Virtual Reality Lesson Planning Guide
Problem/Challenge
Students with Autism struggle experiencing
new locations. The reasons may vary, for
example, the sounds, smells, or people may
be different. Students who transfer from
elementary school to middle school, or middle
to high school not only have to learn how to
navigate their new surroundings, but also get
used to new friends and teachers. This creates
a new form of anxiety that could add onto the
additional challenges they face every day.
Learning to use a locker, transitioning to
classes, finding the bathroom, the nurse, the
office, the guidance counselor, or the speech
office are just some of the new things they will
have to learn. In addition, they will have to
learn about locker rooms which will bring on
new smells and insecurities they didn’t know
they had. Working as a middle school teacher,
I have experience both students transitioning
to middle school and students transitioning to
high school. They have expressed their fears
and anxieties. Their biggest fear is always the
size of their new school, will they be able to
find the bathroom, and will they be in the
same classes as their friends. Though I can’t
alleviate all their anxieties, I can give them a
visual of what their new school will look like
before they actually go there. With the virtual
reality experience, I can give the students a
tour of their new school. This will allow them
to feel as if they are in the school and give
Target Audience
This instruction will be available for a group of
students who are moving onto a new school,
primarily those whose anxieties are causing
them panic about the transition. The students
will be fifth grade students on the spectrum
transitioning to sixth grade middle school or
eight grade students transitioning to ninth
grade high school.
The students targeted will be those who
struggle with new surroundings due to
sensory challenges, or those whose anxiety
keeps them from walking into new places and
who often break down due to new
experiences.
The goal for this project is students will be
able to navigate their new school and locate
specific locations in order to increase their
chances for social integration along with
decrease their chances for a crisis due to over
sensory stimulation.
Technology
Two types of technology will be used for this
lesson. First, a virtual experience of their new
school will be created through Tour Creator at
https://vr.google.com/tourcreator/
Second, once the tour is created, students will
use the Google Expeditions app to tour the
school. This can be done using an IPhone or
Android through the Google Cardboard
viewer.
With the Tour Creator, I will have to go into
the new school and take pictures to create
layouts and sync them with the Tour Creator
program. This program is compatible with
Google Expeditions and transfers easily.
Students will also require a worksheet to
create a scavenger hunt to locate certain
locations in the school (e.g. bathroom, nurse,
front office, room numbers. Etc.).
A YouTube video will be used to introduce and
model the technology called Expeditions:
Take your students to places a school bus
can’t.
The video can be found at
https://youtu.be/mlYJdZeA9w4
them a general understanding of what to
expect when they visit it for the first time.

Guiding Questions Pedagogical Approach Reflection

Before and during instruction, the following I would first begin the lesson by telling students that today they are Please see Blackboard
questions will be addressed and/or thought of: going to learn about their new school. I would first ask if they know Discussion Board to
the name of the school that they are going to. When a student post both reflection
Will the student be able to tolerate the answers, I will then post a picture of the school on the screen so that responses.
technology? they have a visual of the outside of the school. I will then talk about
If the student has sensory issues that will where the school is located in comparison to their current school and
prevent them from accessing the technology, give them comfort in knowing that the location is not far from where
other options will need to be made available, they are now, in fact, it may be closer to their house!
such as printed pictures of locations in the I will then create ask student to state things they are scared about or
school. Also, through Google Expeditions, the worried about as they transition to their new school. I will write their
tour can be viewed on the computer. responses on the board in the front of the room, with hopes that a lot
of these will be addressed during the lesson.
Will the student be able to locate various Next, I will read a Social Story about going to a new school. The Social
areas in the building? Story will include emotions they may be feeling and how to deal with
With the worksheet and the list of locations them, along with assuring them that it is going to be okay.
the student is expected to find, will the The lesson will then transition into the introduction of the technology.
student be able to navigate around the I will pull out the VR Cardboard viewer and tell the students that today
building and locate the locations listed on the they are going to use these to look inside their new school! I will then
page? How many locations will you give each play the YouTube video of other students using the goggles and the
student? It is quite possible that the number same program to view other places in the world, as an introduction
of locations or what locations the student and video model to the technology.
needs to find will need to be differentiated,
depending on the student.
After instruction, the only question that will
need to be answered is, will the student be
able to apply the skills they learned to the
actual location? This will be tested when the
student visits their school.
The backup plan in case the technology does
not work is listed above. Pictures will be made
available of different locations in the school
and Google Expedition can be viewed on the
computer, if needed.
After the video I will pass out the Goggles and let the students explore
the school. I will give them approximately 15 minutes to do this.
Once each child has had the opportunity to view the school and get
used to the technology I will pass out the scavenger hunt worksheet.
Students will partner up and each will take turns finding different
locations. To acknowledge that they have found the locations on the
worksheet they will have to write where it is located within the school.
For students who are not used to the technology or don’t like it,
Google Expeditions will be open and accessible on their computers so
that they may also view the school. To modify it further, pictures of
the school will be laid out on the table and students will be able to
explore and identify various locations. An adult will also be made
available to check on the students and assist them with the
technology as needed.
After students have had the opportunity to complete the scavenger
hunt, I will then ask what they thought about the technology. I will ask
what they thought about their new school. I will then have the
students compare the similarities and differences between their new
school and current school. I will also ask if they feel better about their
new school, are they excited, or did they become frightened or
confused about something they saw. Time will be left at the end of the
lesson to discuss their concerns and answer any questions they may
have. Additional time will be made from this discussion, if needed, to
view the school again or help individual students locate something
they were curious about that was not on the list (ex. If the student
likes band and wants to see where the band room is located). If for
some reason a student wants to see something that may not be
available, I’ll be able to go back to the school and create that tour for
that student, which can be viewed at a later date.
Students will, at a later date, have the opportunity to view their new
school. I will then be able to determine if the students are able to recall
what they learn and locate things in the school that they saw through
Google Expeditions.