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Deaf History & Culture

Ninth graders explore Deaf history and culture — Gallaudet University, the 1988 Deaf President Now protest, the ADA, the recognition of ASL as a full language, and the pride of the Deaf community — the story behind the language they’re learning.

Grade 9Deaf History55 minutes1 class periodACTFL / Visual LanguageExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Know Deaf history.
  • ✓Explore Gallaudet & the ADA.
  • ✓Understand Deaf pride.
  • ✓Value the community.
Essential Question

ASL has a rich history and a proud community behind it. What are the key moments and places in Deaf history?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Deaf History Explorer

Project this and tap each. Have students learn key moments in Deaf history and culture.

🎓 Explore Deaf history — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Visual-Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Sign · Reflect)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — A Proud History

6 min

ASL has a rich history and a proud community — what are the key moments?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a Gallaudet photo.
  • Ask what it is.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Deaf History

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Deaf History Explorer.
  • Present each moment.
  • Note Deaf pride.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note it.
  • Reflect.
3

Practice — Practice

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Match events to dates.
  • Explain one moment.
  • Discuss.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Explain.
  • Share.
4

Sign — Sign

15 min

Students sign.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Fingerspell Gallaudet.
  • Sign DEAF and PROUD.
  • Sign to a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Spell it.
  • Sign it.
  • Sign.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a moment.
  • Say why it matters.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Intermediate-Low).

ACTFL
Cultures 2.1

Explore Deaf history.

ACTFL
Cultures 2.2

Explore Deaf institutions.

ACTFL
Connections 3.2

Connect to civil rights.

ACTFL
Communities 5.1

Value the Deaf community.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • History picture cards.
  • Give short summaries.
  • Use a timeline.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with Gallaudet and the ADA.
  • Use pictures.
  • Discuss one moment.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Research Deaf President Now.
  • Learn about a Deaf leader.
  • Make a timeline.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🎓History images
  • 💻The Deaf History Explorer
  • 📚Books on Deaf history
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

Gallaudetthe Deaf university in D.C.Deaf President Nowthe 1988 protestADAAmericans with Disabilities Act (1990)Deaf communitya proud cultural communitycultureshared language & traditionshistorythe story of the pastrightsprotections under the lawWilliam Stokoelinguist who proved ASL is a language
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is Gallaudet University?
The world’s only university designed for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
QUESTION 2
What happened in Deaf President Now (1988)?
Students protested and won Gallaudet’s first Deaf president.
QUESTION 3
What does the ADA (1990) do?
It protects the rights of Deaf and disabled people.

Reflect: Deaf history.

Have students name one key moment in Deaf history and why it matters (like the ADA). A printable Deaf-history sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Deaf History & CultureFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Deaf History & CultureQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Deaf History & CulturePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: ADA, culture, Deaf community, Deaf President Now, Gallaudet, history, rights, William Stokoe
  1. a proud cultural community
  2. the story of the past
  3. Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
  4. shared language & traditions
  5. linguist who proved ASL is a language
  6. protections under the law
  7. the Deaf university in D.C.
  8. the 1988 protest

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is Gallaudet University?
  2. What happened in Deaf President Now (1988)?
  3. What does the ADA (1990) do?
Answer key — Part A: 1) Deaf community · 2) history · 3) ADA · 4) culture · 5) William Stokoe · 6) rights · 7) Gallaudet · 8) Deaf President Now
Part B: 1) The world’s only university designed for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students. 2) Students protested and won Gallaudet’s first Deaf president. 3) It protects the rights of Deaf and disabled people.