where you can find dozens of different resources on how to teach Google Docs.
This is paired with another article that delves into how you can use these lessons to the best possible advantage.
Effingham County Middle School also has its own activities pre-made for a middle school computer class. These all revolve around different features of Google Docs, which you can use as lesson plan templates at your own discretion.
The biggest advantage of this resource is the variety of Google Docs activities available. However, there’s no grading solution, which means you’ll have to grade every activity by hand.
That makes Effingham’s lessons a great starting point or supplement for a Google Docs curriculum. But they’re not necessarily cut out to be the curriculum themselves.
3. Google Docs Lessons & Activities from Gavin Middleton
Gavin Middleton is a well-known publisher on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) -- an online marketplace where educators can share, sell, and buy resources like lesson plans and activities.
Middleton is a computer and business teacher with more than 325 resources on the TpT marketplace, including a download for teaching Google Docs to students.
This download costs $5.50 and includes a lesson plan, lesson materials, and student activities.
The included PowerPoint has screenshots with labels and tips to ensure your students get the basics down pat.
What’s great about Middleton is that he takes the time to update his work with the latest lessons and activities. So if you purchase the lesson and it gets updated, you'll be notified about the revision and receive a free update (something that occurs frequently with Google Apps)!
If you’re looking for a simple introduction to Google Docs for your students, this could be just what you need.
Which Middle School Google Docs Lessons Are Right for You?
At the end of the day, there is no single "best" resource for teaching Google Docs to middle schoolers. It all depends on the needs of you, your course, and your students!
In this article, you found some of the best places to find supplemental Google Docs lessons and activities to help teach important skills and concepts.
However, Google Docs likely isn't the only Google App you need to cover. If you're teaching your students about Sheets and Slides too, you have a lot on your plate and a number of challenges that pop up and get in the way of teaching.
Lesson planning, grading, and professional obligations can pile up and cause any teacher to worry they aren't giving their students the best every day.
Want to overcome your challenges and be a great Google Applications teacher? Download this free guide to start saving time and doing your best work:
