It's Surreal: Virtual Reality Meets Nursery Rhymes

Nursery rhymes create fascinating worlds for us to explore. In what other reality can a giant egg-shaped figure and a black sheep talk or a wolf blow down a house? Combine virtual reality with the world of nursery rhymes and you have brought a surreal experience to life for young learners, reminiscent of a Salvador Dali painting.  

Humpty Dumpty Sits on a Wall, with All the King's Men Nearby

We had a powerful learning opportunity today. Kindergarten students, who have learned a multitude of nursery rhymes in their current literacy unit, were able to generate their own interpretations of nursery rhymes. Using the virtual reality application CoSpaces Edu, I was able to set up a class, assign students a project to create a virtual version of a world inspired by a nursery rhyme, and "push" the assignment out to the class. In order for the students to grasp the concept of virtual reality, I shared some common examples of virtual reality games, like Pokemon Go. I contrasted the concept of virtual reality with that of going to the movies. At the movies, you are an audience member watching a story unfold but you are not necessarily a part of the story. In virtual reality, the students have the opportunity to become a part of their newly created environment and as a result, their role in the story is one of active participation. They immerse themselves in a new experience. 

With Google Cardboard, an iPod, and access to 1st Playable Production's YouTube creation of The Three Little Pigs in virtual reality, students were able to experience the story of The Three Little Pigs. Once students experienced virtual reality in a world that was created by someone else, they were motivated and inspired to create their own. Their creations were unique and symbolic. A lot of thought went into their final products.

Being able to display their projects on the Promethean board in play mode was an amazing opportunity too. Students were able to narrate their virtual reality nursery rhyme in front of a larger audience by mirroring their work from the iPad using Air Server. Essentially, they became the "tour guide" of their own story for a wider audience. 

The teachers and the students loved hearing what went into each child's creation process. It's fascinating to discover the story behind the story. They shared how they decided to include specific structures, characters, and what inspired their environmental choices, such as weather and scenery.

Need an escape from your own reality? Take your students on a trip to their own Neverland with Co Spaces Edu. It is a journey you won't soon forget.