In The Dark Author: Sharon Janulaw

Overview: Students will work in pairs as they go on a “trust walk.” One of the pair is blindfolded and is led around by his/her partner.

Lesson Concepts:

• We learn about the natural world using our senses and extensions of our senses.

Grade Span: K–2

Materials:

• Blindfold for each pair of students

Time: 30 minutes

Grouping: Pairs

Teacher Background:

We find out about the environment in which we live by using our senses. The senses gather information that is sent to the brain. Among other things, our senses warn us of danger and thus keep us safe.

Many people depend on the sense of sight more than their other senses for information about their environment. The sense of sight gives us so much information that it would be overwhelming if it were not for our ability to focus on one thing at a time. When the eye focuses on an object, other objects become less obvious.

Explore this link for additional information on the topics covered in this lesson:

• Nature of Science

Teaching Tips:

Students need to understand how to be trustworthy guides for their partners and how to keep their partner comfortable during the trust walk.

Vocabulary: sight

Procedure:

1. Ask students if they have tried to do anything with their eyes closed. What did they experience with their eyes closed? Have them discuss what life would be like it they couldn’t use their sense of sight? What is it like at night with no lights on, not even a night light?
2. Tell them they are going to go on a trust walk. They will work with a partner. Explain that one of the partners will wear a blindfold and the other partner will lead the person who no longer has use of the sense of sight. Partners will trade roles when you give the signal to change. Ask them what they think would be important to do for the person who cannot use sight to know about the world. Develop a list of behaviors that would make a person a trustworthy guide and ask everyone to agree to follow them.
3. Give each pair a blindfold. Specify the boundaries of the area in which everyone has to stay. Have one of the pair blindfold the other person and begin the trust walk. After the amount of time you deem appropriate, give the signal for partners to switch roles.
4. Give the signal for the partners to finish the trust walk, take off the blindfold and come to the classroom discussion area. Have each person share what it felt like to be without the sense of sight. Discuss what other senses they used to find out about their world when they were blindfolded. Ask them to think about people who have lost their sense of sight and discuss what life must be like for them.

Extensions:

Obtain magazines that are written in Braille and let students close their eyes and “read” the words. Obtain a Braille alphabet and Braille numbers for the students to feel as they look at the letters and numbers.