Monday, October 20, 2025

NotebookLM: Your Personal AI Bot

With all the AI tools available it is tough to choose what to use. Most are amazing, but NotebookLM sets itself apart. Instead of working with a world of data and pulling form sometimes unverified sources, it pulls knowledge ONLY from the files YOU share with it! There is a lot to explore in this tool. Check out the brief overview below and check out the longer video for more details!


This is available on Personal and Work accounts. The FREE version is limited to:

  • 100 Notebooks

  • 50 resources per notebook

  • Each resource is limited to 500,000 words

  • Uploaded files cannot exceed 200MB

  • Up to 25 million total words per notebook


Creating a Notebook:

  1. Head over to notebooklm.google.com

  2. Click the “Create new notebook” or “+Crete new” buttons. You can create up to 100 Notebooks on a free account.


  1. You will be asked what resources do you want the Bot to use. You can use up to 50 resources per Notebook. Choose where you have these resources (Google Drive, Website, YouTube, or pasting in text).


  1. You will see your resources to the left, your prompt box on the bottom, nd the Studio to the right.


  1. If you enter in prompt you will see the results above. If you want to save this, click the “Add note” to the right. If you do not do this, your prompt reply will not be saved.


  1. The best part are the Studio tools.

    • Audio Overview: Create a Podcast

    • Video Overview: Create a video walkthrough of the information

    • Mind Map: Create a mind map from your information

    • Reports: Create Your Own, Briefing Doc, Study Guide, Blog Post, MORE!

    • Flashcards: Create interactive flashcards form the information

    • Quiz: Create an interactive quiz covering the information


  1. Anything you create can be shared buy clicking the 3 dots and “Share”. Then the Google Drive sharinbg settings will show up. 




Explore what NotebookLM can do to make your life easier! Check out the detailed walkthrough below!

My Video Walkthrough 






If you want htese directions in a Document click HERE!

Monday, October 13, 2025

Create a Podcast with Brisk

Brisk is an awesome tool for teachers. It is a simple extension that can be used to create almost anything from a quiz, a rubric, a resource, a lesson plan, to almost any teaching resource you could think of. My favorite tool is the podcast creator. Brisk can take the text or even the video content of a YouTube video and create an eng
aging podcast in seconds. This is great for your auditory learners! With all this at your fingertips, Brisk may just become your favorite tool!


Create a Podcast:

  1. Install the Brisk extension from here: Brisk Extension

  2. Head over to the website or a video that you want to create a podcast from.

  3. Click the Brisk icon on your screen.


  1. Choose “Create”.


  1. Choose “Podcast”.


  1. If you want to focus on anything specific, add it to the Prompt. This can be:

    • More details

    • Standards to include

    • Literacy level

    • Length (Paid Only)


  1. Click “Brisk It”.


  1. Listen to your creation! You will see the transcript at the bottom as well.


  1. You can share it by clicking on the “Copy Link” button and sharing the link!



Head over to Brisk and start listening to your resources!




If you want these directions in a Document, click HERE!


Monday, October 6, 2025

Create AI Images with Whisk

Whisk is another AI tool for creating images. But it is a little different. It allows you to create images that will work together to create a final product. You will use prompts to create a Subject, Scene, and Style to be applied to your final product. Check it out!


Creating an Image Using Multiple Prompts:

  1. Head over to labs.google/fx/tools/whisk.

  2. Click on “Enter Tool”.

  3. On the left, hover on the Subject box. You can click on “Enter text” or “Upload Image”. 

            (I typed in “Happy purple dragon”.)


  1. You can also click the Dice icon to have a random image created.


  1. Head over to the Scene box and do the same for creating the scene or location of your

            subject. (I typed in “Large Mountain valley with a beautiful white castle”.)


  1. Do the same for the Style box. (I typed in “cartoon effect”.) Click the arrow to the right

            of the prompt box, leaving the prompt box empty.


  1. Your creation will appear in a few moments. You can do the following:

    • Animate: Make it an animation (Only with paid accounts)

    • Refine: Edit the results to make changes in the image

    • Share: Send it to a person (not the image but the prompt results)

    • Download: Keep on your device

    • Delete: Remove from your account





Creating an Image Using One Prompt:

  1. You can also create an image with one long, detailed prompt. 

  2. In the bottom text box, type in all the details describing what you want your image to

            look like. The more detailed you are, the closer it will come out. Then click the arrow to create.



Creating an Image Using Presets:

  1. You can also use the built-in presets to create a masterpiece!

  2. On the left side, click the 3 horizontal lines.


  1. Click on the Preset dropdown menu.


  1. Choose a template.


  1. Use the direction above to create using this setting.



Here are some of my results:










Have fun and get creative!




If you want these directions in a document click HERE!

Friday, October 3, 2025

Translate with Canva

It is no surprise that Canva is one of my favorite tools. It can create anything you need and make you look like a seasoned professional without much work! One of the great features of Canva is its ability to translate files. Check out how to make your creations readable to anyone, no matter what language they speak!




Translate Text in a Document or Slide:

  1. Either upload an existing Document or Slide Deck or create a new one in Canva.

  2. Click on the “Apps” icon on the left side.


  1. Type “Translate” and choose the app shown.


  1. Choose the language you want to translate to. You can select the whole page or just selected text. 


  1. Clicking on “Settings” will let you choose some options including duplicating the document or add duplicate slides if in Slide Show and translate them. By duplicating you do not lose the original English version.


  1. You can now choose the Tone of you translation and then click “Translate” at the bottom. 


  1. You now have 2 pages in your document. You can switch between them at th bottom. One is the English (original) version and one is the Spanish version






Here is a video walkthrough on how to translate a Google Slides deck. Click Here!





 If you want these directions in a Document, click HERE!