Introduction

You are a journalist for the New York Times.  Your boss gives you a huge assignment, and you have to do your best work because your job depends on it!  Your task is to write an in depth article about the life and accomplishments of Helen Keller.  The boss man really wants you to be able to persuade your readers how difficult it really is to be both deaf and blind.

The Essential Question:   

How exactly did Helen Keller learn to communicate, and what contributions did she leave for today's generation?

Research the following questions using the resources provided.  After you finish your research, develop your newspaper article about Helen Keller.
The challenge is to find as much information about Helen Keller and her accomplishments as possible.  Your article needs to be informative, in depth, and interesting and appealing to the reader.   

Task 1: 

Who exactly was Helen Keller, and why is she considered so exceptional? 

Task 2: 

Who was Anne Sullivan, and what connection was made between the two of them?

Task 3:

How did Ms. Sullivan teach Helen to communicate?  What types of gestures did she use?

Task 4:

After Helen accomplished a major achievement, where did Ms. Sullivan take her, and why did she take her there?

Task 5:

In her adulthood, Helen Keller had many achievements.  What are some of these achievements?

Task 6:

On June 1, 1968, a major event took place.  What was this?

Task 7:

How does verbal communication allow us to influence others?

• Click on the links below to answer the questions listed above. 
• Use the resources listed on this site to find additional information regarding Helen Keller.
• First, make a timeline of her life so that you have a better understanding of Helen's life, trials, achievements, and her influence on future generations.
• After completing your timeline, you will create your article on Microsoft Publisher.  Make sure that your article is developed in a professional manner and in an easy to read format. 
• Be sure to include information found from answering the above questions.  You may include any additional information that you found interesting about Helen Keller or deaf and blind people in general.  You may include pictures; however, they are not required. 

Task 1:  Helen falls ill

Who was Helen Keller?

Task 2: Anne Sullivan and Helen Meets Anne

Who was Anne Sullivan?

Task 3: Communication

What kind of communication did Ms. Sullivan use with Helen?

Task 4: Helen's Breakthrough

Where did Ms. Sullivan take Helen when Helen's breakthrough took place?

Task 5: Achievements

List a few major achievements that Helen Keller accomplished in her adulthood.

Task 6:  Helen Retires from public life/ Helen's Legacy

What event occurred on June 1, 1968?

Task 7:  How do we communicate?

How does verbal communication allow us to influence others?

Guidance

Please click on one of the links below to help you create a timeline of Helen Keller's life.  You may use one of these methods or develop your own. 

Create a Timeline in Microsoft Excel

ReadWriteThink: Student Materials: Timeline

OurTimeLines.com - Create Timeline

If you need assistance with the article writing process, you may find the links below to be helpful.

Wikipedia:Article Development

Half an Hour: How to Write Articles and Essays Quickly and Expertly

Your timeline and article will be graded.  They are both weighted equally.  Note that you will not be able to keep your job if you did not reach the "accomplished" score on each of the two graded criteria.  The boss expects for you to have a minimum score of 20 for the timeline and a minimum score of 20 for the article.  However, he might offer you a larger salary if you do your best work by developing an "exemplary" article.

If you score a 10 on either of the two, you will have a failing grade for this assignment.  Work like this is unsatisfactory in my classroom!  If you score a 15 on both the timeline and the article, then you will earn a C for this assignment.  If you score a 20 on the timeline and a 20 on the article, then you will receive a B.  However, if you score a 20 on the article and a 15 on the timeline (or vice versa), you will receive a C+.  If you score a 25 on the timeline and a 25 on the article, then you will have earned for yourself an A+ for this assignment!  If you score a 25 on the timeline, but a 20 on the outline (or vice versa), then you will receive an A- for the assignment. 

The grade for this lesson will be a project grade for you.  It will be 20% of your semester grade in Reading.

Please understand that there will be no opportunities for extra credit and no chances to "re-do" this assignment.  Please do your best work, and notify the teacher if you are to have any questions.     

Conclusion

In this lesson, student should have learned in depth about the life of Helen Keller.  Student should have a full understanding of who Helen Keller is, what her accomplishments were, and the contributions she made for future generations.  Students should be able to answer all of the task questions in detail and then develop a timeline about Helen Keller and the events surrounding her life.  After creating the timeline, student should use the resource links provided to research other interesting facts about Helen Keller and what it is like to be blind or deaf.  Students should then have been able to write a professional article about Helen Keller's life.  Article should have included the answer to the essential question:  How exactly did Helen Keller learn to communicate, and what contributions did she leave for today's generation?

At the completion of this lesson, all students should have a better understanding of how technology can be used in the classroom and should also have a better insight about the process of using a WebQuest to further their knowledge.  

Learners:  6th grade to 8th grade Reading or Language Arts Students

Prerequisites:  None Required

Materials Needed:

Simple Sign Language Lesson
Access to Microsoft Publisher
Access to the book, The Miracle Worker
Access to the Internet
The Miracle Worker, the movie (optional)

Timeline for Lesson:

Day 1:  Introduce students to lesson by having them to participate in learning sign language.  You may want to teach basic alphabet letters or possibly the Pledge of Allegiance.  Have students to read The Miracle Worker silently in their textbooks.  If not in the textbook, read the story to them aloud.  Discuss only the basic details of the story.

Day 2:  Have your students to access the WebQuest and answer the questions.  Allow your students to use computers to do further research.  

Day 3:  Have your students type and turn in a copy of their timelines.  (Note:  the students should be given the opportunity to have worked on timeline the night before for homework.)  Homework assignment to be given:  students should begin writing their article at home.   

Day 4:  Have students to type their article on Microsoft Publisher.  Allow them to ask any questions that they may have at this time.  Have the students to switch articles with their classmates for a peer review.  Each classmate should write down the strengths and weaknesses of the other person's article.  They should also include any other information that may be helpful to their classmate.  Explain to students that they may or may not choose to take their classmate's advice!

Day 5:  Articles should be revised and completed and submitted to the teacher for grading.  Teachers may choose to show the video, The Miracle Worker, from Disney (after all students have submitted assignment).

Learning Objectives:  

Student should have more insight about who Helen Keller is and why she is so unique.
Student should be able to discuss the importance of verbal communication and how we use verbal communication to influence others. 
Student should be aware of Helen Keller's accomplishments and the contributions she made.
Student should have a greater understanding of resiliency and sign language.
Student should have a greater knowledge of how to use a WebQuest to further their understanding about a specific topic.
Student should know how to create a timeline and develop a professional-looking article.  

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