Throughout the play, Annie faces a number of challenges that she must overcome in order to truly get through to Helen. It is important for students to realize the incredible struggles that she endured, and that if she had given up at any time, Helen Keller would not have become the woman that she was: an inspiration to so many. For this activity, students will create a spider map that illustrates the challenges that Annie faced while working with Helen. At the teacher's discretion, students may also have the option to create a storyboard that describes some of the challenges Helen faced.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map that identifies challenges that Annie Sullivan faced in The Miracle Worker. Illustrate instances of each challenge and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
Requirements:
Encourage active participation by dividing students into small groups to discuss personal or fictional experiences with overcoming challenges, relating them to Annie Sullivan’s journey in The Miracle Worker. This helps students connect literature to real life and builds empathy.
Promote teamwork by giving each group a specific challenge Annie faced. Ask them to find text evidence and discuss how Annie responded, fostering close reading and critical thinking.
Have each group present their assigned challenge and Annie’s response. This builds confidence in speaking and allows all students to learn multiple perspectives on problem-solving.
Ask students to reflect in writing or a short discussion on how facing obstacles can lead to personal growth, both for Annie and themselves. Reinforce resilience and growth mindset in your classroom community.
Annie Sullivan faced challenges such as Helen Keller's initial resistance, lack of family support, communication barriers, and her own past traumas. These obstacles made teaching Helen difficult but ultimately led to Helen's breakthrough.
To create a spider map, students should identify key challenges Annie faced, write each as a heading, add images or examples for each, and include brief descriptions. This helps visualize the struggles and Annie's perseverance.
Understanding Annie Sullivan's struggles highlights her determination and shows how overcoming adversity can lead to life-changing outcomes, inspiring students to persist in the face of difficulties.
A storyboard activity involves students illustrating and describing scenes that represent challenges faced by Annie or Helen, helping them analyze character development and plot events in The Miracle Worker.
Helen Keller faced challenges such as isolation due to her disabilities, frustration from being misunderstood, and learning to communicate, all of which are explored in The Miracle Worker.