Beyond supplying a wide range of versatile educational tools, Google Classroom also plays well with other apps. Teachers can import student rosters into compatible apps and send assignments, videos and activities directly to Google Classroom using the “Share to Classroom” option. Students gain easy access to their assignments, and they don’t have to keep track of different logins for all the apps they use.
App integration streamlines remote education and saves time for both students and teachers. Here’s a roundup of seven great apps that integrate well with Google Classroom:
BrainPOP
Grade levels: K–3 (BrainPOP Jr.) and 3–12 (BrainPOP)
BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. give teachers access to hundreds of videos, games and quizzes that explain diverse topics to students of all ages. BrainPOP offers teaching materials for health, art, science, English language arts, math and science. Typically, students watch an introductory video on a particular topic and then choose interactive follow-up activities — including quizzes, games and vocabulary review. When BrainPOP is integrated with Google Classroom, students can log in through the Google launcher menu and submit their work from there directly.
Classcraft
Grade levels: K–12
A creative approach to classroom management, Classcraft is an online role-playing game that gives students opportunities to work together and score points as they model positive behavior and reach their academic goals. While Classcraft works great in a traditional classroom setting, it’s also a powerful student engagement tool for remote learning. Teachers can use the app to facilitate fun group activities like telling jokes and singing songs — and to create story-driven quests to help students achieve their learning goals.
DOGOnews
Grade levels: Primarily 5–8
Geared mainly toward upper elementary and middle school students, DOGOnews is a free app offering kid-friendly content about current events. Most articles are several paragraphs long and may include images, videos or infographics to hold students’ attention. There’s also an option to listen to a narration of the text, a helpful tool for new or struggling readers. The paid Pro version of the app includes quiz questions for each article to check students’ understanding — plus Spanish assignments and Spanish narration.
Edcite
Grade levels: K–12
Many teachers use Edcite to administer digital assessments — an especially helpful tool for remote learning. Educators can use the collection of ready-to-go teacher-made assessments, or create their own, with custom-formatted text, pictures, videos and links. Like many educational apps, Edcite has both a free version and a licensed version — Edcite Schools — which allows you to more easily collaborate and share assignments and data analytics across your district or educational program.
Flipgrid
Grade levels: 3–12
With Flipgrid, you can engage students in face-to-face discussions while learning remotely. The app allows you to create “grid” message boards where you can ask questions and students can submit video responses. The videos appear in a tiled grid, so it’s easy to see who has responded, and students can click through each other’s videos. Teachers can customize security settings and choose whether to allow students to record responses to classmates’ videos, as well as set a maximum video length to help keep students on track.
WeVideo
Grade levels: Pre-K–12
For more creative video projects, WeVideo provides students with tools to edit and share their work. Younger students can use the Storyboard editing mode, which lets them rearrange clips and add music, text and narration. Switching to Timeline mode gives young moviemakers more options, like transitions, customizable text and green screen effects.
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Workbench
Grade levels: Pre-K–12
A free platform, Workbench offers teachers project-based lessons that they can tailor to specific grade levels and grading standards. Projects include STEM constructions — using recyclable materials or art supplies — as well as coding, robotics and more. Teachers can keep track of their students’ progress and check in along the way with formative assessments that gauge their understanding. And students can save their work in an online portfolio within the app, making it easy for them to see their progress.
In tandem with Google Classroom, all of these compatible apps make remote education more dynamic for both students and teachers — so everyone can enjoy learning from a safe distance.
Get 17 lessons tailored to remote learning in our free guide. And discover how industry leaders predict K-12 schools will evolve to meet the educational challenges of the next normal.
