For years I have been suggesting you write the word COLLABORATION really large at the top of your lesson plans. A key to collaborative activities is tools that allow multiple students to work together in the same space. FigJam by Figma is a great way to accomplish this. You can see one way to have all students together in the same space with the Gratitude Activity template.
FigJam is Free for Educators
Verify you are an educator at figma.com/education to gain access to the full features of FigJam.
Gratitude Activity Template
I frequently am checking out figma.com/@education for templates. There is always new things to check out!! You can find my templates at figma.com/@alicekeeler. While perusing the new templates I came across the Class Gratitude Activity. This is a great example of how to set up your FigJam to get all students on the same page.

24 Sections for 24 Students
The template has a section per student. Not to fret if you have more than 24 students in a class. Click on one of the sections, or lasso and select multiple sections, and use Control D to duplicate the section. Adding more student sections is super easy!
Move to Project
By default your FigJam files are “Draft.” Click on the arrow next to the document title to “Move to project.” This really is just organizing it into a folder for you.
Share the Template
Use the share button in the upper right to share with your students.
Paste the email addresses of the students into the sharing options OR click on the “Start open session” to get a link you can share that gives anyone with the link edit access.

Students Rename Their Section
Assign each student a number so they can quickly find their section and rename the section title to their name.
Spotlight on Me
After students have filled out their gratitude section, share a few as a class. In the upper right is your collaboration icon. Click on it to select “Spotlight me.” This will make it easy for students to follow where your cursor is.

Shift 2
If you select a section, which is identified by the 4 corners of the section having a small rectangle on them, use Shift 2 to zoom in on that section. Shift 1 zooms out to the whole board.
FigJam Is Designed to Get Together
While you certainly can use one FigJam per student, you’ll notice that FigJam is designed for everyone to be in the same space!! This makes it easier to review student work, give peer feedback, and to be together!! Enjoy!!
- Setting Up a Lesson in FigJam
- How to Hide Sections in FigJam – Digital Whiteboard
- High Five – FigJam Whiteboard Tool
- Free FigJam Digital Whiteboard for Educators
- Move Over Jamboard – Meet FigJam
-
Help Your Students Prepare to Present
Maximize student success in presentations with ‘Speaker Notes by AliceKeeler,’ the ideal Google Slides add-on. Enhance how students prepare to present with easy transfer of speaker notes to Google Docs, promoting effective communication skills. Dive into the world of engaging, technology-aided presentations and empower students to shine in their academic endeavors. Discover the key to…
-
How Teachers Can 🛳️ Cruise to Less Stress with Tech
As we set sail into the ocean of teaching, we need to cruise to less stress with tech. There is no magic bullet, but tech can provide opportunities for supporting.
-
Infographic 7 Basic Steps for a Google Form
New to using Google Forms? This tool is essential for teachers to not only save time but to be adaptive to student needs. Use Forms to survey students, play games, personalize instruction, and assessment. This infographic on the 7 basic steps for a Google Form will help you get started.
-
How to Add a Background on Google Docs
The age old question, how to add a background in google docs. For a long time this was not possible without hacks. Now you can easily add a background image to Google Docs and print it!
-
Create Badges in Google Sheets
Wanting to gamify your class with badges? One option is to create badges in Google Sheets. Create a list of achievements and add a badge for each one.
-
Classroom Jeopardy Template in FigJam
Check out this flexible use Classroom Jeopardy Template in FigJam. Make a copy and customize for your classroom content. Add tutorials and support resources for students to get extra help.