Communication: what a miracle!

One of the most important things you are going to learn with this webquest is to work in small groups. Remember that each component of the group is important, and that each one of you has to be responsible for his or her work. Good communication is very important: listen to your classmates, take turns to speak  and consider each single contribution.

Now you are ready to start your research! ENJOY!

TASK 1: CREATE A SLIDE PRESENTATION ABOUT HELEN KELLER'S LIFE

STEP 1: Open a new folder where you are going to keep all the materials you will include in your power point and give it a name.

STEP 2: Open a Word document to write on it the information and ideas you are going to use while reading and watching the different resources.

STEP 3: Learn about Helen Keller's life by analyzing the following resources. Each resource is given a number. Take notes meanwhile.

a) Watch this film divided into six parts to know more about the first years of Helen's life: resources 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9

b) This is a short biography. Read through it and take notes related to the main events, facts and teachings it contains: resource 10

c) Visit the Hellen Keller Museum. You will find a lot of good photos, videos and clear explanations you may want to include in your presentation: resource 11


STEP 4: Share your notes with your group and discuss on them. Decide as a group which of the main facts, events, pictures, videos and conclusions you will include in your presentation and write them on the Word document.

STEP 5: Create the power point. Distribute the work so that you may carry out this task in a more effective way. Ask your teacher for help if you need it.

STEP 6: Present the final result in front of your class. Each member of the group will take equal part. Prepare the presentation carefully and rehearse several times. It won't last more than 15 minutes.



TASK 2: WRITE A COMPOSITION

Make an effort to imagine that you are deaf or blind. You have to write a text explaining with your own words what is your daily life like. Speak about the different resources you use to learn and to communicate with friends, relatives and classmates; the difficulties you find to do normal things like going shopping, attending school,etc; the things you need from other people to feel comfortable...

In order to do so, follow these steps and study the resources listed below:

STEP  1: The teacher will assign you one of the following topics: 1) deafness and 2) blindness. Half of the groups will work on deafness and the other half will work on blindness.

STEP 2: Once your group has been assigned a topic, open a new Word document to keep record of the ideas and important information you are going to collect by investigating these resources:

DEAFNESS: resources 2, 14, 15, 16 & 17

BLINDNESS: resources 3, 4, 12, 18 & 19


STEP 3: You had the chance to understand a little bit better what a blind or deaf person feels. Now you are ready to write as if you were blind or deaf. Share with your group what you have learned and write your ideas on the Word document after talking and making decisions with your classmates.


STEP 4: Choose a spokesperson from your group to read the composition aloud for the rest of the class.



TASK 3: WRITE A TEXT IN BRAILLE AND DECODE A MESSAGE WRITTEN IN BRAILLE

STEP 1: Open the Word document entitled "Quotes by Helen Keller" (resource 20).
 
STEP 2: Read all the quotes to understand the meaning. Analyze the meaning with your group. You can write your thoughts and ideas on the second page of the same document.

STEP 3: Each group will choose one of the seven quotes, but it has to be a secret for the rest of the groups.

STEP 4: Using the Braille Key (resource 21) write your quote in Braille on a large poster.

STEP 5: Once all the groups have finished, each group will show the poster and the rest will find out the correspondent quote.

STEP 6: Talk with the whole class and your teacher about the things you can learn from the quotes.