I am very fortunate that last week I received a dedicated set of Chromebooks for my classroom. It was like Christmas, my birthday, and payday all wrapped up into one. Of course, the first thing I did was go straight to Twitter and asked my PLN for advice.

With all the great advice and resources that were shared, I had plenty to start with.  My class was already used to using a laptop cart that the entire math department shared, so the proper use of devices wasn’t new to them. This is the “Rules for Use of Technology” Student Agreement they already signed.

This is what I ended up doing on Day One with the Chromebooks.

Chromebook Rollout – DAY ONE

  1. For each class, I printed a roster that assigned each student their own Chromebook to use in class. This gave them responsibility and a sense of ownership for the new device.  It will also make management easier if there are any problems. I put each roster in a clear sheet protector and taped to the top of the Chromebook cart.
  2. Give them plenty of playtime. They taught each other how to personalize their background and profile photo. This is also when they discover how to save photos and right click (Click the touchpad with two fingers, or hold Alt while clicking with one finger.) They found it pretty cool that it will look the same the next time they log in, regardless of who logged in before them.
  3. Give them more playtime. They’ll want it. I put a timer on so they knew when time was up.
  4. Do an activity that will take advantage of this beautiful device. For example, Game-Based Learning: Google Slides Coordinate Plane Battleship by Alice Keeler or Desmos Activity: Marbleslides
  5. Model the proper way to return the Chromebook to the cart. Which way is the top facing? Which side does the power cord come from? This is important to observe the first few times and correct as they are returning them.

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful advice and resources! I’ve included a few below. Please share any of your experiences, advice or resources in comments.

🎉 Woo Hoo, Just Got a Class Set of Chromebooks! Now What? – Chromebook Rollout – DAY ONE
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