Google Calendar: Lesson Planning

I've talked about setting up a Google calendar before...today's Google calendar tip is really easy.  I connect my Google calendar to my school district's calendar so I can see all the events.

Select the plus sign on the Google Calendar you wish to add, then select Yes, add this calendar.

Under More button, choose print. Print the calendar for the work week.

Once I print the calendar I input a brief statement/activity for each class of the week.  It's hard to see here but on Friday there is a field trip so I note the number of students that will be on the field trip and plan my activity according to the other activities at the school.  Since I added the school calendar I can note when there is a major athletic contest that may interfere with several students completing homework.  This is a brief overview before getting to the real plan with precise instructions, standards, and objectives but one more reason for centering my planning around my calendar.

Share how you use Google Calendar in your lesson planning via the comments.

Google Calendar for Work and Home

I used to be addicted to my Outlook calendar.  I color coded everything!  Work events, kids, holidays, birthdays, to do list...EVERYTHING!  The one problem with my Outlook calendar was I couldn't take it with me.  Think 2009.  I did not have a Blackberry or an iPhone.  I did not have money for a phone plan anyway.  So, for Christmas I asked for a PDA.  It needed something that would work with my already established Outlook calendar, and had WiFi access, you know for when I went to Panera Bread or McDonalds. It could NOT rely on a phone plan to work.  So I got a cute little Pocket PC and took it everywhere.  It worked great, and my love affair with Microsoft continued. My husband at the time was using Google calendar already.  His band dates were on Google calendar, his work appointments, and I refused to convert.  "Email me if I need to know what's on your calendar," I would say.

Then it happened.  I got a MacBook.  I went back to school to teach and thought, I need a new computer, so many schools use Macs, I don't have a Mac, I don't know how to use a Mac...I better get in the loop.  Of course the Mac needs the Microsoft Office Suite too.  And it was so.  Problem...alert! Alert!  My Mac that communicated with my PC and shared my Outlook calendar would not communicate with the Pocket PC.  My organizational world was OVER.  I needed a new plan.  That is when I learned to embrace Google Calendar.  

I have 2 Google accounts. One for home, one for work.  I have 5 Google calendars, and share 2 additional calendars, and have access to view 3 other calendars.  It's not as complicated as it sounds because they are all color coded.

One of the best things about Google calendar is my school uses Google calendar as the district calendar so I can quickly save an activity on the district calendar to my own calendar, but only the activities that pertain to me and my building if I want.  

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