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The Story of Louis Braille

 

Subjects

Arts & Humanities
--Language Arts
--Literature
Educational Technology
Health
--Our Bodies
--Safety
Social Studies
--History

Grade

3-5
6-8

Brief Description

Learn about Louis Brailles system for the blind. Use an online Braille translator.

Objectives

Students will

  • learn about Louis Brailles life.
  • use a braille card and/or an online braille translator to translate text into braille or from braille.
  • learn about other famous people who have been blind or visually impaired.

Keywords

blind, Louis Braille, translator, Braille alphabet, braille

Materials Needed

Lesson Plan

Ask students if they have heard of Louis Braille or the braille system. Write down the information they share. Students will likely know that braille is a system that helps blind people read. Each letter (as well as numbers and marks of punctuation) are represented by a series of raised dots. Every letter, number, and symbol is represented by a different combination of six dots.

Next, pass out to each student a copy of this braille card and a copy of this Story of Louis Braille work sheet. Challenge students to learn more about Braille by using the braille card to translate the words in braille type into text.

Extend the Lesson
You can extend this lesson by using one or more of the activities below.

My Name in Braille. Have each student translate his or her name into braille. Students can use the braille card to help them do that. They might create a braille nameplate by gluing split peas onto heavy stock paper. Alternative: Use those colorful old-fashioned sugary candy dots (also called candy buttons), the kind that come stuck to strips of paper.

Braille Riddles. On a large sheet of drawing paper students can write or type a favorite riddle (one they think their classmates may not know). Then they will use split peas or candy buttons (see above activity) to present the answer to the riddle in braille. Their classmates will have fun trying to figure out answers to the riddles. Adapt the activity for younger students: younger students might use this online Braille translator to translate the riddle response. Then they can print out the response (use the Large" setting) and paste peas or candy over the appropriate dots.

Braille Bios. Share more information about the life of Louis Braille by reading aloud one of these biographies.