Tech Drop...
So this is a story all about how my tech got flipped turned upside down and I'd like to take a minute just sit right there I'll tell you how I became the...
So much info...so little time...
start
Due to time constraints, this PD is more about exposure than training. You can't use a tool you've never heard of, so the goal is to try to share as much as possible. Hopefully, you will find a new resource you can use. Relevant links and video tutorials are provided on the slides for you to revisit whenever you need (just click the buttons). The entire presentation will be posted both to the Summer PD Trainings site and the DCS Tech Hub under "Training Presentations".
Major Categories
FYIs
Google Goodies
AI
Add-ons & Extensions
Creativity
Resources
Instruction
01
For Your Information
Just some fyis...
01
Sync Your Google
This is how you tell the browser which Organizational Unit you are part of (staff not student)
Need THIS
Not Just This
Make sure sync is on...if not, turn on sync
If you're on another device, remove your profile to ensure security.
02
Go Directly to My Drive
The new default for Google Drive is to take you to "Home" which is sort of a landing page. Instead, you can change the settings to open directly to "My Drive" so you're not struggling to find your files.
Go to "Settings" in the top right corner of Drive.
Change the "Start Page" from "Home" to "My Drive"
This will take you here instead...
03
Browser Tools
There are tools built right in to your Google Browser! Some are available when you right click...
Translate the page
Create a shortcut for your desktop
Create a QR Code for the page
04
Bookmarks
There are ways to organize and launch your bookmarks!
You can create a folder and launch all the websites you need in that folder with one click
Right click the white space in the bookmarks bar and click "Add Folder"
02
Google Goodies
It was right there all along...
01
Translator Tools
Several options...1. Use the tools in the Browser we talked about before. 2. Check the "tools" menu in Google Docs. Look for "Translate Document". 3. For PDFs in Drive, Gemini (AI) is now integrated, so you can have it translate it and export to a doc to attach to a PDF.
Prompt: Extract the text from this PDF and translate it into Spanish (or another language)
When it is finished translating, scroll to the bottom and click "Export to Docs"
02
Remove BG in Slides
You can now remove the background from an image directly in Google Slides!
Should be next to crop but will only show up when the image is clicked or selected
02
Record in Slides
You can now record directly in Google Slides! This could be really useful if creating instructional videos.
Look for the circular icon on the far right menu
03
Force a Copy or PDF
Sending a Google File to someone? You can send the share link so that it forces the receiver to make a copy (great for student assignments) OR force it to download as a PDF so that the person can't make changes.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t-utAKHIWhNDbzyLyL0n4yWqY7FzmZwobbRihRMxYCs/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t-utAKHIWhNDbzyLyL0n4yWqY7FzmZwobbRihRMxYCs/copy
Change everything after the final slash to "copy" to force copy (Make sure the share settings are set to "Anyone with the link can "Edit" if they will need to edit their copy)
Change everything after the final slash to "export?format=pdf" to force the file to download as a pdf
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t-utAKHIWhNDbzyLyL0n4yWqY7FzmZwobbRihRMxYCs/export?format=pdf
This will keep you from making changes and then having to repost as a pdf somewhere
04
Freeze Rows or Cells in Sheets
Scrolling on a spreadsheet can get tricky if you can't see the row or column headers. Here's how to freeze them so that they can still be seen when scrolling.
05
Find and Find and Replace
Something spelled wrong? Need to find a word or name quickly? Use the Find keyboard strok and then its tools!
Works to find words or phrases on websites, too
03
Artificial intelligence
Make life easier
01
Brisk Teaching
THE extension to have for ALL things AI. It integrates perfectly with Google Workspace and has a ton of tools to help make teaching easier. Upgrade to Brisk Educator Pro to unlock all the features ($100/year).
How to create a student Boost Activity
Your happy helper in the corner
02
Curipod
Have Curipod create an INTERACTIVE presentation or "Curify" your existing presentations. Have AI generate individualized feedback based on the students' responses in real time.
Be patient...even genius takes time
03
MagicSchool
There are certain features you CAN and CANNOT use with students due to the policy about Generative AI...but a cool one is...
Create the activity, Save to a Room, share the room with students.
04
Grouper
Have AI create groups quickly and easily with Grouper! Pull your kids in from Google Classroom.
IMPORTANT...REMOVE Last Names from data before uploading
05
Snorkl
Students record their verbal responses to assignments, which are then transcribed and analyzed by Snorkl's AI for feedback and grading. Snorkl is great for interactivity and has a lot of premade options to choose from!
06
Goblin Tools
Goblin Tools has free built-in tools to help students/teachers with executive functioning. For example, Magic ToDo lets users enter a task and adjust the "spiciness level" to break it down into parts. Once the task is broken down, users can further simplify any subtasks if necessary and check off completed task. There are several tools that could help students with daily life.
07
Question Well
AI has exploded, so there are TONS of tools out there to create assessments for students. Question Well lets you export your questions to MANY different gaming and assessment platforms.
Disclaimer for Math and Science...
Still haven't found an AI resource that will create math or science worksheets consistently or accurately with pictorial representations or models, but AI is constantly evolving, so fingers crossed...this was my latest test run with ChatGPT:
08
Google Vids
Google Vids will create videos for you in several different ways, including generating with AI. You can also upload a transcript and have it create based on the transcript.
09
Google Gemini Integration
Google has begun integrating Gemini into its other programs, so you can use it within Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc..Look for the Gemini icon beside the Share Button to activate. Gemini is also in your apps waffle.
04
One Click Wonders
Add-ons & Extensions
01
Page Marker Extension
Free extension that allows you to annotate (write) over the top of MOST websites. Just click the button to launch the tools.
02
Autocrat
MY FAVORITE...Easy and highly versatile mail merge add-on for Google Sheets. Make something like a certificate in Canva and then put it in Slides and mail merge with Autocrat.
Quick tutorial of how it works...
03
Mote Extension
Add Read-alouds, voiceovers, and audio notes to Google Programs (like Forms, Slides, and Docs) easily! You can also create voice notes for any website or application directly from our Chrome extension menu - simply click on the browser icon to access the 'Motepad' recorder.
04
Extensity
Allows you to quickly and easily turn off and on your extensions (they run in the background if not turned off) to make Chrome startup faster.
05
Magnifying Glass
Enables you to magnify a portion of a webpage with the click of a button.
06
Form Printer by Alice Keeler
Ever try to print a Google Form? This simple form extension converts the form to a Google Doc for easy printing.
07
Photo to Slides Add-on
This Slides Add-on let's you select photos (must be in a common folder) from Drive to quickly create a Slides presentation with each photo on a separate slide. No more inserting them one by one...
08
Save to Google Drive
Save web content or screen capture directly to Google Drive. Right click and save.
* Adds a browser action to save the current page.
* Adds a right-click context menu to save hyperlinks and media.
* Configurable through an options page.
* Save a PDF of the current page via the Chrome Print menu
09
The QR Code Extension
Create a QR Code SO EASILY! It is already installed when you are logged into Google.
Click "Edit QR Code" to save it or take a screenshot.
Another, super easy option...simply right click...
05
Creativity
Make it pretty. Make it fun.
Canva
01
Posters
Cards
Notes
Canva is template heaven. There are thousands of templates to help you create any design project that you can imagine. The interface is very user-friendly, and you can find a wide variety of tutorials if you need assistance. And...best of all...it's free for teachers! Get a Canva account and never design something from scratch again!
Site Headers
Worksheets
Presentations
Signature images
Newsletters
certificates
02
Posters
Canva and Google Classroom
You can find a project template you like and assign it to your students in Google Classroom. They click "Edit Template" and complete the project.
03
Posters
Canva Code
Have Canva Code create an interactive game or activity for your students!
04
It was used to make this presentation!
Genial.ly
Genially or Genially is another amazing wealth of templates. However, it focuses on animation and interactivity in its projects. It's presentation, game, and escape game templates are next-level and will definitely grab students' attention. It is less user-friendly than Canva and only 1/2 the templates are free, but there are plenty of tutorials to be found and even the free templates are incredible.
05
Removebg
Ever been working on a project and want to easily remove the background? Visit Remove.bg, easily upload the photo, and let the site do the hard work for you. It's so much better than using something like Google Slide's image editor. And it's FREE!
06
Song & Image Generators
There are a TON available now. Here are recommended ones from Ditch That Textbook:
06
Resources
Cool Tools for your toolbox
01
Flippity
Flippity is a free site where a fellow teacher has posted a wide variety of templates for teachers to use to create activities for their students. Pick and choose what you need, and follow the directions.
02
LiceCap (Horrible Name, Great Tool)
This free software lets you create your own screenshot gifs to quickly and easily show students what to do (and it will loop over and over). Click "Record" and it will ask you to select a file location to save to and then immediately start recording your screen.
* NOTE: You can change the frame size to capture as little or as much as you like.
03
Gihosoft Tubeget
This freemium software allows you to download Youtube videos to save in Google Drive, edit in WeVideo, or save to a USB drive to ensure you always have access.
* NOTE: You do not have to have an activation key to use this! Just X out of the popup each time.
04
Audio Recording
Both of these are free and great for creating audio recordings and getting them into Google Drive so that you can insert them into other creations (like Slides, videos, etc).
Website to Record and Save From
Iphone or Android App
05
PDF Candy
Kami can edit PDFs, but it ain't got nothin on PDF Candy. You can use this site or extension to easily manipulate a PDF to suit your needs. It's free, but the free version limits you to one edit per hour. There is also a desktop version you can download.
06
Classroom Screen
Teachers can load tools (widgets) onto a whiteboard to help with classroom management and instruction. Save your screens with the paid version.
07
Instruction
Some programs you might not have heard of...
Science
Math
History
ELA
SPED
These programs and more can be found on the DCS Tech Hub under each content category by going to "Resources" then "Tech for Instruction" and then "Resources by Subjects"
SCIENCE STUFF
MW currently only works in Firefox or MS Edge Browsers (not Chrome)
Over 2000 FREE math & science curriculum aligned games and lesson plans to make your instruction sing. You will delight your class while being able to track progress and troubleshoot areas that may need more attention.
ELA STUFF
MATH STUFF
CanFigureIt Geometry is a free platform for students to work through geometric proofs using guided instructions or on their own. Students can work forward from the provided information (called "Gifts") or backward from the goal in a step-by-step method. CanFigureIt gives students a number of different options, from typing in choices to clicking on the image provided to selecting from various preset theorems available to them. Handy hints are provided when a student gets stuck, and a great full-screen pop-up congratulates students when they arrive at the final proof.
The creators of Skew The Script were tired of numeric procedures and contrived word problems. More importantly, they were tired of seeing the script play out as written: that students would learn math but fail to learn the mathematical reasoning needed to make sense of their world. So, they “skewed the script.” Skew the Script uses real data from hot topics to make math relevant and provides free, easy-to-access curriculum supplements to spice up algebra and statistics courses.
Unleash your creativity with the world’s best manipulatives, including those for advanced and upper level math! Mathigon’s Polypad has free tools, courses, and manipulatives to make learning more interactive and engaging than ever before. The polypad itself acts as a whiteboard that you can then drag and incorporate a wide range of visuals and manipulatives into from the sidebar. Engage in problem-solving, explore patterns and collaborate with others.
History STUFF
Don't forget about the tech hub...
Special Education & SEL
There are many resources specific to special education and social emotional learning on the tech hub. They are found under "Resources" then "Tech for Instruction" and then "Tech for SPED"
More will be added as they are discovered!
KAMI for Read-alouds
Creates the Google Classroom Assignment
Right click a file in Drive and select "Open With" then "Annotate with Kami". You can assign it to all or specific students in Google Classroom so they can use the read-aloud tool. Easy peasy.
If it is a PDF and having trouble reading...
HUGE for when you don't have someone to read
Comment Tools: Students can answer with voice to text, voice only, screen recordings, and camera.
Read-aloud tool...can adjust the speed and the voice to make it sound less robotic
Thanks for coming!
For More Information contact: Lori Buhler lbuhler@dcstn.org
Make sure you've signed in!
Tech Drop...Mic Drop
Lori Buhler
Created on July 22, 2025
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Transcript
Tech Drop...
So this is a story all about how my tech got flipped turned upside down and I'd like to take a minute just sit right there I'll tell you how I became the...
So much info...so little time...
start
Due to time constraints, this PD is more about exposure than training. You can't use a tool you've never heard of, so the goal is to try to share as much as possible. Hopefully, you will find a new resource you can use. Relevant links and video tutorials are provided on the slides for you to revisit whenever you need (just click the buttons). The entire presentation will be posted both to the Summer PD Trainings site and the DCS Tech Hub under "Training Presentations".
Major Categories
FYIs
Google Goodies
AI
Add-ons & Extensions
Creativity
Resources
Instruction
01
For Your Information
Just some fyis...
01
Sync Your Google
This is how you tell the browser which Organizational Unit you are part of (staff not student)
Need THIS
Not Just This
Make sure sync is on...if not, turn on sync
If you're on another device, remove your profile to ensure security.
02
Go Directly to My Drive
The new default for Google Drive is to take you to "Home" which is sort of a landing page. Instead, you can change the settings to open directly to "My Drive" so you're not struggling to find your files.
Go to "Settings" in the top right corner of Drive.
Change the "Start Page" from "Home" to "My Drive"
This will take you here instead...
03
Browser Tools
There are tools built right in to your Google Browser! Some are available when you right click...
Translate the page
Create a shortcut for your desktop
Create a QR Code for the page
04
Bookmarks
There are ways to organize and launch your bookmarks!
You can create a folder and launch all the websites you need in that folder with one click
Right click the white space in the bookmarks bar and click "Add Folder"
02
Google Goodies
It was right there all along...
01
Translator Tools
Several options...1. Use the tools in the Browser we talked about before. 2. Check the "tools" menu in Google Docs. Look for "Translate Document". 3. For PDFs in Drive, Gemini (AI) is now integrated, so you can have it translate it and export to a doc to attach to a PDF.
Prompt: Extract the text from this PDF and translate it into Spanish (or another language)
When it is finished translating, scroll to the bottom and click "Export to Docs"
02
Remove BG in Slides
You can now remove the background from an image directly in Google Slides!
Should be next to crop but will only show up when the image is clicked or selected
02
Record in Slides
You can now record directly in Google Slides! This could be really useful if creating instructional videos.
Look for the circular icon on the far right menu
03
Force a Copy or PDF
Sending a Google File to someone? You can send the share link so that it forces the receiver to make a copy (great for student assignments) OR force it to download as a PDF so that the person can't make changes.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t-utAKHIWhNDbzyLyL0n4yWqY7FzmZwobbRihRMxYCs/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t-utAKHIWhNDbzyLyL0n4yWqY7FzmZwobbRihRMxYCs/copy
Change everything after the final slash to "copy" to force copy (Make sure the share settings are set to "Anyone with the link can "Edit" if they will need to edit their copy)
Change everything after the final slash to "export?format=pdf" to force the file to download as a pdf
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t-utAKHIWhNDbzyLyL0n4yWqY7FzmZwobbRihRMxYCs/export?format=pdf
This will keep you from making changes and then having to repost as a pdf somewhere
04
Freeze Rows or Cells in Sheets
Scrolling on a spreadsheet can get tricky if you can't see the row or column headers. Here's how to freeze them so that they can still be seen when scrolling.
05
Find and Find and Replace
Something spelled wrong? Need to find a word or name quickly? Use the Find keyboard strok and then its tools!
Works to find words or phrases on websites, too
03
Artificial intelligence
Make life easier
01
Brisk Teaching
THE extension to have for ALL things AI. It integrates perfectly with Google Workspace and has a ton of tools to help make teaching easier. Upgrade to Brisk Educator Pro to unlock all the features ($100/year).
How to create a student Boost Activity
Your happy helper in the corner
02
Curipod
Have Curipod create an INTERACTIVE presentation or "Curify" your existing presentations. Have AI generate individualized feedback based on the students' responses in real time.
Be patient...even genius takes time
03
MagicSchool
There are certain features you CAN and CANNOT use with students due to the policy about Generative AI...but a cool one is...
Create the activity, Save to a Room, share the room with students.
04
Grouper
Have AI create groups quickly and easily with Grouper! Pull your kids in from Google Classroom.
IMPORTANT...REMOVE Last Names from data before uploading
05
Snorkl
Students record their verbal responses to assignments, which are then transcribed and analyzed by Snorkl's AI for feedback and grading. Snorkl is great for interactivity and has a lot of premade options to choose from!
06
Goblin Tools
Goblin Tools has free built-in tools to help students/teachers with executive functioning. For example, Magic ToDo lets users enter a task and adjust the "spiciness level" to break it down into parts. Once the task is broken down, users can further simplify any subtasks if necessary and check off completed task. There are several tools that could help students with daily life.
07
Question Well
AI has exploded, so there are TONS of tools out there to create assessments for students. Question Well lets you export your questions to MANY different gaming and assessment platforms.
Disclaimer for Math and Science...
Still haven't found an AI resource that will create math or science worksheets consistently or accurately with pictorial representations or models, but AI is constantly evolving, so fingers crossed...this was my latest test run with ChatGPT:
08
Google Vids
Google Vids will create videos for you in several different ways, including generating with AI. You can also upload a transcript and have it create based on the transcript.
09
Google Gemini Integration
Google has begun integrating Gemini into its other programs, so you can use it within Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc..Look for the Gemini icon beside the Share Button to activate. Gemini is also in your apps waffle.
04
One Click Wonders
Add-ons & Extensions
01
Page Marker Extension
Free extension that allows you to annotate (write) over the top of MOST websites. Just click the button to launch the tools.
02
Autocrat
MY FAVORITE...Easy and highly versatile mail merge add-on for Google Sheets. Make something like a certificate in Canva and then put it in Slides and mail merge with Autocrat.
Quick tutorial of how it works...
03
Mote Extension
Add Read-alouds, voiceovers, and audio notes to Google Programs (like Forms, Slides, and Docs) easily! You can also create voice notes for any website or application directly from our Chrome extension menu - simply click on the browser icon to access the 'Motepad' recorder.
04
Extensity
Allows you to quickly and easily turn off and on your extensions (they run in the background if not turned off) to make Chrome startup faster.
05
Magnifying Glass
Enables you to magnify a portion of a webpage with the click of a button.
06
Form Printer by Alice Keeler
Ever try to print a Google Form? This simple form extension converts the form to a Google Doc for easy printing.
07
Photo to Slides Add-on
This Slides Add-on let's you select photos (must be in a common folder) from Drive to quickly create a Slides presentation with each photo on a separate slide. No more inserting them one by one...
08
Save to Google Drive
Save web content or screen capture directly to Google Drive. Right click and save.
* Adds a browser action to save the current page. * Adds a right-click context menu to save hyperlinks and media. * Configurable through an options page. * Save a PDF of the current page via the Chrome Print menu
09
The QR Code Extension
Create a QR Code SO EASILY! It is already installed when you are logged into Google.
Click "Edit QR Code" to save it or take a screenshot.
Another, super easy option...simply right click...
05
Creativity
Make it pretty. Make it fun.
Canva
01
Posters
Cards
Notes
Canva is template heaven. There are thousands of templates to help you create any design project that you can imagine. The interface is very user-friendly, and you can find a wide variety of tutorials if you need assistance. And...best of all...it's free for teachers! Get a Canva account and never design something from scratch again!
Site Headers
Worksheets
Presentations
Signature images
Newsletters
certificates
02
Posters
Canva and Google Classroom
You can find a project template you like and assign it to your students in Google Classroom. They click "Edit Template" and complete the project.
03
Posters
Canva Code
Have Canva Code create an interactive game or activity for your students!
04
It was used to make this presentation!
Genial.ly
Genially or Genially is another amazing wealth of templates. However, it focuses on animation and interactivity in its projects. It's presentation, game, and escape game templates are next-level and will definitely grab students' attention. It is less user-friendly than Canva and only 1/2 the templates are free, but there are plenty of tutorials to be found and even the free templates are incredible.
05
Removebg
Ever been working on a project and want to easily remove the background? Visit Remove.bg, easily upload the photo, and let the site do the hard work for you. It's so much better than using something like Google Slide's image editor. And it's FREE!
06
Song & Image Generators
There are a TON available now. Here are recommended ones from Ditch That Textbook:
06
Resources
Cool Tools for your toolbox
01
Flippity
Flippity is a free site where a fellow teacher has posted a wide variety of templates for teachers to use to create activities for their students. Pick and choose what you need, and follow the directions.
02
LiceCap (Horrible Name, Great Tool)
This free software lets you create your own screenshot gifs to quickly and easily show students what to do (and it will loop over and over). Click "Record" and it will ask you to select a file location to save to and then immediately start recording your screen.
* NOTE: You can change the frame size to capture as little or as much as you like.
03
Gihosoft Tubeget
This freemium software allows you to download Youtube videos to save in Google Drive, edit in WeVideo, or save to a USB drive to ensure you always have access.
* NOTE: You do not have to have an activation key to use this! Just X out of the popup each time.
04
Audio Recording
Both of these are free and great for creating audio recordings and getting them into Google Drive so that you can insert them into other creations (like Slides, videos, etc).
Website to Record and Save From
Iphone or Android App
05
PDF Candy
Kami can edit PDFs, but it ain't got nothin on PDF Candy. You can use this site or extension to easily manipulate a PDF to suit your needs. It's free, but the free version limits you to one edit per hour. There is also a desktop version you can download.
06
Classroom Screen
Teachers can load tools (widgets) onto a whiteboard to help with classroom management and instruction. Save your screens with the paid version.
07
Instruction
Some programs you might not have heard of...
Science
Math
History
ELA
SPED
These programs and more can be found on the DCS Tech Hub under each content category by going to "Resources" then "Tech for Instruction" and then "Resources by Subjects"
SCIENCE STUFF
MW currently only works in Firefox or MS Edge Browsers (not Chrome)
Over 2000 FREE math & science curriculum aligned games and lesson plans to make your instruction sing. You will delight your class while being able to track progress and troubleshoot areas that may need more attention.
ELA STUFF
MATH STUFF
CanFigureIt Geometry is a free platform for students to work through geometric proofs using guided instructions or on their own. Students can work forward from the provided information (called "Gifts") or backward from the goal in a step-by-step method. CanFigureIt gives students a number of different options, from typing in choices to clicking on the image provided to selecting from various preset theorems available to them. Handy hints are provided when a student gets stuck, and a great full-screen pop-up congratulates students when they arrive at the final proof.
The creators of Skew The Script were tired of numeric procedures and contrived word problems. More importantly, they were tired of seeing the script play out as written: that students would learn math but fail to learn the mathematical reasoning needed to make sense of their world. So, they “skewed the script.” Skew the Script uses real data from hot topics to make math relevant and provides free, easy-to-access curriculum supplements to spice up algebra and statistics courses.
Unleash your creativity with the world’s best manipulatives, including those for advanced and upper level math! Mathigon’s Polypad has free tools, courses, and manipulatives to make learning more interactive and engaging than ever before. The polypad itself acts as a whiteboard that you can then drag and incorporate a wide range of visuals and manipulatives into from the sidebar. Engage in problem-solving, explore patterns and collaborate with others.
History STUFF
Don't forget about the tech hub...
Special Education & SEL
There are many resources specific to special education and social emotional learning on the tech hub. They are found under "Resources" then "Tech for Instruction" and then "Tech for SPED"
More will be added as they are discovered!
KAMI for Read-alouds
Creates the Google Classroom Assignment
Right click a file in Drive and select "Open With" then "Annotate with Kami". You can assign it to all or specific students in Google Classroom so they can use the read-aloud tool. Easy peasy.
If it is a PDF and having trouble reading...
HUGE for when you don't have someone to read
Comment Tools: Students can answer with voice to text, voice only, screen recordings, and camera.
Read-aloud tool...can adjust the speed and the voice to make it sound less robotic
Thanks for coming!
For More Information contact: Lori Buhler lbuhler@dcstn.org
Make sure you've signed in!