Running head: FOURTH ACTIVITY 1

Using Technology to Teach the American Revolution: Fourth Activity

Maureen Deming

EDU 625

Dr. Kathy Milhauser

FOURTH ACTIVITY 2

Using Technology to Teach the American Revolution: Fourth Activity

Sub-Topic and Technology

This activity covers the sub-topic the start of the Revolution, including Paul Revere’s ride

and “the shot heard ‘round the world.” At the completion of the activity, students will have

created a four-stop virtual tour of the famous ride of Paul Revere, using mobile-driven

augmented reality. Students will be focusing on identifying the main ideas and important details

in various readings, one of the anchor standards for reading in the Common Core State Standards

(Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2010). Students in Tier II literacy intervention often

have difficulty identifying the main idea, and this sub-topic is ideal for addressing this standard.

There is a shroud of legend surrounding Paul Revere, due in no small part to Henry Wadsworth

Longfellow’s poem (Longfellow, 1860). Exposing students to a variety of texts that detail the

actual events of April 19, 1775 will give them practice accommodating new learning and

identifying the main, important ideas.

Augmented reality was selected for this project, because of its ability to engage students

in situational learning outside the boundaries of the classroom (Demski, 2013). Since the teacher

need not be physically present the entire time, as structure and expert instruction is delivered via

mobile device, students are put in control of their own learning (Demski, 2013; Stanaityte et al.,

2013). For students in Tier II, this activity is about making learning engaging and relevant

through the use of technology.

Objectives

1. Given readings, discussions, and notes, fifth grade students in Tier II literacy

intervention will identify four important ideas about the start of the Revolution.

2. Given readings, discussions, notes, an iPad, Google Images, and Aurasma, fifth grade

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students in Tier II literacy intervention will create a virtual tour of Paul Revere’s ride

that consists of four stops, or auras. Each aura will include

a. a trigger image appropriate to the big idea featured in the aura.

b. a video of less than 25 seconds that explains one of the important ideas

identified earlier.

3. Given readings, discussions, notes, chosen trigger images, word processing software,

and a color printer, fifth grade students in Tier II literacy intervention will create

posters for each of the auras on the virtual tour. Each poster will include the target

image (marker) and an appropriate title.

Instructions for Students

1. Use your readings and notes to decide on four big, important ideas about Paul

Revere’s ride and “the shot heard ‘round the world.”

2. Create four posters – one for each trigger image. Include an appropriate title. Print the

posters in color after your teacher has checked your spelling. Remember, these

posters are going up in the hallways, so make them look nice.

3. Record a short video of you explaining the important idea with a couple supporting

details.

4. In Aurasma, create four auras. Each aura should have an appropriate trigger image

that aligns with the big idea you are focusing on.

5. Upload the videos you shot earlier, and use them as the overlays for your auras. Test

your auras with the posters you created earlier.

Instructions for Teacher

1. Discuss directions with students. Remind them that this project will be displayed for

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other students to use. They are already familiar with Aurasma and shooting video on

the iPad.

2. Observe students while they work, asking questions to push their thinking and keep

them focused. Encourage students to help each other with technical difficulties.

Example: Completed Activity

To view a sample virtual tour with four completed Auras, visit https://studio.aurasma.com

and sign in. In the search box in the upper right corner, enter #paulrevere. The four auras by

username demingme will appear. They are titled Paul Revere Part 1-4.

FOURTH ACTIVITY 5

References

Demski, J. (2013). Augmented reality is going mobile – And coming to classroom near you.

Retrieved from: http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/04/23/augmented-reality-is-going-

mobile-and-coming-to-a-classroom-near-you.aspx

Longfellow, H.W. (1860). The midnight ride of Paul Revere. Retrieved from

http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/paul-reveres-ride

Stanaityte, J., Washington, N., Wankel, L. A., & Blessinger, P. (2013). Increasing student

engagement and retention using mobile applications : Smartphones, Skype and texting

technologies. Bingley, U.K.: Emerald.