Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: English

Chapters 1 – 5

1. What kind of family did Helen come from?

2. Who was Helen’s best friend? What kind of girl was she?

3. Where did Helen’s parents take her for help?

4. Who was Helen’s personal teacher?

5. What were Helen’s first lessons about?

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Computer Science/STEM

Look up the vocabulary on a computer, if you do not have a computer use a dictionary.

1. Superstitious

2. Poignancy

3. Vague

4. Emphatic

5. Isolation

6. Divine

7. Plummet

8. Consciousness

9. Sinister

10. Irresolute

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Math

Fractions: Adding

Add the fractions to the lowest common denominator. See the example for help.

14 4 14 8 22 11

3 ____ +5 _____ =3 ______ +5 ______ =8 _____ = 8 ______

26 13 26 26 26 13

Make them the same on the bottom. Since you Add the topSince both the

had to multiply by 2 on the bottom you have tonumbers &top & bottom

multiply by 2 on the top.add the wholenumber can be

numbersdivided by 2

reduce them

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Health

Helen Keller lost her sight at a young age. Look at the diagram below and answer the questions.

Cornea - lets light in and focuses light.

Pupil/Iris - controls how much light reaches the posterior segment.

Lens - focuses light and helps the eye to focus on things at near (up close).

Retina - captures light.

Ciliary muscles - controls the thickness of the lens.

Optic nerve - collects light information from the retina and sends to the brain for processing.

1. What would happen if your retina was damaged?

2. What would happen if your cornea was damaged?

3. What would happen if your optic nerve was damaged?

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Social Studies

Anne Sullivan Macy

Anne was born on April 14, 1866 in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts. Though she was called Anne or Annie from the very beginning, her baptismal certificate identifies her as Johanna Mansfield Sullivan. Her parents, Thomas Sullivan and Alice Cloesy Sullivan, were poor, illiterate Irish immigrants. Her mother was frail, suffering from tuberculosis. Her father was unskilled and alcoholic.

Little or nothing in Anne Sullivan's early years encouraged or supported her lively, inquiring mind. She was unschooled; hot tempered; nearly blind from untreated trachoma by age seven; and, on her mother's death when Anne was eight years old, left to deal with her abusive father and maintain their dilapidated home. Two years later Thomas Sullivan abandoned his family.

On February 22, 1876, Anne and her brother Jimmie were sent to the state almshouse in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Jimmie, who was younger than Anne and had been born with a tubercular hip, died a short time later. Anne spent four years at Tewksbury, enduring the grief of her brother's death and the disappointment of two unsuccessful eye operations. Then, as a result of her direct plea to a state official who had come to inspect the Tewksbury almshouse, she was allowed to leave and enroll in the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts. Her life changed profoundly at that point.

At Perkins, in October 1880, Anne finally began her academic education—quickly learning to read and write. She also learned to use the manual alphabet in order to communicate with a friend who was deaf as well as blind. That particular skill opened the door to her future and a life of remarkable achievements. While at Perkins, Anne had several successful eye operations, which improved her sight significantly. In 1886 she graduated from Perkins as valedictorian of her class. A short time later, Anne accepted the Keller family's offer to come to Tuscumbia, Alabama, to tutor their blind, deaf, mute daughter, Helen.

In March of 1887 Anne began her lifelong role as Helen Keller's beloved Teacher. In short order she managed to make contact with the angry, rebellious child, who learned eagerly and quickly once Anne had gained her confidence. Anne was Helen's educator for thirteen years and, in 1900, accompanied her to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Helen was admitted to Radcliffe College. Anne went with Helen to every class, spelling into her hand all the lectures, demonstrations, and assignments. When Helen received her bachelor of arts degree, it was a triumph for both women. While Anne was not officially a student, she had gained a college education.

During the years at Radcliffe, John Albert Macy became Anne and Helen's friend and helped edit Helen's autobiography. He and Anne fell in love and married on May 3, 1905. Within a few years, their marriage began to disintegrate. By 1914 they separated, though they never officially divorced.

Anne spent the following years living first in Wrentham, Massachusetts and then in Forest Hills with Helen and Polly Thomson. Polly became an essential part of their household, acting as Helen's secretary and assisting Anne. As early as 1916 Anne's health began to weaken. She was incorrectly diagnosed as having tuberculosis and ordered to recuperate at Lake Placid. Polly went with her and the two women soon left Lake Placid for the warmer climate of Puerto Rico, returning to Forest Hills when the United States entered World War I.

Despite Anne's declining health, the three women traveled widely in the United States and, after the war, in other countries. They gave lectures, vaudeville performances, and even appeared in a film titled "Deliverance." In 1924, Anne and Helen began to work for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) as advocates, counselors, and fundraisers.

In 1930-31 Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania wished to recognize Anne and Helen's achievements with honorary degrees. Helen accepted but Anne refused. A year later, at the urging of Helen and other friends, Anne reluctantly accepted the honor.

In 1936, at the age of seventy, Anne Sullivan Macy died at home in Forest Hills, New York on October 20.

1. What was Anne’s childhood like?

2. Where did Anne go to school?

3. What did Anne do for Helen when Helen went to college?

4. Who did Anne marry, what happened to their marriage?

5. Where did Anne get an honorary degree?

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Science

Helen Keller was deaf as well as blind. Below is a diagram of the ear. Please answer the questions.

Outer Ear – gathers sound energy and focuses it on the eardrum

Middle Ear – transfers the vibrations of the eardrum into waves in the fluid and membranes of the inner ear

Inner Ear – helps control one’s sense of steadiness or balance

Ear Canal – directs the sound to the middle ear.

Eardrum – captures sounds and sends it down to the hammer.

Eustachian Tube – evens out the air pressure in the ear drum.

1. Which part of the ear relieves pressure build up?

2. Which part of the ear makes sure you don’t become dizzy?

3. Which parts of the ear deal with sound?

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Art

Helen Keller was not able to see.

Draw a picture of one of the following objects:

Dog

Cat

House

Car

Using a blindfold, cover your eyes and draw the same object. Write what differences you notice.

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Theater

Helen Keller had difficulty speaking and many people mocked her for her voice. These tongue twisters show us that sometimes talking may be difficult for others and we need to respect them and still listen. After reading them, come up with 2 of your own.

1. She sells seashells by the seashore.

2. The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.

3. Six slippery snails, slid slowly seaward.

4. Black bug bit a big black bear.But where is the big black bear that the big black bug bit?

5. A skunk sat on a stump.The stump thunk the skunk stunk.The skunk thunk the stump stunk.

6. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,How man pickled peppers would Peter Piper pick?

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Yearbook

Many yearbooks will have a section dedicated to what people are wearing during that year. Write about what Helen might wear during her life or draw a picture of her.

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: Band

If you listen to the radio or Internet, there are songs about almost any topic you can imagine.

Choose a song about the following topic. Write the song title, artist, and how it relates to the story.

Blindness

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: English

Chapters 1

–

5

1.

What kind of family did Helen come from?

2.

Who was Helen’s best friend? What kind of girl was she?

3.

Where did Helen’s parents take her for help?

4.

Who was Helen’s personal teacher?

5.

What

were Helen’s first lessons about?

Snow Day 1

Helen Keller: English

Chapters 1 – 5

1. What kind of family did Helen come from?

2. Who was Helen’s best friend? What kind of girl was she?

3. Where did Helen’s parents take her for help?

4. Who was Helen’s personal teacher?

5. What were Helen’s first lessons about?