Sound

The walls of your classroom are fixed but you can change the environment in a snap with audio. During a recent presentation someone mentioned how you can lower heart rate, blood pressure and reduce stress through the use of things like music without words.

The research was specifically about audio you hear in nature but I do believe introducing other sounds, like mimicking that of a coffee shop, can help some kids focus.

Adding these soundscapes to the classroom is really easy by visiting one of the sites below.

defonic sounds

Click on the picture and then adjust the intensity. Scroll down for more options.

This fits right into the idea of biophilic design.

virtual ocean

Very similar to the above, click the image to turn on and adjust the intensity.

hipster cafe

Click SFX to open the side panel.

Add layers and then click the play button in the center of the screen.

rainy day

Make your selections, add intensity and change the background.

Possible Next Steps

• Use a soundscape to help add intensity to what you are reading/discussing in the classroom.
• Have a student use one of the above and a pair of earbuds. It might just be enough to help them focus.