Multiple Intelligences

Guidance Lesson: Multiple Intelligence 

By: Elyse Goslin, Venette Melo & Elise Dunlap

This guidance lesson is geared toward 6^th grade students and focuses on Multiple Intelligences. Students often associate intelligence or “being smart” with test scores and grades. By teaching students Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence, it gives us the opportunity to help students understand that they are all unique and smart in different ways. This will help increase student’s self-confidence, purpose, and motivation to learn. Through engaging in activities such as this lesson, students will begin to understand how they are often using multiple types of intelligence to accomplish a task, and it will help them start to identify their personal strengths.

Supplies Needed:

• Computer - Internet access (for MI- YouTube video)
• A “journal” sheet for every student
• Timer
• Magazines
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors

Introduction:

·         Show your excitement for being in the classroom with the students and introduce the term “Multiple Intelligence”

·         Activate students’ knowledge about multiple intelligence:

o   Ask students – “Does anyone know what multiple intelligence might mean?”

o   Ask students to partner with their elbow partner and talk about what they think makes someone “smart”

o   “What were some of the things your groups came up with?” – Write their answers on the board

·         Explain that Multiple Intelligence means that each one of us can be smart in many different ways – There are 9 different ways each of us can be smart.

o   “Let’s watch this video to help explain….”

·         Show Youtube Video: 8 Intelligences – Theory of Multiple Intelligences explained by Dr. Howard Gardner  

o  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2EdujrM0vA

Developmental Learning Activity:

·         Address how awesome the video was at explaining the 8 different intelligences.

·         Let the students know – Now they will be split into groups and do some fun activities that use multiple intelligences

·         Break students into groups and assign them a station to start at

·         Each station should last around 5 minutes, and then they will rotate to the next

·         If there are multiple counselors, a counselor can be at each station interacting with the students, or, can roam around the room checking on each group

Station #1: Intrapersonal & Verbal/Linguistic

The purpose of this station is to help students practice internal reflection. At this station, students will be given a sheet of paper that has prompts for them to think about and write about. For example, on a piece of paper, potential prompts could include: “I am thankful for ______” “Something that challenged me this week was _________” “One thing that made me happy this week was ________” “I want to be ________ when I grow up because _________” “How would your bestfriend describe you?” “What is your favorite thing about yourself?”  “Some of my strengths are                      “  “I am happiest when __________”

Station #2: Naturalist & Spatial/Visual Arts

The purpose of this station is to have students do intentional daydreaming, while at the same time generating creativity. At this station, students will be offered multiple options of colored construction paper, magazines, markers, scissors and glue to assist them in creating their collage. They will then be offered two different prompts to choose from: 1) Dream about your ideal vacation spot with as much visual details as you can, or 2) If you could have as many animals as you wanted as pets, what would they be and what would your home look it? Allow students to use various design skills such as pictures, words or drawings that will assist them in sharing their ideas or thoughts to others.

Station #3: Interpersonal & Bodily-Kinesthetic

            The purpose of this station is to actively work together to demonstrate their interpersonal skills. At this station the group will be given the task to create a special handshake between each of the members in the group. They will create the handshake and once they have the handshake down, they will then teach the counselor in the group as well. They will have the opportunity to share their handshake in front of the class at the end of the lesson.

Closing & Follow-up:

·         Wrap of the sessions and have students take a seat

·         Partner students up and have them think about every station and what “intelligence” they used at that station – then ask for groups to share their answers

o   Write up each station on the board, and list all the intelligences that were used, as the students share

·         Ask if anyone would like to share their collage or handshake

·         Thank the students for their participation & sharing

·         Ask “What is one thing each person learned today?”

·         Summarize how much fun we had with them today and how awesome it is that each person is smart in many different ways and has their own personal strengths

·         Remind students that each person is unique – if they have any questions, need to talk, etc., remind them where your office is!