Here is a list of programs, apps, and extensions that are my go-to’s in and out of the classroom.
Animoto– Easy cinematic video maker putting images to music. Sign up for the educator account. It’s free and you get some premium features.
AdBlock– Block unwanted ads on the internet. Add it as an extension to Chrome.
Appear.in– Free video conference program for up to 8 people with no downloads/installs necessary. You can also add it as an extension.
Audacity– A digital audio editor and recorder.
Backchannel Chat– A Twitter/Today’s Meet alternative that allows students the ability to respond in real-time. Works in the background of Schoology. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive.
Docentedu– Turn any website or Google Doc into an interactive lesson for blended/flipped learning. Add it as an extension to Chrome.
Easy Bib– MLA formatting and citation maker. Add it as an add-on to Google Docs or an extension to Chrome.
GoAnimate– Create animated videos. Perfect for World Languages.
Google Apps for Education– The Mecca of educational software. Does it all (docs,spreadsheets, slides, forms, drawings, classroom).
Google Cast– Send all of your favorite entertainment and apps from your phone/tablet/Chromebook to your TV. Add it as an extension to Chrome.
Grammarly– Best grammar and spell checker out there. Connects to anything you type on the web (Schoology, GClassroom, Gmail, etc.) It will eventually feature a Google Docs ability.
Incredibox– A fun tool to create and save beats to visual beatboxers. Just pure fun and students love it.
Kahoot!– A free online based quiz and test game review.
Kaizena– Give students verbal feedback while still be able to highlight the information your are discussing. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive or Google Docs.
Lucidchart– A flow-chart generator that is good for diagrams/webs/etc. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive or Google Docs.
NewsEla– Gather current events aligned to Common Core with attached questions. It even alters the reading level for differentiated instruction. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive.
NoRedInk– Help students improve their grammar and writing skills aligned to Common Core. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive.
Padlet– An awesome collaborative tool for students, interaction to up classroom engagement, and can make for some fun lessons on the web. A virtual bulletin board.
Pear Deck– Interactive presentations that sync with Google Presentations and PowerPoint. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive and will work with Google Classroom.
Piktochart and Infogr.am– Create and publish great looking infographics. Great tool as a formative/summative assessment.
Pixlr– A free photo editor. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive.
PollEverywhere– The best program for Do Now’s, quick polls, Exit Tickets, and making presentations interactive. Polleverywhere can be embedded into your Google Slide and PowerPoint Presentations via a Chrome extension.
Read & Write for Google– This offers text to voice features for most online documents as well as highlighting/dictionaries/etc. Add it as an extension to Chrome.
ReciteThis– Build great quote images.
Schoology– The best LMS out there, in my opinion.
Screencastify– Make your own screencasts. Add it as an extension to Chrome.
Share to Google Classroom– Syncs with Google Classroom. Take anything you find on the internet and send it to your students or post it as an assignment. Add it as an extension to Chrome.
Goo.gl Shortener– Let’s you instantly shorten the links of the current page you are on and creates a QR code. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Google Drive.
Snagit– You can grab/take screen shots of images or videos that you see on your computer screen, add effects, and share with anyone. Add it as an add-on to your apps/Googel Drive or an extension to Chrome.
Tab Scissors and Tab Glue– Tab scissors allows you to split a window into two. Tab Glue puts all of your Chrome tabs together into one window. Add this as an extension to Chrome.
Tagxedo– A word-cloud generator. Or check out Word Cloud Generator right in your Google Doc add-on.
Thinglink– Create interactive images by embedding them with videos, text, images, music and more via bullets. A collage of sorts, but much cooler.
TimeRime– Create interactive timelines
WordPress and/or Weebly– A professional website/blog builder.
Looking for some more resources? Check out this Doc I put together that breaks down some resources into color-coded subject lists.
An Edtech Foray 