Augmented Reality Sandbox
Augmented Reality Sandbox
Appropriate for Grades: 4-12
Learning Standards Covered: 4.ESS.1, 4.ESS.3, 7.ESS.1, 8.ESS.3
Program Length: 20-60 minutes
Vocabulary: topography, watershed, landform, erosion
Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to verbalize what the different lines on a topographic map represent.
- Students will be able to accurately predict the flow of water on a simple topographic map.
Program Description
The AR Sandbox is an interactive sandbox that consists of a sand table, a scanner, a computer, and a projector. The scanner detects the heights and depth of the sand in real time as it it moved by participants. The computer calculates the appropriate projection which is then displayed on the sand as topographical lines and colors on the contours of the sand below. As participants move the sand, the topographical lines and colors change instantaneously to reflect the new contours of the sand. With the wave of a hand, participants can also simulate rain, which shows how water flows over land masses and within watersheds.
Through hands-on learning and experimentation with the AR Sandbox, students will learn the general concepts of topography and the link between topography and the flow of water in a watershed.
