Braille Name Activity

Age group:

Grades 3-6

Materials:

• Braille alphabet cards
• (If available)...Braille punch
• Blindfolds

Object:

This activity will allow students to learn more about how Braille is used.

Procedure:

• Tell students to move their fingers over a standard sheet of paper (page of a textbook) with their eyes closed.
• Ask "Can you tell me the words that are on your paper without looking? How do the blind read?"
• Give Braille alphabet cards to the class. Ask them to close their eyes as they run their fingers over the bumps.
• Ask "Can you understand the letters and words that are formed by the dots?"
• Give students time to decipher a Bible verse or a short quote using their Braille cards.
• If the equipment is available, prepare cards with the students’ names in Braille (make 2 copies in case one is lost or destroyed). Allow students time to learn their name in Braille and to quiz each other in small groups of 2 or 4.
• After students feel they have mastered their names, take the alternate set of Braille cards and secure them by masking tape to a table or desk (teams may work best in a large classroom). Send blindfolded students to the table and ask them to find their name. Prizes can be awarded for fast identification.
• Ask older students to design an easier way for the blind to read. Teams can construct their ideas and present them to the class.