Guiding Augmented Reality Expeditions

Imagine bringing a swirling tornado or a buzzing beehive into your classroom! Augmented Reality allows a teacher to guide students through over 100 collections of 3D objects while pointing out interesting sites and artifacts along the way.

This spreadsheet from Google is a list of all the current Augmented Reality Expeditions. They are constantly adding more!

Print AR Markers here.

Finding and Downloading an AR Expedition:

Step 1: Find an expedition

On your mobile device, tap Expeditions.
Choose an option (when in Discover mode):
- Select the "AR" filter at the top of the screen, and then scroll vertically to browse expeditions and view featured tours.
- Tap Search and enter the name of the expedition or a subject. Or, select a category.
- Alternatively, in a web browser, view the list of available expeditions. Then, return to the Expeditions app and search for that title.

Step 2: Download the expedition

On the expedition, tap the image.
The check mark in the bottom right corner indicates that the expedition downloaded.
Tap Saved to see all your downloaded tours.

Virtual Reality Expeditions

You'll see a Google Cardboard icon

Augmented Reality Expeditions

You'll see a 3D cube icon

Step 3: Set up your classroom for AR

AR expeditions contain objects. To set up your classroom for an AR expedition, you place printed markers around the room. The markers show one object across all markers at the same time. With multiple markers, you can divide the explorers into groups so a group stands at each marker.

Place the markers in the room with enough space between them so that explorers can group at a marker and walk around it.
We recommend you place the markers on flat surfaces, such as the floor or on tables.
Tell explorers to divide into groups and each group to stand at a marker.

Guiding a Group Expedition:

Step 1: Pick the Guide role

After downloading an expedition, tap Guide on the bottom of the screen. Select the expedition you want to use in by scrolling through the list on the bottom,
OR, when a downloaded expedition is open on the screen, click the guide icon in the top right corner.
Tap Let's Go
Tell Explorers to open Expeditions on their devices and to tap Join at the bottom of the screen and to tap Join again. For more details, see Join a group expedition as an Explorer.
Note: On a group expedition, Explorers tap Join to explore an expedition which the Guide leads.
Make sure all screens are on and that all devices are in Explorer mode, not Guide mode. Otherwise, tell Explorers to switch roles in the main menu.
If they are not on already, tell Explorers to place their devices on selfie sticks.
At the top next to the people icon, you can see how many Explorers are connected.

Playing the Group Expedition:

Tell your explorers to point their device cameras at their group marker.
Note: The camera is used to find the marker for the explorers. Your explorers see the AR object on the marker and can walk around it and view it from all sides.
(Optional) To change the size of object, pinch it to make it bigger or smaller.
(Optional) On the scene, tap Pause .
(Optional) Swipe up from the scene title to review information.
At the bottom of your screen, swipe the titles to the next object and tap Play to move forward to the next object.
Tap Play when you change to each object.
Tap AR to leave AR mode.

Resize objects:

Note: This is only done by the Guide.

Tap the AR cube icon.
Point your device at the marker.
At top of screen, tap the AR cube icon .
Once the object appears, pinch to resize the object or lift it up or down.
When the object is the way you want it, tap Done to send the changes to your students.
(Optional) To undo a change, tap Reset.
Tap the AR cube icon to leave AR mode.

Spotlight an object:

While you’re guiding an AR expedition, you can create a spotlight to highlight an object for explorers.

On an object, touch and hold any point to create a spotlight.
At the bottom, use the slider to change the size of the spotlight.
When you have the spotlight the way you want it, tap Done to send it to your Explorers.
Tap anywhere on the screen to dismiss the spotlight.

End an expedition:

Tap the "x" in the top left of the screen to end an expedition.

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