American Sign Language 1-2
Famous Deaf Person Research & Presentation
For the next couple of weeks, you will be responsible to do research about a famous Deaf person, write a 12 page typed paper, and make a visual presentation to share with the class. You can choose to create a
colorful poster or a PowerPoint presentation as your visual aid. As a class, we will be spending 2 days in
the library to collect information for your research paper and presentation. You will need to also use time
outside of class to complete your research and visual presentation. If your are absent while we are at the
library, you we be expected to go to the library on your own time to get your research done.
●
You are to turn in a list of 5 Famous Deaf People you would like to do your presentation on by
Monday, November 3, 2014. From this list of 5, Mrs. Luther will choose 1 famous Deaf person you
will do your research and presentation about so there are not multiple presentations on the same
Deaf person in class.
●
You will also need to sign up on Monday, November 3, 2014 for the date you want to do your
presentation on. If you do not sign up or are absent on that date, a date will be assigned for you.
Make sure to write down the presentation date you are signed up for.
●
Our class will be collecting information for this project at the Library on Tuesday, November 4, 2014
& Thursday, November 6, 2014. Use this time wisely and be on your very best behavior.
●
We will review vocabulary words for presentations on Thursday, November 13, 2014. It is
recommended that you also take advantage of Tutor Time if you need additional help remembering
signs and/or look up signs related to your presentation on http://www.signingsavvy.com/
●
Presentations & research papers will be due on the date you present: November 17, November 18,
November 20, or November 24.
●
We will create a study guide on November 25, 2014 about what we have learned from each other’s
Famous Deaf People presentations..
●
“Famous Deaf People” test will be on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. This will be a multiple choice,
fill-in-the blank, matching, true/false, and short answer test.
●
If you have any questions or concerns, please see Mrs. Luther immediately. Your research paper
will be worth a total of 100 pts. & your presentation will be worth an additional 100 pts. Make this a
fun project for yourself. The more you put into your presentation and visual aid, the better you will
do. Choose someone for your topic that is involved in something that interests you.
Famous Deaf Person Research Paper Requirements
Write a research paper about a Famous Deaf Person. Make sure to include the following:
● 3-5 paragraphs, 1-2 pages, typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, Size 12 font, 1 inch margins.
● Who are you doing your research on? What made you interested in researching the famous Deaf
person you chose?
● How did the Deaf person become deaf (born deaf, got sick with a temperature, head injury,
infection)?
● When did he/she become Deaf (when they were a baby, teenager, adult)?
● Describe their childhood background, birth place, family, date of death if applicable, etc (do they
have deaf/hearing parents, any siblings?).
● What is their educational & work background (public school, school for the deaf, university/college,
career)?
● List some of their positive accomplishments in the Deaf community. What made them famous or
well known?
● Is there anything else that is interesting about the person that you would like to add?
● Write a summary paragraph and describe what you personally think about their accomplishment.
● Works Cited Page- remember that it is considered plagiarism if you do not include a Work Cited
Page. You must type a Works Cited Page and list where you found your information. Please list at
least 2 resources for your research paper in MLA Format. See attached paper for MLA style for the
use of an electronic resource.
Research Paper Grading Rubric (100 points):
Research paper is turned in on time (the date of your presentation) = 30 pts.
Works Cited Page, last page attached to your research paper written in MLA format = 20 pts.
CONTENT
Exceeds
expectations
Meets
expectations
Needs
improvement
Does not meet
expectations
Incomplete/
missing parts
Who are you doing your
research paper on? How and
when did they become deaf?
10pts
8
6
4
0-2
Describe their childhood,
educational background,
birthplace, family, friends, date
of death if applicable.
10pts
8
6
4
0-2
Describe some of their positive
accomplishments in the Deaf
community and what made
them famous/well known?
10pts
8
6
4
0-2
Summary Paragraph: describe
what you think about their
accomplishment
10pts
8
6
4
0-2
3-5 paragraphs, 1-2 pages,
typed, double spaced, Times
New Roman, Size 12 font, 1
inch margins.
10pts
8
6
4
0-2
Famous Deaf Person Presentation Requirements
Your presentation needs to be signed using American Sign Language about the famous Deaf person you
have chosen. Your research paper is due the same day as your scheduled presentation. Your visual aid is
to be on a poster or PowerPoint. Make sure pictures and words are easy to see from the board. Make sure
the letters are not small. Practice your presentation ahead of time and make sure to look at your audience.
Take full advantage of class time & tutor time to review the signs needed for your presentation. Be creative
and make your presentation fun & unique.
What to include in your presentation & visual aid (colorful poster/PowerPoint slide show):
● Write down and ask 3 questions about your famous person that can be answered after your
presentation (How did John Doe become deaf? Why is he famous? What famous quote is John
Doe known for?). Each member of the class will need to write these 3 questions down and answer
them. These questions will be study guides for your class test on Famous Deaf People.
● List the name of the famous deaf person you did your research on & why you decided to choose
him/her.
● Have at least 2 images of the person (not all on the same slide/area).
● List biographical information about the person (examples: birth date, birthplace, childhood
information, family-deaf/hearing, date of death if applicable, etc).
● How did he/she become deaf?
● What is he/she famous for?
● List any other interesting facts that you learned.
Presentation Grading Rubric (100 points):
Poster/PowerPoint was completed & presented on time = 10 pts.
Content
Exceeds
Expectations
Meets
Expectations
Attempts to meet
Expectations, but
needs improvement
Does not meet
expectations
Incomplete/Mi
ssing
important
elements
Presentation is rehearsed,
clear, organized, creative,
neat, and understandable.
20pts.
18
16
14
0-10
3 questions were given to the
class and could be answered
by the end of the
presentation.
10pts.
8
6
4
0-2
At least 2 images of the
famous Deaf person were
used in presentation.
10pts.
8
6
4
0-2
Biographical information was
shared about the famous Deaf
person.
10pts.
8
6
4
0-2
Presenter shared how the
Deaf person became deaf and
explained what they were
famous for.
10pts.
8
6
4
0-2
Fingerspelling & Numbersclear and smooth to
understand. Signer has good
placement.
10pts.
8
6
4
0-2
Facial Expression & Eye
Contact-
10pts.
8
6
4
0-2
use of good facial expression
and eye contact. Other nonmanual elements matched the
message being conveyed..
Vocabulary Knowledge &
Use- nearly all signs were
clear and easy to understand
with correct placement and
movement.
10pts
8
6
4
0-2
Suggested Websites to Find Information About Famous Deaf People:
http://www.start-american-sign-language.com/famous-deaf-people.html
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/famous-deaf.shtml
www.deafpeople.com
http://www.deaflinx.com/DeafCommunity/fame.html
http://deafness.about.com/od/articlesandnewsletters/a/famousdeaf.htm
http://liblists.wrlc.org/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?c=deafbios&a=d&cl=CL1
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/famous-deaf-people.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deaf_people
http://www.workersforjesus.com/dfi/deafbio.htm
http://www.afb.org/section.asp?SectionID=1&TopicID=129
http://www.villageprofile.com/texas/hereford/04his/topic.html
http://www.disaboom.com/athletes-with-disabilities/deaf-sports-famous-deaf-athletes
http://deafathletes.wordpress.com/famous-athletes/
http://deafness.about.com “look for search: famous deaf people
Research Websites to start:
World Biographies
http://www.notablebiographies.com/
Gale Virtual Reference Library
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/displayAllBooksForSubject?subject=Biography&inPS=true&prodId=GV
RL&userGroupName
Multnomah County Library Biography in Context- requires library card
https://multcolib.org/research-tools
Famous Deaf People
Chuck Baird (artist/actor)
Luther "dummy" Taylor (major-league pitcher)
William Beadell ("wanted ads")
Douglas Tilden (painter)
Shelley
Beattie
(American
Gladiator-body
builder)
Kenny Walker (Pro football player)
Edmund Booth (49ner/journalist/leader)
Robert Weitbrecht (TTY inventor)
Linda Bove (Sesame Street)
Heather Whitestone (Miss America)
Bernard Bragg (performer)
Frances Wood (dancer)
Kathy Buckley (comedian)
Bonnie Tucker – lawyer
Laurent Clerc (French teacher)
Thomas Edison – inventor
LeRoy Colombo (lifeguard)
Evelyn Glennie – percussionist
Gil Eastman (performer/producer)
Eugene Hairston – pro boxer
Lou Ferrigno (Body builder/Incredible Hulk)
Helen Keller – deaf-blind teacher & Writer
Julianna Fjeld (producer/actress)
Marlee Matlin –Academy Award winning actress
Andrew Foster (missionary/teacher)
William Schyman – pro basketball player
Phyllis Frelich (actress)
Jennifer Yost – Miss Deaf America
Thomas Gallaudet (Founder of ASD)
Trix Bruce (story teller)
Gertrude Scott Galloway (Deaf women's advocate)
Edward Miner Gallaudet (founder of Gallaudet University)
Juliette Gordon Low (Girl Scouts founder)
Stefan LeFors (football player and CODA)
Eugene Hairston (pro boxer)
Dr. Linda Medleau Jacobs (deaf Vet)
Bruce Hlibok (actor/playwright/ASL teacher)
Deaf Smith (Alamo and spy)
William Hoy (first major-leaguer in baseball)
Sean Berdy (actor)
I. King Jordan, Jr. (Deaf President/Gallaudet)
Shoshannah Stern (actress)
Jean Massieu (French teacher)
Sue Thomas (FBI)
Marlee Matlin (actress)
Deanne Bray (actress)
Lowell Myers (lawyer)
Troy Kotsur (actor)
Malcolm Norwood (captioning inventor)
Ashley Fiolek (motocross)
Mary Lou Novitsky (performer/producer)
Luke Adams (reality TV)
Kitty O'Neil (stuntwoman)
Matt Hamill (MMA)
Curtis Pride (pro baseball player)
Katie Leclerc (actress)
Laura Redden Searing (literary patriot)
Terrence Parkin (Olympic swimmer)
Granville Redmond (painter)
Sean Forbes (D-PAN founder)
Erastus "Deaf" Smith (Scout for Alamo)
Black Coyote (Native American)
William Schyman (pro basketball player)
Luis Figueroa (baseball)
Ryan Ketchner (baseball pitcher-Seattle Mariners)
Derrick Coleman (NFL football player)
Braam Jordaan (animator)
Gerald Becker Steffen (artist @ Pike Place Market-Seattle)
Samual Hudson (artist)
Douglas Tilden (sculptor)
Granville Redmond (landscape artist)
Robert Hoskin (filmmaker)
James “Deaf” Burke (boxer)
Christy Smith (Survivor contestant)
*If you want to do research on a Deaf individual who is not on
this list, please check with me to get my approval.
Famous Deaf People Vocabulary
famous
well known (big + know)
known for what
deaf
hearing
hard of hearing
people
person
research
paper
presentation
born
sick
temperature
infection
baby
child
teenager
adult
childhood background
birth place
family
date (number + day)
death/died
parents
siblings (brothers + sisters)
educational background
public school
residential school/school for the deaf
university
college
career (profession)
positive
accomplishments
Deaf community
interesting/very interesting
facts
personal
opinion
picture