google classroom assignment copy for each student

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How to Make a Copy for Each Student in Google Classroom

Lee Stanton Lee Stanton is a versatile writer with a concentration on the software landscape, covering both mobile and desktop applications as well as online technologies. Read more December 22, 2023

Distributing assignments to students online can be a stressful task for teachers. However, Google Classroom’s user-friendly interface helps them create, manage, and share various assignments such as quizzes and discussions. Better still, the create and assign features ensure that each student can receive tasks and collaborate with teachers.

This article will explain how to make individual file copies for each student on Google Classroom.

Making a Copy for Each Student on Google Classroom

When attaching a file to share with students, Google Classroom provides you with three options:

• Students can view the file: Students can only open and view the document but can’t edit it.
• Students can edit the file: Students can not only open and view the file, but they can also make changes of their own. This setting is mostly for group work assessments.
• Create a copy for each student: This option produces a distinct copy of the original file for each student. It also allows teachers to see everyone’s work but limits students’ access to their files only.

Here’s how to make a copy for each student on Google Classroom:

• “Title” section and type the copy’s title.
• “Instructions” section and type what you want the students to do with the copies.
• “Attach” section and tap the location where you’ve saved the file you want to share from the sources listed there.
• On the pop-up window, find the file you’d like to assign and select the blue “Add” button at the bottom. The file will appear beneath the “Instruction” section.

• Select specific students to complete the assignment or all students
• Put in a due date for submission
• Create a point value if the assignment is for grading
• Select a topic that the assignment is based on for future reference

Managing Student Copies on Google Drive

If you go to Google Drive immediately after assigning students copies, it’ll be empty. Google doesn’t make a copy of the teacher’s document until the students open the file. When students do so, the Google Drive assignment folder will contain the relevant copies. If a student fails to open their assignment, their copy won’t be available in the assignment folder.

Updating an Assignment Shared as Copy to Each Student

Unfortunately, after assigning copies to students, you can’t add another document as “Make a copy of each student.” The only option you have is to add a document as “Can view” or “Can edit.” This can be a problem if you want students to make edits to the copy.

Fortunately, you can bypass this hurdle:

• Open the file you want to add to the assignment you shared as a copy to each student.

When a student clicks on the link, it’ll prompt them to make a copy. In addition, the copy won’t go to the Google Drive class assignment folder, but to the student’s Google Drive. As such, the teacher won’t have access to the copy.

Best Practices When Sharing Copies with Students

Here are some best practices that can make document sharing with students more effective.

Give Clear Instructions on What You Expect from Students

Giving clear instructions to students helps them understand what the assignment entails and what you expect of them. It reduces the likelihood of students getting confused or misunderstanding the assignment. On this note, it’s also important to include the due date to help students organize their time properly.

Name the Files Uniformly

When working on the same form, use a uniform name. This makes it easy for you and students to identify it among other files quickly. Providing a uniform file naming convention can help in this case.

Make Use of the Comment and Feedback Feature

The comment and feedback feature facilitates smooth communication and collaboration with students. Use the features to provide clarification to students and to answer any questions. For more personalized communication, use the private comment feature.

Monitor Students’ Progress

Without monitoring, students can lose track of online classes. To keep everyone on their toes, always check student’s progress. Check who hasn’t checked the assignments and contact them. This way, you can offer timely support and hold students accountable.

Can I share a previously shared copy with students who join the class later?

Yes, you can share a previously shared copy with students who join the class later. Google Classroom has an option for editing and updating the copies.

Can students access their copies after the due date?

Students will be able to access their copies even after the due date. When they open their copies, you’ll see their names in the Google Drive assignment folder.

Collaborate Smoothly with Students

Knowing how to make a copy for each student on Google Classroom is a necessary skill for a teacher. It ensures each student has their study materials and helps you to follow up on individual learning progress.

What do you like or dislike about the Google Classroom feature for making student copies? Do you use an alternative that works better for you? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Google Classroom  - Creating Assignments and Materials

Google classroom  -, creating assignments and materials, google classroom creating assignments and materials.

Google Classroom: Creating Assignments and Materials

Lesson 2: creating assignments and materials.

/en/google-classroom/getting-started-with-google-classroom/content/

Creating assignments and materials

Google Classroom gives you the ability to create and assign work for your students, all without having to print anything. Questions , essays , worksheets , and readings can all be distributed online and made easily available to your class. If you haven't created a class already, check out our Getting Started with Google Classroom lesson.

Watch the video below to learn more about creating assignments and materials in Google Classroom.

Creating an assignment

Whenever you want to create new assignments, questions, or material, you'll need to navigate to the Classwork tab.

In this tab, you can create assignments and view all current and past assignments. To create an assignment, click the Create button, then select Assignment . You can also select Question if you'd like to pose a single question to your students, or Material if you simply want to post a reading, visual, or other supplementary material.

This will bring up the Assignment form. Google Classroom offers considerable flexibility and options when creating assignments.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to become familiar with the Assignment form.

This is where you'll type the title of the assignment you're creating.

Instructions

If you'd like to include instructions with your assignment, you can type them here.

Here, you can decide how many points an assignment is worth by typing the number in the form. You can also click the drop-down arrow to select Ungraded if you don't want to grade an assignment.

You can select a due date for an assignment by clicking this arrow and selecting a date from the calendar that appears. Students will have until then to submit their work.

In Google Classroom, you can sort your assignments and materials into topics. This menu allows you to select an existing topic or create a new one to place an assignment under.

Attachments

You can attach files from your computer , files from Google Drive , URLs , and YouTube videos to your assignments.

Google Classroom gives you the option of sending assignments to all students or a select number .

Once you're happy with the assignment you've created, click Assign . The drop-down menu also gives you the option to Schedule  an assignment if you'd like it to post it at a later date.

You can attach a rubric to help students know your expectations for the assignment and to give them feedback.

Once you've completed the form and clicked Assign , your students will receive an email notification letting them know about the assignment.

Google Classroom takes all of your assignments and automatically adds them to your Google Calendar. From the Classwork tab, you can click Google Calendar to pull this up and get a better overall view of the timeline for your assignments' due dates.

Using Google Docs with assignments

When creating an assignment, there may often be times when you want to attach a document from Google Docs. These can be helpful when providing lengthy instructions, study guides, and other material.

When attaching these types of files, you'll want to make sure to choose the correct setting for how your students can interact with it . After attaching one to an assignment, you'll find a drop-down menu with three options.

Let's take a look at when you might want to use each of these:

• Students can view file : Use this option if the file is simply something you want your students to view but not make any changes to.
• Students can edit file : This option can be helpful if you're providing a document you want your students to collaborate on or fill out collectively.
• Make a copy for each student : If you're creating a worksheet or document that you want each student to complete individually, this option will create a separate copy of the same document for every student.

Using topics

On the Classwork tab, you can use  topics to sort and group your assignments and material. To create a topic, click the Create button, then select Topic .

Topics can be helpful for organizing your content into the various units you teach throughout the year. You could also use it to separate your content by type , splitting it into homework, classwork, readings, and other topic areas.

In our next lesson , we'll explore how to create quizzes and worksheets with Google Forms, further expanding how you can use Google Classroom with your students.

/en/google-classroom/using-forms-with-google-classroom/content/

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Google Classroom gives you 3 ways to attach documents in an assignment.

• Students can view file
• Students can edit file
• Create a copy for each student

Choosing “Create a copy for each student” creates a copy of YOUR original at the moment you attach it in Google Classroom. This means when you make updates to your original, the updates are NOT reflected in Google Classroom even if zero students have accessed the assignment.

Google Classroom does not create a copy of the teachers document until the student clicks on the OPEN button and opens the document. If the you check the assignment folder in Google Drive, you will notice it is empty when you initially assign. As students open the file the assignment folder in Google Drive will be populated. If a student does not open the assignment, no document for that student will be found in the assignment folder.

“Do Not Edit”

In Google Drive there is a folder that says “Classroom.” Within that folder is a folder for each class you create. Within the class folder is a folder marked “Templates – DO NOT EDIT.”

Here is my tip: You can edit!

When you attach a document into an assignment in Google Classroom a COPY of your original is created and placed in the “Templates – DO NOT EDIT” folder. Each time a student opens the assignment the student copy is created off of the copy that is in the “Templates – DO NOT EDIT” folder.

Any edits you make to the document in “Templates – DO NOT EDIT” will only take effect for students who have NOT accessed the assignment already. Once a student makes a copy by clicking on the assignment in Google Classroom, it is locked. It is a copy and is no longer connected to the original.

If you can manage to make your updates before students have opened the assignment, then all students can have the corrected version of your template.

My trick is to go to my real original where I have made my updates and use Control A to select all. Control C copies. Then I go to the “Templates – DO NOT EDIT” folder and find the template of my original document and open that file. I then Control A select all on that document. Control V paste to override what is on the doc.

But… Students Already Accessed

If some of your students have already made a copy, there is nothing you can do about that. You have access to each student’s document so you COULD open each student’s file and Control A select all and Control V paste the new template onto their document. If the student has made any edits at all, they will probably be upset that you did this.

For the students who have not yet opened the assignment, if you edited the file in the “Templates – DO NOT EDIT” folder, they will receive the updated version.

Updating an Assignment

Unfortunately, you can NOT add a document to an assignment as “Make a copy for each student” after you have assigned the assignment. When you go to edit the assignment your only choices are to attach a file as can view and can edit.

In Google Classroom, click on the 3 dots on the assignment in the stream to edit the assignment. Choose to attach a LINK. Use Control V to paste the link to your document. BEFORE you click “Add,” change the /edit at the end of the link to /copy. See my blog post on this .  When students click on the link on the assignment they will be prompted to make a copy. This copy does NOT go in the Google Classroom assignment folder, but rather to the students Google Drive and it is not shared with the teacher.

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24 thoughts on “ google classroom: make a copy for each student ”.

You just blew my mind. So many times I have deleted and reposted an assignment because I needed to edit the document I was sharing with students. Thank you for this post!

This post just saved me a bunch of work! Thanks very much…

How can I create a copy for each student in google slides? I do not get this option

Make a copy for each student works in Google Slides. Make a copy does not work after you’ve already assigned.

Hi Alice, Is there a way to share an entire folder with students instead of just a document or would you just use doctopus?

Sure, you just need to change the sharing permissions. If you go into any attached document in Google Classroom and click on the blue share button you will notice that Google Classroom makes a group of students. It’s a wonky looking email that won’t work as an email. Use that group identifier as who you share the folder with. Now link to the folder in an assignment. It’s a hack but it works.

Hi. Thank you for the post. My question is how to create a document that lets that highlight but not change text that’s already there, but also give them room to type a response, like in a table cell. Is there some way to format like that? Is there some way to share a document with only “edit” or “view” properties? Thanks for any help. JK

Use Sheets, you can lock down cells. Try my alicekeeler.com/templatetab

It is possible, using Google Classroom, to make a copy for each student of both a Google Form and its spreadsheet? If not, is there any simple way of distributing both? Thank you very much.

Yes, try sharing the spreadsheet that is linked to a Form. I think that does the trick.

Can you give insight into this issue: when I post an assignment and make a copy to each student it seems to disable the grammar functions of google (like no red spelling/grammar underlines show up). Thanks!

that makes no sense. It would have to be universal

HI Alice, hope all is well. If you add students to an existing google classroom and have already shared a copy of something with the existing students, will the new students automatically get the copies?

Yes they will.

Hello, I’m trying to attach a document from my drive and make a copy for each student. However, I’m only seeing two options: View only and Edit capabilities. Is there an option to make a copy for each student?

If you are EDITING an assignment you do not have the copy option.

I have the same issue. What do you mean by editing an assignment. For example, I create an assignment then I want to attach a form that makes a copy for each student. It only gives me two options. This happens whether I’m on the form or not. I have even created another copy of the form and attached it and it gives me the 2 options only.

I created an assignment with a google doc attachment using the “Make a copy for each student”. However, the students tell me they cannot edit their copy, thus they cannot answer the questions. What did I miss??

Hello! I accidentally attached an assignment with the answer key and chose the “make a copy for each student” option. Even though I deleted the assignment post completely, the kids still have access to the file in their Google drive. How can I undo this??

Unfortunately not easily. If the kids are the owners you can not delete a file they own.

Hello, Is there an easy way to ‘make a new copy for each student’ for a google site? As I’d like students to have their own copy of my google site template – instead of having to go through the steps of them creating it on their own.

There is not.

Is there a way to make a copy for each student, but turn off their editing privileges? I am creating a grade sheet that I want to copy for each student, but I only want them to be able to view it, while I need to retain editing privileges to add grades.

Not with Google classroom. You can use … I think… https://alicekeeler.com/copydocsclasses

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Transitioning From Undergraduate to Grad Learner: Everything You Need to Know

College textbooks costs: everything you need to know, what is an ahk file, keeping yourself safe in college: everything you need to know, myths about online high schools: everything you need to know, reasons you should study geography: everything you need to know, the vtoman jump 1800 portable power station: the best of the best, key roles of a school superintendent: everything you need to know, is earning a degree online worthwhile and beneficial, why learners cheat: everything you need to know, google classroom tip #43: 48 ways to manage student assignments.

Along with instruction and assessment, assignments form the foundation of the teaching and learning process. They provide opportunities for students to practice the skills and apply the knowledge that they have been taught in a supportive environment. It also helps the teacher gauge how well students are learning the material and how close they are to mastery.

Because of the nature of assignments, managing them can get hectic. That’s why its best to use a platform like Google Classroom to help you manage assignments digitally. In today’s tip, we will discuss 48 ways that you can use Classroom to manage student assignments.

• Assignment Status – Easily check how many students turned in an assignment as well as how many assignments have been graded by going to the Classwork tab and clicking on the title of the assignment.
• Assign to Multiple Classes – Post an assignment to multiple classes by using the “for” drop-down menu when creating an assignment.
• Brainstorm – Use Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Drawings to brainstorm for class assignments.
• Calendar of Due Dates – Link a Google Calendar with due dates for assignments, tests, and other important dates into Classroom.
• Check Homework – Classroom makes checking homework easy with a quick glance at the assignment page. If more detailed grading is needed, just access the grading interface for the assignment.
• Choice Boards – Give students a choice in how they demonstrate what they know by creating a choice board and uploading it as an assignment. Choice boards allow students to choose between several assignments and can be created directly in Classroom, using Google Docs, or with third-party apps.
• Co-Teach Classes – Invite others to co-teach in your Classroom. Each teacher is able to create assignments and post announcements for students.
• Create Questions Before a Socratic Seminar – Create an assignment for students to develop questions before a Socratic seminar. During the collaborative process, students can eliminate duplicate questions.
• Detention Assignment Sheet – Create a detention assignment sheet using Google Docs. The assignment sheet can then be shared with the detention teacher and individual students privately through Classroom.
• Differentiate Assignments – Assign work to individual students or groups of students in Classroom.
• Differentiate by Product – Differentiate by product in Classroom by providing a challenge, variety, or choice or by using a continuum with assignments.
• Digital Portfolios – Students can create digital portfolios of their work by uploading documents, pictures, artifacts, etc. to Classroom assignments.
• Directions Document – Use Google Docs to create instruction documents for assignments in Classroom.
• Distribute Student Work/Homework – Use Classroom to distribute student assignments or homework to all students, groups of students, or individual students.
• Diversify Student Submissions – Create alternative submission options for students through the assignment tool. For example, one group of students may be required to submit a Google Doc while another group is required to submit a Slides presentation.
• Do-Now Activities – Use Classroom to post Do-Now Activities.
• Draft Assignments – Save posts as drafts until they are ready for publishing.
• Feedback Before Student Submits – Provide feedback to students while their assignment is still a work in progress instead of waiting until submission. This will help the student better understand assignment expectations.
• Get Notified of Late Assignments – Select notification settings to get notified each time an assignment is turned in late.
• Global Classroom – Partner with international teachers to create a co-teaching classroom without borders where students can work on collaborative assignments.
• Graphic Organizers – Upload graphic organizers for students to collaborate on assignments and projects.
• Group Collaboration – Assign multiple students to an assignment to create a collaborative group. Give students editing rights to allow them access to the same document.
• HyperDocs – Create and upload a hyperdoc as an assignment.
• Link to Assignments – Create links to assignments not created in Classroom.
• Link to Class Blog – Provide the link to a class blog in Classroom.
• Link to Next Activity – Provide a link to the next activity students must complete after finishing an assignment.
• Make a Copy for Each Student – Chose “make a copy for each student” when uploading assignment documents to avoid students having to share one copy of the document. When a copy for each student is made, Classroom automatically adds each student’s name to the document and saves it to the Classroom folder in Google Drive.
• Move to Top/Bottom – Move recent assignments to the top of the Classwork feed so students can find new tasks more quickly.
• Multiple File Upload – Upload multiple files for an assignment in one post.
• Naming Conventions for Assignments – Create a unique naming system for assignments so they can be easily found in the Classroom folder in Google Drive.
• Offline Mode – Change settings to allow students to work in offline mode if internet connections are weak. Once an internet connection is established, students can upload assignments to Classroom.
• One Student One Sheet – In Google Sheets, assign one tab (sheet) per student for the student to complete the assignment.
• One Student One Slide – In Google Slides, assign one slide to each student to present findings on a topic or to complete an assignment.
• Organize Student Work – Google Classroom automatically creates calendars and folders in Drive to keep assignments organized.
• Peer Tutors – Assign peer tutors to help struggling students with assignments.
• Protect Privacy – Google Classroom only allows class members to access assignments. Also, it eliminates the need to use email, which may be less private than Classroom.
• Provide Accommodations – Provide accommodations to students with disabilities in Google Classroom by allowing extra time to turn in assignments, using text to speech functions, and third-party extensions for colored overlays.
• Reorder Assignments by Status – Instead of organizing assignments by student first or last name, organize them by status to see which students have or have not turned in work.
• Reuse Posts – Reuse post from prior assignments or from other Classrooms.
• See the Process – Students don’t have to submit their assignments for you to see their work. When you chose “make a copy for each student” for assignments, each student’s work can be seen in the grading tool, even if it’s not submitted. Teachers can make comments and suggestions along the way.
• Share Materials – Upload required materials such as the class syllabus, rules, procedures, etc. to a Class Resources Module, or upload assignment materials within the assignment.
• Share Resources – Create a resource list or a resource module for students.
• Share Solutions to an Assignment – Share solutions to an assignment with a collaborator or students after all assignments have been turned in.
• Stop Repeating Directions – By posting a directions document to assignments, the need to continually repeat directions is lessened, if not eliminated altogether. Keep in mind that some students will still need directions to read orally or clarified.
• Student Work Collection – Use Classroom to collect student work from assignments.
• Summer Assignments – Create summer assignments for students through Classroom.
• Templates – Create templates for projects, essays, and other student assignments.
• Track Assignments Turned In – Keep track of which students turned in assignments by going to the grading tool.

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6 Apps and Tools That Integrate With Google Classroom

Assignments

When creating an assignment, keep the title short and use the instructions area for your detailed instructions. You can attach a file, video or link. You can assign the same assignment to multiple classes. You can post the assignment immediately, schedule a date and time for the post to go live or save the post as a draft. You can set a due date and time - assignments with a due date will be added to the class calendar. Assignments default to no due date so if you want it due on a particular date, be sure you change it. You can create topics for each assignment. The Stream can then be filtered by topic so students (and teachers) can find things quicker.

Make a Copy for Each Student

Have a template that you would like students to start from? Create an assignment and make a copy of the template for each student. Each student gets his or her own copy and your original is unchanged.

When you distribute a document in this way, as soon as the student opens his or her template you have access to that student's document. You can provide feedback to the student as they are working.

Attach Multiple Files to Classroom Assignment

You can attach multiple items to one Google Classroom assignment. This video shows you how to attach a template (make a copy for each student), a rubric, a link to an article and a YouTube video all to the same assignment. Classroom keeps everything for this one assignment together and makes it easy for students to access everything they need to complete the assignment.

Student Created Google Assignment

You want students to create a Doc, Sheet, Slide, Drawing for an assignment. Post the assignment to Google Classroom with the instructions to use the Create option to create the document. Students don't need to go out to Drive to create a new document and the assignment is named for them. When they are finished they select Turn In to submit the assignment.

When students create a document in this way, you have immediate access to the document. Instead of waiting until the student turns the document in to give feedback, you can give the student feedback as they work on the document.

Collect Digital Creations Other Than Google Files

Assign a Haiku Deck or a ThingLink or a PowToon? How do you collect those assignments? Use Classroom! Students use the Add link option and select Turn In to submit.

Share to Classroom

Look for the Share to Classroom option in many of your favorite websites. Some of the websites that include this option are Quizizz, EDpuzzle, Quizlet, PBS, American Museum of Natural History, Discovery Education, Duolingo, TIME Edge. More options are being offered all the time so be sure you check your favorite website!

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