Dive Brief:
- Visitors to Greenwood Elementary School, northwest of Minneapolis, can search for about a dozen eggs hidden throughout the building in augmented reality, using their phones to find them and set the animals inside free.
- District Administration reports the Aurasma app creates an AR world like Pokemon Go, and the school added the eggs near regular tour stops new students already visit.
- While some students who arrive to tour the building are shy, Principal Brad Gustafson said he has seen kids coming out of their shell because of the game.
Dive Insight:
When Pokemon Go was released earlier this year, it became an absolute craze immediately. Teachers across the country worked to capitalize on the enthusiasm of their students, weaving Pokemon Go activities into their lesson plans. Science classes can use the game to discuss wildlife habitats and natural ecosystems, English classes can tell stories based on the characters they capture in the game, history classes can investigate PokeStops and math or science classes can dig into GPS and mapping for data analysis.
While the Pokemon Go craze has mellowed, teachers can still take advantage of the game’s popularity in their classrooms. They can also take the augmented reality concept in new directions.
