5 Ways to Use Tabs in Google Docs

How can you use Google Docs tabs? Here are 5 ways teachers can use document tabs! This feature opens up so many possibilities.
Pink squiggle around 5 ways to use Google docs tabs

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5 Ways to Use Tabs in Google Docs

Your Google Docs now has TABS! Like in spreadsheets, but now in Google Docs! It is the feature you never knew you needed but cannot live without. Break up long documents into tabs, create better collaboration space, and more! 

One thing that is a little confusing is you “Tab” to indent a paragraph. This is not what document tabs are! Think more like a notebook that is a collection of individual Google Docs. 

Screenshot of 3 tabs in Google Docs

1) Space Out Directions

For many people, myself included, when there is too much information they can feel overwhelmed. Document Tabs in Google Docs allow you to organize information and tasks into small bite sized pieces. 

2) Separate Student Work From Directions

To make it faster to find student responses in a document that might intermix information, have students respond on a subtab. 

subtasks for student work

3) Collaborative Tabs

Collaborating with more than 3-5 people in a Google Doc was previously problematic. Create a template on one Google Doc tab and use the 3 dots on the tab to duplicate it. Double click on the duplicated tabs to add the students names. Now all students can work within the same Google Doc. 

Doc to Slides

Quickly turn your Google Doc text into Google Slides

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4) Organize Task Completion

Tabs can be “Moved into” other tabs as subtabs. Set up tabs as larger categories with subtabs. As a subtab gets elevated from, for example, “brainstorm” to “Read for Feedback” the tab can be moved. 

Current, Upcoming, and Past Agendas could be main category tabs, with the agendas as subtabs. 

5) Persevere in Problem Solving

Without providing all of the parts to a project up front, use tabs in a Google Doc to continue the learning. Have a tab with the information or first steps for a longer term project. As students learn more, add more tabs to provide additional directions for the project. 

Daily Agenda Slides

Quickly add a slide to the TOP of Google Slides™ with the day and date. Use one slides to display the daily objective and agenda all year! Easily share with students and guardians.

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