What You Will Build Today
By the end of this workshop, you will have a fully organized Google Drive with color-coded folders, uploaded files, a shared document, and proof you can access your files from anywhere.
- Four color-coded folders organizing your VA, Medical, Financial, and Personal documents
- Files uploaded, renamed, starred, and sorted into the right folders
- A shared Google Doc created collaboratively with a classmate
- Proof that you can access your Drive files from any device or browser
Goal: Create 4 color-coded folders to organize your cloud storage.
Create Your Folder Structure
Follow along with your instructor to build a color-coded folder system in Google Drive, just like organizing a filing cabinet.
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Open Chrome and go to drive.google.com — sign in with your Gmail from Week 3
Type drive.google.com in the address bar and press Enter. Use the Gmail account you created in Week 3.
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Click "+ New" button (top left) → "New folder" → name it "VA Documents" → Create
The "+ New" button is the large colorful button in the top-left corner of Google Drive
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Right-click the folder → "Organize" or "Change color" → choose Navy/Dark Blue
Right-click on the folder you just created to see the menu. Look for the color option to change the folder color.
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Repeat to create "Medical Records" (Red), "Financial" (Green), "Personal" (Purple)
Click "+ New" → "New folder" for each one. Then right-click each folder to assign its color.
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Verify all 4 folders appear in My Drive with different colors
You should see four folders in your Drive, each with a distinct color: blue, red, green, and purple
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Click each folder to open it — notice the breadcrumb trail at the top showing your location
The breadcrumb trail looks like: My Drive → VA Documents. It shows you where you are, just like a path through folders on your computer.
Tip: Color-coded folders make it easy to find what you need at a glance. Think of it like colored filing cabinet dividers!
Checkpoint — Raise your hand when done:
- ☐ 4 folders created: VA Documents, Medical Records, Financial, Personal
- ☐ Each folder has a different color assigned
- ☐ All folders visible in My Drive
Goal: Upload files, rename them, star important ones, and move them into folders.
Upload, Rename, and Organize Files
Follow along with your instructor to upload files from your computer to the cloud, then organize them into your new folders.
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Click "+ New" → "File upload" → browse to Desktop or Documents → select any file → click Open
A file browser window will open. Navigate to your Desktop or Documents folder and select any file to upload.
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Wait for "Upload complete" notification in bottom right
A small notification will appear in the bottom-right corner when your file finishes uploading
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Upload 2 more files (total of 3 files uploaded)
Repeat the process: "+ New" → "File upload" → select another file. Do this until you have 3 files uploaded.
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Right-click an uploaded file → "Rename" → give it a clear, descriptive name
For example, rename a file to "Budget_March_2026.xlsx" so you know exactly what it is at a glance
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Right-click a file → "Organize" or drag it into one of your color-coded folders
You can either use the right-click menu to move the file, or click and drag it onto a folder
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Move each of your 3 uploaded files into the appropriate folder
Think about which folder each file belongs in: VA, Medical, Financial, or Personal
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Click the star icon next to your most important file — starred files appear in the "Starred" section
Hover over a file and click the star icon on the right side. The star turns yellow when active.
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Click "Starred" in the left sidebar to verify your starred file appears there
Look at the left sidebar and click "Starred" to see all your starred files in one place
Tip: Star the files you access most often. It is like pinning a note to the top of your bulletin board — quick access without searching!
Can't find your file? If you do not see your uploaded file, check "Recent" in the left sidebar. New uploads always appear there first.
Checkpoint — Raise your hand when done:
- ☐ 3 files uploaded to Google Drive
- ☐ At least 1 file renamed with a clear, descriptive name
- ☐ All 3 files moved into appropriate folders
- ☐ At least 1 file starred (visible in Starred section)
Goal: Create a shared Google Doc and collaborate with a classmate in real time.
Create and Share a Google Doc
Work through these steps on your own to create a shared document and experience real-time collaboration.
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Click "+ New" → "Google Docs" → "Blank document"
A new Google Doc will open in a new browser tab
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Click "Untitled document" at the top → rename it "Class Contact List"
Click on the words "Untitled document" in the upper left to highlight and type the new name
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Type a header: "VUB Class Contact List — March 2026"
Type this at the top of the document as a title for the contact list
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Below that, type your name and email address on a new line
Press Enter to start a new line, then type your full name and your Gmail address
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Click the blue "Share" button (top right)
The Share button is in the upper-right corner of the document. Click it to open the sharing settings.
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Type your neighbor's Gmail address → set permission to "Editor" → click "Send"
Ask the person sitting next to you for their Gmail address. Make sure the dropdown says "Editor" so they can type in the document.
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Ask your neighbor to open the shared doc from their "Shared with me" section
Your neighbor should go to Google Drive and click "Shared with me" in the left sidebar to find the document
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Watch as your classmate types their name — you will see their cursor in real time!
Look for a colored cursor with your classmate's name next to it. This is live collaboration happening.
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Both add at least one more line: phone number, favorite hobby, or branch of service
Keep adding information so the contact list has multiple entries from both of you
Tip: Notice the colored cursors? Each person editing gets a different color. This is real-time collaboration — you are both editing the same document at the same time!
Sample Contact List:
| Name | Email | Branch |
|---|
| John Smith | john.smith@gmail.com | Army |
| Mary Johnson | mary.j@gmail.com | Navy |
Checkpoint — Review your work:
- ☐ Google Doc created and renamed "Class Contact List"
- ☐ Document shared with at least one classmate as Editor
- ☐ Both you and your classmate have added your information
- ☐ You can see each other's edits in real time
Goal: Prove you can access your files from any browser — and optionally from your phone.
Access Drive from an Incognito Window
This exercise simulates using a different computer. Work through these steps on your own to prove your files live in the cloud, not on one machine.
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Open a new Incognito/Private window: press Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome
An incognito window opens with a dark theme. This simulates being on a brand-new computer with no saved logins.
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Go to drive.google.com and sign in with your Gmail
Type drive.google.com in the address bar. You will need to enter your email and password since incognito has no saved logins.
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Verify: Can you see all 4 folders? Can you open your starred file?
Check that your VA Documents, Medical Records, Financial, and Personal folders all appear. Click "Starred" to verify your starred file is there.
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Download one file: right-click → "Download" → file saves to your computer
Right-click any file in your Drive and select "Download." The file will save to your Downloads folder.
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Upload your Week 4 Word document or Week 5 Excel budget to the appropriate folder
If you saved your work from previous weeks, upload it now. Click "+ New" → "File upload" and navigate to the file.
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Close the incognito window
Click the X to close the incognito window. Your files are safe in the cloud — they do not disappear when you close the window!
Tip: This proves the point: your files are not trapped on one computer. Any device with internet can access your Google Drive. That is the power of the cloud!
Optional Phone Challenge (If Time Permits)
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Open Chrome on your phone → go to drive.google.com → sign in
Use your phone's web browser to navigate to Google Drive and log in with the same Gmail account
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Can you see your folders? Open the Class Contact List — can you edit from your phone?
Browse your folders and try opening the shared document. Tap on the text to start editing.
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Take a photo with your phone → upload it to your Personal folder directly from mobile
Open the Personal folder, tap the + button, choose "Upload," and select a photo from your camera roll
Checkpoint — Review your work:
- ☐ Accessed Google Drive from an incognito/private window
- ☐ Verified folders and files are visible from a "different computer"
- ☐ Downloaded at least one file successfully
- ☐ (Bonus) Accessed Drive from phone and verified files appear
Workshop Complete!
Outstanding work! You have organized your digital life in the cloud. Here is what you accomplished today:
- Created 4 color-coded folders to organize your cloud storage
- Uploaded, renamed, starred, and organized files in Google Drive
- Created a shared Google Doc and collaborated in real time
- Proved you can access your files from any device or browser
- Downloaded files from the cloud to your computer
This Week's Challenge: Upload 5 important documents from your computer to Google Drive this week. Put each one in the right folder. Create a Google Doc grocery list on your computer and check that you can see it on your phone!