Classroom Activities

• The life of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan--Both of these women were remarkable human beings who rose above seemingly insurmountable odds. Teachers are encouraged to allow their students to study the lives of these women through essays or library worksheets.

• What is blindness--Have your students give a definition of blindness. It's not as easy as they may think. Certainly being able to see no light at all would be blindness, but what if you can see light but can't make out shapes? What if you can make out shapes but can't see to read letters? There are actually more than 50 different definitions of blindness from various sources and agencies around the world. This is a great one for library research.

• A song with sign language--American Sign Language is a step beyond finger spelling. This is a language with the hands to convey words and concepts without spelling individual letters. If you do not know any of these signs, invite a visitor who knows the language. One of the best ways to learn some of the signs is to have the students interpret a song. The motions are done with the rhythm of the music to create a beautiful effect.

• Essays--Essay topics are included in a separate section in this guide. Try a short essay--one to three pages--on these and any other topics of your choice.

• Living with blindness--Have students try to imagine what it is like to be blind. A standard exercise is to have them blindfolded. This can last for as long as a class period. Partners can be assigned--one blindfolded and the other "seeing." The two have to spend part of a day together--perhaps for one hour or for a lunch period. However, take care for the personal safety of individuals. Anticipate how your students will respond, and adjust accordingly. Students can follow normal classroom exercises or some special activities can be developed.

• Thirsty for a look--Blindfolded, have your students get a drink of water from a water fountain.

• Robbing the picture--For another exercise in relating to the visually impaired, have your students "listen" to the segment in the Helen Keller video in which Felix tricks the robbers--listen, but no watching.

• Lips--Sitting across from a partner, have your students put their hands over their ears a try to read their partner's lips. Have them start with simple words or sentences and gradually get more difficult.

• The sound free zone--Create a "sound free zone" in your classroom to duplicate conditions for the deaf. In other words, students are not allowed to talk and otherwise there is an attempt to reduce the overall amount of sound in a classroom. Then have them write about their thoughts and feelings during the "silent" time. Note that duplicating the environment of the hearing impaired can be difficult. Students will find it almost impossible to be totally sound free. Ear plugs are not recommended for class use since these can be dangerous if used improperly, and in any event they do not totally block noise.

• Life without the tube--For another exercise in relating to the hearing impaired, have your students watch a TV show or video without the sound.

• Eye problems--Have your students do research on various eye diseases and defects. Following is a list with short definitions for teacher reference.
  1. Myopia--The myopic eye is larger and longer. The condition is usually genetic and results in a focal point in front of the retina, and is corrected with glasses.

  2. Cataracts--A loss of transparency of the lens. Typically there is a large opaque spot in the central part of the vision.

  3. Macular degeneration--The most common type is disciform degeneration, which is a leakage of the vasculature that results in a loss of fine detail and distortion of vision.

  4. Diabetic retinopathy--An effect of diabetes, commonly from blood collecting in the vitreous, where it forms opaque fibrous masses that reduce or destroy vision.

  5. Trachoma--Most common in areas of the world with poor hygiene. It is spread by flies and causes a scarring of the cornea that distorts vision.

  6. Glaucoma--A loss of vision from increased pressure inside the eye. It is commonly caused by blockage of the aqueous drainage system in the eye.

  7. Retinitis pigmentosa--A group of disorders characterized by clumps of pigment appearing on the retina.

  8. Hemianopia--Also called "half-vision," this is caused by damage to the visual pathways (that is, the optic nerve and brain).

• Anatomy lesson (parts of the eye and ear)--Obtain a model of an eye or an ear and have your students learn the key parts of each of these organs. The biology lab in your school may have a model. You can check your library or the office of a local eye specialist for an illustration of the eye and ear. Pharmaceutical companies often provide these to health professionals to give to patients for reference.

• Vision checks--Invite your school nurse or a local health professional to give the students vision/hearing checks. The same can be done for the ears. Be sure to obtain the appropriate clearances and permission statements. The health professional can give a short talk on proper health habits and proper care of the eyes and ears. Have the students learn about such things as 20/20 vision, astigmatism, various ear problems, etc.

• The disability letter--Have them write a letter to an imaginary friend who has just become disabled--the friend has become blind or deaf, or perhaps has lost some bodily function through an accident or illness. Have them express sympathy in a loving manner. This can be done with group work, with students sharing ideas for what is appropriate.

• Blind or deaf--Have students discuss which is more important: sight or hearing. If they had to be either blind or deaf, which would they choose? They can write an essay about their feelings.

• Cameo Interview/role playing--Have a student take the part of one of the characters in the video, and be interviewed by others in the class. The student needs to prepare for the role, so give the assignment ahead of time--as much as a week in advance--so preparations can be made. Give the role player some specific questions that the class will ask (20 questions are appropriate); parents can help the students research the questions at home to help support the educational experience. Questions asked should reflect a knowledge of the historical events and attitudes of the times. On the day of the interview, younger students may want to dress in a costume of the period to add effect and otherwise enrich the performance. If a video recorder is available, try making a recording of the interview to play back to the class.

• Draw a picture as a blind person--Give each student a blank sheet of paper and blindfold them. Then have them draw a picture--of their home, of another person in the class of a tree or car, etc.

• Classroom visitor--Have a visit to the class by a person who is disabled. Talk with the class about the visit ahead of time, and discuss guidelines for relating to a disabled person. Ideally the visitor is a person who will speak honestly about their disability and be sensitive to student questions. Ask the visitor ahead of time about the questions they would like the students to ask and then prepare the students with these questions. These will help to build a dialogue and open the way for other questions.