Support

PDF Support

TechnoKids PDF files are copyright protected. You and your students can add comments, text boxes, and other annotations to the files using Adobe Acrobat Reader or Kami Chrome extension.

Please note, you do not have permission to copy text or pictures from any TechnoKids document. Please refer to your site license agreement, Part 6 (c), The Licensee may not translate, reverse engineer, de-compile, disassemble, or create derivative works based upon the Curriculum or any part thereof.

TechnoKids PDF files are copyright protected. You do not have permission to copy text or pictures from any TechnoKids document. Please refer to your site license agreement, Part 6 (c), The Licensee may not translate, reverse engineer, de-compile, disassemble, or create derivative works based upon the Curriculum or any part thereof.

  1. Update Adobe Reader: Ensure that you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. TechnoKids documents are compatible with Adobe Reader XI or later.
  2. Update Printer Drivers: Ensure that you have the latest drivers for your printer. Visit the manufacturer's website to see if there are any available updates.
  3. Print Another Document: Determine if the issue is related to the file. Try to print another PDF file. Does it print? If yes, then the issue may be related to the file. However, if it does not, the issue may be related to the version of PDF software installed.
  4. Print from Another Computer: Determine if the issue is related to the computer. Try to print the PDF file from another computer. Does it print? If yes, then the issue may be related to the file. However, if it does not, the issue may be related to computer settings.
  5. Print PDF File as an Image: Sometimes PDF files fail to print properly, resulting in output consisting of only a header sheet or part of the file. Often an error message is produced. If your PDF file fails to print, try the following method:
    1. After opening the .pdf file, go to the File menu and select PRINT.
    2. In the Print window, select the printer you want, then click the ADVANCED button in the lower left corner.
    3. You can check the box labelled PRINT AS IMAGE. However, while this usually works, it creates a huge file and can take a very long time to print.
    4. Click OK to close the dialog box.
    5. Click OK to print the document.

Our PDF files are only viewable with Adobe Acrobat Reader XI or higher. Other PDF software will not open the files. Here are some troubleshooting suggestions:

Option 1 | Set the Default PDF Reader

  1. Ensure that you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  2. Your default program for PDF files may not be set to Adobe Acrobat Reader. Browse to the location of the TechnoKids project folder. Locate a PDF such as the Teacher Guide.
  3. Right click on a TechnoKids PDF file. From the menu select Choose another app.
  4. Scroll through the list of programs and select Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  5. Select the option to Always use this app to open .pdf files.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Now when you double click a TechnoKids PDF file it will automatically open in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  8. Set the program default for PDFs

Option 2 | Open the File in Adobe Reader

  1. From the Start menu , launch Adobe Acrobat Reader from the list of programs. If you do not see it in the list, visit Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  2. Click the File menu, choose Open.
  3. Browse to the location of the TechnoKids project folder. Locate a PDF such as the Teacher Guide.
  4. Click Open.

TechnoKids PDF files can be opened in Google Docs. However, sometimes they lose their formatting. Using Google Docs to view TechnoKids PDFs is best suited for simple worksheets. To keep the formatting, we recommend using a Google Drive Add-on, such as Kami. Many schools have an IT administrator whose responsibility is to manage teacher and student Google accounts. You may need to gain permission.

  1. Open Google Chrome.
  2. Visit the Chrome web store or Google Workspace Marketplace.
  3. Search for a PDF extension or Google Drive Add-on such as Kami or DocHub.
  4. Click Add to Chrome or Install.
  5. Follow the onscreen prompts.
  6. To open the TechnoKids PDF file, browse to the location of the TechnoKids project folder stored in your Google Drive. The folder will be name of the project. Such as pri-me, jnr-timeline, or int-biography.
  7. Open the TechnoKids project folder and then open the Google folder. Locate a PDF such as the Teacher Guide (e.g. TechnoBiography Guide GS.pdf).
    • How to Preview or Print the PDF:
      Double click a TechnoKids PDF file to open it in the web browser. You can preview or print the document.
    • Open a PDF in the Chrome web browser

    • How to Open using an App or Drive Add-on:
      Right click a TechnoKids PDF file (press ALT and the track pad at the same time). From the menu, select Manage in Drive. Hover over the top bar to select Open with. Pick an option such as Annotate with Kami.
    • TIP: If you do not see Kami (or the app you need), click Connect more apps. Search for a PDF annotator and follow the on-screen prompts to install it. You will likely need to sign in to grant permission for Google Drive access. This will allow PDF files to be opened, edited, and saved.
      Open a PDF in the Chrome web browser

    • How to Open Directly into Chrome Extension: Extension
      If you installed a Chrome extension, click the Extensions tool at the top of the browser window and select it. You may be asked to sign into your Google account. Select Open from Google Drive. Select the TechnoKids PDF file to view and/or edit.
    • Open a PDF using a Chrome Extension

For students having difficulty reading the text in the workbook, or for students who are not proficient in English, you have two options that convert text to speech.

Option 1 | Use Adobe Acrobat Reader TEXT TO SPEECH

  1. Open the TechnoKids file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  2. Go to the page you want read.
  3. From the View menu select Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud.
  4. From the View menu select Read Out Loud > Read This Page Only (Shift+Ctrl+C is used to Pause/Resume. Shift+Ctrl+E to Stop).
  5. Select any paragraph to have it read.

Option 2 | Use a Text to Speech Chrome Extension

  1. Get Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader .
  2. To have a TechnoKids PDF file read aloud, post it to your Google Drive.
  3. Have students open the file using Kami. (To find out more about the Kami extension, watch this video.)
  4. Select the text.
  5. Right click the text (Press the ALT key and the touch pad). From the menu select Read aloud selected text.

Web Design

A free web host is Free Webhosting Area. Follow these instructions to create an account and upload files.

To locate a free web host use the search term free web host. You can restrict the search term further by specifying the organization -- free web hosting for students, religious affiliation -- free web hosting for Christian schools, or by geographical location -- free web hosting in Canada.

Please note that some hosts require that users be thirteen years of age to register. If your students are younger, a teacher can register for one free web account and then upload pages for each student.

Refer to the blog article Web Based Coding is Easy for a list of additional options.

Your students can create web pages, but not upload them to the Internet. You can have your students share their work by having the web page file open on the computer and have others view it on the screen.

Try the following suggestions:

  • Caret Chrome App: Caret is a free Chrome app. It can be used to write and edit HTML code. The file can be stored in Google Drive. One shortcoming is Caret does not have a built-in preview pane. Instead to see the web page, students must open it in a web browser tab. Read about Caret or watch the how-to video.
  • Editey Chrome App: Another Chrome app that is ideal for Chromebook users is Google Marketplace Editey. It allows students to write, edit, and preview HTML code. It works with Google Drive to open and save the file. Editey offers a 30 free trial, but afterwards there is a user-fee.
  • Web Host Service: An alternative is to use a web hosting service such as Free Web Hosting Area. This option has students code a web page in the web browser. The file can easily be previewed. It is important to note that the service does have ads. Read about using a web host or watch the how-to video.
  • Trinket.io: Trinket is a web-based service. Students can build, preview, and publish their web page directly in the Chrome web browser. At this time of this writing, making an HTML5 trinket was free. Read the step-by-step instructions.

Click the Refresh or Reload tool in the browser to reload the page.

TechnoHub

In January 2020 TechnoKids launched the TechnoHub online library. Projects that are Office 2013 or newer are available here. If you sign in and your files are not available, please contact us. Refer to the Getting Started page for complete instructions on how to download your TechnoKids projects. Be sure to sign in with the email that was used to make your purchase.

A "zipped" file is compressed to save space when transferring from place to place. When you download TechnoKids projects, you must unzip the file to access the teacher guide, student workbook, and resources.

Extract the Files on a Windows Device

  1. Go to the place where the zipped file is located. If you downloaded from an email or the TechnoHub, it is most likely in your Downloads folder.
  2. Right click on the folder and choose Extract All....
  3. extract all

  4. In the Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders dialog box you can choose a destination to extract the files. By default, the folder will be extracted to the same location as the zipped folder.
  5. Tick the option to Show extracted files when complete.
  6. extract dialog

  7. Click Extract.
  8. Now you can open the folder to view the files.


Extract the Files on a Chromebook

These instructions explain how to unzip the downloaded TechnoKids folder and copy the project files into your Google Drive.

  1. You may already be looking at your Downloads folder. If you are not, on your Chromebook, click Launcher (white dot in the left corner). Select the up arrow. Pick Files. file manager
  2. Select My files from the left pane. Select Downloads.
  3. downloads folder chromebook

  4. Double click on the TechnoKids file technokidsMMDD.zip.
  5. Once you've double-clicked, notice the zipped file appears in the sidebar.
  6. mounted opened chromebook

  7. The contents of the zipped file are displayed. You will see a folder that has the name of the TechnoKids project you selected to download (e.g., pri-me, jnr-timeline, int-biography).
  8. Press ALT and then click the TechnoKids project folder. From the shortcut menu, choose Copy.
  9. mounted opened chromebook

  10. Select Google Drive from the sidebar. Select My Drive.
  11. Click More in the top right corner (3 dots). From the menu, select Paste. The TechnoKids project is now in your Google Drive.
  12. paste into Google Drive

This error occurs when the file download was interrupted. An incomplete download renders the file corrupt. Delete the incomplete download and try again.

Sometimes you lose your files. We know, it happens! You have downloaded them, but you do not know where they have gone. The good news is that TechnoKids has created a standard file name for all downloaded files. It is technokidsMMDD. For example, the search term technokids1013 will find a file downloaded on October 13 from TechnoHub on your device. Please note, if you do not know the date, just type technokids when searching.

Windows

  1. Click Search in the Windows taskbar.
  2. Type technokidsMMDD.zip into the search box, where MMDD is the month and day the file was downloaded.
  3. As you type, matching files will be displayed in the search results.
  4. Click the arrow beside the file name.
  5. Choose Open file location.

Chromebook

  1. Click the Launcher icon on your Chromebook.
  2. Type technokidsMMDD.zip into the search box, where MMDD is the month and day the file was downloaded.
  3. As you type, matching files will be displayed in the search results.
  4. Click the file to go to the location.

You may prefer to chose where your downloads go on each and every occasion. This will allow you to pick your desktop, USB stick, or another preferred choice. Follow the steps to change your settings. Please note, the instructions differ depending on the web browser you are using.

Chrome Browser

  1. Open the Chrome browser.
  2. Click the More button. It has 3 vertical dots.
  3. From the menu, click Settings.
  4. From the left pane, click Advanced.
  5. Select Downloads.
  6. Drag the Ask where to save each file before downloading to the on position to be prompted each time you download.
  7. Windows
    ask where to download windows

    Chromebook
    ask where to download chromebook

Edge Browser

  1. Open the Edge browser.
  2. Click the Settings and More button. It has 3 horizontal dots.
  3. From the menu, click Settings.
  4. From the left pane, click Downloads.
  5. Drag the Ask me what to do with each download button to the on position to be prompted each time you download.
  6. edge ask download

ScratchJr

Visit ScratchJr for Desktop for information on installation on a PC. Refer to ScratchJr FAQs to learn more.

Visit ScratchJr for Desktop for information on installation on a Mac. Refer to ScratchJr FAQs to learn more.

ScratchJr is available in the App Store. Refer to ScratchJr FAQs to learn more.

ScratchJr saves student work in an internal database. The files are not web-based and cannot be opened on another computer. For this reason, we recommend that students are assigned a specific device.

  • Number the devices: Assign each device a number. Students must use the same device every class.
  • Produce a seating chart: If devices are in a fixed location, assign each student a seat within the computer lab or classroom. The student must sit at the same station each class.

When teaching coding to kids, you might want them to submit work in ScratchJr for assessment. If you have ScratchJr installed on a Windows device or Chromebook, this can be problematic. This is because the files are stored locally in an internal database. In essence, the files are “stuck” on the local device.

There are some solutions. To start, it is best if you can have students consistently use the SAME device throughout the coding unit. TechnoKids recommends that students are assigned a specific device each time they have a ScratchJr lesson. Below are some ideas:

  • Tracking Sheet – Walk around the class and view each student’s device. Check that the work is complete. This will help to identify children that might be struggling with task completion.
  • Pair and Share – Students share their work and discuss their coding projects. Teachers observe the interactions to determine if students understand coding concepts.
  • Coding Conference – Invite students to pick their favorite project to demonstrate during a student conference. Pose questions about the ScratchJr project to gauge learning.
  • Computer Monitoring Software – Some schools have management software on all devices. This allows the teacher to monitor every student’s computer screen. This option provides teachers with an opportunity to view ScratchJr projects as students engage in their creation.
  • Screen Capture – Students can take a picture of the ScratchJr screen and then submit the file to the teacher. There are some shortcomings to this solution. Most notably it can only capture the stage and the code for one sprite. For this reason, it is ideal for simple programs.

    • Print Screen and Paste Screenshot – Press the Print Screen button on the keyboard. Open a program such as Windows Paint or Microsoft Word. Paste the image. Now submit this file to the teacher.
    • Windows Snipping Tool – If using a Windows device, open the Snipping Tool. Snag the screen. The file can now be printed, emailed, or saved as an image file.
  • Video Capture – Students can use a recording device or app to capture the ScratchJr project running. This file can then be shared with the teacher.

Python 3

  1. Visit Python Software Foundation.
  2. Download the version that matches your operating system.
  3. Run the file and follow the prompts to install.

Yes. One free web-based coding option is Trinket.io. Trinket.io lets your students write programs in any browser – which makes it ideal for teaching Python on Chromebooks. There is no software to install. All your students need to do is create a free account. To be able to save files in trinket.io a paid account is required. Read the blog post, Teaching Python on Chromebooks is Easy with Trinket to learn more.

IDLE(Python) has two windows including the Python Shell and the Editor Window. The Python Shell is used to test lines of code and view the text output from a program. The Editor Window is for writing and editing programs.

The Editor Window must be used to either open an existing program or create a new program. To do this:

  1. Open IDLE (Python).
  2. From the File menu, select either New or Open.
  3. If you selected New, a blank file is created.
    If you selected Open, pick a py file and then click Open.

You must open the sample file in IDLE(Python). The program will not work properly if you double click the sample.py file on your local device. It also will not work if you copy and paste the code from the sample file into the Python Shell. Instead, follow these instructions:

  1. Open IDLE (Python).
  2. From the File menu, select Open.
  3. Select the Python file, then click Open.
  4. From the Run menu, select Run Module.
  5. The Python Shell opens. It reads the code and then shows the output.