Update for TK-2 teachers using Seesaw

Is OUSD providing a paid version of Seesaw?

"Seesaw for Schools" is the premium version of Seesaw and it is being provided by the district for TK-2 and some Special Education classrooms. One of the features of this version is Clever integration and rostering. Your Seesaw classes will be automatically rostered with your students in Aeries, and students and teachers will be able to automatically sign into Seesaw by clicking on a Seesaw icon - no username and password required. 

How do TK-2 teachers and students get started with this version of Seesaw?

A new Seesaw icon for TK-2 teachers and students is in Clever. This allows sign on with a single click. Teachers will see their rostered classes (the rosters sync to Aeries), and students will see their class.

What if I'm not a TK-2/SPED teacher and I want to use Seesaw?

3-12 classroom teachers can use the free "Seesaw" version or the paid "Seesaw Plus version.  See a Seesaw plan comparison chart. Your school can also purchase a "Seesaw for Schools" license. Only the "Seesaw for Schools" offers full Clever integration with single-sign-on and rostering. Enrichment/prep teachers can piggy back onto the "Seesaw for Schools" for the TK-2  students with some setup (email helpdesk@ousd.org). But the other students would not be accessible through the "Seesaw for Schools" plan.

What if I have additional questions about Seesaw setup?

Check the Seesaw training page for good resources about getting started. For specific troubleshooting with your account, please submit a helpdesk ticket to helpdesk@ousd.org.

The Basics

What is Seesaw?

Seesaw is a platform which you can use to host your class online. Seesaw uses a “Learning Journal” to collect students’ work and assignments for the class. Students can show their work and thought processes in real time by submitting a video of themselves working through a math problem, snapping a picture of a paragraph they wrote, recording themselves reading a poem, or uploading a file to demonstrate their learning.

Seesaw easily allows families to view their student’s work and leave feedback via comments or voice recordings. 

Want to know more? 

Seesaw overview video (9:58)  

Seesaw Review on Common Sense Media 

Seesaw or Google Classroom?

Seesaw and Google classroom are both awesome and free learning management systems that you can use to host your class online. The main differences between the two are: 

1. Assignments: Seesaw and Google Classroom both let you assign work to students in your class. 

In Seesaw, these assignments are called activities, and they can be assigned from an online library of work created by other teachers, or created by you especially for your class. Once an activity is assigned, students can draw, create text, add a voice recording, a photo, shapes, or a caption to the assigned work. 

In Google classroom, assignments take the form of Google Docs, Slides, Forms or Sheets that students can edit and submit.

2. How families can interact with the class

In Google Classroom families can be invited individually by email address. Once invited by the teacher, families can opt in to summaries of work assigned, completed and graded for their student. 

In Seesaw, families can access and download their student’s journal of work and provide voice comments or text comments on activities completed by their student. 

Getting Started with Seesaw

How do I sign up for Seesaw?

If you are an OUSD TK-2 teacher, you have a Seesaw for Schools account, and no sign up is necessary. Click on the Seesaw icon in Clever, and your class should be there. 

For other teachers without a Seesaw for Schools account:

1. Sign up for Seesaw at Seesaw.me

2. Select I’m a Teacher 

3. Select Sign in with Google 

You can find grade level specific Getting Started Guides here, which include set up check lists, student and teacher views, ideas for your classroom and next steps. 

How do I add students to my Seesaw Class?

If you are an OUSD TK-2 teacher, you have a Seesaw for Schools account, and no manually rostering is necessary. Seesaw for Schools syncs with Aeries to automatically roster your students.  Click on the Seesaw icon in Clever, and your class should be there.  

For other teachers without a Seesaw for Schools account:

Teachers choose whether students sign into Seesaw with a student code or with their email/google account. 

Select the wrench icon --> class settings → student sign in modes to change your student sign in mode at any time. 

• Class QR Code Sign In: Finish adding your students’ names by tapping + Students. Then, Print your Class QR Code poster for students to use to sign in. To find this Tap “+ Students” (bottom right, under the class list) > tap Print student sign in poster. Students will choose “I’m a student” from the Seesaw Class App, then the blue "scan code" button and then scan your class QR code.

• Email / Google Sign In: Tap “+ Students” (bottom right, under the class list). Share your Join Code with your students. They will type it in, create student accounts, and connect to your class from their devices using the Seesaw Class App.

• Google Classroom Rostering: When creating your class, tap 'import from Google Classroom' to select a class to import into Seesaw. If new students are added into Google Classroom, you can tap the wrench icon, then tap ‘import from Google Classroom’ to re-sync the class to Seesaw. Any new students in your Google Classroom will be automatically added into your Seesaw class. No students will be removed from your Seesaw class when importing from Google Classroom.

We recommend using the Email/Google Sign In method unless you are directly importing students from Google Classroom.

You can add up to 150 students in each Seesaw class.

Check out more information about each sign in option in Seesaw’s help content on this topic here.

Can students and teachers log in through Clever?

Yes, there is a Seesaw icon for students, and a Seesaw icon for teachers. Both are be located in the "OUSD Favorites" section of the Clever portal.

Teachers and students with a Seesaw for School account (including all TK-2 teachers) can log in by clicking on the icon, and there is no addition login.

For other teachers and students, when you click on one of these icons, you will go directly to the Seesaw login screen. Just click on "Sign in with Google", and that you sign you in.

Can I add a co-teacher to my class?

Teachers and co-teachers can both approve, delete, or edit posts, invite and approve family members, edit class lists, etc. 

To add a co-teacher: 

1. Tap your Profile Icon and select the class you want to add a co-teacher to. 

2. Tap the wrench in the top right corner and tap Manage Teachers

3. Tap Invite Teachers, and type in you co-teacher’s email address, tap send. 

4. Your co-teacher will receive an email with the invite link. They must click on the link to accept your invitation. They can create a new Seesaw account or sign into an existing account. 

For more, check out Seesaw’s help content on this topic here. 

What apps are compatible with Seesaw?

See a full list of compatible apps here. 

Assignments

How do students interact with assignments in Seesaw?

Seesaw has 6 embedded creation tools: photo, drawing, video, upload, notes and link. 

• Students can take a photo and annotate, caption, and/or record audio on the photo.

• Students can use drawing tools then record their voice, add a caption, or text to describe or tell a story about their drawing.

• Students can record videos and add captions to them.

• Students can upload an existing file from their device or Google Drive then annotate it as needed using text, drawing or voice.

• The note tool allows a student to type AND record their voice.

• Students can share any link using the link tool. They may also record their voice explaining what the link is or why they chose it.

Teachers can change settings to allow students to see (not see) each other’s work, to enable likes and comments, to require teacher approval on new items, and to enable item editing. These settings are found by clicking the wrench icon in the top right corner. 

How do I assign pre-created activities from Seesaw's Community Library?

Seesaw has an EXTENSIVE activity library of assignments created by other teachers. 

Start by clicking the green plus sign and selecting Add Activity. Then click on the community tab, there you can search by grade, subject, or keyword. 

Pre-created activities can be favorited and saved to your library by clicking the heart. 

When you are ready to assign the pre-created activity, you can click the green assign button. 

If you would like to edit the activity before assigning it click the (...) button. Then tap “copy and edit activity.” For more on editing pre-created activities, check out Seesaw’s Help Content on this topic. 

How do I create my own activities in Seesaw and assign them to students?

1. Tap the Green Plus button, then select Browse Activity Library 

2. Select My Library 

3. Click Create New Activity 

4. Fill in the Details of the Activity.  

5. When you are ready to assign the pre-created activity, you can click the green assign button. 

Free Seesaw accounts can create up to 100 activities. 

How do I organize activities in my class using folders?

Folders can help you organize student work by subject or learning objective. You can create and manage folders by clicking on the wrench icon in the top right corner. Watch this video for more about how to set up and use folders in Seesaw. 

Folders are visible to teachers, students and families in Seesaw. 

How do grades or feedback work in Seesaw?

Teachers can give feedback using any of the 6  tools in Seesaw.

Seesaw has two webinar recordings in their help content that go deep on student feedback in Seesaw; one for PreK-2 and the other for All Grades. Both are just over 30 minutes long. 

Students can give peer to peer feedback using the same tools. Check out this example assignment about peer feedback from the Seesaw Activity Library.  

Involving Families with Seesaw

How do I invite families to our class in Seesaw?

Families can connect to Seesaw using the internet at app.seesaw.me or by downloading the Seesaw Family App (iOS or Android). 

Students must be added to the class before families are invited. 

Families can be invited via email, text     message, or QR codes. Check out this video for a tutorial on how to invite families to Seesaw, or check out extensive directions and screenshots from Seesaw’s Help Content. 

What can families see in my Seesaw classroom?

Families only have access to their child’s journal. They can see student work tagged with their child’s name and posts the teacher tags with “Everyone.” Families will also be able to see comments made by any user on their child’s journal posts. 

Family members cannot see any other student’s content. 

Can I use Seesaw to contact students & families?

You can publish announcements to Seesaw and select if you want them to go to students, families, or both. 

How can students or families access Seesaw on a phone or tablet?

Families use a different app to access Seesaw than students. 

Families use the Seesaw Family App or app.seesaw.me on a computer. 

Students use the Seesaw Class App or seesaw.me on a computer. 

Additional Help Content is available in the Seesaw Help Center