DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

AUGMENTED & VIRTUAL REALITIES

Year 5/6

Teacher Booklet

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CURRICULUM
Australian Curriculum
Digital Technologies Content Descriptors
The following resources have been selected to cater for Year 5 and 6 Content Descriptors:

Knowledge and Understanding: Examine the main components of common digital

systems and how they may connect together to form networks to transmit
data ACTDIK014 (ACARA, 2016a).
o

investigating how emerging digital systems work, for example using an

augmented reality app (or blended reality) and considering how images of
real-world objects can be blended with computer-generated information to
produce a virtual reality (ACARA, 2016a).

Processes and Production Skills: Explain how student solutions and existing
information systems are sustainable and meet current and future local community
needs ACTDIP021 (ACARA, 2016a).
o

imagining how the functioning of one type of information system could be

applied in a new way to meet a community or national need (ACARA, 2016a).

General Capabilities
By the end of the unit students will:

Think critically and creatively about possible futures, seek alternatives, consider
how data impacts our lives and apply logic and reasoning when creating their
program/app (ACARA, 2016b).

Communicate and operate ICT by using ICT when investigating AR/VR, communicate
and collaborate online, generate plans and communicate their designs using digital
technologies (ACARA, 2016b).

Develop personal and social capability through engaging in project management

and collaborating on their assessment (ACARA, 2016b). They will also develop
understanding of diversity by identifying the user of their program/app needs
(ACARA, 2016b).

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Technologies Key Ideas

Creating preferred futures
Students will identify possible and probable futures, and their preferences for the
future. They will develop a solution to meet a particular communitys needs.
Design Thinking
Design thinking involves the use of strategies for understanding design needs and
opportunities, visualising and generating creative and innovative ideas, planning, and
analysing and evaluating those ideas that best meet the criteria for success.

UNIT OUTLINE
Students will learn about what augmented reality (AR) (blended reality) and virtual realities
(VR) are and how they work. Students will investigate how the real world objects can be
blended with computer-generated information to produce an AR application. Students will
discuss the current uses for the technology and identify future needs. Students will then
create an AR or VR app based on a community or national need.

Teacher and students will utilise the program Blendspace and a student workbook
throughout the unit to undertake a guided online inquiry into AR and VR technologies.

Length
This resource is designed to be undertaken over a series of 8 weeks with one lesson per
week roughly 1 hour long. This can be adapted to suit your class.

Assessment
The summative assessment piece for the unit requires students to in pairs/groups choose
between the following two tasks:
1. Virtual Reality design a program for a community
2. Augmented Reality design an app for a community.
Students will complete their workbooks and create a presentation that will be uploaded to
the classroom blog explaining who it is designed for and what it does etc.
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Students will then respond to a series of reflection questions individually.

Prior to Undertaking Unit

Create a classroom blog where students are able to upload their assessment and use
the blog to share their findings with the class.

Book computer lab time to complete the unit, almost all lessons will require full
internet access for each student. If computer numbers are low students could move
through Blendspace in pairs or a combination of computer and tablets could be
used.

If you have not used Blendspace before, please watch this video for more
information. VIDEO.

SEQUENCE OF LESSONS
LESSON 1

Assess prior knowledge by undertaking a classroom discussion on augmented and

virtual realities and what they are.

Discuss what the unit involves and model how to use Blendspace to the class using
the interactive whiteboard.

Start using Blendspace and complete tiles 1 to 4 as a class in the program.

Students watch an augmented reality video. They will then take turns in undertaking
the same activity as the video.

Access Blendspace tile 5. Using your laptop linked to your interactive whiteboard
students will stand in front of the webcam holding a piece of paper called a marker
and this will show students virtual organ placement. Allow every student to have a
go.

As a class consider how images of real world objects can be blended with computer
generated information to produce a virtual reality. Discuss the possibilities and
limitations.

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Show students a virtual reality. Use a Samsung Galaxy mobile or iPhone with
corresponding Samsung Gear VR or Google cardboard. Select an appropriate VR app
and allow students to experience VR.

Discuss how this technology may work.

Note: if a student suffers from a medical condition such as epilepsy, they should not
participate in the VR activity. For all students, this should be a short activity so that they can
visualise the concept of VR.

Differentiation/Alternative Activities:
Brainstorm on the whiteboard or use bubbl.us with the interactive whiteboard.
This will enable you to revisit the brainstorm next lesson.

LESSON 2

As a whole class revisit what AR and VR are.

Students start their individual Blendspace investigations and complete tiles 6 to 8.

As a class students will brainstorm ideas on how AR and VR could be applied in a new
way to meet a current community or national need and future possibilities for the
technologies.

Differentiation/Alternative Activities:
If students are absent the program Blendspace is able to be accessed for
students to watch videos and pick up where they were.
Access brainstorm from lesson 1 on bubbl.us.

LESSON 3

Revisit lesson 2, what are the current and possible future uses of AR and VR. Talk
about the sustainability of the technologies.

Students are given workbooks and are shown what is involved in the workbook.
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Divide students into pairs and students brainstorm possible assessment ideas and
decide how they will present it to the class (ACTIVITY ONE/TWO).

Differentiation/Alternative Activities:
If a students partner is not present to undertake the group activity i.e., to complete
workbooks. The student could complete the activity individually with prompts from
the teacher. On the partners return they would then have to complete the missed
activity.
Group students of varying abilities.
Students who experience difficulties thinking of an app/program idea could access
the classroom brainstorm activity for ideas.

LESSON 4

Students are given a tutorial on how to use the classroom blog.

Students are given time to complete workbooks (ACTIVITY TWO).

Differentiation/Alternative Activities:

You could encourage students to use the classroom blog to add any
interesting information, game links and/or ideas for their assessment.

LESSONS 5 & 6

Students are given time to complete workbooks and create presentations

(ACTIVITIES TWO & THREE).

Differentiation/Alternative Activities:

You may wish to show students how to use PowerPoint and other possible
applications such as Infographics. Infographic programs include: Piktochart
and Venngage.
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LESSON 7

Students upload their presentations to the classroom blog and students view other
entries (ACTIVITY FOUR).

Students complete a short reflection on their knowledge and understanding of the

unit as individuals (ACTIVITY FIVE).

At the end of the unit all workbooks are collected for assessment.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2016a). Technologies: Digital Technologies. Retrieved
from,

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digital-technologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2015b). General Capabilities in the Australian curriculum:
Technologies. Retrieved from,http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Technologies_-_GC_learning_area.pdf
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2016a). Technologies: Key Ideas. Retrieved from,
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/key-ideas

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