Starting your Site & Choosing a ThemeThe first step to creating a Google Site is...creating a Google Site. This tutorial will take you through creating your first Site and choosing the theme that will dictate how your entire Site looks throughout your process.
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Titling your Site, Inserting Simple Items, and Inserting LayoutsTo get your basic page started, you need a title (often forgotten by students) and you need to be able to insert both simple items, AND layouts. Layouts are the key to using Google Sites effectively, because they intentionally balance images, titles and texts, and make it very easy for beginning web designers to create a beautiful and professional final product.
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Moving Simple Items and Inserting Content into LayoutsThis is the tutorial in which we get into the nitty gritty of adding content. While the content I add as an example isn't as high quality as the content you'll add to your Google Site, the same principles apply. Also inadvertently included in this tutorial is the fallen glory of my beard.
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Adding Pages: Self-Created and ExternalAdding pages is the last basic skill we'll learn when designing our Google Site. It's something you NEED to do to create an effective site. Part of effective web design is knowing how to organize your content. If you're an 8th grade student working with me, chances are I'll tell you how to organize your website. If you're just perusing the internet looking for how to use Google Sites, I'd recommend spending some diligent time and energy organizing your thoughts BEFORE organizing your Site.
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Inserting Hyperlinks!Hyperlinks are the bread and butter of a web designer's world. Sites with intuitive links are easy to navigate and have useful information available in the most effective way. Sites with confusing links, or ugly links, or absent links are difficult to navigate, and therefore ineffective examples of web design.
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Embedding VideosEmbedding videos and resources sounds fancy, but it actually just means that students can view the resource itself through the lens of your website. This page is a perfect example of embedded content: you can see the videos through the page without being redirected to Loom or YouTube.
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Publishing Your Site and Sharing the LinkYou've made it! The final step to publishing a website is...publishing a website! This tutorial will take you through how to publish your final Sites website and how to get the hyperlink you need to share your site with the world!
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