Augmented Reality - What a learning experience

While at the ICE conference I went to a session on Augmented Reality.  This session highlighted all the ways you could use AR in your classrooms.

Ever wish you could demonstrate an active human heart beating?   Bring Abe Lincoln into the classroom to give his Gettysburg Address, hold a brain in your hands or really look at the solar system up close and personal? All of these things can be done with Augmented Reality, which brings it to life and right into students hands.

How do you do this you ask? Well there are AR apps out there and you can use with The Merge Cube.  The Merge Cube brings your holograms right to the palm of your hand. Turn, twist and see all the different angles of 3D objects. Some apps are FREE and others cost money to download.  I am currently working on mirroring options for your phones since we are a Chromebook district.  Go to MergeCube.com and setup and register your merge cube.  Then download one of the apps and start playing. As a little incentive I gave all my Junior High teachers a Merge Cube this week to start playing with since they are all going to have new curriculum next year. What a great way to incorporate it into the classroom. 

Here are the apps that I have downloaded and played with:

• Th!ngs for Merge Cube - To get started and it was free.  I was able to familiarize myself with the cube and see how it worked…..  I quickly moved on from this one…
• AnatomyAR - Use with the Merge Cube and you can hold a human brain in your hands.  Watch the lungs breath in and how and rotate all of them around to see the 3D view of it all.  How fun is this. See picture above for what it would look like.
• Galactic Explorer - Use with the Merge Cube.  You can see the picture above.  This allows you to see the solar system and to get up close with each of the planets.  Click on each one and they will all come up individually. WOW!
• 57° North - Use with Merge Cube - A survival game…  Shipwrecked on a remote island in Alaska….  You help them survive based on the decisions you make during the game.
• Flashcards AR Lincoln -  Crazy as it sounds, you can bring Abe Lincoln into your classroom to deliver your Gettysburg Address.  This app allows for a real life Abe to appear, and you can also explore his childhood home and more on this one.  Do not need Merge Cube for this one!

AND…. The best part, they are only $1.00 at Walmart right now!  Go out and grab a class set!  It will be worth the 35 dollars you spend! Try looking at Brickseek to see what the inventory is at your local Walmart!