UNIT The Story of My Life - t1.daumcdn.net

14A Unit 1 Perseverance ✦ Selection 3 Overview

✦UNIT

1 The Story of My Life

Student Anthology pp. 38–43

Selection SummaryBy the age of nineteen months, Helen Keller developed both hearing and visualimpairments. During childhood, Keller was obstinate, and often acted out infrustration with her silent world. Alexander Graham Bell’s suggestion toKeller’s parents that she work with tutor Anne Sullivan changed Helen’s life.This excerpt from Helen Keller’s classic autobiography details how her driveand persistence enabled her, under Sullivan’s direction, to make remarkableprogress.

Selection Goals• To recognize the elements of an autobiography in the selection

• To understand how Helen Keller learned to communicate

• To recognize the important role Anne Sullivan played in helpingHelen Keller

Genre: AutobiographyShare with the students some of the elements of an autobiography, which include

✦ an account by a person about hisor her life.

✦ details about how the persontalks, feels, or thinks.

✦ the entirety of the person’s life oronly an important part of theperson’s life.

The Story of My Life

I do not remember when I first realized that I was different from other

people; but I knew it before my teacher came to me. I had noticed that

m y mother and my friends did not use signs as I did when they wanted

anything done, but talked with their mouths. Sometimes I stood between

two persons who were conversing and touched their lips. I could not

understand, and was vexed. I moved my lips and gesticulated frantically

but without result. This made me so angry at times that I kicked and

screamed until I was exhausted.

In those days a little girl, Martha Washington, the child of our cook,

and Belle, an old setter, and a great hunter in her day, were my constant

companions. Martha Washington understood my signs, and I seldom had

any difficulty in making her do just as I wished. We spent a great deal

of time in the kitchen, kneading dough balls, helping make ice-cream,

grinding coffee, quarreling over the cake-bowl, and feeding the hens and

turkeys that swarmed about the kitchen steps.

The most important day I remember in all my life is the one on which my

teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan, came to me. I am filled with wonder when

I consider the immeasurable contrasts between the two lives it connects. It

was the third of March, 1887, three months before I was seven years old.

an excerpt from The Story of My Life

by Helen Keller

illustrated by Yoshi Miyake

Helen Keller was little more than a year old when a disease left her

both visually and hearing impaired. She was incredibly frustrated by

her inability to express herself during childhood. Helen’s life was forever

changed when her family hired Anne Sullivan to live with them and work

with Helen. She used a teaching method in which she pressed signs into

Helen’s palm. Eventually, Keller learned to read and speak, and acquired

a college education.

This excerpt describes the remarkable ways young Helen coped

with her silent world.

Icannot recall what happened during the first months after my illness.

I only know that I sat in my mother’s lap or clung to her dress as she

went about her household duties. My hands felt every object and

observed every motion, and in this way I learned to know many things.

Soon I felt the need of some communication with others and began to

make crude signs. A shake of the head meant “No” and a nod, “Yes,” a

pull meant “Come” and a push, “Go.” Was it bread that I wanted? Then I

would imitate the acts of cutting the slices and buttering them. If I wanted

m y mother to make ice-cream for dinner I made the sign for working the

freezer and shivered, indicating cold. My mother, moreover, succeeded in

making me understand a good deal. I always knew when she wished me

to bring her something, and I would run upstairs or anywhere else she

indicated. Indeed, I owe to her loving wisdom all that was bright and

good in my long night.

I understood a good deal of what was going on about me. At five

I learned to fold and put away the clean clothes when they were brought

in from the laundry, and I distinguished my own from the rest. I knew

by the way my mother and aunt dressed when they were going out, and

I invariably begged to go with them. I was always sent for when there

was company, and when the guests took their leave, I waved my hand to

them, I think with a vague remembrance of the meaning of the gesture.

38 39

Unit 1 Perseverance ✦ Selection 3 Overview 14B

�Part 1�

Building BackgroundActivate Prior KnowledgeEncourage students to tell what they have learned previously about the life ofHelen Keller. Ask students what they know about the devices available topeople with hearing, visual, and speech impairments.

Background Information✦ The following information about communication will help students as they

read the selection:

• In finger spelling, each letter of the alphabet is represented by a handsign.

• American Sign Language uses hand motions and gestures to representwords, phrases, and ideas.

• A translator converts one language of printed text to another.

• An interpreter orally translates one language into another.

✦ Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s governess and teacher beginning in 1887, waspartially blind. Together they gained national prominence as they workedtogether to promote awareness for people living with visual and hearingimpairments.

✦ Inventor Alexander Graham Bell taught the hearing impaired. When he firstmet with Helen Keller, he could sense she was intelligent. Dedicating The

Story of My Life to him, Keller wrote, “To Alexander Graham Bell, who hastaught the deaf to speak and enabled the listening to hear speech from theAtlantic to the Rockies, I dedicate this story of my life.”

✦ Helen Keller was the first hearing- and visually-impaired person tograduate with a college degree. During her lifetime, she was honored withthe Gold Medal of the National Institute of Social Sciences, an AcademyAward for the documentary, “Helen Keller in Her Story,” and an honorarydegree from Harvard. She was given the highest civilian honor from theSorbonne in France and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, thehighest civilian honor in the United States.

Previewing the LiteratureBrowse the Selection✦ Have students browse the selection to look for anything that catches their

attention, such as the features of an autobiography and how theillustrations reflect the time period in which this selection was written.

✦ Note on the board those things students mention as a result of theirbrowsing and any questions they have about the selection.

Theme: PERSEVERANCE

14C Unit 1 Perseverance ✦ Selection 3 Overview

✦UNIT

1 The Story of My Life

Set Purposes for ReadingHave students read the selection and set purposes for reading. Ask them tospecify three or four things they will look for as they read, such as examplesof the challenges Keller faced every day, the methods Keller used to cope withher situation and how they affected her and those around her, and the style inwhich Keller presents her story.

Expanding VocabularyThe vocabulary words introduced in “The Story of My Life” listed below canbe found in the Glossary of the Student Anthology. Page numbers indicatewhere the words can be found in the selection.

vexed, Troubled or p. 39 tormented.

gesticulated, Used gestures to p. 39 express a thought or

feeling to emphasizesomething.

idioms, Expressions that are p. 40 peculiar either

grammatically or inhaving meanings thatcannot be easilyderived.

verbatim, Word for word.p. 40

�Part 2�

Reading the SelectionRead✦ Have students silently read Student Anthology pages 38–43, stopping at

the end of each page if they have questions or need clarification.

✦ Have students use predicting or any other comprehension strategies thatwill help them understand the selection.

Teacher TipAn idiom is

usuallyunderstandable to

only a particular group ofpeople. Have studentsmake a list of commonidioms such as hang, play,or throw, and theirmeanings. Discuss howidioms could beconfusing—andsometimes funny—topeople of other cultures.

Unit 1 Perseverance ✦ Selection 3 Overview 14D

DiscussThe following discussion suggestions can be carried out on different days,depending upon how much time you allot to each selection.

✦ Have the students discuss their general reactions to the selection.

✦ Then encourage them to refer to the questions they listed on the boardbefore reading to see if the selection answered their questions.

✦ Have students concentrate on the way in which Helen Keller tells her lifestory.

✦ Have students discuss Helen Keller’s qualities and how they helped herovercome the challenges in her life.

✦ Ask students what this selection adds to the unit theme that the otherselections did not.

After students have discussed the selection, choose from Responding to

Literature pages 14–19, and ask students to complete the assigned pages.

�Part 3�

Knowledge-Building ProjectShare with students the rubrics for communicating research progress andresults before they complete their projects. Students will complete theirinvestigation and conclude their presentations. Remind students they shouldbe ready to present their projects to the class during this time. Inform studentsof your expectations for the presentations—length, content, and order inwhich students will present. If possible, have students practice theirpresentations with a classmate. Tell them to do the following as they critiqueone another:

✦ Point out the strengths and weaknesses of content.

✦ Explain how well the presentation reflects and communicates thetypes of perseverance the presenter investigated.

✦ Offer advice to help refine information.

As students deliver their presentations, have the audience take notes of interesting points and formulate questions or suggestions they mayhave for future presentations.

By the end of this selection, students should organize their notes,prepare to discuss new information they learned from listening to each presentation, and prepare for an overall assessment of their research.

AssessmentUse the Research

Rubrics:Communicating

Research Progress andResults on Appendix page149 of the Teacher’s Editionto assess how well studentspresent their projects.

Theme: PERSEVERANCE

14 Unit 1 Perseverance ✦ The Story of My Life

✦UNIT

1Getting Started

How does the tone of a piece of writing reflect the author’s attitudeand emotions? Tone can be positive or negative, happy or sad,enthusiastic or indifferent. Punctuation and word choice are twoelements that help create the tone of a written work. Review theselection for clues about Helen Keller’s attitude toward her experiencesand her life. Then answer the questions below.

1. What is the tone of this selection? Support your answer with examples.

2. What does the tone of the selection reveal about the author’s personality?

3. What do you think was the author’s purpose for writing this selection?

4. Why do you think the author’s tone fits her purpose? Explain your answer.

14 The Story of My Life ✦ Open Court Classics

UNIT 1 Perseverance ¥ The Story of My Life

Possible answer: The tone of this selectionis generally positive, expressed in wordsand phrases such as “succeeded” and “onfire with eagerness.”

Possible answer: The tone of the selectionshows that Keller was optimistic,determined, and intelligent.

Possible answer: While the story isentertaining, the author’s main purpose wasprobably to inform others about what life islike for people with visual and/or hearingimpairments.

Possible answer: The author’s tone fits herpurpose because she presents herencouraging story in a positive way.

Name Date

Objectives✦ Students will identify the

tone of the selection.✦ Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the author’spurpose.

Thinking Skills✦ Understanding author’s

purpose✦ Extrapolating evidence from

the text

ActivityStudents will answer questionsabout tone and the author’spurpose. Explain to students thattone is the overall style ormanner of a written piece. Tellthem that in order to interpretthe tone of a selection, theyshould carefully read thelanguage used in the text, andpay attention to word choice andhow the words make them feel.

The Next StepTell students many peopleexperience life challenges, butonly a handful triumph overthem as Helen Keller did. Askstudents what qualities HelenKeller had that helped herovercome these challenges. Havestudents research Keller’s life tolearn more about the obstaclesshe faced.

Lesson 1

The Storyof My Life

Responding to Literature p. 14

Teacher Tip Comprehension Strategies Tellstudents that making predictions helps readers stay

involved with the selection by thinking ahead. Askstudents to share how they used predicting to understand

the selection and whether they confirmed or revised theirpredictions.

Unit 1 Perseverance ✦ The Story of My Life 15

Objectives✦ Students will dramatize

behavior that communicatesan unspoken need.

✦ Students will write abouthow the workbook activityinfluenced their perceptionsabout Helen Keller’s life.

Thinking Skills✦ Judging appropriate action ✦ Drawing conclusions

ActivityStudents will conduct an activitybased on Helen Keller’sexperiences in this selection andwill write a brief response to theactivity. Explain to students thatwhen Keller wanted tocommunicate she would usegestures because she could notspeak. With a partner, studentswill communicate the food theywant and then discuss how theyfelt as they tried to expressthemselves in this way.

The Next StepWhen students have completedthis activity, discuss their generalreactions to this activity. Askthem if they were comfortableusing only nonverbal signs toexpress themselves. You mightuse this exercise as anopportunity to remind studentsabout the importance ofrespecting people and beingsensitive to their lifecircumstances.

Make It HappenIn this selection, Helen Keller describes how she communicates some

of her wishes to her mother. When she wants something in particular toeat, Helen will “imitate the acts” of preparing it.

Work with a partner to dramatize an act or behavior in the same waythat Helen Keller did in the selection. Think of your favorite food, butdo not tell your partner what it is. Put on a blindfold securely so youcannot see how your hands are moving. Then without speaking, try tocommunicate the type of food you want to eat. After you havecommunicated your request, have your partner take a turn.

After each partner has had a turn, discuss the activity. How did it feel totry to express yourself without speaking or being able to see thegestures you made? How did it feel to try to interpret your partner’shand movements? Consider how this activity influenced your ideasabout the challenges Helen Keller and her family faced, and write aboutyour thoughts below.

The Story of My Life ¥ Perseverance UNIT 1

Open Court Classics ✦ The Story of My Life 15

Answers will vary.

Name Date

PERSEVERANCE

Lesson 2


Assessment Use the Informal ComprehensionStrategies Rubrics: Predicting on Appendix page 145

of the Teacher’s Edition to assess students’ use of thisstrategy.


✦UNIT

1In My Opinion

Helen Keller describes the day she met her teacher as the mostimportant day in her life. However, on that day, Helen and Anne Sullivanbegin a long, difficult journey. Together, they achieve what manybelieved to be impossible.

Based on what you learned from this selection, which of these womendo you think faces the greater challenge? Think about what each ofthem has to overcome and the ways in which each demonstrates herperseverance. Then write a brief essay expressing your opinion aboutwhether Keller’s accomplishments were due more to her owndetermination or to Sullivan’s. Remember to formulate your main ideaand support it with specific evidence.

Meet with a classmate to discuss your essays. What new insights aboutHelen Keller and Anne Sullivan were sparked by your conversation?

See page 124 in the Appendix for tips on writing an expository essay.



Essays will vary.

Ideas will vary.

Name Date

ObjectiveStudents will write an expositoryessay comparing the challengesHelen Keller and Anne Sullivanfaced.

Thinking Skills✦ Judging perseverance in

characters ✦ Recalling details

ActivityStudents will write an expositoryessay about how Helen Kellerand Anne Sullivan persevered.Instruct students to use detailsfrom the selection to determinewho was more responsible forHelen’s success.

The Next StepHave students browse booksabout Helen Keller to evaluatehow much of what they readfocuses on Sullivan and howmuch focuses on Keller. Discussthe prominent place Sullivan isgiven in Keller’s accomplishments.

Lesson 3

The Storyof My Life


Teacher Tip As students complete the assignedResponding to Literature pages, remind them to

finalize research and prepare their presentations.


Objectives✦ Students will recall details of

their early childhoods.✦ Students will consult various

sources in order to write anautobiographical story.

Thinking Skills✦ Making connections✦ Describing personal

experience

ActivityStudents will writeautobiographies. Suggest thatstudents consult parents, otherrelatives, photo albums,scrapbooks, or family movies asthey write their autobiographies.Tell them to enhance theirstories with a memorableanecdote that captures their lifeexperience in some significantway.

The Next StepDiscuss with students theprominent figures in their lives.To become a success, Kellerneeded Sullivan to help her. Askstudents to talk about who hashelped or is helping them besuccessful in an area of theirlives. Encourage interestedstudents to look into mentoringopportunities when they are atan appropriate age.

I Can Do It, TooHelen Keller’s autobiography, The Story of My Life, has been

described as a collection of memories rather than one unified story. Partof the reason for this is because it is difficult to recall details of one’schildhood, particularly in chronological order. The author must relyupon his or her memories, family stories, and mementos.

Think about some of your earliest memories. What sources can youconsult to help you confirm events or get a more complete picture ofwhat you remember? Collect your thoughts, as well as information fromother sources; then write an autobiographical story about your earlychildhood.



Stories will vary.

See page 133 in the Appendix for tips on writing an autobiography.

Name Date

PERSEVERANCE

Lesson 4


Teacher Tip Writing Tell students some of theelements of autobiography: it is written by and

about yourself; it contains important information; itspans your life or focuses on only one part; events are

listed chronologically.

Assessment Monitor students as they write theirautobiographies. Use the Writing Rubrics: Narrative

Writing on Appendix page 146 of the Teacher’s Editionto assess this activity.


✦UNIT

1Reality Check

In this selection you learned about some communication tools HelenKeller used. Sign language and books printed in Braille continue to beused today, but now there are many more instruments and methods thatassist physically challenged people in communicating with others,obtaining information, and living independently. Find out aboutproducts that are currently available.

Make a list of devices and services that are used by people who arehearing or visually impaired.

Work alone or with a partner to research one of the items listed above.If possible, interview a person who uses that particular tool, and findout how it has made a difference in his or her life. Share the results ofyour research with the class.

Extra Effort: Conduct some research on the history and developmentof Braille. How does it compare with the device or service youresearched? Record your observations in your Personal Journal.



Possible answers: Some technologies andproducts include books-on-tape, companiondogs, hearing aids, and closed-captioningon television screens.

Name Date

ObjectiveStudents will gain knowledge ofsome devices and services thatenhance the lives of physicallychallenged people.

Thinking Skills✦ Adding to knowledge✦ Summarizing research

ActivityStudents will research devicesand services used by physicallychallenged people and presenttheir research to the class.Explain that this activity willintroduce students to the manyproducts available to help theblind and deaf communicate andlive independently. Students maywant to use the Internet orconsult reference books as theycollaborate with another student.

The Next StepHave students become morefamiliar with sign language. Askthem to go to the library orresource center at school andborrow books on signing thealphabet. Have students work inpairs to learn how to spell theirown names using sign language.Discuss how knowing signlanguage could enhance theirabilities to communicate with thehearing impaired.

Lesson 5

The Storyof My Life


Teacher Tip If you are unfamiliar with signing thealphabet, learn it with your students. This will

encourage students to complete the activity.


ObjectiveStudents will formulate questionsand answers about the selection.

Thinking Skills✦ Formulating questions✦ Making inferences

ActivityStudents will answer questionsabout Helen Keller’s lifeexperiences. To help themcomplete their worksheets,explain to students that our firstimpressions of others, especiallythose who appear different fromus, are often incorrect.Emphasize the importance ofindividuals like Anne Sullivanwho work with people who needassistance in communicatingwith others and living a typicallife.

The Next StepInvite a professional who workswith physically challengedindividuals to the classroom.Have students ask the guestquestions about the skills he orshe uses and the trainingrequired to work with physicallychallenged people. Have studentswrite their questions prior to thevisit, and have them record thespeaker’s answers in theirPersonal Journals.

Going DeepHelen Keller was so unruly as a small child that some people believed

the illness that had taken her sight and hearing had also affected herbrain. However, Keller’s wild behavior resulted from lack ofcommunication, not lack of intelligence. Consider what might havehappened if Anne Sullivan or another teacher had not intervened tohelp Helen.



Possible question: What kind of personwould Helen have become if she had notbeen willing to work with Anne?

Possible answer: It demonstrates howvaluable patience and perseverance are in astudent–teacher relationship.

Possible answer: It is inspiring to learn aboutHelen’s achievements. It shows how importantit it to persist through difficult situations.

1. What questions does this selection raise about people’s need to connect with one another?

2. How does Helen Keller’s story influence your ideas about the need to intervene and help people?

3. What does this selection make you wonder about the potential of all human beings?

4. Write some other questions and ideas that you thought about as you read this selection.

Meet with a partner or small group of classmates to discuss yourquestions and ideas.

Answers will vary.

Name Date

PERSEVERANCE

Lesson 6


Informal Assessment Use the Responding toLiterature pages as an informal assessment of

students’ understanding of the selection, Helen Keller’sdemonstration of perseverance, and the connections

students made between this selection and their own lives.

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UNIT The Story of My Life - t1.daumcdn.net