FTT - Get The Most Out of Google Slides

Get The Most Out Of Google Slides! 

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

Google Slides are a wonderful tool for presentations. But I am seeing so many creative ways that Google Slides are being used in classrooms. For example, I have seen Google Slides used for drag and drop activities. Did you know you can use Google Slides for stop motion animation? You can also create choose your own adventure books or create e-books from Google Slides. I have seen students who prefer to use slides when note taking because the linear structure of slides helps them stay organized. 

One issue that often arises with using Google Slides in an unconventional/amazing way is that you tend to need more real estate on the screen, Often these activities can't be done in presentation mode because you need the students to interact with the slides in some way and in order for them to do that they need to stay in edit mode. But when using a chromebook, computer, tablet, or a phone there is not a ton of room in edit mode. Here are some ways to increase the space you have to work with.

1. Hide The Menus

There is a little arrow in the upper corner of the screen. If you hover, it will say "hide menus". If you click it, the menus will roll up, giving you more space across the top.  Just click the arrow again to get your menus back. You can also use the shortcut Control+Shift+F to do this.

2. Get rid of the speaker notes.

Since you are not presenting, there is no need for the notes to be there.

Click View in the menu bar and uncheck where it says Show Speaker Notes.

3. Get rid of the filmstrip.

This one is new!

Click View in the menu bar and uncheck where it says Show Filmstrip. 

The small views of all of the slides on the side will disappear. Yes, you can get them back by re-checking Show Filmstrip. 

4. Enable Full Screen

This is different from presentation mode but can give the same result if you also disable the filmstrip and the speaker notes. 

Click View in the menu bar and click where it says Full Screen.

You will click Esc to return to the standard screen.

5. Resize Your Slides

Did you know that you can actually resize your slides?

Click File and go to Page Setup

Here, you can adjust to the inches, pixels, centimeters. You can also choose a preset widescreen view.