Quickly Make Any PDF into a Digital Resource

When most of you were facing digital instruction, you were scrambling to find resources that were compatible with the online programs you were using. 

I was getting so many questions about when (not if) complete curriculum and basically every single resource I’ve ever created would be made digital. That is a task I could honestly never accomplish. First and foremost, it would take me years. Secondly, not everything needs to be converted. Some things work well – like assessments and activities that would usually be hands on, but basic worksheets and traditional teaching materials don’t need my attention. If you’d like to have some ready-to-go digital resources, you can get them here!

Why? You can use them as-is! There are a few resources out there that allow students to annotate on top of a PDF (like Kami). Also, if you are using Google Classroom and your students are on a handheld device, you can simply send them a PDF (or even a screenshot or photograph) and they can use the student tools within Google Classroom to write or type directly on the file.

If you really want your resources to have text boxes, you can use the features within Adobe to add them to PDFs, or you can upload them to Google Slides. Here’s a quick tutorial! 

For Single Pages

1. Take a screenshot of the page you want to send. 
2. Open up Google Slides and create a new presentation. 
3. Change the slide size to match the page you are adding. Go to FILE – PAGE SET UP – Click the dropdown next to Widescreen 16 x 9 and click Custom. Change it to your page size (standard is 8.5 x 11)
4. Insert the screenshot you just took into the background. Click the BACKGROUND tab – then, CHOOSE IMAGE. Drag the screenshot.
5. Boom! You have a Google Slide with a worksheet/notes/etc. secured onto the background. 
6. Insert text boxes wherever you want your students to type. You can also add your own typed directions on a blank first slide. If your students are old enough, you can give them a quick Slides tutorial on how to insert text boxes and shapes, and they can do it themselves – saving you even more time. 

For Full Files
If you want to upload multiple pages at once, there are a few extra steps. 

1. Convert your PDF to JPGs. You can do this on a variety of websites for free, such as ilovepdf.com, smallpdf.com, and www.pdf2go.com along with others. 
2. Open up Google Slides and create a new presentation. 
3. Change the slide size to match the page you are adding. Go to FILE – PAGE SET UP – Click the dropdown next to Widescreen 16 x 9 and click Custom. Change it to your page size (standard is 8.5 x 11)
4. Click the Add-Ons Tab, then “Get Add-Ons”. Search “Slides Toolbox” in the search bar and install. 
5. Return to your project and once again go to the Add-Ons tab. This time, click the Slides Toolbox, then OPEN.
6. Click “Import Tools”, then “Create Slides from Images” 
7. Make sure the button next to “Single Image” is selected and check the box next to “Set as Page Background.” 
8. Click NEXT – UPLOAD. Drag and drop ALL of your JPGS from your PDF conversion here. 
9. Click UPLOAD… You’re done! 
10. The first slide will probably be blank, which is the perfect place for you to add directions, or just delete it. 

I hope this was helpful! If you need a video tutorial, see below!