Sensory Awareness

Activities in this unit will teach us how to train our brain to pay more attention to the things that matter.

Mindful Seeing

What is Mindful Seeing?

Mindful seeing lets us better observe ourselves, other people, and our surroundings to more fully enjoy and learn from them.

Day 1 - Linking to Brain Research

Emotions can shape how we behave and learn.

- Remember how the amygdala can't tell the difference between REAL and NOT real danger?

- The amygdala can also cause you to freeze, fight or flee from when you FEEL - inadequate, judged, teased, threatened.

- When someone is always worried about how they are going to be treated their amygdala blocks incoming stimuli from getting to the thinking PFC.

The brain gives priority to emotions because they matter!

- You become confident to try new things (and make mistakes) in places you FEEL safe.

- When a person can "train" their amygdala to remain calm (feeling safe) it keeps information pathways to their brain OPEN.

- The more these pathways are used, the stronger they become.

Activity: Magic Eye

Go to the Magic Eye web site and REALLY focus your eyes to view these cool 3D images.

Viewing Instructions: Carefully open your chromebook until it is flat. Hold the center of the printed image on the screen right up to your nose. It should be blurry. Focus as though you are looking through the image into the distance. Very slowly move the image away from your face until an image begins to appear. Once you see the hidden image and depth, you can look around the entire 3D image. The longer you look, the clearer the illusion becomes. The farther away you hold the page, the deeper it becomes.

Activity: Pass the Impulse

Let's demonstrate how the more we use a pathway, the stronger and more efficient it becomes.

Version #1

• Everyone form a circle and hold hands.

• Someone not in the circle (teacher or student) acts as the timekeeper.

• Designate one person in the circle as the starting / finishing point.

• On the timekeepers "GO" the starter GENTLY squeezes the person's hand on their left.

• That person then passes the impulse onto the person on their left by GENTLY squeezing their hand.

• When the starter feels their right hand GENTLY squeezed by the person on their right they say "STOP."

• The timekeeper stops the time on the signal and reports (records it on the board) how long it took for the impulse to travel around the circle.

• Discuss what worked, didn't work or could be improved upon.

• Choose a new timekeeper, starter/starter

• Repeat the activity and try to improve the time.

Version #2

Divide the class into two smaller circles and have a race to see which impulse travels the fastest.

Discuss:

- Did your time improve with practice? Why?

- If you had been afraid (of your hand being squeezed too tightly, not feeling the impulse which would hurt your team's time, etc.) how might it have affected your time?

- How can you relate this to the neural pathways in the brain? explanation

Day 2 - Warm-Up

Describing what we see

When we describe things we look at closely, we need to be able to use just the right words to explain details we think are important.

Take a good, close look at these paintings from two famous painters.

What are some words we could use to show some of these differences in a very clear way?

Think about the lines / shapes / colors / sizes.

Day 3 - Engage, Explore, Reflect

Set-up:

Decide on a group size (not larger than 5 or 6)

Organize similar but different looking objects - one for each person in a group - put them in a container

examples: marbles, used pencils, scraps of printed paper, puzzle pieces, pennies, old rulers, etc.

Optional: copy the Sensory Web activity sheet to allow students to make notes on their specimen.

Discuss:

Specimen - an object that scientists study such as ancient bones or unusual leaves.

Can you remember a time when you looked at something very closely?

Today you're going to examine some specimens so closely that each of you will be able to pick out the one you've studied from a group of specimens that look almost exactly the same.

Activity:

• Divide the class into their groups.

• Hand each group their specimen container with directions to keep it closed until told to start.

• When you are told to start, be very quiet and focus all of your attention on your specimen. Let your RAS gather all the images it can and let your PFC note every little detail.

• Hold the specimen in your hand, look at it from all sides. Notice the color, shape, and size. Notice any imperfections or unique details. If directed, make notes of what you see on your Sensory Web activity sheet.

• After one minute go to each group, collect their items, mix them up and have the students in the same group look for their original specimen by comparing and contrasting those in the set.

Discuss:

What were the important details that helped you decide which specimen belonged to you and which ones were definitely not yours?

How is this kind of seeing different from the way we usually see things?

How was mindful seeing (sorting specimens) similar to mindful listening (mystery sounds)?

Which was easier for you?

How might mindful seeing help you in an emergency such as a fire?

Could mindful seeing be useful in activities (hobbies, sports, games) you do?

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY:

• Spot the Difference - go to Hidden 247 and as a group see if you can spot all the differences.

Day 4 - Career Connection

Sleep Technologist

A person who watches how a patient sleeps. They have to watch a lot of equipment very closely that measure eye movements, muscle activity and heart rhythm. They have to chart the sleep stages and identify problems that might affect a person's sleep. They must be able to read the wave patterns that flow across the computer screen.

Sleep Technologist - YouTube 3:17

What are some other careers that depend on mindful watching?

Careers that require someone to watch people, events or things very closely.

Try:

- find two similar assignments. Look at them closely to see how one might be better than they other.

- Describe the differences and try to figure out how they came about.

Day 5 - Journal Writing

Mindful Watching - Day #1

• Pick 5 or more different objects around the classroom.

• "Jot" down things you notice about them behind "observation #1" on your Observation Chart.

• Examples: a person and what they are wearing, how the desks are arranged, time on a clock, items on a bulletin / smart / white or blackboard, what is on your desk, what you are wearing, etc.

• Be as specific and clear as you can be.

• Your Chart will be collected.

• Next week you will be given your chart back to record as many differences as you can find.

• Pay CLOSE attention to what you see!

Day 6 - Cloud Pictures

• Find a day where you can go outside and lay down and observe clouds.

• Students should take paper / clipboard or whiteboard to write down observations.

• Discuss certain clouds as they float by.

• Ask what shape everyone sees.

• Discuss why clouds exist and what they are good for.

If you can't find a suitable day to lay down outside try using this YouTube video instead.

Day 7 - Shape Search

• Identify these shapes

• Have the students get a clipboard / paper (or use this sheet) or whiteboard.

• Move around the school and stop at specific areas and give the children time to draw and identify objects that resemble a basic shape.

• Back in the class allow students to share their findings.

Day 9 - Journal Writing

Mindful Watching - Day #2

• Look at the items / people the Observation Chart you filled out last week.

• Behind "observation #2" write down as many differences as you can find.

• Count and record the number of differences you found on the blank.

• Pay CLOSE attention to what you see!

• Share the things that are different.

Day 10 - Literature Link