What is a social narrative?
A social narrative, or social story, is a learning tool that parents, guardians, caretakers, and teachers can use to help children understand important social parts of an event or activity, including things the child may see, how the child may feel, how others may feel or act during the event or activity, and behavioral expectations.
The use of social narratives can help reduce a child’s anxiety over an unknown or difficult social situation and can promote social and behavioral learning.
An accompanying sensory map is also available for download. This map notes areas where individuals or caretakers of individuals with several types of sensory sensitivities may want to exercise caution.
Today I will visit Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion.
There will be a lot for me to see and explore.
There are a few ways to get to the main entrance
I can walk across this plaza to the main entrance.
Or I can walk up this pathway and turn left to get to the main entrance.
If I come as a guest, I will enter through these doors.
Once inside, I will go to the Welcome Center.
Depending on how busy it is, I might have to wait in a line. But the wait won’t be long.
A friendly staff member will be there to check me in.
There will probably be other guests who are at the science center when I arrive, or who arrive at the same time as me.
Da Vinci Science Center Staff wear a purple shirt with a name tag. I will see them all throughout the exhibit floor. They are adults that can answer my questions. They can also help me if I get lost.
I will be able to see a map of the science center by taking a picture or scanning a QR code.
Each floor has an all gender restroom with many private bathroom stalls that I can use.
The restroom I can use on the first floor is behind the staircase.
There is another restroom I can use on the second floor in Leo’s Cafe.
I can move between floors of the science center using the stairs or elevators.
These are the stairway and elevator locations on the first floor.
These are the stairway and elevator locations on the second floor.
If I ever need a quiet space, I can sit in the Haven on the first floor. It is a room near the bathrooms with comfortable chairs and a big frosted window.
There are many exhibits to see as I move through the science center.
I can touch some, and some I cannot touch. The adult I am with and Da Vinci staff can help me understand which exhibits I can touch and which exhibits I can look at.
One of the exhibits I can visit is Curiosity Hall. Here I can go to a kiosk and design a flying machine, take a self portrait, or build a fit kid. My creations will be projected onto a giant wall!
Next to Curiosity Hall is the Science in the Making exhibit. Here I will get hands-on experiences with physics, engineering, manufacturing, and so much more! For example…
I can pull myself up on the pulley chairs.
Or I can mix colors in the Color Mixing Room.
Two other exciting exhibits are the Pipe Organ and the Tesla Coil. These two exhibits can be very loud when they are in use.
At the Pipe Organ, I can make my own music!
At the Tesla Coil, I can touch lightning! When I press the yellow button, there will be a very loud zap noise.
Another space I can visit is the ATAS Innovation Studio.
Here I can try different activities that put my problem-solving and creative thinking skills to the test!
Up on the second floor I can go to the Lehigh River Watershed. Here I will get to see some animal friends and learn about conservation.
I can enter the Watershed exhibit through the Limestone Cavern.
Here I will walk through a cave and learn about bats. The bats in this cavern are not real. There is a screen that I will walk by that makes the bats suddenly fly away. The walls of the cave are rough to the touch and I will hear the sound of dripping water.
The cave leads into the otter exhibit. In this exhibit I might see four river otters. Their names are Jordan, Cedar, Toby, and Cacy. They like to swim in the water and roll around in the sand.
This room echoes a lot and I will hear running water and bird chirps.
I can also see other animals in the River Tank and Lake Tank. There are turtles and fish. If I want to, I can play in the water table.
Here I can use building bricks to build a dam or even boats!
Next to the Watershed is the LVHN My Body exhibit. Here I can learn about the human body, especially
what happens on the inside.
There are a lot of exhibits that explore some of the incredible things our bodies can do!
One of the first things I will see is a display of things called plastinates. There are real preserved human
specimens that were once in a human body. This allows us to look at what is happening under our skin! There are also pictures of plastinates.
The Vitruvian Hubs copy whatever motions you do! There are four different hubs that show what is happening on the inside of our bodies and how to care for them.
The Immersive Body is a multi-level exhibit that I can explore.
I can crawl through the intestines and even go down a slide! There might be other kids there who are just as excited as I am to go through, so I may have to be patient.
I can also take the steps and feel the heartbeat in the floor. Or I can go all the way to the brain at the top and experience different emotions.
To get to the top, I can either take the steps or the elevator up to the third floor.
If I get hungry or thirsty, there is a place to buy food and drinks. It is called Leo’s Cafe. I can enjoy something to eat and drink in the cafe or on the outside dining terrace before heading back to the exhibit floors.
There is also a store here at Da Vinci Science Center. It is located near the main entrance on the first floor. There are lots of items to see. If I have permission from an adult, I may be able to buy something.
When it is time to go, I will leave the science center the same way I entered.
I am ready to have a fun day at Da Vinci Science Center!
