Why track student data in Google Sheets?

Tracking student data in Google Sheets has many practical benefits!

1. 1. Accessibility- Since it’s cloud based, you can access it anywhere! I hate lugging my school computer home, so I rarely do. But, if I’m grading at home, I can still access my student data spreadsheets from home!
   2. Collaboration- Since more than one person can access Google Sheets at once, it’s the perfect program for managing student data for more than one classroom. Tracking RtI or intervention data or grade level performance on a school or district assessment are both done easily within Google Sheets. Or, it just makes it possible for you to share your data with your administration team, principal, or instructional coach.
   3. Autocalculations- My favorite reason for using Google Sheets or Excel for my data is the built in formulas! I use it to figure out student percentages from raw scores, I use it to generate a list of students based on proficiency, and I use it to color code based on student proficiency. I always build in averages into the spreadsheet so that I can monitor my overall student performance.
   4. Visualization- If you are a visual learner, it’s super fast and quick to add graphs and charts to reflect your data. While that’s not frequently how I like to view it, it’s super simple to add in.
   5. Versatile- From just checklists for attendance, weekly assessments, formative assessments, and more, you can use Google Sheets (or Excel!) to manage virtually anything you want to track in the classroom!

I used to use Excel to track my data, back in the olden days. Over the years, I’ve shifted to Sheets. I don’t think there’s a single feature I miss in my switch, especially since I don’t utilize the full functions of Sheets or spreadsheets in general.

How do I create student data trackers in Google Sheets?

The first iterations of my data tracking were literally just places to store scores. Over the years, as I’ve learned more about options available in Excel and now Google Sheets, I’ve been better able to customize them to meet my needs. Whether you’re looking to create one spreadsheet you can use to track data in a subject area, or a powerhouse of sheets to hold everything you need, you can build the spreadsheet that meets your needs.

I could list a series of steps to follow to build your student data tracker. But, chances are, if seeing the steps was enough for you, you would have already made your own! So, I think videos are the most helpful. Many people have anxiety around spreadsheet software but I love using them! I’ve spent significant amounts of time learning new things when I want the spreadsheet to do something I don’t yet know how to do! I’m not a pro by any means but I’ve learned a few tricks or two along the years.

This video walks through setting up a pretty basic, academic, standards-based student data tracker. I teach you how to build in formulas to copy information from other cells (so you don’t need to duplicate names), auto-calculating percentages, how to set up conditional formatting to color code based on student mastery, identifying the number of proficient students, and how to build in averages.

Free Student Data Tracker Template

In the video above I walk through how to set up this student data tracker and give suggestions for ways you can modify it to better meet your needs. If you’d rather not build it from scratch, I have a free standards tracking spreadsheet template you can download. The template is exactly what’s shown in the video, and it’s ready for you to continue to customize to meet your needs!

More In-Depth Student Data Tracking

In this Part 2 video, I take that same student data tracker and build individual student reporting pages. These allow you to see how each individual student is performing, standard-by-standard or skill by skill. It’s all set up with formulas so once it’s set up for one student, it’s pretty quick and simple to create it for the rest of the students in your class!  In this video, I talk through formulas for copying cells over to be displayed, adding graps, and conditional formatting.

Student Math Data Tracking Sheets

I think it’s very important to track student data standard by standard in math. It allows you to see who is in need of reteaching or extra support. So many skills build off of a previously learned skill in math. It makes it easy to spiral standards, but also means it’s critical students master them so they’re ready for the next layer. I have standards based math data tracking sheets prepped and ready for you. They’re currently available for grades 1-4. They are prebuilt with the Common Core Math Standards, but are editable so you can change them to match the standards for your state. Or, add in additional skills you’d like to track.

My favorite part of these math data trackers are the student information sheets. These student data pages are auto-generated! They’re literally no extra work for you! They prepopulate based on the assessment scores you enter into the data spreadsheet. They display the student scores by standard, organized by domain. This makes them perfect reporting pages for parents, or to take with you to a data meeting like RtI, MTSS, or IEP case conferences.

I have math data trackers available for 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and now 5th grades. They are ready to be used, and are customizable to match your state standards, or district’s assessments. Each is tailored to your specific grade level and includes a video tutorial that walks you through how to use them. You can get yours sent to your inbox (for free) at Math Data Tracking Spreadsheets.

Phonics Tracking Sheets

Another pre-made student data tracker template I have available is my phonics tracking spreadsheets. This spreadsheet is built using the Quick Phonics Screener but is entirely editable to match whatever assessment you use. Tracking phonics data skill by skill is a great way to ensure students are making progress with their foundational reading skills. I’ve included the video tutorial below, but head to my Free Phonics Data Tracker Spreadsheet page to grab the tracker and read more about it.

Looking for a phonics assessment to use alongside one of my trackers? My Diagnostic Phonics Assessment & Custom Data Tracker allows you to assess students’ phonics skills in order to target your systematic and explicit instruction. The custom data tracker is built to match the assessment and includes both a phonics only and a phonics and fluency option.

Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Assessments Data Tracking

Do you give the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Assessments? If so, this data tracker is for you! Designed for the Kindergarten and Primary Phonemic Awareness Assessments, this data tracker also creates individual student reporting pages. Designed similar to my Phonics Data Tracker, just enter in names and scores and the individual pages are created for you! Just head to my Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Assessments page to grab it for yourself!

You can use Google Sheets to create even more in-depth student data trackers! Do you use Google Sheets in other ways? I’d love to hear it in the comments below.

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Mondrian Area and Perimeter Art Project Tutorial

I made a quick video tutorial to help you get started. When I did this activity, I began with an introduction to Piet Mondrian and a few key components of his art that we use in our project: the use of white, black lines, and custom primary colors. The Tate Kids website  is a helpful resource to introduce Mondrian and his work to students. I also use the online collection from MoMA to explore how those key components are present in much of his work. After introducing Mondrian and his abstract art, students create their own Mondrian inspired art  in Google Sheets! Watch my tutorial below to see how I prepped Sheets for my students, and which tech skills I taught through the project.

Throughout our measurement unit, I use my easy prep area and perimeter task cards to practice during whole group and small group lessons and to give my students independent practice. The bundle includes practice with each of the 3rd grade measurement standards around area and perimeter. From missing side lengths, to rectilinear figures, to word problems, this bundle covers our practice for weeks on end. I’ve also introduced area and perimeter in December using a themed unit. You can read more about my Elving Around with Area and Perimeter unit to take a closer look.

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In the video tutorial below I walk through my system for Google Classroom organization. There is more than one way to organizing things, of course. This system is what worked best for my students. Some people choose to use subjects when organizing Google Classroom. For me, it makes more sense to organize daily so that students are looking at everything that they might need for the day. This obviously works best at the elementary level and a different system would make more sense in middle and high school settings.

Organizing Google Classroom

Is there another component of Google Classroom you’d love to see more of? Leave me a comment below and I will add it to my list!

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Virtual Learning Technology Tools

There are so many things to consider when getting started with virtual learning. In some school districts, many programs are dictated. In other places, teachers have freedom to choose which programs and tools work best for them. Many of these tools are probably already well-known for you, but maybe there’s a few that are new, or that you had forgotten about. There are so many great sites out there, and this is certainly not a comprehensive collection. But, these are some of my favorite tools!

• Google Classroom- It is so easy to assign work using Classroom. I love that I can give students their own files with just a quick switch. It’s also so easy to go into Classroom to see students’ work and toggle between them. I have several video tutorials for Google..
• Google Forms- Forms makes it so easy for quick digital formative assessments. Forms can be used to survey students during Getting to Know you Activities, it can be used to gather information from parents, and of course it can be used for academic tasks. Setting Forms up to give students immediate feedback and links to tutorials for wrong answers is so worthwhile! You can see my Google Forms videos on my YouTube channel or at the Google video tutorials link above.
• Google Jamboard– Jamboard is one of the lesser known Google products. Designed as the computer-based part of their digital whiteboard of the same name, Jamboard is a simple blank digital whiteboard. Jams are able to be multi-page allowing you to place specific text or images on each one for students to interact with. With Jams, everyone can interact on the same page, allowing for class collaboration. Plus, you’re able to easily share Jams with others!
• Powerpoint- Perfect for walking my students through our lessons and displaying information they need. I also use it to manage my in-person and digital classroom. See more below!
• Google Slides- Many of the same reasons as above- but also as a great tool for student instruction! I have 3rd Grade Math Google Slides lessons that I use both in my traditional and virtual classroom. The drag and drop tools make the lesson interactive and help students work from concrete to abstract representations. My Daily Digital Writing Prompts are so easy to assign and use. They give students exposure to a variety of journal writing prompts and help students work on expanding their thinking. Also, the
• Pear Deck– Pear Deck is a Google Slides add on that helps you make your Slides lessons, thus your digital lessons, engaging. From drawing on Slides, draggable pieces, open-ended questions, and more, Pear Deck is a great supplement! Pear Deck has both free and premium features.
• NearPod– NearPod is a website that allows you to build interactive digital lessons. I love that you can have students pace through the lesson with you. They offer both free and paid lessons on their site, as well as a free Slides add-on that helps make your Slides interactive.
• Mentimeter– Mentimeter is like Slides to the extreme. Build presentation with engaging features right within then. From open ended questions, ranking, word clouds, scales, and more, this is a great tool for interactive lessons with non-primary students.
• Socrative– Socrative allows you to gamify your instruction. Build in quizzes, exit tickets, or a team-focused space race. Kids will love competing with their peers to be the winner.
• Quizizz– Quizizz is another site that helps you gamify your class practice. With fun memes, and immediate reinforcement, this is a great learning tool to check for student understanding.
• Math Learning Center– The Math Learning Center offers online and app based math manipulatives. My favorite part is that you can build what you want to use as examples, and for many of the apps, link directly to your creation. This allows for a cohesive link between instruction and independent practice. Tools are given for primary aged number sense (tens frames and base ten blocks) to math tools for upper elementary (Rekenreks, number lines for fractions, partial products, and more)

Virtual Learning Displays

Thinking through displaying everything in the classroom virtually can be overwhelming. I am fortunate that I started moving some of my daily classroom routines virtually several years ago. Without a lot of extra wall space, and no bulletin board space (why are there never enough?) I moved as much as I could to the front display. It helped me get started with virtual learning a bit more easily.

I start each day in my class with a morning message and our schedule using my Daily Schedule Display. It gives me an opportunity to let my students know about any changes in routines for the day, anything I want to highlight with routines or our instruction, and allows me to take care of some procedural things (like Student of the Day, for example) without using any instructional time. To help with virtual learning, I’ve also added blank templates that are perfect for building classroom instructional slides.

Use the Slides to display instructions, meeting times, independent work, learning objectives, and more. You can use Powerpoint to build your display. Then just share your screen during your live Zoom or Meet. Or, if you want to share it directly with students, just build it in Slides and share the link on Classroom or the LMS you use. I also have Video Countdown Timers that you can embed right in your Powerpoint or Slides file, for easy timing of independent or small group time.

Whether you’re teaching virtually or in-person, my Centers Management Powerpoint is a helpful display tool. Create different slides for each day of the week so you’re ready to display that day’s centers rotation schedule. Or, use the included images to display your small group rotation during your Slides of the Day. My Video Countdown Timers can be easily embedded in this as well.

Virtual Classroom Management

Setting your classroom routines and procedures are just as important virtually as they are in person. Students need clear guidelines on what’s acceptable and what’s not. Positive reinforcement is just as important as ever. For things to go as smoothly as possible, you need explicit expectations and to set aside time for establishing those expectations.

Here’s a list of some virtual classroom procedures, how-tos or other considerations to establish during the first week of school:

• virtual meeting system (i.e. Zoom or Meet)
• virtual meeting routines: entrance, asking questions, chatting, cameras, clothing, unmuting, breakout room rules
• Learning Management System (this might be dictated by your district but it might not be)
• communication with students when not live
• technology tools: Kahoot, Quizziz, PearDeck, NearPod, SeeSaw, Freckle, Prodigy, Khan, etc.

The beginning of the year is the time to explore all of the tools you’ll use all year long. Using these tools as part of your procedure establishing and during your Getting to Know You activities, helps students learn the tools and your expectations without the academic aspects.

Looking for ways to call on random students during virtual teaching? My Random Name Generator is a Powerpoint that allows you to enter student names, click a button, and a random student is chosen. This free tool is perfect for calling on students. Just set all of your student names, save, and go! Or, you can also use this as a part of an incentive system. Add students that meet your prior set expectations, and choose a student that wins. It’s super quick and easy to use, and is easily displayed as a presentation during live instruction video.

You might also be interested in my Classroom Behavior Incentive Powerpoint system. It allows you to give positive reinforcement to your class. You set the rewards you’d like built-in, making it easily customizable for you and your needs.

Have a student choose a number, select it, and a random reward from the ones you build-in is chosen. Whole class rewards help to build your classroom community and this easy to use system helps reinforce expectations in a new, challenging scenario.

These classroom management tools, and a few others, are in my Digital Classroom Management Tools Bundle. You can check it out on TpT.

Do you have some favorite tools for virtual learning? If so, I’d love if you’d share them in the comments below!

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Google Sheets allowed me to track student attendance and work completion- and use one spreadsheet to track weeks at a time. Google Sheets, and even Excel, can be so intimidating for people, especially if you think of it only as a spreadsheet tool. But there are so many formulas and built-in capabilities that allow Sheets to be an essential organizational tool. A basic checklist can be made with Google Sheets in just a few clicks. But, the real power comes from bringing your student checklist to the next level. This video tutorial walks you through creating student checklists with Google Sheets and gives you tips and tools for making your tracking checklist work for you.

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