Paperless Make-Up Work Folder in Google Drive

The Humble Bird Teacher

Students miss school for several different reasons from family vacations to medical causes. These days can go from one day to weeks. As a teacher, you probably created one of those cute file folders with the days of the weeks for each missing assignment for students to collect when they return, or you had everyone’s name on a folder with missing work. Although those methods work, you might forget to put their assignments in the folder, or if you have students who missed more than one week, they start to get the Monday’s mixed up.  As a result, I created a paperless make-up work folder in Google Drive using a QR code.

How to Create a QR Code Paperless Make-up Folder in Google Drive

• First, you will need to have a FREE Google Account. I would recommend using the account provided by your school district. If you don’t have one, you can always create one for FREE.
• After you create your Google Account, you will go to Google Drive and click the +New button.  You want to create a New Folder and name it with your class subject: English Make-Up Work. (Before moving on to the next step, you could click on this folder and add other folders with the months. Then inside the months, you can create the days so that students know exactly what was done on Monday, February 15, 2019. It takes more time to set-up, but it is totally worth it.)
• Next, right click on the folder (English Make-up Work), and click Share. Once you click share, a box will pop up with the title Share with others. In the bottom right-hand corner, you will click Advanced. Under the subheading, Who Has Access, you will click the change… button and make the folder open to anyone who has the link and click done.
• Copy the link. (If the box closes out when you click done, you can right click the folder again and copy the link.)

QR Code

• Open a new internet tab, find a QR Code Generator. Here is the one I used: https://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/.  If you use this website, click the URL tab and copy the link from the Google Drive folder (English Make-up Work) into the space provided to create your code.  You will then save your QR Code as a PNG. Save the file in a place you will remember on your computer because you will need to add it to your sheet in PowerPoint later.
• Test your link and QR Code by downloading a QR Code App; I used Lightning QR.  If the Google link pops up when you scan the code and goes to your folder then you have done it correctly. If not, then you will need to back track your steps.  

Putting it All Together

• In PowerPoint, you will need to make a slip to insert into your picture frame. I purchased a cheap frame from Ikea, and I used my Bitmoji as an image. When creating your slip, don’t forget to cut and paste the QR Code you created somewhere on the sheet.  I pasted mine below my Bitmoji.

• Last, test your code in the frame. Before giving access to the entire class, I had a student test it out to make sure all was well. After your final test, you can post the frame in your classroom somewhere that your students can easily access it. Anytime they are absent, you can have them scan the code that will take them to the folder after they open the link. No more students asking you where is my make-up work. This folder also works great for students who misplace handouts or have lots of missing assignments even from not being absent.

Final Thoughts

The hardest part of this entire process is remembering to copy their assignments for the week and placing them in the folder. Once you start doing it, you can place work in the folder in advance if your lessons are planned out that far. If you can’t photocopy handouts, you can always type up instructions in Google Docs and drop the doc into the folder for students to read instructions. I hope this step-by-step process was helpful!