About a week and a half ago, I mentioned that I was going to post some holiday activities that could be used with the Aurasma app.  I encountered a couple of technical difficulties – not with the app, just with my desire to make a video without actually using my own voice.  I solved the problem by bringing two more apps on board – Talking Santa for iPad and Talking Penguin 3D (both free).

Here are the steps for using these creations:

1.)  Download this free PDF, and print it out in color – Holiday Cards

2.)  Download the free Aurasma app to your Android device, iTouch, iPhone, or iPad.

3.)  Within the Aurasma app, you will need to tap on the icon that looks like a fat “A” at the bottom of the screen.

4.)  Click on the magnifying glass icon to “Search”.  In the search window, type “Hidden Forest”.  (At some point, you will be asked to register.  Go ahead and register; it’s free.)  Subscribe to the channel for “Hidden Forest Elementary”, and then tap “Done”.

5.)  Now, tap on the icon that looks like photo corners.  You should have your camera on.  Hold your device over one of the pictures (make sure the volume is turned up), and position it slowly until you see the “Loading” signal that looks like a purple swirl.  Then hold your device still so you can see the video.  (Be sure your sound is turned up!)

6.)  Enjoy the short video!

Each picture has a different video attached to it.  The penguin is a “Happy Holidays” video with a pass for lunch with the teacher, and the Santa one says, “Merry Christmas”, and offers a homework pass.

You could print these out, and make holiday cards out of these for your students.  Then, you could either allow them to view them in the classroom with a device, or send them home with the above instructions – depending on how many of them have access to iDevices.  Or, you can use them as class rewards.

UPDATE:  Here are some other augmented reality reward coupons you might want to use.  You also may want to check out some other fun Augmented Reality resources here.