The Nature-Based Sensory Path to support school performance located at Edgemont Scholars Academy through the Doctoral Occupational Therapy Program at Widener University
Nature-Base Sensory Path Elements
![Image[5].jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e9bfd_d70d29a933a344acac50fdaee020988f~mv2.jpeg/v1/crop/x_0,y_187,w_1816,h_2050/fill/w_378,h_427,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Image%5B5%5D.jpeg)
01
Music Fence:
See, Hear & Touch
Music fence is an interactive audio-enhanced structure where students can use their hands or drumsticks to hit the instruments and make noise! The predictability of an object to do something, like waves in an ocean, is a soothing self-regulation visual; like the waves crashing, the clashing of the instruments making noise is a soothing and calling object to interact with to aid in self-regulation with sound and touch.
​
Steel Tongue Drum- YouTube
Steel Tongue Drum- Website/Music sheet
​
Xylophone Tutorial- YouTube
​
Cowbell Tutorial- YouTube
02
Evergreen Garden:
Seee, Smell & Touch
The Evergreen Garden is used to smell the Blue Spruce Pine and Red Rhododendrons. Evergreen trees stay all year round and smell great! As well, are native to this area. Each tree belongs to a different grade level, and students are welcome to decorate for the holidays.
​
03
Breathing Rope:
See & Touch
As the children walk by the windows, there are poles and ropes. The children will graze their hands on the rope. As the rope curves up and down, the child will breathe in and out to regulate breathing as they walk. The rope is used as tactile cueing and the numbers on the window are visual cueing for counting while self-regulating when walking.
04
Chimes and Bench:
See, Hear & Touch
A table and chimes are at the end of the path. Self-regulation and behavioral issues significantly impact occupational performance in school. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, late childhood children aged six through eleven and adolescents aged nine to twelve have missed crucial developmental stages in the last two years with the transition to virtual learning. For example, a 6th grader could have developmental challenges, including understanding the seriousness and consequences of their actions (Bastable et al., 2020). Therefore, these students may struggle with school academic performances in the transition to in-person classes resulting in behavioral outbursts due to these challenges to their self-regulation. The path will be a safe space for anyone to reflect.
05
Poster Corner:
See & Touch
The corner poster area will have instructions on how to use the path. It will also include interactive hand prints and activities to calm the central nervous system with heavy lifting activities.
Posters: Outside Posters
​
06
Calming Windows:
See
During the capstone time, 6th graders will create projects relating to self-regulation. The two main projects are coloring in numbers 1- 10 and creating a KAWA model to use as a calming strategy in and outside the classroom.
![Image[3].jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e9bfd_fd99cbd14a9c4a68b7b9fa59a73d7e34~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_378,h_283,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Image%5B3%5D.jpeg)
Reference
​Bastable, S.B., Gramet, P., Sopczyk, D.L., Jacobs, K., & Braungart, M. (2020). Health professional as educator: Principles of teaching and learning (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.