Bring AR into your Lessons with Paint 3D & Merge

You know… we have heard a lot about AR & VR in the classroom. However, we have had no idea how to even get started. Any of you out there feel like this?

This is one reason we love our #MicrosoftEDU family! While on Twitter, we ran across our friend, Sarah Clark’s (@Sfm36) post about using Microsoft Paint 3D & Merge Object Viewer to share science models with her students.

What?!? You mean you can add any 3D image from Paint 3D and make it viewable as an AR image? Boom! Our minds were blown!

We love learning new edtech tools, so of course we geeked out and ran to play with these awesome apps! Not having any experience with either of these apps, we drew upon our previous experience from a school tour during our MIE Expert Summit in Redmond, Washington. The MIE Expert Fellows were honored to tour one of Microsoft’s Showcase Schools, Renton Prep! It was an amazing experience! Students were collaborating, sharing, and experimenting.

What was really amazing, was that 2nd graders, yes… you read that right, 2nd graders were using Paint 3d! So… keeping this information in the back of our heads for future reference.

**Side note 👉We strongly believe that we do not use technology for the sake of using technology. We fully believe that when meeting with teachers we first listen to them and then help in the best way possible, with the best technology possible. This varies per person, per tech skills, per lesson, per TEKS being taught.

As time went on, our coworker, Ricky Gode, saw this technology as well. He loved it (he is a nerd just like us) We may have geeked out for a good 20 min over this 🤣 We were looking at the TEKS, looking at what was coming up, and noticed that 4th grade science was studying weathering, erosion, and deposition. Ding Ding Ding. Now this is a great unit to utilize this technology.

So we got to work! We created a model of weathering, erosion, and deposition. In our heads, we were thinking the lesson could go something like this 👇

1. Students explore the Paint 3D model with Merge’s Object Viewer app
2. The students complete a trifold explaining each
3. Student create their own Paint 3D model and view with Merge’s Object Viewer

Sounds pretty good, eh? Well, Jenallee was a minute late and a dollar short. By the time we learned the technology and the process for ourselves, the teachers were through teaching this unit. We were sad, but knew another opportunity would arise, and sure enough it did!

Amy Watson joins #Jenallee frequently on Twitter! We love chatting and learning together online. She attended a webinar with @TheMerrillsedu and won a free book!

In chatting about winning a book, we began to brainstorm ideas for her upcoming lessons. It just happens that Moon Phases are coming up! Hmm… What could we use to explore models, create models, and learn about moon phases? I know! Ding Ding Ding.

🤓 Start Reading Here if you do not want the backstory

Here’s what we did!

• Step 1: Students learned about moon phases and completed a moon phase booklet
• Step 2: Students explored the model in class
• Step 3: Students sketched out their own moon phase model
• Step 4: Students created their own moon phases model in Paint 3D
• Step 5: We shared FBX files in Microsoft Teams
• Step 6: We uploaded each file into Merge
• Step 7: We shared file codes in Microsoft Teams
• Step 8: Students entered codes and viewed each others models
• Step 9: Students reflected upon their learning in Flipgrid in Teams

Need it broken down into a little more detail?

Check out this Wakelet for step by step directions

• How to create in Paint 3D
• How to save and upload file in Merge
• How to view the file in Object Viewer

Want directions for your students? Save the Wakelet below to your collections!

We know this may look daunting to some viewers. We suggest, you simply play! Play in Paint 3D and play in Merge’s Object viewer! It really is so much fun and we think your students are going to love it!

Need help? No worries! #Jenallee is just a tweet away! Tweet us at @Jenallee1. We want to help you!

Have you used this edtech in your class? Let us know in the comments how you have used it! Share your tips and tricks! We would love to learn from you!