I had such a fun time writing the 5-part blog series on Using Our Senses in Walt Disney World that I decided to do one more.Â
Access the Rest of the Series Here:
Using Our Sense of Hearing at It’s a Small World
Using Our Sense of Smell at Soarin’ Around the World
Using Our Sense of Sight at Lake Buena Vista
Using Our Sense of Touch at Smuggler’s Run
Using Our Sense of Taste at Satu’li Canteen
For the purpose of this blog, I am referring to the sixth sense as a keen intuitive power or an intuition/awareness that is not really explainable in normal perception. As educators, we somehow have an innate sense in the classroom. We usually know when something is up with our students collectively and individually. There is a certain air in the shared space that lets us know that something is going on.
The Haunted Mansion at WDW
The Haunted Mansion is what came to mind for using our sixth sense because it does not take long for someone to approach this attraction and realize there is something peculiar happening there. We approach the space with excitement and possibly trepidation. What used to be an attraction scared the you know what out of me as a child, but the Haunted Mansion has become my favorite ride.Â
I think that I love the Haunted Mansion because there are so many elements of the attraction to see, enjoy, and engage. This reminds me of a classroom. Right? Many students feel scared about going back to school. As educators, we create an environment for learning that helps cut through the fear or anxiety and hopefully makes learning intriguing or even FUN.
The magic of the Haunted Mansion reminds me a lot, actually, of what educators do to create magic and inspiration for students. In the Haunted Mansion, there are a lot of wondrous things happening but we don’t truly realize what transpires behind the scenes to make it happen.Â
For example, the famous ballroom scene has ghosts dancing and partying in the grand hall that appear and disappear before our very eyes. Disney uses a technique called phantasmagoria that dates back to the 1800’s and was first done properly by John Henry Pepper. You might have heard of Pepper’s Ghost. The scene in the Haunted Mansion makes the ghosts seem transparent because we are looking at a reflection off of a piece of plexiglass.
Creating the Pepper's Ghost Illusion
Celebrate and Share Your Creativity
As teachers head back to school for the new year, we should be proud and reflective of the work put in behind the scenes to make the magic happen for students. Don’t be afraid to share with your peers and parents what you are doing to support your students and plus up the learning activities.
Classroom Hack
It could be fun to recreate some of these optical illusions from the Haunted Mansion to illustrate perception. There are some great resources online to teach students to use the Pepper’s Ghost technique like the grand hall or make illusions like the singing busts.
Whatever kind of magic you create this school year, your students will benefit from it. As we head into the new school year, I wish you a safe and happy one.
See You Real Soon,
Erin
The Happy Teacher Conference
