HOW TO: Make Any PDF an Editable Google Classroom Assessment
Distance learning throws us a million curveballs a day, but having to find new resources shouldn’t be one of them.
Did you know you can use worksheets you already have? Making a PDF into an editable Google file is extremely easy.
Step 1: Go to a free PDF converter. I like using this one (it’s free.) You will upload your PDF file and download a ZIP file of all PNG (picture) files.
Step 2: Extract the files into a location you can find onto your computer. (Right click > Extract) Extracting puts the individual files into a folder for you that you can access.
Step 3: Open up your Google Drive and create a new Google Slides file.
Step 4: Go to File > Page Setup. Click on Custom. If the worksheets are vertical, your dimensions will be 8.5 x 11. If the worksheets are horizontal, the dimensions will be 11 x 8.5.
Step 5: Go to Insert > Image > Upload from Computer. Find the PNG file for the page of your former PDF that you want students to complete.
**UPDATE: If you right click on the slide then change the background, this will prevent the students from moving the image.
Step 6: If your students are proficient with Google Slides, you can be done. For my elementary students, I like to add text boxes anywhere where they need to type. To insert a text box, go to Insert > Text Box. Now, draw it where students will need to type. You can adjust text size and font.
Step 7: Now you’re good to go! You can now insert it into a Google Classroom assignment. Don’t forget to select “Make a Copy for Each Student” once you’ve uploaded it to an assignment. Students can now do a worksheet digitally.
Hope this was helpful! The product I used in this example is my Titanic Measurement Pack. I also think this concept would work great for spiral daily work, like my Daily Geography pack.
If you want more interactive resources, I do have a number of interactive ready-to-go Google Classroom resources such as my Digital Task Cards for Math, Gratitude Journal, and Digital Graphic Organizers.
Do you think the text boxes could be completed with a text-to-speech option? I wonder if I could add audio to read the materials simply by tapping on them. If so, I think this would make worksheets usable for my legally blind student who likes to use her iPad because she does have some vision.