As a science teacher, I often find things that I would love to purchase for my own classroom. Today was no exception because I was introduced to AR books that the librarian I have been working with bought for the students at her schools. She had purchased two sets of four science related books, and another two sets of fictional stories. In order for the Augmented Reality portion of the science related books by Carlton Books to work, you need to download the free apps/books from the Apple Store or Android Store. The Jurassic World book included a life-size mode that really demonstrated the size of the dinosaurs highlighted in the book that the kids really enjoyed.
Students also enjoyed walking their dinosaurs around the library.
The fictional books included titles such as The Numberlys which can be purchased at Wal-Mart, but also have separate apps that cost an extra 99 cents, which seems a little unnecessary if you have already purchased the book. Either way, I hope to snag a set of the science books for my own class so they can explore atoms, dinosaurs, and the solar system during units that include those topics. While they may seem a little below reading level for my eighth graders, I think the visual component will be a great addition to the curriculum they are uncovering in class.
iSolar System let you explore planets and their moons.
What do you think? Does augmented reality remove the imagination factor of reading? Or does it add to the ability to engage with the text? I am of the opinion that students should learn to use technology the correct way, so that they can avoid using it inappropriately. While I know my future classroom will not be as tech-heavy as the currently class and district I am working with is, I do hope to supplement my teaching with opportunities to utilize technology when appropriate.
Thanks for looking and I look forward to your thoughts!
Stay awesome,
