Top 10 Chrome Extensions for Teachers

Chrome extensions increase the functionality of your Chrome browser, allowing for an enhanced browsing experience. So what does that mean exactly? Let's break it down: Chrome extensions (accessed from the Chrome Web Store) allow you to do really cool stuff that you didn't know was even possible. They can make you more efficient, organized, and creative. However, you should beware as there are good extensions and there are bad extensions.

Good extensions/bad extensions photo from @EdTechAri and the RUSD team's presentation at #CUE16

Let's explore some of the good extensions! Here are 10 favorite extensions for classroom teachers!


1. Move it

Never forget to get the kids up for a stretch again! This extension allows you to set certain time intervals in which you would like movement breaks. According to the time interval you set (i.e., every 10 minutes) a new tab will open prompting you and the students to get up and do a quick stretch. Stretches include jumping jacks, wall push-ups, climbing invisible ladders and more!

2. Share to Classroom

Use this extension to instantly push websites out to your students. You can also create assignments, announcements, or questions directly from a webpage (without the extra steps of copying the URL, going into Classroom, and creating the assignment). This extension is a must for teachers and students who regularly use Google Classroom.






3/4. Tab Scissors/Tab Glue

Ever have the need to have two tabs open next to each other? Maybe you want to have a spreadsheet with your grades open next to your gradebook or research open next to a research paper you are typing. With tab scissors, you can cut two tabs apart into two separate windows so they appear side-by-side and with tab glue you can glue them right back together!

5. Cite This For Me: Web Citer

Feeling lost now that the research tool in Google Docs and Google Slides has changed to explore (and lost the fancy citation features)? This is the extension for you! With this extension you can build a bibliography, choosing between APA, Chicago, Harvard, and MLA citation formats. You can even attach the quotes to the citation. This is the extension we all wish we had in grad school!







6. Goo.gl URL Shortener

Long URLs driving you and your students crazy? This extension allows you to instantly create a shortened URL of any website. Bonus: It also automatically generates a QR Code (QR code scavenger hunts? Yes please!). Plus, you can view analytics for how often your URL has been visited using the Details feature.




7. Awesome Screenshot

As teachers, how often do we need to take screenshots of web pages and insert arrows, text, etc.? This awesome extension allows you to take screenshots and then takes you to a new tab where you can instantly annotate the screenshots. Even cooler feature- you can capture an entire page in a screenshot (even parts that aren't visible!).



8. Eyedropper

Bored of the same old colors for your fonts, backgrounds, slides, etc.? Want an option to use the colors from the most beautiful beach you've ever visited? This extension will make you instantly feel like a graphic designer! Use it to grab a color from any webpage or photo and instantly generate the hex code for that color.

9. Screencastify

This fabulous extension allows you to access all of the screencasting features of Screencastify with just one click on your extensions bar. Record tabs, your entire desktop, or from your camera. OR choose my favorite option, which is Embed Webcam (this means you can have video of you talking in the corner while capturing the content of your screen). Ready for the real zinger? You can set it up to upload your screencasts directly into your Google Drive!



10. Extensity

But wait a second, you told us to add all of these extensions and now we can barely see our omnibox (yup, that's the fancy word for your URL bar). Not a worry my friends! Just add the extension Extensity and with the simple flip of a switch, you can collapse or expand all of your extensions, opening just the ones you want to use.

CUSD teachers, let me know if I can support you in adding/using any of these extensions!

What are your favorite extensions? Share them on this Padlet!