Aurasma App in K

After reading Mrs. Wideen's Blog post on how she used the Aurasma App in her classroom, I wondered how I could purposefully use that app with my Kindergarten students.  The Aurasma app allows you to create an overlay over a picture making your own augmented reality.  In other words, your picture comes alive! Thinking ahead and planning for Meet the Teacher/Open House, I decided that this would be a great way to engage parents and give them a sneak preview of how I embed technology tools in their child's learning. Yes! I had learning goals.  Let me explain how I did this.

First, I wrote this message in chalk outside in our yard and took a picture of each child with it. I got the pictures developed.

Next, I downloaded the free app.  I tried to figure out how this app worked but I was unsuccessful. I turned to Google search for some help and came across this fabulous video tutorial on Two Guys and Some iPads Blog. Now, I was ready to make some magic happen. 

I video taped each student individually using the camera on the iPad. I asked the students to explain to their parents what happens in our Kindergarten class and what they enjoyed the most.  I opened the Aurasma app, pressed the triangle at the bottom, pressed the plus sign, pressed device, pressed the plus sign on the top, got the video for student 1 from my camera roll, selected the video, took a picture of the trigger image (kindergarten =awesome for student 1), pressed the arrow to the right at the bottom, named the aura, added the aura to my open house channel and finished!  It sounds complicated but it's really easy!  

Then, I created a bulletin board outside my classroom with a note to our parents. In order for me to remember that the pictures were AR, I just put a white label with a purple triangle on the picture.

On the day of our Open House, the parents were curious to see the special message from their child.  I had iPads available for them to use for those who did not have a device. The parents reactions: "That is so cool! I wish I was in Kindergarten!" Some parents had tears in their eyes and were happy to hear or see their children communicate with them what they were doing in class.  

 

What were my learning expectations:
Personal & Social Dev: talk about their interest & preference, recognize personal interests
Oral: use language to talk about their thinking, to reflect
Media: create a video to communicate their feelings about Kindergarten (The intention was to teach the students how to do the auras but since I was having wireless connection issues, this was not possible. I am confident that they will be able to create some auras)
Differentiation: for ELL students, record their message in their first language; for non-verbal students, I video taped them at a learning center.

Augmented reality is another cool tool that we can use to embed the K program purposefully! 

21st Century frustration?

I'm feeling a bit spoiled! Having always had access to multiple forms of hardware (Smart Board, LCD projector, iPods, iPads...the list goes on), I find myself in a portable with exceptionally limited access to technology.  It's frustrating and yet, the reality for so many.

Trying to overcome this, I've been given access to 10 iPods (thankfully, I teach primary, so we are in a 2:1 situation).  I'm looking forward to having a SmartBoard in my classroom again!  Funny how lack of "tools" can quickly become a road block.

Any creative ways to incorporate 21st c. thinking/learning/collaborating with limited tech are greatly appreciated!  In the meantime...Google is my best friend!

FYI:  the "tweet" in the photo was eventually popped into our classroom Twitter account...by a student :)

JK