Augmented Reality Made Elementary

Last year at the NCTIES Conference I learned about Aurasma, an Augmented Reality App. It is an application that allows you to make any image or object your target and then use your mobile device to bring that target to life. Similar to QR Codes, you can link any video or webpage to the target, but with Aurasma the target is more meaningful to the message. The application was created for business , and lends itself to advertising quite well, but at the conference they presented some great ways to use it in education also. This app has been floating around in the back of my mind for a year, and while I have thought of some cool ideas, I haven't yet found an opportunity to use it in the classroom. I think the whole idea of Augmented Reality is great, and I really want to use with students. Well this week, while reading the A Meaningful Mess, a really great blog that you should check out, I found out about an augmented reality app that I can use with elementary students. ColAR App lets you print out coloring pages, for students to color how ever they want and then using a mobile device you can bring the picture to life. Check out the demo video below to see how it works.

How fun for students to see the picture of the Hot Air Balloon, Bird, Dragon, or Butterfly come to life. I couldn't wait to download the app and try it out, (I still love to color, especially with a brand new box of crayons.) Andi McNair at A Meaningful Mess, had a great plan for using as an introduction to a creative writing lesson with her students. I showed it to our Art teacher and she immediately got excited about the possibilities of using it in a lesson to compare and contrast 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional objects. I can't wait to get started planning and co-teaching a lesson with her. Technology and Art what a fun combination - I am in heaven!

The app is free to download in the Apple Store or Google Store, and at the website you can print out the coloring pages. There are nine coloring pages that are free, and two other picture packs that cost $2.99 each (purchase through the app.) I think there are so many ways that this could be used to help students express their creativity, and each picture they create can be the beginning of a wonderful new adventure. I hope you will try it out and leave me a message how you could use it in your classroom.