On the worksheet
A code in the corner of a worksheet can open the explainer video, a hint, the answer key after the due date, or a self-marking quiz. Keep it to one code per sheet with a two-word label ("Watch first", "Check answers") so students know what it does before scanning. On a photocopied A4 sheet, 0.8 in (2 cm) is enough; photocopiers degrade fine detail, so print the master from the PDF, not from a copy of a copy.
For younger students, the code can be scanned by the teacher's tablet on the projector; for older ones, by their own phones under whatever device policy the school has.
- Worksheets and homework: the video, the hint, the answer key (dynamic, unlocked after the due date).
- Classroom door and notice board: the sign-up sheet, the reading list, the class calendar.
- Newsletters and permission slips: the Google Form, so replies arrive in a spreadsheet.
- Library shelves: book trailers, the catalog entry, reviews by other students.
- Open-house and parent evening: the slideshow, the syllabus, your contact card.
Forms that come back
Permission slips and surveys returned on paper are counted by hand. A Google Form behind a code on the newsletter, the door and the email footer gets filled in on a parent's phone in the car and lands in a sheet you can sort. The Google Form type takes the form's link and builds the code; the same form can be reused with its questions updated while the code stays the same. Google Form QR code size covers how big to print it and the link that keeps working.
Sharing with colleagues
If several teachers use the same materials, one account can hold the codes and anyone with the PDF gets the same result. Bulk generation turns a spreadsheet of resource links into a folder of codes in one go, which is the fastest way to add codes to an existing worksheet library.
How big to print it
Rule of thumb: the code should be at least one tenth of the distance it is scanned from. These are the sizes that work in practice for this job.
| Where | Scan distance | Minimum width |
|---|---|---|
| Worksheet or handout corner | 10-12 in (25-30 cm) | 0.8 in (2 cm) |
| Newsletter or permission slip | 12 in (30 cm) | 1 in (2.5 cm) |
| Classroom door or notice board | 2-3 ft (60 cm to 1 m) | 2 in (5 cm) |
| Hallway poster | 3-7 ft (1-2 m) | 3 in (8 cm) |
Why make it dynamic
Teachers reuse materials for years, and links rot faster than paper. A worksheet printed with a static code to a YouTube video breaks the day the video is taken down. A dynamic code on the master copy points at whatever the current resource is, so next year's class scans the same worksheet and lands on the new video. For parent communication, one code on the classroom door or the newsletter template can open this month's form, then next month's, without a new sign.
Dynamic codes are part of Premium, $4 a month. Static vs dynamic, explained.
Step by step
- 1
Paste the form or resource link
A Google Form, a video, a document, or the class page. The generator builds the link.
- 2
Label it in two words
"Watch first", "Sign up", "Permission form": the Caption frame puts it under the code.
- 3
Drop it on the master
Download PNG and place it on the worksheet or newsletter template; 0.8 in (2 cm) is enough on A4.
- 4
Update the link, not the copies
On Premium, change what the code opens when the video, form or term changes.
Questions people ask
- How do I make a QR code for a Google Form?
- Copy the form's link (Send, then the link icon), paste it into the Google Form type here, and download the code. Scanning opens the form on the phone; responses arrive in the form's spreadsheet.
- Will a QR code still work after photocopying?
- Usually, if the original is at least 0.8 in (2 cm) and printed from the PDF. Each generation of copying softens the edges; print new masters from the file rather than copying copies.
- Can I change what a worksheet code opens next year?
- Yes, with a dynamic code: the worksheet stays the same and you edit the destination in your dashboard. Static codes are fixed at print time.
- Do students need an app?
- No. Phone and tablet cameras read QR codes directly; on a shared classroom iPad, the Camera app works the same way.
- Is it free for teachers?
- Yes, making and printing codes is free, and a free account keeps the downloads unmarked. Premium is $4 a month for the account if you want editable codes and scan counts.
- Is it safe to put on materials that go home?
- The code only contains the link you chose. Point it at school-approved resources, and use dynamic codes for anything you might need to switch off or change later.
Make the code now, change the link later
Free to make and print. Premium ($4/mo) keeps it editable and counts every scan.