Google Slides

Updated info about “Remote for Slides” Chrome extension

This post has been updated (12-14-17) because the developer of this extension has addressed some issues and released an update. More updates are in the works. Thank you, Henry Lim (@henrylim96 on Twitter). 

 

Remote for SlidesRemote for Slides (note the name change from version 1) is a great little extension and quite handy. It lets a presenter use any internet-connected device (phone, tablet, another computer) to advance slides on a Google Slide deck AND see their presenter notes without having to be on the same WIFI SSID.

The presenter has to have the extension installed in order to get a 6-digit code after going to a presenter URL.

There are several problems of which to be aware (some have been addressed and others have fixes coming).

(I am speaking more from the viewpoint of a teacher in a classroom of students. Yes, I hope the teacher is not boring their kids with a big deck of advancing slides and an old lecture format.)

ONE problem is that you DO NOT need to have to be signed into that Google account (the one doing the presenting) in order to make use of the 6-digit code. Originally, the 6-digit code displayed by default which would allow anyone in the audience to also see it and possibly take control. Now the 6-digit code is hidden by default. Just click on the SHOW ID icon and you get to see the code for about a second. You will want to do this BEFORE to start projecting.

6 digit code is hidden now
I haven’t checked yet to see if it is still possible to have two (or possibly more) controllers in possession of the deck at one time! If it is, Henry is aware and is working on a fix. 

Also, the second problem I originally mentioned will also be fixed when the person controlling the presentation has to be signed into their account.

Also, you no longer have to change the URL to activate the controller mode. A handy, dandy button is provided!

Click to use the remote
So – If you have been giving the Remote for Google Slides a try and it has been acting wonky, it may be that a person in the room has also connected to it and is controlling it.

A SECOND problem is that the URL that is used to control the slide show doesn’t change. As such, it is possible to “control” the deck even when it is not in presentation mode. Give it a try – go to this URL to control my little demo slide deck.

NOT ONLY THAT – Simply by clicking the icon in the upper-right corner of the controller, the presentation hijacker can also view all your presenter notes!

A fix for these issues might be tying it to a Google account and require the presenter to sign into their Google account to control it. Another fix may be to allow only ONE instance of a connected controller.

Hopefully, these design issues will get worked out.

In the meantime, keep that 6-digit code secret!

Thank you, Henry!

 

Fake Facebook Page

There are a number of services out these that allow students to simulate what historical figures or literary characters might post on social media. A popular one is Fakebook. However, we wanted to manage this assignment using Google Classroom. While we did come across some Google Slide templates using the simulated Facebook layout, I just couldn’t find one that incorporated the more recent updates to the look. So, I made one. As always, I am sharing freely.

Here is a short URL to make a copy of the three-page template. Page one is a blank slide that uses the fake Facebook layout as the background of the slide. This makes it easier for the student to add images and text boxes without accidentally moving elements of the layout around.

https://bit.ly/fakefacebooktemplate

Want to peek at it first? Here is the original Slides file.

 

If you find this helpful, I would love to have you post a comment below.

 

100th Day Ideas: #GAFE, #BreakoutEDU, #STEM

100We are nearing the 100th day of this school year. When I taught in a high school, that momentous date would pass without much recognition. Now that I am in an elementary school environment, I know it is not only celebrated but used as a special day of teachable moments. Here are a handful of ideas that you may consider giving a try this year.

100s Grid in Google Sheets:

100s-gridUse this shared Google Sheet file as a starting point (you can make your own copy by using THIS link). You could share the file with students through Google Classroom so each could have their own copy OR you could even do an analog version by printing it out. If you print it out, I suggest printing a screenshot of the grid and be sure to include the column and row headers so students can practice naming spreadsheet cells.

The Google Sheet file includes a few tabs with ideas.

algorithm-2Have students draw a number by coloring in the background of certain cells. If the student chose to draw a “2”, then have them identify which cells someone else would have to color in in order to draw the same “2”. Then, have them give that algorithm to another student and see if they can recreate their number.

This could also be done with letters. As an example, the sample spreadsheet uses the letter “C” (100 in Roman numerals). Students could also take a more artistic approach by making a heart (think Valentine’s Day), a smiley face, a flower, a Minecraft character. You get the idea.

As an alternative, students could be given the algorithm first and as they complete the steps, they see the object appear.

breakouteduA possible tie-in to BreakoutEDU: Give a grid to four groups of students along with the algorithm to draw a number. Then, those four numbers could be used to unlock a four-number combination lock.

 

Melting with 100s:

I saw an idea on Education World and am building on it. “Ask kids to measure the amount of water in 100 melted ice cubes.”

iceThey certainly could do that and use a Google Form to enter data into a Google Sheet. They could then create graphs to explain the data, especially over time. They could also gather ambient temperature data (in Fahrenheit and Celsius) and include those in the data set.

An alternative might be to include the 100s concept in the formation of the ice cubes. Maybe make a container 100 cm square and have the water drain off into another container. How much ice do they start with and how much ends up in the other container? Why don’t the two add up to what we started with?

Maybe have different kinds of ice cubes. Some just water. Some with water and additives. Would adding food coloring to water change the rate of melting? What about other substances?

I’m not a science teacher (I was a band director back before I dove into EdTech) but I can see lots of possible connections to science and math that you curriculum experts could expand upon.

 

Opinion Survey:

Have your class (or small groups of students) develop an opinion survey using Google Forms. Have them collect answers from 100 people and then analyze the data. They could share their findings by making a video, animation, or narrated screen recording.

 

100 Cards for Elders or Service Members:

card-sample
Another idea inspired by Education World. “Help children send 100 cards to a local nursing home.” This would also be good for sending to soldiers, local police officers, or firemen.

How about giving students a Google Slide template (or Google Drawing) of a greeting card cover. Students could use the various drawing tools to design the front of the card. Print them off in color and have student fold them and write a thoughtful message inside.

I threw together a sample using Google Translate to find ways of saying “Thank you” in different languages. It gives a chance to use Google Slides, Google Translate, Google Fonts, and a variety of text formatting tools.

 

Ratios and Fractions:

Yet another idea inspired by Education World.  “Have kids count 10×10 Jelly Beans.”

I have seen the M&M (or Skittles or jelly beans) ratio/fractions lesson done many times and in many variations. Add a 100 day twist and gather the data for the whole class into one Google Form. Then create graphs to explore the data.

 

A Maker Twist:

And yet another idea inspired by Education World.  “Collect 100 buttons, and have kids categorize them according to shape, size, number of holes, etc.”

Maybe after they collect the objects, have them collect the data about categories in a Google Form for easy analysis. But then, make something with the buttons. Glue them to a piece of cardboard and paint them. Throw in some LED lights with a battery taped to the back of the cardboard. Or maybe use a Makey Makey and make some kind of controller using the buttons.

 

tickleSphero or Dash Take a Tour of the School:

Have students use Tynker or Tickle to code a Sphero or Dash to take a tour of the school in 100 blocks of code. Give a starting and an ending point and let students choose where to visit. Have them write about their tour and explain why they chose those stops. Video students running their code and let them read their essay over the video.

 

What do you think?

Do you have any special activities you do with your students (or teachers)? I would love to hear about them so share a comment below!

 

 

Create Pseudo Slides from Google Form Submissions

Have you ever wanted to trigger a script on a Google Sheet of Google Form responses that would create a Google Slide containing the submitted information? Try this.

I recently shared a hack that made Google Slides act as a pseudo Google Doc so YouTube videos could be embedded. This post gives Google Docs the chance to fill a need not available in Google Slides – the creation of a new “slide” using autoCrat after a Google Form submission is received.

Let’s say I have a Google Form (inspired by Tom Barrett’s Interesting Ways series) that I ask my PLN use to crowdsource interesting ways to use Google Docs in the classroom. That form currently looks something like this (feel free to make a submission):


 

I would love to be able to trigger a script on the Google Sheet of form responses that would create a Google Slide containing the submitted information. Ideally, it would be a slide appended to an already existing Google Slide presentation. Unfortunately, that is not currently possible.

Yes, I know I could follow the same process Tom did by just making the actual Google Slides file freely editable by anyone but I’d rather have a bit more control and avoid digital vandalism.

Here is my hacked workflow.

When someone submits the Google Form above, the information is sent to a Google Sheet. I could have chosen to have autoCrat run on submission but, dreading spammy submissions, I am going to run the script manually after I review submissions. When I do run the merge script, autoCrat uses this Google Doc (see screenshot below) as the template for the merge. It has been formatted to look like a Google Slide (explained later in this post).

pseudo slide screenshot
 

The resulting autoCrat merge looks like this:

merged slide
 

If a URL to an image is provided in the submitted data, I will probably grab that image and slip it into the document but, for now, that’s the only way an image will get in.

Here is a comparison of what a similar Google Slide would like.

Compare Doc and Slide
 

It’s not perfect but it helps.

FYI: The Google Doc is set to a landscape orientation with all four margins decreased to 0.3 inches. I chose the Executive setting for paper size as it most closely resembled the slide size.

Page set up
 

If you are interested, here is an embedded Google Drive folder containing any of the merged documents I have reviewed and published.

 

I expect that, after reviewing, adding images, I will be converting these Docs to PDF so I can combine the PDFs into one document.

What ideas do you have for making this hack more efficient? I would love to hear them! Share in the comments below.

 

 

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