How to Use Google Classroom in Your Homeschool

I actually wrote an ebook with this same title a few years ago for a bundle sale, but for some reason, I never wrote a blog post on the same topic. With some homeschoolers already planning for the 2025-26 school year (how are you people so organized?????), I thought I would write up a short intro to Google Classroom for those looking to streamline planning, collecting, and grading work. I’ve been using some form of a learning management system (LMS) to keep track of assignments since 2017. For someone like me who tends to pull curriculum materials from all over, using Google Classroom and other Google tools has been a game changer for keeping everything organized. And when you’re spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on online classes or community college, it’s nice to find a free tool that makes homeschooling easier for parents and kids alike.

Getting Started

To use Google Classroom you and your children will need Google accounts. So start by creating accounts if you haven’t already. Visit classroom.google.com to get started setting up your first class. You can either set up one class per child that contains all their assignments (better for younger grades) or one class per subject. This is ideal for middle or high school because then as younger children reach middle or high school, they can simply use the class you already set up for their older sibling.

Creating Your First Classroom

Click the plus sign at the top right of your screen and select Create class.

Fill in the information about the class you’re creating. Don’t worry, you can come back and change this at any point in the future.

And viola! You’ve got a class. By clicking on the People tab at the top left, you can send your child an invite to join the course, or you can send them an email with the code, seen below the class header on the left in blue.

Adding an Assignment

To add an assignment, click on the Classwork tab. You can assign quizzes/tests, essays, and discussion posts, or link to worksheets, videos, or websites your student should view or complete.

You can assign deadlines and see when your child submits her work. By clicking on the Grades tab, you’ll be able to check work, assign grades and send feedback if your child needs to redo an assignment.

These steps will help you get started with Google Classroom. If this brief intro has peaked your curiosity and you want more information, I’ve got you covered! I’ve updated my book Using Google Classroom in Your Homeschool with even more information including how to create self-grading tests, design printable lesson plans using Google Calendar, include interactive worksheets with your assignments, and detailed grading advice. Its a short book but it packs a punch! You can order a PDF version or an ebook for $3.99.

If you’ve got older students and you’re worried about transcripts, or you just want your teens be to able to work more independently, I can’t recommend Google Classroom enough. If it keeps me on top of assignments, I’m pretty sure it can help anyone! So let me know what questions you have about using Google Classroom for homeschooling in the comments below. I look forward to winning over reluctant homeschoolers!