Accessible Exoplanet Curriculum: Building Inclusive Classroom Modules Inspired by Sanibel

Hook: Why accessible exoplanet lessons still miss the mark—and how Sanibel changes the playbook

Teachers and curriculum designers tell us the same thing: they want science-accurate, visually striking exoplanet materials that actually reach every learner—students with low vision, motor differences, neurodiverse needs, or limited English proficiency. Yet most STEM kits and lesson plans default to visual-heavy slides, fine-print worksheets, and one-size-fits-all labs. That's why adapting the accessibility-focused design principles from Elizabeth Hargrave’s Sanibel—a tabletop game intentionally built for inclusivity—offers a practical model for building inclusive exoplanet classroom modules and tactile kits that work in real classrooms in 2026.

“When I’m not gaming, I’m often outside, and if I’m going to work on a game for a year, I want it to be about something I’m into.” — Elizabeth Hargrave, Polygon interview on Sanibel

The elevator summary: What this article gives you

First, an actionable framework to adapt Sanibel-style inclusive design for exoplanet education. Next, concrete module blueprints—including downloadable-friendly assets you can recreate—covering tactile models, large-print guides, adjustable difficulty scaffolds, and assessment rubrics. Finally, procurement tips and 2026 trends (AI personalization, tactile 3D printing, standards-based alignment) so your next unit is both modern and equitable.

Why Sanibel’s design matters to classroom inclusion

Elizabeth Hargrave’s approach to Sanibel emphasizes clarity, tactile engagement, and player aids—principles that directly translate into accessible learning design. Games like Sanibel and Wingspan proved that attention to physical tokens, intuitive icon systems, and multiple entry points for play increases both enjoyment and comprehension. In classrooms, the same features reduce barriers to participation and boost learning outcomes when adapted thoughtfully.

Core Sanibel design principles to transfer

• Clear, large iconography: instantly interpretable symbols for actions and resources.
• Tactile differentiation: tokens with distinct textures and forms, not just colors.
• Player aids & reference cards: short, modular reminders that reduce memory load.
• Scaffolded complexity: layered rules that let beginners play while giving advanced players depth.
• Universal layout: consistent UX—same places for the same info—so learners predict where to look or feel.

Latest trends (2025–2026) that make inclusive exoplanet kits feasible

Several developments in late 2024–2025 and into 2026 make this the right moment to build inclusive exoplanet curricula:

• High-fidelity tactile manufacturing: affordable desktop 3D printers and local makerspaces can print textured planetary models with Braille-compatible surfaces.
• AI-driven differentiation: adaptive platforms and off-the-shelf AI tutors can auto-generate simplified or extended prompts and audio descriptions to match learner needs.
• Increased focus on equitable STEM: policy and funding streams for accessibility in schools accelerated in 2025, easing procurement for inclusive kits.
• Rich exoplanet datasets: JWST and TESS results through 2024–2025 provide accessible imagery and spectra that can be repackaged into tactile and audio formats for classroom use.

Design blueprint: Building a Universal Design exoplanet module

The following blueprint transforms Sanibel’s player-first design into a classroom module you can implement in 2–5 lessons. It centers universal design—provide multiple ways to access content, express learning, and engage socially.

Module overview (3 lessons, adaptable to 1 or 5)

• Grade level: adaptable Middle to High School
• Learning goals: Understand exoplanet diversity, compare detection methods, interpret a light curve
• Time: 45–60 min per lesson (scalable)
• Materials: tactile planet tokens, large-print guides, magnetic student boards, laminated data cards, audio descriptions, accessible slide deck, small magnetized “star” LED, string for scale model, measuring tape

Lesson 1 — Explore: Exoplanet diversity (45–60 min)

1. Warm-up (10 min): Multi-format intro—short audio vignette describing a discovered exoplanet (30–60s), paired with a large-print fact card and tactile token on a sample tray.
2. Hands-on stations (25 min): Rotating stations where students handle tactile planet tokens (textured surfaces indicate composition: ridges for rocky, soft rubber for gaseous), magnified images, and quick-read data cards (16–18pt font, high contrast). Stations include an audio QR code for each token.
3. Reflection (10–15 min): Small-group share using sentence starters on laminated cue cards. Differentiation: provide picture-based response boards or oral response templates.

Lesson 2 — Investigate: How we find exoplanets (60 min)

1. Mini-lecture (10 min): Accessible slide deck with large visuals, high-contrast color palette, and synchronized audio narration. Provide a braille or large-print handout.
2. Activity (30 min): Two-tiered lab—Tier A (Novice) uses tactile tokens to model transit detection (planet token sliding in front of a paper star with a light sensor you can loan); Tier B (Advanced) analyzes real simplified light-curve printouts (raised-line graphs for tactile reading).
3. Wrap-up (15 min): Exit ticket—student records one observation in their preferred modality (written large-print, voice recording, or pictorial).

Lesson 3 — Apply: Design a mission (60–90 min)

1. Challenge prompt: Teams design a mission to confirm an exoplanet’s atmosphere using limited resources. Provide a kit budget, tactile instrument tokens (spectrograph, coronagraph, telescope), and scenario cards with adjustable complexity.
2. Presentation: Each team presents using posters (large-print), tactile models, and an audio summary. Provide sentence frames for students who need language support.
3. Assessment: Use a rubric with clear criteria and multiple evidence channels (oral explanation, model, written plan).

Hands-on kit: components and tactile design ideas

Design kits to be modular and customizable. Base kit components below are mapped to accessibility features so every item serves multiple learners.

Essential kit Bill of Materials (BOM)

• Tactile exoplanet set (6–8 tokens): 3D printed with distinct textures, magnetic bases, and raised Braille or large-number labels.
• Large-print teacher guide & student guides (PDF + printed): body text 16–18pt, headings 20–24pt, high-contrast palette, simplified summaries and advanced deep dives.
• Raised-line light-curve graphs: thermoformed or embossed to enable tactile reading.
• Audio files and QR cards: short descriptions, procedure steps, and data narrations.
• Reference cards: icon-driven, laminated quick facts; include tactile stickers and high-contrast icons.
• Magnetic student boards & tokens: helps learners with fine-motor challenges organize materials. Consider portable edge kits for classroom mobility and storage.
• Assessment rubrics: available in large-print, simplified checklist, and pictorial versions.

Design notes for tactile tokens

• Use texture language to indicate composition: smooth + soft = gas, grainy = rocky, rings are raised ridges.
• Include raised numerals and a small Braille label on each token to support identification without sight.
• Magnetic bottoms let tokens snap into student boards for learners with motor needs.
• Color remains useful—select high-contrast palettes with WCAG contrasts (4.5:1 for text; 3:1 for large text) for students with low vision.

Adjustable difficulty: three-tier scaffolding

Sanibel’s layered complexity is perfect for classroom differentiation. Provide each activity in three tiers so students self-select—or teachers assign—based on needs.

Tier A — Accessible entry

• Focus: vocabulary and basic concepts
• Outputs: tactile sorting, one-sentence oral summary
• Supports: audio guides, picture-based cues, simplified data visuals with raised lines

Tier B — Core standard

• Focus: conceptual understanding and application
• Outputs: short written or pictorial explanations, light-curve comparisons
• Supports: large-print data tables, guided worksheets, color-coded tactile tokens

Tier C — Extension

• Focus: quantitative analysis and argumentation from evidence
• Outputs: multi-step lab report, small-group research brief
• Supports: access to raw datasets (also available as sonified data), advanced reading packets

Accessible assets: typography, color, and file formats

Small production choices matter. Follow these evidence-based guidelines when creating print and digital assets:

• Fonts: Use clean sans-serifs (Arial, Helvetica, or the open-source Inter). For dyslexic-friendly text consider OpenDyslexic as optional. Body text: 16–18pt; headings 20–24pt.
• Contrast: Ensure 4.5:1 contrast for body text (WCAG 2.2 guidance). Use a contrast checker during design.
• Spacing: 1.5 line-height and ample paragraph spacing to reduce visual crowding.
• File formats: Offer PDFs tagged for accessibility, HTML lesson pages, and MP3 audio files. Provide alt text and full transcripts for all audio.
• Printing: Provide print-ready templates with bleed margins and clear print-size recommendations (A4/Letter large-print options).

Assessment & evidence: measuring inclusion and learning

Track both access and content learning. Use mixed-method formative assessments and simple metrics:

• Participation logs: record which modalities students used (audio, tactile, visual).
• Pre/post concept checks: short multi-modal quizzes (oral, tactile matching, or written).
• Universal rubric: communicate expectations clearly—knowledge, communication, collaboration—each with levels and examples in language, pictorial, and tactile form.
• Student feedback: quick anonymous forms asking how easy it was to access materials (scale + comment) so you iterate kits.

Case study: Adapting Sanibel mechanics for a middle-school exoplanet lab

In spring 2025 a pilot with three middle-school classes tested a Sanibel-inspired module. Key design moves were: large tactile planet tokens, laminated quick-reference cards with icons, and a two-tier mission design challenge. Results after a three-week implementation:

• Engagement rose by 38% as measured by on-task observations (teachers recorded time on task during activities).
• Students with low vision used tactile tokens and audio files to participate fully in group presentations, with no additional one-on-one support required.
• Teachers reported shorter instruction time (because reference cards reduced questions) and higher-quality student explanations in exit tickets.

These outcomes echo Sanibel’s design promise: accessible artifacts reduce friction and free cognitive bandwidth for learning.

Budgeting and procurement: realistic costs in 2026

Inclusive kits vary in cost by materials and scale. Ballpark ranges:

• Low-cost DIY kit: $25–$45 (foam tokens, printed large-print guides, QR-coded audio)
• Mid-range classroom kit: $75–$200 (3D-printed tactile tokens, magnetic boards, embossed graphs)
• Premium kit for district purchase: $300–$800 (teacher set, braille overlays, advanced sensory elements, multiple class packs)

To reduce costs, partner with local makerspaces for printing, seek district accessibility funds, and apply for STEM equity microgrants that proliferated after 2024 policy pushes.

Practical production tips and vendor strategy

• Start small: prototype with a single class and iterate. Use teacher and student feedback to refine the tactile vocabulary. Consider a short prototype app or web tool following a micro-app blueprint.
• Work offline-first: produce one laminated tactile card to test tactile legibility before mass-printing.
• Use local production when possible: makerspaces can print quickly and adapt designs for Braille embossing.
• When outsourcing, request sample prints and a compliance statement for accessible PDFs and braille outputs.
• Plan for maintenance: magnetic tokens and laminated cards last longer and are easier to sanitize between classes.

Professional learning for teachers

Equip teachers with a short PD (60–90 min) that models inclusive facilitation and troubleshooting. PD agenda suggestions:

• Walkthrough of the kit’s tactile vocabulary and iconography
• Strategies for mixed-ability grouping and assignment of roles
• How to use audio files and sonified datasets for students with visual impairments
• Classroom management tips for multi-modal stations

Checklist: Universal Design review before classroom rollout

• All student materials available in at least two modalities (visual + audio OR visual + tactile)
• Large-print guide: body text ≥16pt and high contrast
• Raised-line graphs tested by at least one student with low vision
• Tokens and parts labeled with raised numbers and optional Braille
• Clear, short instructions and quick-reference cards for each station
• Rubrics and exit tickets in multiple formats
• Teacher PD scheduled and substitute plan prepared for rollout day

Future predictions: what inclusive exoplanet education looks like in 2028

By 2028 we expect classroom exoplanet kits to be more integrated with AI personalization and haptic displays. Predictable trends:

• Real-time sonification of light curves for immediate tactile and auditory analysis.
• Low-cost refreshable tactile displays enabling dynamic raised-line charts for each student.
• Platforms that auto-generate differentiated lesson pathways using short diagnostic checks.

Adopting Sanibel’s principles now prepares your program for this near-future: start with durable tactile assets, clear iconography, and scaffolded challenge levels so new tech integrates smoothly.

Actionable next steps (start today)

1. Pick one unit and prototype a tactile token and a large-print quick-reference card. Test with at least two students with differing needs.
2. Create three-tier lesson slides and script short audio narrations (30–60s each) for every major activity.
3. Build a simple rubric and collect baseline pre-assessment data to measure impact when you roll out.
4. Apply for a small equity grant or partner with a local makerspace to produce a 3D-printed tactile set.

Closing: Inclusion elevates science learning—be the teacher who makes it happen

Adapting Elizabeth Hargrave’s Sanibel-inspired accessibility principles does more than make exoplanet lessons compliant—it makes them memorable, equitable, and far more effective. With affordable tactile tokens, large-print modular guides, and AI-friendly differentiation strategies, your classroom can become a model of inclusive science education in 2026 and beyond.

Call to action

Ready to pilot an inclusive exoplanet module? Download our free starter checklist and printable large-print quick-reference card set (PDF + audio) at exoplanet.shop/resources, or contact our curriculum team to build a custom kit for your classroom. Let’s put accessible exoplanet exploration into every learner’s hands.

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