Connecting Classrooms

Connecting Classrooms though Video 


You have a great connection through the community, a person that can connect or come in an talk with your students.  What a great way to also connect with other classrooms in the school or district!

 Below are steps to set up a connection through Google Hangouts.

One way that we found to help the speaker and viewers, is set up the Google Hangout on the teacher's computer that is hooked up to the smartboard and mute the computer.  Then to log into a chrome book and join the Google Hangout, the speaker can look at the students in front of them and also at the chrome book, this way they see what the other classrooms are seeing.

In case the speaker would like to share a presentation, they can do this on the computer hooked up with the smartboard and share their screen.  The viewers can then click on either the presentation or the view of the speaker for their classroom.

If you are one of the other classroom. Here are the steps to follow.

Tips for Video connection:
  • You will use the webcam on your computer so you might have to move it so it will capture a group of your students. We can help with this.  
  • make sure you are plugged into your speakers for sound.  Your laptop has an internal mic so students can come closer to the computer to ask a question.
  • All students that returned the opt out of pictures release should sit in back or to the side so they aren’t the video.
  • Mute yourself until your class asks a question

Steps to join Hangout:

1. Open the Chrome browser
2. Log in (if you don’t get the login screen, open a new tab, or go to Google and “sign in”)
3. Go to Hangouts, https://hangouts.google.com 
  • click on invite, click on camera to join
  • if you don't see an invite, click on the menu line in the upper left,
  • then click on invites. Sometime you will find the invite there.


4. If you don't see the invite, then click on the link to join the hangout.  (If easier, you can click on the link from the beginning.) We have found in our district, sometimes the teacher is asked to install a plugin.


Other connected classrooms looked like this.

It is helpful to introduce each class in the beginning. Then check in with each class for questions and at the end let each class say goodbye.


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