Power up your teaching with these 10 Google Slides hacks!

Power up your teaching with these 10 Google Slides hacks!

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Hack #1: Adding Timers to Slides
  3. Hack #2: Adding Music to Slides
  4. Hack #3: Creating a Table of Contents
  5. Hack #4: Adding an Outline to Text
  6. Hack #5: Resizing with Shift Key
  7. Hack #6: Creating a Force Copy Link
  8. Hack #7: Cropping Images to Shapes
  9. Hack #8: Linking to a Specific Slide through Google Keep
  10. Hack #9: Creating Custom Substitutions
  11. Hack #10: Making Slides Available Offline

10 Google Slides Hacks for Teachers

Welcome back to my Channel, where I'll be sharing 10 of the best Google Slides hacks for teachers that will take your slides to the next level. Google Slides is a fantastic tool for teachers as it is free, easy to learn, and can be used in various ways. In this article, we will explore these hacks step by step and learn how to add timers, music, tables of contents, outlines to text, and more to enhance the effectiveness of your slides.

Hack #1: Adding Timers to Slides

One useful feature of Google Slides is the ability to add timers to your slides. This is especially helpful for independent practice or when conducting rotations with your students. You can Create a slide with the assignment details, instructions for finishing early, and a timer video. To add a timer, click on "Insert", then "Video", and search for a timer video on Youtube. You can choose various timers, select the video, and adjust its playback options. Adding timers helps you and your students stay on track and manage time efficiently.

Hack #2: Adding Music to Slides

Another exciting hack is the ability to add music to your slides. You can insert an MP3 file or search for music videos on Youtube and insert them as videos. This is great for creating a mood, background music while students work, or sound effects for specific activities. To add music, click on "Insert", then "Audio" or "Video" and search for the desired music. You can resize and position the music file as needed and even set it to play automatically when the slideshow starts. Adding music adds an engaging element to your slides and enhances the overall learning experience.

Hack #3: Creating a Table of Contents

Creating a table of contents within your slides can save you time and make navigation easier. You can create Clickable links within your slides that directly lead to specific slides. This is beneficial when you have a slideshow with multiple slides, and you want to jump to a particular slide quickly. To create a table of contents, highlight the text you want to link, right-click, and select "Link". Choose the "Slides in this Presentation" option and select the desired slide number. You can also link to websites or other documents within your Google Drive. This feature allows you to structure your slides and provide easy access to specific content.

Hack #4: Adding an Outline to Text

To make your text stand out and add visual appeal, you can add an outline to it. With Google Slides' Word Art feature, you can create custom text with different fonts, fill colors, and outline colors. Click on "Insert", then "WordArt" to create custom text. You can choose from various fonts and Apply fill and outline colors. Additionally, you can adjust the outline thickness and style to match your design preferences. Adding an outline to your text helps emphasize key points and creates a visually appealing presentation.

Hack #5: Resizing with Shift Key

When resizing objects, such as Word Art or images, You can maintain their original proportions by holding down the shift key. This feature ensures that the resized object retains its aspect ratio and does not get distorted. To resize an object while maintaining proportions, click and drag the object's corner while holding down the shift key. This preserves the visual integrity of the object and helps maintain a professional look in your slides.

Hack #6: Creating a Force Copy Link

If you want to share your slides with others but ensure that they make a copy instead of editing the original, you can create a "force copy" link. This link Prompts users to make a copy of the slides into their Google Drive, preventing them from altering your original slides. To create a force copy link, open the "Share" menu and set the access level to "Anyone with the link can view". Then, copy the link and edit it by adding "/copy" at the end. When others click on the link, it will automatically prompt them to make a copy. This feature is useful for collaborating with colleagues or sharing resources without the risk of unintentional changes.

Hack #7: Cropping Images to Shapes

Google Slides allows you to crop images to specific shapes, adding creativity and visual interest to your slides. By selecting an image and using the crop tool, you can crop the image to various shapes, such as circles, arrows, or other custom shapes. This feature is useful for illustrating concepts or highlighting specific parts of an image. To crop an image to a shape, click on the crop tool and select a shape from the available options. Crop the image as desired, and it will automatically take on the selected shape. Experiment with different shapes to create engaging visuals in your slides.

Hack #8: Linking to a Specific Slide through Google Keep

To easily navigate to a specific slide within a presentation, you can create a Google Keep note that links directly to that slide. This is especially helpful if you have a lengthy slideshow and want to quickly return to a particular slide after a break. Open Google Keep in the sidebar and create a new note. Select the text you want to link and copy the slide's URL. Then, paste the URL into the Google Keep note. The next time you open the note, it will direct you to the specified slide within the presentation. This hack saves time and eliminates the need to scroll through multiple slides.

Hack #9: Creating Custom Substitutions

Google Slides allows you to create custom substitutions for frequently used text. Using this feature, you can assign a specific abbreviation or keyword that, when Typed, automatically expands to a longer text. This is particularly useful for repetitive phrases or formulas. To create a custom substitution, go to "Tools", then "Preferences", and select the "Substitutions" tab. Enter the abbreviation and the corresponding expanded text. Now, whenever you Type the abbreviation and press space, it will automatically replace it with the expanded text. This feature saves typing time and ensures consistency in your slides.

Hack #10: Making Slides Available Offline

To avoid any disruptions caused by a lack of internet access, you can make your slides available offline. This allows you to access and present your slides without an internet connection. To enable offline access, go to "File" and select "Make available offline". Google Slides will then download the necessary files to your device, and you can Continue to view and edit your slides even when offline. When the internet connection is restored, any changes made offline will sync with the online version. This feature ensures seamless presenting, regardless of internet connectivity.

In conclusion, these 10 Google Slides hacks for teachers provide practical solutions to enhance your presentations, engage students, and save time. Whether it's adding timers, music, tables of contents, outlines, or customizing text, these hacks will elevate the effectiveness of your slides and create a more immersive learning experience. Experiment with these hacks, adapt them to your teaching style, and discover new ways to captivate and inspire your students.

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