Clarkstown South Students Go Overseas, Under Sea Through Google Cardboard

WEST NYACK, N.Y. -- They looked a bit like zombies, walking in circles, their eyes peering into a cardboard casing. But the students of Dani Kennis's ninth-grade World History class at Clarkstown South High School were anything but zombies. They were traveling in Rome and they were excited.

Students "traveling" via Google Expeditions
Photo Credit: *Tina Traster*

Google's expedition glasses
Photo Credit: *Tina Traster*

Tina Traster

11/18/2015 4:00 a.m.

"Where are we?" Kennis called out.

A student said Rome.

"Where is Rome?"

Another said Europe.

"But where in Europe? What country?"

Italy, someone shouted.

"That's exactly right," said Kennis, before clicking her tablet, which took the students to the Coliseum.

Clarkstown South is one of a number of pilot schools testing Google Cardboard, which gives viewers a virtual, immersive, three-dimensional experience. It reminds older folks of the View-Master devices made by Mattel in the late 1930s but Google Expeditions, as the new service is called, works with cutting edge technology using a smart phone, a router and a tablets.

After a brief spin in Rome, the teacher changed things up and went on an undersea diving expedition.

There are more than 100 expeditions, said ToniPiscitelli, an IT/support curriculum administrator. "It's fun. It's another tool to implement instruction."

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