How To Add Graphic Organizer In Google Docs

On the 8th day of Tech-Mas my true beloved gave to me… 8 Docs Drawings.

Note: This post is role of my "12 Days of Tech-Mas" series for 2017. You can see all of the posts for each day as they go released in the primary post here: "12 Days of Tech-Mas 2017".

"You can't practise that in Google Docs!"

If you accept ever made that claim, then you know the frustration of loving all the crawly things y'all tin can do in Docs, but all the same bumping upward against limitations.

Sometimes we can extend the capabilities of Docs by installing add-ons or extensions. However, in that location is another powerful tool that's been sitting correct in that location in the Docs menu all this time, which can provide you with loads of extra features that you lot may not have realized y'all had.

That tool ... Google Drawings.

That's correct. Yous tin can embed Google Drawings into your Doctor right from the "Insert" carte du jour. Being able to insert a live, editable Google Drawing within your certificate can let you do lots of things you normally cannot do in Google Docs.

In this weblog mail we are going to accept a look at eight things y'all can do with Drawings within of Docs. These tin be great to make your documents more interactive for students, to add multimedia, to create HyperDocs, for educatee projects, and much more.

Come across below for details, directions, and examples for each, as well as recorded video tutorials demonstrating how each works.

Resources

Session Agenda - Google Dr. link

Session Slideshow- Google Slides link

Y'all can view watch the entire training video above, or view just the portions related to each instance using the links below.

The Basics

Before we get into each of the examples, allow'south beginning with a quick explanation of how to embed a Google Drawing into a Google Doc. Here's how information technology works:

Open a Google Doc as normal.
Click "Insert" then "Drawing".
This will open a pop-up window with the Google Drawing tools and canvas.
Yous can now create your Google Drawing every bit normal, using the menu options to add text, shapes, arrows, images, wordart, tables, and more.
When washed, click "Save & Close".
This will take the Cartoon yous have created and insert information technology into the Google Doctor.

You can accommodate the embedded Cartoon in several ways:

Click on the inserted Cartoon to select information technology.
Click and drag the Cartoon to movement it around the page.
Change the size by clicking and dragging its blue square handles.
Alter the wrapping to "Wrap text" if yous want text to wrap around the Cartoon on all sides no affair where yous drag it on the page.
Alter the wrapping to "Intermission text" if yous want the text to stay in a higher place and below the Cartoon.
If you demand to do any more than editing in the Drawing, only double-click on the embedded Drawing to re-open up it in edit style.

Note: If yous share a Google Dr. that has a Cartoon embedded, the people you share it with can only view the Drawing, unless you requite them edit rights to the Dr.. If they accept edit rights to the Doc, then they can also double-click on the Cartoon to open and edit information technology.

To see avideo tutorial with a demonstration of all these steps, spotter the portion of the webinar linked hither: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Inserting a Drawing

8 Examples of using Drawings in Google Docs

Here are the 8 examples we will explore for how Google Drawings can be used to add extra features and functions to Google Docs:

Add together a textbox
Caption a pic
Add a video
Add a graphic organizer
Add together a manipulative activity
Add a whiteboard
Add a watermark
Take a snapshot

Example #1 - Add together a Textbox

One thing Google Docs is missing is the option to add together a textbox that can be moved effectually the page. 1 workaround for this is to add together a textbox to Google Drawings, and then insert the Drawing into the Doc. Hither's how:

Open your Google Medico every bit normal.
Click "Insert" then "Drawing".
In the Drawing y'all can now create a textbox by clicking on the "Textbox" button in the toolbar.

Yous can at present add text to the textbox.
Y'all can format the text as needed, including font, size, color, alignment, and more.
It may too be helpful to add a border to the textbox then it stands out when inserted. To exercise this click the "Border weight" button (and optionally the "Edge color" and "Border dash" buttons).

When washed, click "Save & Close"
The textbox will be inserted into the Doc.
You lot tin can move and resize the textbox every bit needed.
You tin change text wrapping around the textbox as needed.
You can double-click on the textbox to re-open the Drawing to edit it.

For an example of a Google Doc with a textbox see here: Google Certificate link

To see a video tutorial with a demonstration of all these steps, watch the portion of the webinar linked hither: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Add a Textbox

Example #2 - Explanation a Flick

Some other thing y'all cannot normally do in Google Docs is add a explanation to an image. There are many ways to add images to a Doctor, only what if you lot want to put some text beneath the image to provide a citation or explanation or some other helpful information. Over again, this can exist done with Google Drawings. Here's how:

Open up your Google Doc as normal.
Click "Insert" and so "Drawing".
In the Cartoon you tin at present add together an image by clicking on the "Prototype" button in the toolbar.

Feel gratis to resize the image as needed.
Next y'all desire to create a textbox by clicking on the "Textbox" button in the toolbar.
You tin can now put the textbox right below the picture and add the text for your caption.
Yous can format the text as needed, including font, size, color, alignment, and more.

When done, click "Salvage & Close"
The captioned picture will be inserted into the Doctor.
Y'all tin move and resize the picture show as needed.
You can change text wrapping effectually the picture equally needed.
You can double-click on the picture to re-open the Drawing to edit it.

For an example of a Google Medico with a captioned image run across hither: Google Certificate link

To come across a video tutorial with a demonstration of all these steps, spotter the portion of the webinar linked here: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Explanation a Picture

Case #3 - Add a Video

Google Docs does not currently have a way to hands add a video to your certificate. So we take to get creative. A while back I did a blog mail where nosotros explored four different means to add videos to a Doc (yous tin run across that here if y'all want: 4 Ways to Play Videos in Google Docs) Ane of those options was to utilise Google Drawings (with a footling boosted assistance from Google Slides). Here'southward how:

Kickoff brainstorm past creating a Google Slideshow. Y'all will just use this temporarily to re-create the video you demand, so you lot practise not demand to do annihilation fancy with the Slideshow.
Once you have a blank Google Slides presentation, insert a video onto one of the slides.
Click "Insert" in the top card bar, then choose "Video" from the drop-downward carte.

If the video is on YouTube, y'all can search for the video or paste in the YouTube URL for the video.
If the video is saved on your Google Drive, you can search or browse through your Drive to observe information technology.
Annotation: If linking in a video from your Google Bulldoze, be sure you have shared the video properly so people tin can view information technology.
Afterward you insert the video, y'all tin choose to adjust the start and/or end time for the video if you do not want all of information technology to play.
If then, click on the video to select it, then click "Video options" in the elevation toolbar.
You tin can now set the "Commencement at" and/or "End at" options every bit desired.

Now that you have the video prepare, yous will re-create and paste it into your Doc:

Open the Google Physician you desire to add the video to.
Click "Insert" in the superlative menu bar, then choose "Cartoon".
This will open a blank Google Drawing canvas.
If yous have non already copied the video from your Google Slideshow, practice that now past selecting the video and copying information technology.
In the blank Google Cartoon canvass, paste in the copied video.
As needed move or resize the video to your liking.
When washed, click "Save & Close".

The Google Drawing with the embedded video will now be inserted in your Google Doc.

You can move and resize the video as needed.
You tin can change text wrapping around the video as needed.
To play the video you merely demand to double-click on the video in the Md (which will open the Drawing window) and then double-click on the video once more to starting time it playing.

Notation: The user must have Edit rights to exist able to double-click on the embedded Cartoon to open and play the video. If using with students, you may want to make a re-create of the document for each student through Classroom and then they will have their own editable version.

For an example of a Google Doctor with an embedded video encounter here: Google Certificate link

To encounter a video tutorial with a demonstration of all these steps, watch the portion of the webinar linked here: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Add together a Video

Instance #4 - Add a Graphic Organizer

Graphic organizers can be a smashing mode for students to process information, programme for writing, compare and contrast ideas, wait for cause and effect, examine relationships, and more. And Google Drawings is an first-class tool for creating graphic organizers. I have posted many times in the by about this topic. Yous can admission loads of free templates and acquire how to create your own in my before post here: "30 Gratis Google Drawings Graphic Organizers"

Past making a graphic organizer in a Drawing and then inserting that into a Google Doc, you provide your students with an interactive tool right inside of their document. Here's how:

Open your Google Dr. as normal.
Click "Insert" so "Drawing".
You can at present add your graphic organizer in several ways.
Yous can create shapes, text boxes, connector lines, and more, by using the toolbar buttons such equally "Line", "Shape", "Text box", and "Image".

Alternately yous can copy and paste an existing graphic organizer from some other Google Drawing. You can access my full folder of Cartoon templates hither: Google Drive folder
Note: If you paste in a copied graphic organizer, it may come in too large. If and so, apply the zoom option to zoom out then y'all tin resize the entire copied Drawing to fit.
When done, click "Save & Close"

The graphic organizer volition exist inserted into the Doc.
You tin can movement and resize the graphic organizer equally needed.
Yous can change text wrapping around the graphic organizer as needed.
You can double-click on the graphic organizer to re-open up the Drawing to edit it.

Note: The user must have Edit rights to be able to double-click on the embedded Cartoon to open and edit the graphic organizer. If using with students, you lot may want to make a copy of the document for each student through Classroom and then they will have their own editable version.

For an case of a Google Doc with a graphic organizer see here: Google Document link
(Scroll to the bottom of the Md to see a completed instance.)

To meet a video tutorial with a sit-in of all these steps, watch the portion of the webinar linked here: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Add a Graphic Organizer

Example #five - Add a Manipulative Action

Like to adding graphic organizer, yous can also use Google Drawings to add together a manipulative activeness to a Google Doc. By this I mean something where the student may elevate and driblet items, or connect things with arrows, or motility and rotate shapes, and such. Some examples of this could include:

Matching letter sounds to images
Putting in order the steps of a butterfly lifecycle, or the parts of a story, or the path claret follows through the trunk, or the sentences in a paragraph.
Calculation lines of symmetry to shapes
Determining congruence of shapes by moving, rotating, and flipping them
Sorting items past season, size, shape, color, or such.
And much more than!

Here's how:

Open your Google Dr. every bit normal.
Click "Insert" then "Drawing".
You can now add together your manipulative activity in several ways.
You tin can create shapes, text boxes, connector lines, and more, past using the toolbar buttons such as "Line", "Shape", "Text box", and "Image".

Alternately you can copy and paste an existing manipulative action from some other Google Cartoon. Y'all tin can admission my total folder of Drawing templates here: Google Drive folder
Note: If you paste in a copied manipulative activity, it may come in too large. If so, use the zoom option to zoom out and then you tin can resize the entire copied Drawing to fit.
When done, click "Save & Close"

The manipulative action volition be inserted into the Dr..
You can move and resize the manipulative action every bit needed.
Y'all can change text wrapping around the manipulative activity as needed.
You can double-click on the manipulative activity to re-open up the Cartoon to edit it.

Note: The user must take Edit rights to be able to double-click on the embedded Drawing to open and edit the manipulative activeness. If using with students, you lot may want to make a copy of the document for each student through Classroom so they will have their own editable version.

For an example of a Google Doc with a manipulative activity run into here: Google Document link

To see a video tutorial with a sit-in of all these steps, watch the portion of the webinar linked hither: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Add a Manipulative Activity

Example #half dozen - Add together a Whiteboard

One of the most common pain points in Google Docs is the challenge of writing out math problems or science formulas, or doodling a hand-fatigued diagram, or such. Thankfully at that place are more options at present than always before including natural handwriting with the mobile version of Classroom, and extensions such equally Equatio. However, Google Drawings can also be a creative alternative for handwriting. Here's how:

Open your Google Doc as normal.
Click "Insert" and then "Drawing".
Add whatsoever text or shapes or other items y'all need equally usual.
When ready to add handwriting, click the "Line" push button in the toolbar, then choose "Scribble" from the drop-down menu.

You tin at present handwrite on the Drawing canvas.
When done, click "Save & Close"
The handwriting will be inserted into the Doc.

This tin be a artistic way to provide students with a whiteboard or scratchpad within of a Google Document where they can handwrite their answers, evidence their work, doodle a diagram, or such. Students could add the Cartoon themselves, or you could have the Cartoon area pre-loaded in the document they get a copy of.

For an example of a Google Doc with a whiteboard see here: Google Document link (Gyre to the bottom of the Doc to see a completed instance.)

To see a video tutorial with a demonstration of all these steps, watch the portion of the webinar linked here: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Add a Whiteboard

Example #7 - Add a Watermark

When information technology comes to missing features in Docs, a very common complaint is the disability to add a watermark to your certificate. A watermark can be a nice manner to bespeak a file is "Confidential" or a "Draft" or the personalize a file with the name of your school or organization.

To solve this claiming we have to utilize a very odd hack that I learned through Michelle Manning. Here'southward the gist:

The merely options Google Docs has for wrapping are "In line", "Wrap text", and "Pause text".
To do a watermark you need to exist able to put an prototype (or wordart or such) behind the text.
Fifty-fifty though Google Docs only shows iii wrapping options, it actually supports on hidden way, which is putting an particular in front of text.
This can but exist accessed if y'all kickoff create a Word Doc that has an item in front end of text, so upload that to Bulldoze, then convert the Word Doc into a Google Doc. The item volition stay floating in front of your text.
If nosotros so make sure the item is semi-transparent, we can simulate a watermark since you volition be able to see the text of the certificate as well as the transparent image.

With all that said, I have created a template you lot tin can re-create to make this much easier. Here's how information technology works:

Create your Google Doc equally normal and make full in all of your text.
When done creating your Doc, make a copy of my "Watermark Template" here - http://chip.ly/docswatermark
In the watermark template you will detect a Google Drawing that has been inserted into the Physician just is floating in front of the text.
Select the Drawing and copy it.
Now go to your Google Doc that yous are working on and paste in the Cartoon.
Y'all can now double-click on the Cartoon to go in and edit the text so the watermark will say what yous want it to.
If needed, feel free to change the font, rotation, and such.
Annotation: If yous choose to change the color, you will need to select "Custom" and be sure to slide down the "Transparency" slider then the wordart will remain somewhat see-through.
When done click "Save & Close".
The watermark Cartoon will be in front end of your text.
Equally needed yous tin can move or resize the Drawing to position the watermark properly.

To meet a video tutorial with a sit-in of all these steps, watch the portion of the webinar linked hither: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Add together a Watermark

Example #8 - Add a Snapshot

In the by, when you went to insert an image into a Google Medico, you had several options including "Take a snapshot". This allowed you to use your webcam to have a picture and insert that into your document. Recently (every bit of this blog post'south writing) Google removed that option from the menu for inserting images.

Hopefully nosotros will get that feature dorsum somewhen. In the concurrently there have been many suggested alternatives to add snapshots to Docs (and Slides). I recently did a weblog post explaining how to employ the Webcam Screenshot extension for this purpose.

Another option (at to the lowest degree for now) is to employ Google Drawings. The insert image card in Drawings nonetheless supports the "Have a Snapshot" feature. Then until that gets removed, you can still add a snapshot to a Cartoon that is inserted in a Google Doc. Here'due south how:

Open your Google Doctor every bit normal.
Click "Insert" then "Drawing".
Click the "Prototype" button in the toolbar.

From the pop-upward window, choose "Have a snapshot".
You may have to give information technology permission to work.
You can now take a pic with your webcam.

Feel free to resize the epitome as needed.
When done, click "Save & Close"
The snapshot motion picture will be inserted into the Doc.
You can movement and resize the picture show as needed.
You can change text wrapping effectually the moving-picture show as needed.
Yous tin double-click on the movie to re-open the Drawing to edit it.

To see a video tutorial with a demonstration of all these steps, watch the portion of the webinar linked here: Supercharge Google Docs with Drawings - Add a Snapshot

Determination

Although Google Drawings is an awesome stand-lone program, it tin likewise be used in artistic means within of Google Docs. This allows you to add textboxes, captioned images, videos, interactive elements, and much more. With this play tricks, you and your students can create more engaging and active documents, projects, HyperDocs, and more.

If you know of any other creative ways to use Google Drawings inside of Docs, please share your ideas and examples in the comments below.