Augmented Reality Scavenger Hunt

Last week I decided that I wanted to do a scavenger hunt with my students on solutions but I wanted it to be different than a normal scavenger hunt. I wanted the hunt to be involved with their iPads, show creativity, and keep them going wow! After some research I located information on augmented reality apps where the students use their iPad like a QR code reader and a video/picture pops up when they find what they are looking for. BINGO ... an idea was born! 

Augmented Reality - a view of a real-world environment that has features that are augmented or supplemented by computer-generated sound, video, or picture.

Apps

Aurasma

Aurasma is the app that was used to detect the pictures. I first typed up the scavenger hunt and created clues for the students to locate the picture. I then wrote questions that would be answered using augmented reality.

 For example: Clue) What is the animal that uses a solute to lower the freezing point in its blood in order to sustain life during freezing temperatures? Answer: Fish Question) What is the name of the solute that (clue #1) uses in order to lower its freezing point? Answer: Glycoproteins

After I created the questions, I drew an image on paper of a fish and used Aurasma to detect the fish. I then put in a video of myself saying what the answer to the question was. After getting all of the clues and videos created, I placed the pictures around the school and the students had to locate the clues as well as write down the answers. Each video gave them a coded letter that led them to the last location that had a secret message! 

Another way we used Aurasma was the students created an instagram post in order to summarize a topic. They were assigned an article to chunk and then they had to create an instagram (complete with a caption, location, and hashtags) post that described their article. After they completed their picture they had to present their information. Instead of presenting the picture to the class, they simply made an Aurasma of themselves. They took their picture and posted it outside on the wall and then I recorded a 1 minute video of their presentation. Afterwards, the video was put into Aurasma along with their picture. The pictures were left up for the rest of the week so that other students could walk up to the pictures at any time, scan them, and watch the presentation on the content to help them retain the information! 

Morfo

Morfo is a 3D face creating app that allows you to take a picture of yourself and turn it into a 3D model. Then you can record yourself talking and place the video into an Aurasma if you would like. My students found it so cool when my 3D face would pop up all around the school when they scanned the pictures. It also helped with discipline too as they seemed to think I was standing around every corner when they heard my voice ! : )