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Tell a Wintertime Story Using Augmented Reality

Storytelling can take many forms and give students a chance to express themselves creatively. If you’re looking for ways to incorporate narrative storytelling into your classroom this winter, 3DBear is an excellent choice. Students can tell a Christmas story using augmented reality on this powerful EdTech platform.

Augmented Reality Storytelling

What does creative storytelling look like in your classroom? As you explore narrative features with students in an English Language Arts classroom, or make writing connections in a STEAM environment, augmented reality can come into the picture. Students can incorporate augmented reality using 3DBear for lots of activities. They could write and perform a scene of a play, create a movie, or capture a small moment to inspire narrative writing.

3DBear Augmented Reality

3DBear is an augmented reality creation tool that lets students layer virtual representation over real spaces. As you can see in the video below, the basic functions make it easy for students to pick and choose what will happen in a story. There are pre-made lesson plans for you to browse within the app and students can import 3D models too.

With 3DBear, Students can present their ideas visually through three-dimensional representations. Augmented reality lets students place these 3D creations in real contexts. For example, students can take a picture of themselves and put it in a virtual world, perfect for Christmas-themed or wintertime stories.

Students as AR Creators

Teachers, students, families, or anyone who wishes, can create augmented reality experience with 3DBear. When we think of augmented reality, we usually picture games where children are chasing creatures or making funny faces with their device. These are passive experiences that may engage kids at first. But how can we put students in the director’s chair? 3DBear turns students into creators of their own augmented reality experience – perfect for storytelling.

Click here to sign up for a one-month free trial of 3DBear!

If you have heard of the SAMR model before, you’re familiar with making a shift from substitution with technology to complete redefinition. Integrating opportunities for creativity in the classroom is something I’m passionate about. It’s even a topic I tackle in my book Tasks Before Apps. 3DBear gives students the power to create their own virtual worlds – a completely transformative learning experience.

Wintertime AR Activities

Augmented reality is all about interacting with your environment and creating an active learning experience for students. This winter students can capture Christmas-themed stories. They can place themselves next to snowmen, stockings and candy canes, and develop a story based on an immersive augmented reality experience. Although I first shared 3DBear this fall (here’s the blog post) I’m super excited about these holiday-themed augmented reality storytelling activities!

Tell a Wintertime Story Using Augmented Reality

This type of activity can fit into your final weeks of December. You could also share this activity as a suggestion for families looking for creative ways to engage their children in storytelling during a holiday. Children of all ages can jump in to storytelling with augmented reality and bring their ideas to life!

3DBear isn’t a “Christmas app” but definitely lends itself to holiday-themed and wintertime storytelling. So if you’re celebrating in other ways this winter season, there are lots of activities to explore. You might have students use AR to share a story. This activity could fit into a narrative arc you have explored with student writers in an ELA classroom. Students could also apply math or science principles as they place an AR figure in their classroom, schoolyard, or home.

Yesterday I shared a quote on Instagram from John D. Couch, the author of Rewiring Education: How Technology Can Unlock Every Student’s Potential. In this book, he said, “Motivation is a prerequisite for effective learning.” When it comes to motivating students as storytellers during wintertime – or any time of year – 3DBear is a fantastic choice!

I can’t wait to see what you and your students create with 3DBear. Click here to sign up for a one-month free trial of 3DBear!

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Blog Author and EdTech Consultant Dr. Monica Burns

Monica Burns

Dr. Monica Burns is a former classroom teacher, Author, Speaker, and Curriculum & EdTech Consultant. Visit her site ClassTechTips.com for more ideas on how to become a tech-savvy teacher.

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