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Sensory Superheroes

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Lesson Plan

Session 1 Plan

By session’s end, clinicians will complete a Sensory Profile Assessment Form and Regulation Baseline Checklist to identify each student’s sensory preferences and current self-regulation strategies.

Gathering a sensory profile and baseline regulation data builds self-awareness in students, informs personalized interventions, and sets measurable goals for future sessions.

Audience

Clinical Staff

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Use structured assessments and guided discussion to map sensory needs.

Materials

Sensory Profile Assessment Form, Sensory Feelings Chart, Regulation Baseline Checklist, Calming Tools Sample Kit, and Writing Utensils and Clipboards

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction and Rapport Building

5 minutes

  • Greet the student warmly and review confidentiality
  • Explain the session purpose: understanding senses and current regulation strategies
  • Assure the student that there are no right or wrong answers

Step 2

Sensory Profile Assessment

10 minutes

  • Guide the student through each section of the Sensory Profile Assessment Form
  • Ask open-ended questions about how they notice sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touch in their daily life
  • Record their preferences and sensitivities accurately

Step 3

Sensory Feelings Exploration

5 minutes

  • Present the Sensory Feelings Chart
  • Discuss common sensory experiences (e.g., "How do you feel when it’s very loud?")
  • Note emotional or physical reactions associated with each sense

Step 4

Baseline Regulation Discussion

5 minutes

  • Use the Regulation Baseline Checklist to explore current coping strategies
  • Ask: "What helps you calm down when you feel overwhelmed?"
  • Document effective and ineffective strategies for future planning

Step 5

Session Wrap-Up and Next Steps

5 minutes

  • Summarize key findings from assessments and discussions
  • Validate the student’s experiences and strengths
  • Introduce that next session will focus on exploring calming strategies tailored to their profile
  • Answer any questions and end on a positive note
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Slide Deck

Session 1: Sensory Profiling & Baseline Regulation

• Guide the student through sensory assessments
• Identify preferences, sensitivities, and existing coping strategies
• Set the stage for personalized regulation planning

Welcome everyone! Today’s session focuses on getting to know each student’s sensory preferences and current self-regulation strategies. Use a warm, open tone and reinforce confidentiality.

Session Objectives

  1. Complete the Sensory Profile Assessment Form
  2. Explore emotional/physical reactions on the Sensory Feelings Chart
  3. Discuss current coping strategies using the Regulation Baseline Checklist
  4. Summarize findings and plan next steps

Read each objective aloud. Emphasize that these steps help tailor future sessions to the student’s needs.

Introduction & Rapport Building

• Warm greeting and confidentiality reminder
• Explain session purpose: map senses & regulation
• Assure student that honest answers help us best support them

Spend about 5 minutes. Greet the student, build rapport, and explain there are no wrong answers. Use simple language.

Sensory Profile Assessment

• Present the Sensory Profile Assessment Form
• Ask how they notice sights, sounds, tastes, smells, touch
• Record preferences and sensitivities

Allow 10 minutes. Hand the student the form (Sensory Profile Assessment Form). Ask open-ended prompts like, “Tell me what sounds you notice most.”

Sensory Feelings Exploration

• Display the Sensory Feelings Chart
• Discuss examples: “How do you feel when it’s very loud?”
• Note emotional and physical reactions

About 5 minutes. Show the chart (Sensory Feelings Chart). Encourage the student to describe feelings tied to each sense.

Baseline Regulation Discussion

• Introduce the Regulation Baseline Checklist
• Explore current coping strategies
• Document effective vs. ineffective methods

About 5 minutes. Use the checklist (Regulation Baseline Checklist). Ask, “What helps you calm down?” Capture both helpful and unhelpful strategies.

Wrap-Up & Next Steps

• Review assessment highlights
• Affirm the student’s strengths
• Introduce next session focus on calming techniques
• Answer questions and close positively

Final 5 minutes. Summarize key insights, validate strengths, and preview the next session on calming strategies. Invite any questions.

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Worksheet

Sensory Profile Assessment Form

Student Name: ________________________________

Date: _________________________________

Instructions

Ask the student to think about each sense and describe what they notice and how it makes them feel. Record their responses in the spaces below.

1. Sight

  1. What do you notice when you look around? (colors, brightness, movement, patterns, etc.)





  2. How do these visual experiences make you feel?





2. Sound

  1. What kinds of sounds do you hear often? (loud, soft, repetitive, sudden, etc.)





  2. How do these sounds make you feel?





3. Taste

  1. What tastes do you notice or prefer? (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, spicy, etc.)





  2. How do these tastes make you feel?





4. Smell

  1. What smells do you notice around you? (flowers, food, soap, smoke, etc.)





  2. How do these smells make you feel?





5. Touch

  1. What do you notice when you touch things? (texture, temperature, pressure, vibration, etc.)





  2. How do these touch experiences make you feel?





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lenny

Worksheet

Sensory Feelings Chart

Use this chart to explore how different sensory experiences make you feel. For each sense, think of at least two examples you notice in your daily life and describe the feelings they bring up.

Sight

  1. Example visual experience (e.g., bright lights, busy patterns):
    ____________________________________________





  2. Another visual experience (e.g., dim rooms, strong colors):
    ____________________________________________






    How do these visual experiences make you feel?











Sound

  1. Example sound (e.g., loud noise, soft music):
    ____________________________________________





  2. Another sound (e.g., constant hum, sudden shout):
    ____________________________________________






    How do these sounds make you feel?











Taste

  1. Example taste (e.g., sweet candy, sour fruit):
    ____________________________________________





  2. Another taste (e.g., salty snack, spicy food):
    ____________________________________________






    How do these tastes make you feel?











Smell

  1. Example smell (e.g., fresh flowers, smoke):
    ____________________________________________





  2. Another smell (e.g., soap, food cooking):
    ____________________________________________






    How do these smells make you feel?











Touch

  1. Example touch (e.g., rough surface, soft fabric):
    ____________________________________________





  2. Another touch (e.g., wet water, heavy pressure):
    ____________________________________________






    How do these touch experiences make you feel?











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Worksheet

Regulation Baseline Checklist

Student Name: ________________________________

Date: _________________________________


Use this checklist to capture how students currently calm themselves and what sometimes gets in the way.

1. Helpful Strategies

List at least three things you do to help yourself calm down when you feel upset or overwhelmed. For each, rate how well it works (1 = not at all, 5 = really well).

  1. Strategy: ________________________________
    How well it works: ___ / 5



  2. Strategy: ________________________________
    How well it works: ___ / 5



  3. Strategy: ________________________________
    How well it works: ___ / 5



2. Unhelpful Strategies

Write at least two things you might do when you try to calm down but actually make you feel worse or more upset.

  1. ________________________________



  2. ________________________________



3. Preferred Strategy

Which one of your helpful strategies would you like to use more often? Why?

________________________________________





4. Barriers and Supports

What might make it hard to use that strategy? What could help you remember to try it?

________________________________________









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Lesson Plan

Session 2 Plan

By session’s end, clinicians will guide students through three key calming strategies—deep breathing, tactile engagement, and movement breaks—helping them practice and rate each for self-regulation.

Introducing varied calming tools empowers students to manage sensory overwhelm, builds their self-regulation toolkit, and informs personalized regulation plans.

Audience

Clinical Staff

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Demonstration, guided practice, and reflection.

Materials

Deep Breathing Instruction Card, Tactile Toolkit, Movement Break Guide, Student Regulation Journals, and Timer or Stopwatch

Prep

Prepare Calming Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Review

5 minutes

  • Greet the student and recap Session 1 highlights (sensory profile & baseline strategies)
  • Explain today’s focus: exploring and practicing calming techniques
  • Emphasize there’s no single “right” strategy—exploration helps find personal fits

Step 2

Deep Breathing Practice

8 minutes

  • Present the Deep Breathing Instruction Card
  • Model belly breathing: inhale for 4 counts, hold 2, exhale 6
  • Guide the student through 3 practice rounds
  • Discuss: “How did that feel? How calm do you feel on a scale of 1–5?”

Step 3

Tactile Tool Exploration

8 minutes

  • Introduce the Tactile Toolkit with varied textures (e.g., stress ball, fabric swatches)
  • Allow the student to handle each item and note sensations
  • Ask: “Which item felt most calming? Why?”
  • Have the student rate each tool’s calming effect

Step 4

Movement Break Practice

6 minutes

  • Show the Movement Break Guide
  • Lead the student through 2 short activities (e.g., stretching sequence, jumping jacks)
  • Pause after each to check in: “How do you feel? Would you use this in class?”

Step 5

Reflection & Next Steps

3 minutes

  • Ask the student to choose their favorite strategy and record it in their journal
  • Discuss when and how they might use it during the day
  • Preview Session 3 on combining strategies into a personalized plan
  • Answer any questions and close the session on a positive note
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Slide Deck

Session 2: Calming Strategies Practice

• Deep Breathing
• Tactile Tools
• Movement Breaks

Welcome to Session 2! Today we’ll explore three calming strategies—deep breathing, tactile engagement, and movement breaks—to help students build their self-regulation toolkit. Use an encouraging tone and remind the student that it’s okay to try different techniques.

Session Objectives

  1. Guide the student through deep breathing practice using the Deep Breathing Instruction Card
  2. Explore textures with the Tactile Toolkit
  3. Lead short movement breaks via the Movement Break Guide
  4. Rate each strategy’s calming effect

Read each objective aloud and emphasize that practicing multiple tools helps find what works best for each student.

Introduction & Review

• Warm greeting and confidentiality reminder
• Recap Session 1: sensory preferences & current coping strategies
• Explain today’s goal: practice new calming techniques

Spend about 5 minutes to greet the student and recap. Highlight key findings from Session 1—sensory profile insights and baseline strategies.

Deep Breathing Practice

• Present the Deep Breathing Instruction Card
• Model inhale (4 counts), hold (2 counts), exhale (6 counts)
• Practice 3 rounds together
• Ask: “How calm do you feel (1–5)?”

Allow 8 minutes. Show the Deep Breathing Instruction Card and model belly breathing. Guide the student through three rounds and ask them to rate calmness on a scale of 1–5.

Tactile Tool Exploration

• Present the Tactile Toolkit items
• Encourage handling of varied textures (e.g., stress ball, fabric swatches)
• Ask: “Which item felt most calming? Why?”
• Rate each tool’s calming effect

Spend 8 minutes. Introduce the Tactile Toolkit. Let the student explore each item, note sensations, and rate which texture feels most calming.

Movement Break Practice

• Show the Movement Break Guide
• Lead 2 quick activities (stretching, jumping jacks)
• After each: “How do you feel? Would you use this in class?”

About 6 minutes. Use the Movement Break Guide to lead two short exercises—such as a stretching sequence and jumping jacks. Pause to check in after each.

Reflection & Next Steps

• Choose and record favorite strategy in journal
• Discuss when and how to use it during the day
• Preview Session 3: creating a personalized regulation plan
• Answer questions and end on a positive note

Use the last 3 minutes to reflect and plan. Ask the student to choose their favorite strategy and record it in their journal. Preview Session 3, where you’ll combine these strategies into a personalized plan.

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Worksheet

Deep Breathing Instruction Card

Student Name: ________________________________

Date: _________________________________

Deep breathing can help calm your body and mind. Follow these steps slowly and carefully:

Steps to Deep Belly Breathing

  1. Place one hand on your belly (just below your ribs) and the other hand on your chest.

  2. Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds, imagining you’re smelling a flower. Feel your belly push out under your hand—your chest should stay mostly still.

  3. Hold your breath gently for 2 seconds.

  4. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds, as if you’re blowing out a candle. Feel your belly fall back in.

  5. Repeat for 3 rounds to help you feel calmer.

Practice Rounds & Calmness Rating

RoundHow Calm Do You Feel? (1 = Not Calm, 5 = Very Calm)
1___ / 5
2___ / 5
3___ / 5

Reflection

  1. What did you notice in your body as you practiced deep breathing?





  2. Which part of the exercise felt most helpful? Why?





  3. When might you use deep breathing during your day?
    ____________________________________________________







Keep this card handy and practice deep breathing whenever you need a calm moment!

lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Tactile Toolkit

Student Name: ________________________________

Date: _________________________________


Use this toolkit to explore different textures and notice how each one makes you feel. For each item:

  1. Hold and feel it for a few moments.
  2. Rate how calming it feels (1 = Not Calming, 5 = Very Calming).
  3. Describe what you notice and how it makes you feel.

1. Stress Ball

Calming Rating: ___ / 5


Comments:





2. Fabric Swatch (e.g., velvet, satin)

Calming Rating: ___ / 5


Comments:





3. Smooth Stone

Calming Rating: ___ / 5


Comments:





4. Textured Ball (e.g., spiky, bumpy)

Calming Rating: ___ / 5


Comments:





5. Soft Plush or Fuzzy Cloth

Calming Rating: ___ / 5


Comments:





6. Your Own Choice

Item: ________________________________

Calming Rating: ___ / 5


Comments:





Feel free to revisit this toolkit whenever you need a quick sensory break. Discuss with your clinician which textures help you most and why!

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lenny

Worksheet

Movement Break Guide

Student Name: ________________________________

Date: _________________________________


Movement breaks are quick exercises that help your body and mind feel energized and calm. Try each activity with your clinician, then rate and reflect on how you feel.

Activities

1. Stretching Sequence (30 seconds)

Instructions: Raise your arms overhead, lean side to side, then bend forward to touch your toes.


Rate your energy level: ___ / 5 (1 = very tired, 5 = very energized)


Rate your focus level: ___ / 5 (1 = very distracted, 5 = very focused)


Comments:





2. Jumping Jacks (30 seconds)

Instructions: Stand with feet together, jump while spreading legs and arms out, then return to start.


Rate your energy level: ___ / 5


Rate your focus level: ___ / 5


Comments:





3. Wall Push-Ups (10 reps)

Instructions: Stand arms-length from a wall, place hands on the wall at shoulder height, bend elbows to lean in, then push back.


Rate your energy level: ___ / 5


Rate your focus level: ___ / 5


Comments:





4. Arm Circles (30 seconds)

Instructions: Extend arms out to sides and make small forward circles, then reverse direction for the same amount of time.


Rate your energy level: ___ / 5


Rate your focus level: ___ / 5


Comments:





5. March in Place or Rock Back and Forth (30 seconds)

Instructions: Lift knees high one at a time as if marching, or rock gently from heels to toes.


Rate your energy level: ___ / 5


Rate your focus level: ___ / 5


Comments:





6. Your Own Choice

Item: ________________________________


Instructions: ____________________________________________


Rate your energy level: ___ / 5


Rate your focus level: ___ / 5


Comments:





Reflection

  1. Which activity did you like best and why?











  2. How could you use these movement breaks during your school day?











Keep this guide handy and practice these quick movement breaks whenever you need a boost of energy or calm focus!

lenny
lenny

Lesson Plan

Session 3 Plan

By session’s end, clinicians will guide students to develop a Personalized Regulation Plan by selecting their top sensory strategies, identifying triggers, and mapping each strategy to specific situations and cues.

A tailored regulation plan supports consistent use of effective strategies, increases student self-efficacy, and targets real-life sensory triggers for better self-regulation.

Audience

Clinical Staff

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Collaborative planning and mapping triggers to strategies.

Materials

Personalized Regulation Plan Template, Regulation Plan Visual Aid, Deep Breathing Instruction Card, Tactile Toolkit, Movement Break Guide, Student Regulation Journals, and Writing Utensils

Prep

Gather Planning Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Recap

5 minutes

  • Welcome the student and remind them of confidentiality
  • Briefly review their sensory profile and strategy ratings from Sessions 1–2
  • Explain the goal: create a personalized regulation plan linking triggers to strategies

Step 2

Select Key Strategies

7 minutes

Step 3

Identify Triggers

7 minutes

  • Prompt the student to list common sensory or emotional triggers (e.g., loud noises, crowded hallways)
  • Use examples from their Sensory Profile Assessment and Regulation Baseline Checklist
  • Enter these situations in the “Triggers” section of the template

Step 4

Map Strategies to Triggers

8 minutes

  • Display the Regulation Plan Visual Aid with columns for Trigger, Strategy, Cue, and Action
  • For each trigger, work with the student to choose one strategy and describe how they will notice the cue (e.g., heartbeat, sweaty palms) and what action they will take
  • Fill out the visual aid and transfer the details to the “Plan” table in the template

Step 5

Plan Review & Next Steps

3 minutes

  • Review the completed Personalized Regulation Plan with the student, ensuring clarity of cues and actions
  • Discuss where and when they can practice these strategies (e.g., before class, during recess) and note in the template’s Practice Schedule
  • Answer any questions, validate their plan, and close on a positive note
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Slide Deck

Session 3: Creating Your Personalized Regulation Plan

• Select top strategies
• Identify sensory/emotional triggers
• Map strategies to triggers and cues
• Prepare for consistent practice

Welcome back! Today we will collaborate with the student to build a Personalized Regulation Plan, linking their favorite strategies to real-life triggers. Maintain a supportive tone and refer back to previous sessions.

Session Objectives

  1. Choose 2–3 effective strategies from previous sessions
  2. List common sensory or emotional triggers
  3. Match each trigger to a strategy with cues and actions
  4. Outline a practice schedule

Read the objectives aloud and emphasize the collaborative nature of today’s work: connecting strategies to situations the student actually experiences.

Introduction & Recap

• Warm greeting and confidentiality reminder
• Review sensory profile highlights
• Summarize strategy ratings from Sessions 1–2
• Explain today’s plan-building focus

Spend about 5 minutes greeting the student, reviewing confidentiality, and recapping key insights from Sessions 1–2 (sensory profile highlights and strategy ratings).

Select Your Key Strategies

• Review breathing, tactile, and movement strategies
• Choose 2–3 that felt most effective
• Record selections in the Favorite Strategies section of the template

Allow 7 minutes. Present the Deep Breathing Instruction Card, Tactile Toolkit, and Movement Break Guide. Ask the student to choose their top 2–3 strategies and record them in the Personalized Regulation Plan Template.

Identify Your Triggers

• List common sensory triggers (e.g., loud noises, crowded hallways)
• Include emotional triggers (e.g., feeling anxious)
• Enter these in the Triggers section of the Personalized Regulation Plan Template

Spend 7 minutes prompting the student to list sensory and emotional triggers, using examples from their assessments. Enter these triggers in the template’s Triggers section.

Map Strategies to Triggers

• For each trigger, identify a cue to notice (e.g., racing heart)
• Assign one strategy and describe the action
• Complete the columns in the Regulation Plan Visual Aid
• Transfer details to the Plan section of the template

Spend 8 minutes using the Regulation Plan Visual Aid. For each trigger, identify the bodily cue (e.g., racing heart) and assign one strategy. Complete the columns together and transfer to the template’s Plan table.

Review & Next Steps

• Go over the completed regulation plan
• Discuss when/where to practice (before class, recess)
• Schedule practice sessions in the template
• Answer any questions and celebrate progress

Use the final 3 minutes to review the completed plan, discuss when and where the student will practice (e.g., before class, during recess), schedule practice sessions in the template, answer any questions, and celebrate their progress.

lenny

Worksheet

Personalized Regulation Plan Template

Student Name: ________________________________

Date: _________________________________

1. Favorite Strategies

Choose 2–3 strategies from previous sessions that felt most helpful. Write them below:

  1. ____________________________________________


  2. ____________________________________________


  3. ____________________________________________


2. My Triggers

List common sensory or emotional situations when you might feel upset or overwhelmed:

  1. ____________________________________________


  2. ____________________________________________


  3. ____________________________________________


3. Regulation Plan

For each trigger, identify how you’ll notice the cue, which strategy you’ll use, and the action you’ll take.

TriggerCue to Notice (What I feel/see)StrategyAction Steps
1. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


4. Practice Schedule

Plan specific times to practice your strategies. Write when and how you’ll remember (e.g., set a reminder, ask a friend):

  1. When: _____________________________
    Reminder: ____________________________


  2. When: _____________________________
    Reminder: ____________________________


  3. When: _____________________________
    Reminder: ____________________________


Keep this plan with you and review it daily. You can use the Regulation Plan Visual Aid to help you remember each step.

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lenny

Worksheet

Regulation Plan Visual Aid

Use this visual aid to map your triggers to strategies. Identify what you notice first (cue) and what action you’ll take. Display this chart where you can see it often.

TriggerCue to Notice (What I feel/see)StrategyAction Steps
1. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Keep this aid posted where you can reference it quickly. Use it to remind yourself of which strategy to try when you notice each cue.

lenny
lenny