By Swapna Bhagat Luthra
At McKenzie Towne School in Alberta, students are learning through touch, scent, and sound with the Indigenous Sensory Box Project. Created in the Enhanced Educational Supports (EES) classroom, this innovative project provides a hands-on and immersive way to explore Indigenous culture, making learning accessible, memorable, and impactful for all.
A Multi-Sensory Exploration
As a teacher catering to neurodiverse students, I am always looking for meaningful and inclusive ways to engage learners. Having witnessed how sensory-based activities can create deeper, more personal connections to learning, and wanting to provide students with the opportunity to experience Indigenous culture through their senses, I came up with the idea for the Indigenous Sensory Box.
Swapna Bhagat Luthra is a Calgary Board of Education teacher working with neurodiverse students to foster inclusive, supportive learning environments. She is passionate about pragmatic, student-centred teaching for learners who see the world differently.
