Adventures in Geocaching

For those that aren’t familiar with the term Geocaching, it basically breaks down like this.

Geo = Earth

Cache = Treasure

 In essence, Geocaching is high-tech treasure hunting whereby you search for a hidden item by following latitude and longitude coordinates.  Conventionally, geocachers have used GPS Devices to locate treasures but a simple cell phone will do!!!

I stumbled upon this activity several years ago quite accidentally when I was traveling in Alaska (considered a muggle at the time--a non-geocaching native). My husband and I were hiking in the Tongass National Forest in Ketchikan and found a father and his son huddled around a cache in the form of an ammobox hidden in the woods. They were busily recording their visit in a travel log as we spotted them.

Since that time, my Geocaching adventures have led me all throughout my island neighborhood as well as around to world attempting to find hidden treasures with my family. As an educator, I was convinced that there must be some way to implement this exciting and interesting activity in my classroom. I simply knew that the inherent excitement in discovering something hidden would be a natural draw for students.

Geocaching CAN be implemented in the classroom without an exorbitant outlay of money, time or energy. Below are some ideas and suggestions for ways to integrate geocaching into ANY content area’s curriculum

Idea #1: Create a class Travel Bug and deposit it into a local cache. Follow the bug’s journey and map the route.

Idea #2: During a field trip, take a side trip to a nearby cache.

Idea #3: Plant a class cache and watch as visitors log in from all over. Create a map documenting visitors.

Idea #4: Research the history of local landmarks. Create a cache at a location that describes the history of that site.

Idea #5: Investigate and locate Earthcaches

Idea #6: Conduct a GPS Scavenger Hunt or Hide N Seek on your school property

Idea #7: Identify different varieties of trees in a nature preserve (or on your school grounds) and record their coordinates. Then challenge other students to find the trees given specific coordinates.

Idea #8: Create a cultural cache. Fill a cache with items reflecting your region. Encourage visitors to log their reaction/responses to share with your class.

Geocaching can be a wonderful tool to enhance student understanding of geography, location and place, science and nature, scientific inquiry, mathematical concepts, physical education, problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking as well as language arts activities.  Geocaching also goes hand in hand with

Digital Dice and a Dozen Demos!!!

In a traditional classroom there are many games and activities that can be supported through the use of a die. In this post I'll feature a FREE customizable dice app called Make Dice Lite that lets you choose any number of dice to support games within your classroom, but even better, you can add/create your own dice!

The App Basics

The dice appear on a table
Clicking on any die allows you to change the style of pre-made die or remove it
Clicking the + symbol allows you to add a custom built die
You can roll the die by clicking the rotate symbol or shaking the iPad
The gear symbol takes you to an additional menu where you can upgrade change the table color, turn sound off and see the dice list

Making Your Own Die

Click the + symbol
Select dice list.....add new cube
Name your cube
Modify the dice color and add words or numbers to each side by tapping the side
Each dice face supports numbers, emoticons and about 100 characters of text!

 

Some Instructional Ideas for Using Make Dice Lite

• ▶️Add student names to dice for stations, student selection and turn taking
• ▶️Create conversation cubes (for students icebreaker activities)  Include questions like:  What are you most proud of? , Who is the bravest person you know? , What foods do you like? 
• ▶️Play left right center spell with spelling words (FREE PRINTABLE!!!  Spelling Left Right Center)
• ▶️Play Left Right Center Solve with math problems
• ▶️Create your own story cubes! (Make dice light supports emoticons!)
• ▶️Place vocabulary words on dice and encourage journal writing using the words rolled
• ▶️Create bio cubes
• ▶️Create poetry evaluation cubes 
• ▶️Create reflection dice to use as exit an after lesson assessment. Here is a random idea generator for reflections: tonyv.me/reflect. 
• ▶️ Practice parts of speech nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. 
• ▶️ Create dice with review questions on them
• ▶️ Use blooms taxonomy to create thinking dice with leveled questions. Students roll and answer corresponding question.  (See Comprehension Cubes, Thinking Cubes  or Learning Cubes)

Use in lieu of traditional dice....much less dice chasing around the room....I guarantee it!!


A Dozen Digital Dice Demos.....now THAT's using Your Smarticles!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Be an AR Superstar in the Classroom!!

Augmented Reality (AR) has captured the imagination of educators throughout the country.  Apps like Aurasma have placed the ability to create and engage students in the world of Augmented Reality.  On the heels of this new dynamic trend, many new apps are emerging on the scene.  This blog features several apps guaranteed to WOW you and your students!!

ColAR Mix

ColAR Mix provides printable coloring pages that serve as triggers for the ColAR Mix app.  When the colored pages are held beneath the ColAR Mix app, the images SPRING to life with amazing animation.  My favorite is the flying, fire-breathing dragon.

I have shared this app with many kiddos and they're always in awe, eager to design and color their own version to view in 3D.



Ideas for use:

#1.  Ice Breaker.  Use the 'shoe' image to color and design a shoe that reflects you and your personality.  Be prepared to explain why.
#2.  Write a story based on any of the images.
#3.  Discuss voice and write from the perspective of a newly animated character.
#4.  Animate the airplane image and customize the banner with your class name or have students add math problems to solve!

See this Pinterest board for great examples of ColAR pages
Go HERE to download coloring pages.

AR Flashcards

These cute little alphabet flashcards will WOW the littlest learners.  Each colorful alphabet card contains a trigger that, when used with the AR Flashcard app, houses a 3D character.  As a teacher of 6th grade, I had trouble imagining how we could use it in our classroom.  My two immediate thoughts were:

#1.  Use the creatures as subjects for a research project and have students share the 3D character to add a little extra pizzazz.

#2.  Use the creatures as station letters or as scavenger hunt stops.  To 'prove' students were in that location, ask a question about the 3D creatures.  For example, does the elephant have tusks?  How many bumps are on the alligator's spine?

Aurasma

I've blithered on for 2 blog posts about this fantastic CUSTOMIZABLE app called Aurasma, and it continues to be my favorite.  Aurasma puts AR CREATION at your (and your student's) fingertips.

Tutorials:   Using Aurasma Studio   Aurasma in Action

Products:  Scavenger Hunt     Secret Reveal

 

DAQRI

The DAQRI option appears to be in development and specialized.  The greatest (and most accessible) example of this AR tool is the 4D anatomy.  Using the target below, DAQRI brings anatomy to life in STUNNING detail.  If you are teaching anatomy to any extent, this app allows you to focus on skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory and any other system.  Definitely worth checking out!

Download the DAQRI app and hold it over this image for  a stunning 4D anatomy lesson.

LAYAR

Layar works a LOT like Aurasma in the sense that it is customizable and allows you to place digital content within print.  The print serves as a trigger for the app and allows users to access whatever content you've created and embedded within the print.

Like Aurasma, Layar has an online development platform that allows you to create your 3D items.  Layar has MANY options for 3D triggers including video, phone, text, audio, image carousels, and social media.  In playing with this a bit, I found it more geared for full page triggers with many items included.

Fetch Lunch Rush

For elementary math teachers out there, this Augmented Reality App looks like JUST the ticket!  This app uses the camera to overlay computer-generated graphics on top of the physical, real-world environment.  It works to integrate tactile skills (targets) with a video game style interface to reinforce math skills.

 

ZooBurst

 Zooburst is a digital storytelling tool that lets anyone easily create his or her own 3D pop-up books. Essentially authors can manipulate and insert characters, setting, design and background as well as write story lines to accompany their stories. In addition to allowing for a narrative or explanation on each page, creators can also add speech bubbles featuring text OR uploaded .mp3 files for sound. The Pièce de résistance of the site is the augmented reality feature. Once a book is published, the site provides a target. When the target is ‘seen’ by a web camera, the book bursts open allowing for a three dimensional view of the story.

Sample Zooburst Poetry Book  
Blog posting on Zooburst

More AR Apps, Just for Fun

AR Magic Mirror

This free app focuses the camera on the user and allows them to try on different combinations of hats and glasses.  Let the kiddos run with their imaginations and capture their playful side.  Have them write a story or use their image as an avatar.

Dark Knight Rises Z+

Described as an Augmented Soundtrack Experience, this app was designed to be used while watching the Dark Knight Rises.  After downloading the app I realized that it is FANTASTIC for teaching TONE and establishing MOOD in writing at any age.  No lyrics and/or dialogue are contained within the app.  The dark, eerie music, responds and reacts to your movements and your voice.  Unexpectedly thrilling!


AR Basketball

Using a printable marker, this app allows you to shoot 'hoops' wherever you are.  Aim your iPad or phone at the marker and an AR hoop displays.   Shoot balls at the hoop for interactive fun without balls rolling all over the place!  Could be used as a class reward or challenge.   Warning, within minutes you'll be pretty addicted.  I was a BEAST at this one so look out!!

AR Missile

This app is irresistable, although I can't imagine the educational uses.  Frankly, it is downright fun!!  To use, line up a target in your sites and fire away.  The missiles launch and even track towards the target!  Take a picture at the moment of impact.  There are 2 types of missiles available for firing, and you can even launch in infrared format.

Good natured son enduring my missile launches.  

On target with augmented reality AND using Your Smarticles!!

More Aurasma-Tazz for your Classroom

The Aurasma app puts the power of augmented reality into your hands.  One can simply amaze their students armed with only a smart device, the FREE aurasma app, and trigger images.  For basic information and a general overview of Aurasma, see:  Aurasma-tazz.

In a previous posting I provided a general overview of the app and gave some samples.  Below are some actual student Aurasma samples for you to try AND two video tutorials demonstrating the app AND providing a step by step lesson on how to do this yourself!!  Remember, to 'view' these samples, you must follow the Aurasma channel, mrshoward118.  

(and yes, if you're sitting at your PC with a smartphone in your hand, these images will trigger!!!)

How to follow a channel:

Student Voiceovers

A student drawn 'scranimal' as a trigger image with a Window's Movie Maker video as an overlay to hear the student reading their poetry recorded on vocaroo.

Book Reviews

A book cover as a trigger image with a student reading their book review in front of a green screen.

Secret Reveal Aura

This secret reveal balloon contains a "prize" statement when triggered.  Create a page full of images, each with different messages of classroom rewards.  Win a homework pass, pick from the treasure box, win a free eraser, pencil, bookmark, sit in the teacher's chair, exchange chairs with a fellow classmate, etc.  Use the site http://wigflip.com/ds/ to create your bubbles.

Grab this secret reveal FREEBIE at my TpT Store!!

Secret Reveal Embedded into Instruction

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Oxymoron-1084663

Aurasma Demonstration

Songify and Autorap

If you are an app fan, you understand the giddy feeling you get when you find a new one.  One app might hold the potential to organize your life like you've never known.  Another might simply occupy space on your device and never be used.  Some might hold the secret to engaging your students beyond belief.  Either way, the novelty of something new is addicting.

 

Recently I downloaded Autorap and Songify.  These free apps are designed to take your words and turn them into songs.  The singular purpose of Autorap is to make you sound like you can rap.  Any innocuous words that you record will synthesize through the app and be turned into some semblance of a rap song.  Songify is similar in purpose, except the product has more of a pop-like sound.

In my testing phase with this app, I decided to record a few basic instructional statements on Autorap to see what would happen.  My goal was to have background music that could be played as the students entered the room reminding them to get started with their tasks for the day.  The results...super silly, but indeed got my student's attention.  Here's my maiden attempt at creating an Autorap.    

Giving this process a bit of deeper thought, I decided to consider how the app might be useful as a classroom tool.  With a bit of creativity, I came upon a few suggestions/ideas and also noted how Common Core Learning Standards can be met with an app that (at first blush) didn't appear to have merit.

Elementary Grades

• Have students sing a song based on a phonic skill they've learned.
• Have student practice saying (and spelling) spelling words

Middle/Upper Grades

• Summarize and record key ideas from a piece of expository text (6.RIT.1, 6.RIT.10, 6.L.6)
• Watch a key event (like a debate) and record statements that make an impact
• Record character emotions/feelings in response to an event in a narrative text (6.RL.2, 6.RL.5)
• Have students introduce themselves at the beginning of the year (6.SL.6, 6.SL.5)
• Focus on vocabulary.  Have students record a vocabulary word, synonyms and/or related words.  
• Have students record synonyms/antonyms

Get the Common Core Widget: