My Favorite Chrome Extensions for the Week - October 27th

Here are my Chrome Extensions for the week. I hope you enjoy!

#1 Check Plus for Google Calendar
Type: Productivity
Summary: This extension allows you to see all of your upcoming Google Calendar events, receive notifications and snooze events from any open window/tab. 



#2 Clipular
Type: Productivity
Summary: Capture a region or the entire webpage with this extension. Allows you to bookmark the image or save in your Drive. Easily create an account with your Google login. 


#3 Cite This For Me
Type: Productivity
Summary: Automatically create a citation (APA, MLS, Chicago, or Harvard) from any webpage.


#4 Hangouts
Type: Social & Communication
Summary: This extension will keep Google Hangouts open when you are logged into your computer. 

My Favorite Chrome Extensions for the Week - October 13th

I am just amazed at how many awesome Chrome extensions there are out there. I could spend all day finding new ones to use! This week I picked ones that focus on productivity.



#1 PowerSwitch
Type: Productivity
Summary: If you are a tab hoarder like me then you are going to LOVE this extension. No longer do you have to waste time trying to remember which tab is what. Simply hit Control (PC) / Command (Mac) + K and it will give you a list of all the open tabs. Click on the tab you want and it instantly takes you there. Amazing!!




#2 Window Tiler
TypeProductivity
Summary: So maybe you aren't a tab hoarder and instead a window hoarder. If that is the case, then this is the extension for you. It will take all of your open windows and tile them so you can see them all at once. This is an awesome extension for taking notes while reviewing something.




#3 Announcify
TypeProductivity
Summary: Last week I recommended Speak It. This is another great for the struggling readers or those who simply want to listen to an article. The extension converts web articles into speech, opens them in a new tab, and reads without having to select any text. The key feature is that it blurs out the text that is not being read, making it easy to track while listening. Options for the extension include adjusting speech volume, pitch, and rate.



#4 Stay Focusd
TypeProductivity
Summary: It will help you stay focused on your work by blocking sites that you find yourself "wasting time" on. You set which sites you want to be blocked and the amount of time you are allowed on the site per day. Once you reach the time allotted it will block that site for you the rest of the day. This could be a parents dream! 



If you are new to Chrome or want to learn more, click here to see some of the great things Chrome allows you to do. Missed out on my other recommendations, click here and you can see all 44 that I have promoted to date. Happy Chroming (yeah, I just made up that word)! 



Google Classroom Helpful Tips and Integration Ideas

I am so excited that Google Classroom is starting to take off in my district. It is such an easy tool to use and it's free! Who does not love free tools!

I get questions about Classroom almost on a daily basis. I have compiled some helpful tips and integration ideas in this Google presentation. I will add more tips and ideas as they surface. Some of the ideas are my own (not that anyone else hasn't thought of it) and some I have gotten from other people (which is noted). 

Here are a few things included:

  • Using a capacity matrix to guide students
  • Numbering assignments
  • Grading with zero or one
  • Class discussion ideas
  • Sharing resources
  • And more...
Hope you enjoy!




Chrome Extensions of the Week - October 6th

Here are my Chrome Extension picks for the week. Google Dictionary, Hide YouTube Comments and Quick Add are extensions that I have turned on all of the time. I only turn on SpeakIt when I have a need for that particular extension. When you have over 100 extensions, like I do, you have to turn extensions on and off as needed.

Click on the image to access the drawing.


#1 Google Dictionary
Type: Search Tools
Summary: I love this extension! This extension allows me to quick find a definition by double-clicking on a word. It will even pronounce the word for me. This is a must have for anyone!!!

#2 Hide YouTube Comments
Type: Productivity
Summary: I am not a fan of the comments people leave on YouTube. It seems most comments are negative and hateful and really don't serve any true purpose. This extension will block the comments for you, so you don't have to be bothered with them. 

#3 Quick Add! Create Quick Calendar Events
Type: Productivity
Summary: Quickly add an event to your Google Calendar from any open tab. 


#3 SpeakIt
Type: Productivity
Summary: SpeakIt is a great reading extension. Highlight text from a website and SpeakIt will read the text to you. This is a wonderful extension for struggling readers or anyone who wants to have text read to them. 


If you are new to Chrome or want to learn more, click here to see some of the great things Chrome allows you to do.