Monday, July 17, 2017

Google Slides: Edit The Master Layouts

You search high and low and finally find the perfect Google Slides theme for your presentation. You work meticulously to create the perfect visuals. While working on a key slide, you find a problem. One of the shapes on the background is in the way. You just need to adjust the size a little bit, but you can’t because it is part of the background image. The whole slide is thrown off and you let out a frustrated sigh. You wish you could just make one little change to the layout!

You’ve created a template in Google Slides for your students. They are working away in groups. You are proud of the task they are completing and can’t wait for the discussions it will bring. Then one student deletes your instructions from the slide and can’t remember them. Another student deleted two of the boxes from the graphic organizer slide and undo won’t bring them back. Soon you have 4 or 5 students all lined up because they deleted parts that you so carefully placed on the slides for them to interact with.

If you’ve ever been in a situation similar to one of these - you are in luck! YOU have the power to edit the master slide layouts! Maybe you want students to have a specific layout in their presentation, or perhaps there are certain shapes, images, graphic organizers, etc. that you'd like to have in the background of an assignment template (Venn Diagram, specific questions you want answered in a certain area of the slide, etc.). Perhaps you want to make a change to the fabulous Slides template you just found at www.slidescarnival.com. You can do all of this and more by editing the "Master" slide layouts. Anything you place in the "Master" slides will become part of the background of the slide and students can't accidentally delete it. You can even choose the default font style, size, and color for a theme. Watch this short video to see how.




When you click View → Master, here is what it looks like.


 The top “Master” slide allows you to control the font style, size, and color for all the text boxes in the presentation. The Layout slides allow you to edit, delete, or add any layouts you want to have available for use in the presentation.
 The top “Master” slide allows you to control the font style, size, and color for all the text boxes in the presentation. The Layout slides allow you to edit, delete, or add any layouts you want to have available for use in the presentation.
Now that you know you can edit the master slide layouts, the power is in your hands. Take a few moments to ponder the possibilities and let your imagination run wild.



Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia was an elementary school teacher for 9 years, teaching both 5th and 3rd grades. She worked her way through college as a computer technician and brought her love of technology into the classroom. She is now serving her school as an Ed Tech Coach and enjoys empowering other teachers to integrate technology. She is a Level 2 Google Certified Educator, a Google for Education Certified Trainer, and two time CUE Rock Star Faculty. You can find her on the TeachingTechNix blog or on Twitter - @TeachingTechNix.

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