Google Meet: Setup Overview for Pre-K - Gr 5 Teachers

Technician's Note: Below are instructions on how to set up Google Meet for synchronous instruction.  These instructions will likely have little application when synchronous instruction ends.

Setup Overview

• Teacher will use their docked laptop for everything - including webcam and earbuds.
• It is recommended that teachers will "extend" their screen between the laptop and the projector.
• This allows you to see students on your laptop screen while simultaneously working with ActivInspire or SMART Notebook on your interactive white board.

Set up Windows

1. Pair your earbuds to your laptop.  This typically only needs to be done once, and both your laptop and earbuds will remember each other.  Pairing instructions differ depending on the earbuds you are using, but for the district provided earbuds you can find the instructions here.
   
   
2. Extend the display so that your laptop and projector display different screens.  You can do this by holding down the [Windows] key on the keyboard and tapping the [P] key.  On the panel that slides in from the right, select Extend.
   
3. Next make sure your mouse travels correctly.  Move it to the left or right and, once it "falls off" your laptop screen, make sure it jumps to your projected screen.  If the mouse "falls off" in the wrong direction (e.g. your projected screen is on your right, but you can only get there by moving the mouse over to the left), do this:
   1. Go to the Start menu and click on the Settings gear on the left
      
   2. In the search box at the top, type in "rearrange" and select "Rearrange multiple displays" in the autocomplete drop down.
      
   3. Click and drag the screens so they are in the correct order you want.  When done, click the Apply button.
      
4. Check your ActivBoard or SMART Board calibration.  You may need to re-calibrate now that your screen orientation has changed.

Navigating between two screens

This may be a new experience, but you now essentially have "two monitors" to work with.  To move windows between two screens, you have two options:

1. Click and drag: click on the top of a window and literally just drag it over to the side of your screen.  It'll begin to appear on the projected screen as it "falls off" your laptop screen.  Any program or window can be moved like this.
2. Keyboard shortcut: with the window or program in focus, hold down the [Windows] key and [Shift] key, and then tap the left or right arrow keys of the keyboard to move the window over.

Windows can be moved back and forth very easily using the above to methods.

Set up Google Meet

1.  Head on over to https://meet.google.com/
   
   
2. While in the "lobby", you can click on the three dots in the lower right corner and select "Settings."
   
3. Make sure on the Audio tab you have your new Earbuds selected under "Microphone."  You also have the choice of using the the speaker built into the earbuds or using your classroom speakers by changing the drop down under "Speakers" to either Speakers or Earbuds.
   
4. On that same window, click on the Video tab at the top.  Select the "HD Camera" option that appears in the drop down located just below the "Camera" setting.
   
5. Click Done when done.

Using Google Meet

At this point you are ready to join your meeting and begin.

Your laptop screen should be used to monitor your Google Meet while your projected screen is used to show what you're demonstrating to the class.

Remember, you can switch between your webcam to your computer screen at any time by clicking the "Present now" button in the bottom right corner.

The "Present now" menu that appears lets you show a Chrome tab, program tab, or an entire screen.  For the sake of simplicity, you may have the best results by selecting the entire screen option.  You will need to then select which of your screens (you should have two since it's now extended) you want to show to your virtual students.

Select the screen you want to share, and click the Share button in the bottom right. Now anything you bring up on that screen will not only be shown to the in-person class but also the students attending virtually. This includes ActivInspire or SMART Notebook, a document camera, web pages, etc.

To stop presenting, click on the giant "Stop presenting" button in the middle of the Google Meet screen, or click the "You are presenting" button at the bottom and select "Stop presenting" in the menu that pops up.

Quick note - if you are planning on showing video from a web page to students virtually. you may want to choose the Chrome Tab option from the "Present now" menu.  This will improve the video quality being shared with students.  To switch between presentation sources, use the "Stop presenting" option first, then follow these directions again to start presenting the different source.