Easily Turn PDFs into a Power Point!

It never fails, I find a resource that I really want to tweak and use in my class, only for it to be a PDF. Usually its the vocabulary slides that I get from our districts science resource. They often include waaaaay to many words, or words that aren't relevant to the unit. So I need them as a power point (ppt) but how do you get them there? I will explain the process for Windows and Mac OSX. But either way its a very simple process that will be a breeze if you have even a basic understanding of Microsoft Office.

1.) Start by opening the PDF you want to convert. Full screen isn't necessary, but you want to be able to see one entire slide at a time.

2.) Open a blank Power Point file.

3.) With the slide you want to copy visible and as large as possible, Grab a screen shot.

        On Windows: Print Screen Key (copies screen to clip board)

        On Mac: Command+Shift+3 (saves screen into file)

                     Command+Shift+Control+3 (copies screen to clip board)

   

         *Note: If the screen is copied to a clip board you can only do one slide at a time. If it is saved to a file you may save all slides then add them to the power point. 

4.) Go to the blank power point slide that you want to insert the screen shot onto. Paste the screen shot thats currently on the clip board.

             On Windows: Control+V

             On Mac: Command+V

          *Note: If you have the screen shots saved to a file you need to Insert>File and select your screen.

5.) Open the picture toolbar and click on the "Crop" option. 

     Use the corners to narrow the screen shot down until only the slide remains.

     Position and size the picture to fill the entire slide.

6.) Add whatever you want on top!

7.) Repeat as many times as needed!

Any other apps, devices or websites you need help incorporating into a certain objective? Or an objective you want to link to technology? Follow and let me know via twitter (@Techno4Teacher) or the contact form on the right!

Your a Jedi! Well, almost.

If you have an Ipad or Android tablet, or a phone with either one, you need to download a power point remote! There are a lot of free options that you can then upgrade to more features if you enjoy it. Most of these products show the slides on the top half of the screen and your notes in the bottom half. I can't count the times that I had a great comment to go with a slide but forgot it when I made it to school. Its handy to be able to walk around the room, control the presentation and still have your notes. I guess you could carry a note pad and clicker…... but why? Set up sounds frightening for the uninitiated, but if you follow the designers instructions exactly its not so bad. They do require the install of software on your computer as well. If you are a heavy power point user then downloading one of these apps will change your life! Plus, if your slick then your students will think you used the Force to change the slide. Just search "power point remote" in your devices app store and get the free one with the best reviews!

Any other apps, devices or websites you need help incorporating into a certain objective? Or an objective you want to link to technology? Follow and let me know via twitter (@Techno4Teacher) or the contact form on the right!

FREE student response system! You already own it!

There are tons of great apps that I have used, but right now I'm crazy about "Socrative". Its basically a FREE student response system, but oh so much more. You can make polls, a premade quiz that is student or teacher paced or just display A,B,C,D and verbalize the question and answers. Its easy and free to create a teacher account at teacher.socrative.com. Once you are registered you receive a room number. Students use the app (android or IOS device) or just go to m.socrative.com in any devices browser. I have even have them use their cell phones! If you have IPads or Ipods available they work great! They put in your room number, which I keep posted on the wall, and see whatever activity you want them to see. You can see live results and when they finish a quiz it gives them the option to send the results to your email for later review. This is a great form of data collection for a formative assessment. I have also used it as a survey to determine how much the students enjoyed a certain activity. There are lots of options that you can get creative with. It even works on regular computers by using the same website. Its a great tool to determine if your kids are getting what you are teaching! And we all love something that works great AND is free at the same time, right?


Check out the "hands on demo" (interactive) here: http://www.socrative.com/

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Any other apps, devices or websites you need help incorporating into a certain objective? Or an objective you want to link to technology? Follow and let me know via twitter (@Techno4Teacher) or the contact form on the right!

Tired of typing in websites for students? Not anymore!

   Ever want your class to browse several web sites and can't do any instruction for cries of "Its not working!" echoing throughout your room? One of my colleagues recently made use of a fantastic online resource called Live Binders.com. We had a grand total of 34 questions that the students were to use 14 different web sites to answer. And I don't know about yours, but my kids can't seem to accurately type AOL much less a long .com with a thousand back slashes. In comes Live Binders. You give them one link, and when they click it it will open a page with all of the web sites that you specified on separate tabs. So they can just click through them! Its so much better and you can actually use your time to do some teaching instead of getting carpal tunnel from typing everything in for them. Here, better for me to show you! The blue tabs at the top of the page are all of the sites I decided to use. I love this resource and use it regularly in my own classroom.

Example: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?present=true&tab_layout=top&id=656046

Any other apps, devices or websites you need help incorporating into a certain objective? Or an objective you want to link to technology? Follow and let me know via twitter (@Techno4Teacher) or the contact form on the right!

Stop pulling out your hair and buy an AIR!

   As a new purchaser of a 4th generation 13" Mac Book Air I thought I would share my thoughts on its use, verses a windows pc, in a classroom. I have been looking at one of these for a long time and finally pulled the trigger, and I am happy I did! Physically its a beautiful machine, the aluminum body makes it light, and its so thin! The key board is comfortable for me to type on and my speed is the same as it is on my expensive (to me) usb keyboard. 
   If you are an OSX fan already then there is no reason for you not to buy one of these. If you're only familiar with windows there will be a learning curve, but nothing a quick google search can't remedy. In reality there isn't much technological advantage to having Mac over Windows if all you do is make Microsoft office documents. If you have an iPhone or iPad then then being able to automatically sync your devices over the cloud is a great feature.
   Also if you teach technology and your school has Macs for student use it can be a great resource for making lessons that will be 100% compatible. These days Mac to Windows (and vice versa) compatibility for documents and files is, pretty much, never a problem. Especially since Microsoft office and apple alternatives are easy to come by on a Mac book. I recently saw a meme that said:

"I'm a PC"

"Im a MAC"

"And if all you do is get on Facebook, then we're the same thing!"

   This is absolutly true. If all you use it for is basic web browsing and office document editing, and the Mac user experience isn't important to you, then save some money and buy a PC. Myself? I wouldn't go back for a million dollars…… well yeah I would. Then I would use some of that money to buy another Mac. 

   In the end all it comes down to which experience you prefer. Go into an apple store or, if you live in the middle of nowhere like me, find a friend with a mac and play with it. Don't spend $1200 that you'll end up not even liking. My opinion is that Apple products are better built and stay relevant longer, due to very little fragmentation of versions and the fact that the hardware and software are made by the same company. But my moneys already spent. Good luck!

Any other apps, devices or websites you need help incorporating into a certain objective? Or an objective you want to link to technology? Follow and let me know via twitter @Techno4Teacher

Can you do charity work while you teach? You can now!

Many of todays youth are used to getting whatever they want, even the luxury of going to school in an air conditioned building is a privilege they take for granted. FreeRice.com is a great way to introduce your kids to the joy of giving, while letting them learn too! This website offers a variety of subject areas, from vocabulary to human anatomy and foreign languages. They display multiple choice questions and for every one you get correct they donate 10 grains of rice to the World Food Program. The more you get right the more difficult they become. I use this as a review method in my classes. I will even have contests to see who can donate the most in one day, my classes have really got behind this, they enjoy the idea of helping hungry children around the world. 10 grains doesn't seem like much, but it only takes about 1000 grains to feed one person for a whole day! Thats only 100 questions! This is a great cost free way to make donations, since the rice is funded by the advertisments on each page. I think it's a great way to get your kids involved in the worldwide issue of hunger and a sneaky way for them to learn! Definitely click over and check it out! You will probably find yourself sitting and answering questions when you do! I did. 

Any other apps, devices or websites you need help incorporating into a certain objective? Or an objective you want to link to technology? Follow and let me know via twitter @Techno4Teacher