5 Google Chrome Extensions to Help Your School Save Ink & Paper

Yesterday, I published Ten Useful Google Chrome Web Apps and Extensions for Teachers and Students. The first item on that list was Printliminator. Printliminator is a Chrome extension that allows you to strip sidebar content from blog posts before printing them. Here are five more Chrome extensions that do the same. To maximize your school’s ink and paper budget, install any of these extensions on your school’s computers then teach students to use them before they print from the web.
Joliprint converts online articles into a printer-friendly, reader-friendly format. Once installed just click the Joliprint icon whenever you’re reading an article that you want to print and Joliprint will generate a PDF of that article without the sidebar content from that blog or website. Joliprint is not designed to work with search engine results list or homepages of sites and blogs. Joliprint only works with specific article urls. For example it won’t work if you try it on freetech4teachers.com but will work with http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/04/its-april-15th-lets-learn-about-taxes.html.
Like all of the extensions in this post, Printee will allow you to strip the sidebar content from blog posts and websites before printing. Printee offers the added bonus of syncing with your Google Docs account.

Print Friendly offers the option for you to specify whether or not you want to include images in the articles from which you remove the sidebar content. Print Friendly also gives you the option to share the cleaned-up version of an article via email or Twitter.
Print Plus offers the option to highlight exactly what you want to print and remove everything else. Just as with the extensions listed above, you can save the cleaned-up version of an article as a PDF.

Clearly comes to us from the producers of Evernote. Clearly wasn’t specifically designed for saving ink when printing, but that is one of the benefits of using it. Clearly strips the sidebar content of a webpage. You can send the cleaned-up version directly to your Evernote account for easy reading whenever you open your Evernote account. You can print the cleaned-up article from your Evernote account. Watch the forty second video below to learn more about Clearly.

To all readers of my Blog,

Have a great Happy New Year 2012,Let it be a year full of joy and fun.

Lucas

After reading many articles and comments from teachers, I notice a common question is “Are there any good apps for free?” The answer is yes! In addition, many apps offer a “lite” version to try before purchasing. Many of the lite versions just have advertisements so it’s well worth installing, if it is a good app.

Math

Basic Math - This app offers basic operations of math with choices. It allows teachers to see student’s score and email results to parents.

Mad Math Lite - If your classroom has limited iPads, this app allows you to have more than one user. In addition, it enables you to set the student’s setting depending what operation they are working on. This app records a report card on the student’s progress.

Coins Genius - This app is a good introduction to coins. It is limited in the free version, but it does give you a chance to see if this would be a good tool for your class.

Calculator Pro - A standard calculator in vertical mode and a scientific calculator in landscape mode.

EaselAlgebra ilite - Easel combines interactive, hands-on algebra workbooks with instant “ShowMe” lessons. If you get stuck on a problem, just tap “ShowMe” and see a step-by-step animation of how to solve the problem.

HMH-Fuse Geometry - A completely self-contained, interactive curriculum on the iPad.

ELA

My Spelling Test - Create your own spelling tests with your weekly words. Students can test themselves. Allows students to see what words they got right and wrong. Teachers can track student’s work to make sure they stay on level.

ABC Phonics sigh words - Uses the DOLCH spelling words. The app has flashcards, drag and spell, and unscramble.

Wordweb Dictionary - The WordWeb English dictionary and thesaurus: fast searching, spelling suggestions, definitions, usage examples, synonyms, related words – and no adverts.

Free ebooks -  Download app, then join for free. Download five free books a month.

Paperdesk lite - Leave behind your paper notebook for your next class lecture or meeting. PaperDesk is a simple notebook replacement made for the iPad. The design goal behind PaperDesk was to mimic, as closely as possible, a simple pad of paper with no unnecessary frills.

Foreign Language

Spanish Tutor 24/7 - Goes beyond the simple talking phrasebook or flashcard programs, providing a set of interactive study tools that helps users learn Spanish. Also available for French: French Tutor 24/7.

Sign Language - How to fingerspell words, numbers, express basic sentences, idioms and learn about deaf culture.