This document provides instructions for creating a Google Site. It discusses what a Google Site is, how to set up the basic structure and elements of a site including the header, navigation menu, content area and footer. It then guides the reader through the steps to set up a new Google Site, including choosing a template and theme, customizing the header, adding pages and content, citing resources, and uploading images. Links are also provided for additional learning resources on using Google Sites.

1. How to create a Google Site
by Fiona Beal

2. A. What is a Google site?
A Google Sites is a structured wiki- and web
page-creation tool offered by Google.
Google Sites is one of the best website creation
software for teachers. It is an ideal platform to
host a class website. It is great for collaborative
projects – one can embed videos, audio,
presentations, and images that students can use
when working on their projects and
assignments.

3. B. What does a Google site
look like?
https://goo.gl/gcPfo1

4. Four elements of a Google site page
1. The Header section appears at the top of each page and
can contain text, graphics or both.
2. The Navigation Menu contains links to all the pages in the
site, or at least the main sections. Navigation menus can
be horizontal across the top of the page, or in
a vertical menu on the left or right of the page.
3. The Content area on each page is where you find all the
information. The content area stretches from the header
to the footer, and can contain text, images, video, links,
etc. On a Google Site, the content area can be in a number
of layout styles, with columns or other sections.
4. The Footer area is at the bottom of each page and usually
contains copyright and contact information.

5. A site with a horizontal navigation menu
https://goo.gl/gcPfo1
Header
Navigation
Menu
(horizontal)
Content
area
Footer area

6. Types of pages on a site
Home page
A Site usually has a home page that serves as an
introduction to the site, and a brief description of
what it's all about. It introduces your visitors to
your Site.
Content pages
These will usually be structured around themes or
topics. A Site can have an unlimited number of
pages, although if there are many pages it is usually
better to build subpages, i.e. add more pages
grouped below a topic page.

7. Home page example
https://goo.gl/gcPfo1
The video
introduces the
site instead of
using written
words

8. Content page example
https://goo.gl/gcPfo1
Information
in text and
images
Page topic
Citing &
copyright
information
Student
collaborative
project -
contributors

9. Terminology
Site: a website on the Interent
Home page: Landing page that introduces the site
Navigation menu bar: A bar that organises the links to
the information
Content page: A page containing information on a topic
Footer: Bottom area of a page for citing sources of
information
Header: appears at the top of each page and can
contain text, graphics or both.
Layout: the way the page can be designed

10. C. Let’s create a Google site

11. Simply said…

12. Let's create a Site – here are
the steps:
1. Log into your Google account and go
to http://sites.google.com
2. Click the Create button
3. Choose the Blank Template
4. Name your site. You'll notice it creates the url based on the
name but you can override that if you wish (Note that the
name must be unique in your domain)
5. Unfold the Themes section, and choose the Iceberg theme (I
like to start with Iceberg, but it's up to you)
6. Unfold the More Options section, and enter a short
description about your Site.
7. Type the captcha code (if you get one)
8. Click the Create button at the top of the page

13. 1. Sign into your Google Apps account
and select Sites

14. 2. Click on Create

15. 3. Choose the blank template

16. 4. Name your site

17. 5. Explore the themes – click
on Themes

18. Explore the themes – select a template (Choose
Iceberg for this lesson)

19. 6. Explore the ‘more options’ section
Add a category (Education) and a description) and then
click on Create

20. Your site appears

21. D. Let’s work with your site

22. 1. Set privacy options while you create
Click on the down arrow next to More options

23. 2.Edit your page layout - sidebar
Go to More/Edit site options and choose. Let’s
choose Sidebar and select Close

24. NOTE: See what your screen will look like
on multiple devices at
whatismyscreenresolution.net

25. E. How to create the Header
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5waCQscgGgo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-XLzxbvziY

26. Create a header
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5waCQscgGgo
• Go to More/Manage sites
• Themes, colours and fonts

27. Customize your header

28. Make a header 1000X104px in Paint

29. Header fine-tuning
• Before we start adding content, there's just a couple more choices to
make...Actions Menu > Manage Site
• If you've used a Header image that already contains the site name you
may want to turn off the text in the header. Untick the Show site
name at top of pages option
• If you'd like to include a Search box so visitors can search your Site,
configure this using the Configure Search button (You may need to
consider this when you design your header graphic. Bear in mind that
the position of the search box will vary from theme to theme)
• If you think your Site may be viewed on mobile devices, tick
the Automatically adjust site to mobile phones option. (This doesn't
perfect, but it's worth turning on anyway. With the right theme, it can
work quite well.)
• Under Access settings, choose who should be able to see Site
activity and Revision history.
• Click Save.

30. F. Adding content to a Google site

31. Let’s make some pages
First click on
the Add Page
button. It takes
you to this
page

32. G. Citing resources on a Google site

33. Use Photos for Class
http://www.photosforclass.com/
With this application you can search for
Creative Commons photos and download
them – the site will automatically cite them
correctly.

34. Example

35. Attribute your resources and images in
the footer
This is how we will cite them in the footer:

36. H. How to upload to a Google site

37. This is how to add content:
1. Click on Edit:
2. All the editing tools appear
3. When finished click on Save

38. Links for learning about Google Sites
• http://www.summitstuff.com/sites-and-blogs/designing-sites-
part1
• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QwNyBliPclkMU4p6oI
5ODBNY8vnuEovaC79hD9-_WKU/edit