Google Classroom provides a virtual learning environment that allows distributing class materials, collecting work electronically, assessing, grading, and returning work back to students all online. To access Google Classroom, click on the link in Staff Access or navigate to https://classroom.google.com.
To start using the service, you'll need to create a classroom in which you'll identify the name of the class and the section (which you can identify as a classroom period or any other identifier to make it easier to reference).
Students can sign up to your classroom either by invitation from you or by entering a unique class code you provide them. You also have the ability to change or disable the class code to prevent outside students from signing in to your class.
Once inside your newly created class, you can post announcements or assignments. Both can share information with the students, can link to uploaded documents and YouTube videos, and can include links to other web sites. When posting an assignment, you can also include a due date and time as well.
When students submit their assignments, you'll be able to see at a glance how many have completed the assignment and how many have not. You are also able to open the submitted work online through Google Docs. You can then electronically grade and return their submitted work with comments, and post a grade for them to see as well.