MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard University has identified eight intelligences:
1) Verbal/ Linguistic
2) Mathematical/Logical
3) Visual/Spatial
4) Musical/Rhythmic
5) Bodily/Kinesthetic
6) Naturalist
7) Interpersonal
8) Intrapersonal
ACTIVITIES FOR APPLYING IN A
CLASSROOM BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE
Mathematical/
Logical Intelligence
Encourage the use of
experiments and their data records, logic puzzles, graphs, charts, diagrams,
geometric designs, comparisons, analysis, contrasts, prediction, story grids,
classifications and Venn diagrams, among other projects.
1) Group
Activity : Pass
the number, Please
Materials : None
Purpose : To see whether student
alert in this game
a) Ask
students to sit in a circle. Explain that they will work with numbers in
pattern determined by them, one person says a number, the next repeats that
number and adds a second one in the sequences of his or her choice, the third
player repeats the first two numbers and adds a third in the sequence. Play
continues around the circle.
b) When
a player forgets the sequence or leaves out a number, he or she is out.
c) When
it seems that the players have caught on the sequence, a player may change it.
This player must player must make it clear what the new sequence is. Otherwise,
both this player and the next player are out. If you wish, you may allow the
new sequence to be announced. The player may shout “Change!” before beginning a
new sequence.
d) Play
a round for 5 minutes or so. Then play a second round.
Example:
2 4 6 8 10 12 (change) 13 14 15 16 17 18 (change) 20 22 24 26 28
Discussion:
1) Focus on the moments of change.
How did you feel when making the change?
2) How did you feel when the next person
failed to see the new sequence?
2) Group
Activity : Class-O-Graph
Materials : List of the names of all
the students in the class,
a sheet of graph paper for each student, pens or pencils.
Purpose : To see whether student have curiosity about their classmate.
SESSION
A
a) Ask
students to name characteristics that distinguish one person from another-
other than physical appearance. Write their suggestion on the board. These may
include size of family, favorite sport and so on. Then ask students to choose
one characteristic that they would like to find out about their classmates.
b) Give
each student a copy of the class list. Student should ask their classmates how
they fit into the category and then record the answers on their class list.
Collect the papers.
SESSION
B
Return papers to the students with a
sheet of graph paper and
ask them to graph what they learned from their survey.
Visual/
Spatial Intelligence
Encourage viewing and
creation movies, book covers, cartoons and comic strips, scrapbooks, bulletin
boards, 3-D diagrams and models, masks, costumes, displays, dioramas, family
trees, filmstrips, game boards, maps, stained glass, models, murals, exhibits,
bumpers stickers and flips books among others.
1) Group
Activity : Partner Drawing
Materials : Plain white paper, one
crayon for each student
Purpose : To see whether student
can work together in a
group
without using words
a) Divide
students into pairs. They will be drawing together. Ask each student to choose
one crayon. Tell pairs to place the paper on the table between them.
b) Explain
that they will be given a category and without talking, they will take turns
drawing an example of the category one stroke at a time. Keep the categories
general enough so the students have some flexibility in choosing what to draw.
Allow 5 minutes for this activity.
c) Create
a gallery of the drawings.
Example:
The category is flowers. The first student has
a yellow crayon, the second has a red one. The first student makes one long
straight line. The second student draws a curve out from middle of the line.
The first student decides this could be the beginning of the leaf and connects
it with another curved line going back to the straight line. This continues.
Discussion: 1)
How did you and your partner manage to work
without using words?
without using words?
2) Did you enjoy this activity? Where
you and your partner
surprised at your finished drawing?
How
was it different from what you each had in mind at
beginning?
2) Group
Activity : Chain of links
Materials : Strips of construction
paper,
1 inch wide by 9 inches long,
1 inch wide by 9 inches long,
glue or tape and markers.
Purpose : To motivate student
to complete the game
a) Put
a basket or plastic container of the strips of construction paper on a desk or
table where all the students have access to it. Each time a student reaches a
goal, the student records the goal on a strip, along with his or her name and
adds the strip to the chain of strips being formed by the class.
b) As
the chain grows, hang it around the room so students can see their group
progress.
3) Group
Activity : Eye to
eye
Materials : None
Purpose : To see whether student have curiosity about their
partner
in the group
a) Pair
up students and ask them to stand facing each other. Explain that for 3 minutes
they are to study their partners and find five things they have in common with
their partners and five things that are different. Change partner and repeat.
b) Ask
the students to name similarities and differences and record them on a Venn
diagram.
Discussion:
1) What were some similarities? Some differences?
2) Were there things that were both
different and similar?
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Musical/
Rhythmic Intelligence
Encourage listening to
or the creation of limericks, ballads, choral readings, original songs, raps
recordings, sound effects, environmental sounds, song collections, Morse code,
instrumental or vocal performances and so on.
1)
Group Activity : Class Song
Materials : Paper and pencils
Purpose : To see whether student will cooperate each
other in the
group
SESSION
A
a) Arrange
the class into groups of 4. Distribute paper and pencils.
b) Tell
the class that each group is to create a class song. The only rules are that
the song is positive and does not put anyone down. You may add other rules
about length, rhyming, specific content you want included and so on. Circulate
among the groups as they work. Allow 15 minutes for the first “creative”
session.
SESSION
B
At
the beginning of session B, tell students to finalize their song and practice
it. Allow 20 or 30 minutes for this activity.
SESSION C
At
the third session, ask each group to perform their song. If you wish the class
could vote on the best song and adopt it as the class song for the year,
Discussion: 1) What was the best thing about this
activity?
2) Were there any problems getting
started?
What were they?
What were they?
How did you group handle them?
2)
Group Activity : Mood Music
Materials : A sheet of paper numbered 1 to 10, pencils, a
tape of
excerpt from several different pieces of classical music,
blackboard
Purpose : To see whether student alert with the mood of music
a) With
the students, generate a list of moods and emotions. Write the list on the
board. If some of the words are unfamiliar, discuss their meaning (e.g: sad,
happy, silly, cheerful, lonely,etc).
b) Have
students listen to several different music selections. As they listen, they
should determine the mood of the music and write the mood after the number of
the selection on their numbered sheet of paper.
c) Play
the music, stopping briefly between selections to allow students to write down
the name of the mood or feeling the music presented.
Discussion:
The
discussion for this activity can be a simple sharing of answers for each piece,
or lengthier discussion of reasons for choosing a certain mood.
3)
Group Activity : Musical Chair Cooperation
Materials : Chairs, music
Purpose : To see whether student will cooperate each
other
a) In
this version of musical chairs, the group wins or loses. The object of the
activity is to end up with all students seated. It is the group’s job to see
that everyone has a place to sit, even if it’s on someone’s lap.
b) Arrange
the chairs in a circle. There should be one chair fewer than the number of
students.
c) Begin
the music as the students walk around the circle. Stop the music unexpectedly.
d) Before
begin the music again, remove another chair.
e) Continue
this routine until the students cannot find a way for everyone to have a seat.
Discussion:
1) What was different between this game musical chairs
and the one you usually play?
and the one you usually play?
2) How did the new rules change the
feeling of the game?
Which do you prefer? Why?
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Bodily/
Kinesthetic Intelligence
Encourage creating
collages, cooking, computer programming, displays, jigsaw puzzles, sculptures,
origami, scavenger hunts, weaving, stitchery, rubbings, dances, carvings, folk
dances, docudrama, models and stage settings.
1)
Group Activity : Walking Warm-ups
Material
: None
Purpose : To see whether student
alert with the direction given
Make
sure there is room for students to walk about. Tell them to follow your directions
for walking. There is only one rule: do not bump or touch other students.
Possible
Directions:
·
Are exhausted
·
Have just heard wonderful news
·
Are carrying a heavy box
·
Are carrying a heavy suitcase
·
Are bitterly cold
·
Are very old
·
Have just learned how to walk
·
Are 10 feet tall
·
Are working on ice
·
Are walking on hot sand
Discussion:
1) How did you show your feelings without word?
2) Are voice and expression always
necessary to
get other to understand what you are really mean?
get other to understand what you are really mean?
2)
Group Activity : All Together Now
Material
: None
Purpose : To see perseverance of
student work together
a) Ask
the students to sit on the floor in a circle and take hold of the rope circle.
b) Tell
the students that the object of the game is for everyone to pull back on the
rope and then raise themselves to a standing position when hear the signal “All
Together Now”. If one student falls, the group must start over.
3)
Group Activity : Infinite Circle
Material
: Piece of flat
board (4 x 4 works best) that is
4 to 8 inches in length, for each student
4 to 8 inches in length, for each student
Purpose : To see whether student
have accountability to do the
activity given
a) This
activity can be done by the entire class. From a circle, with the boards in the
middle.
b) Direct
everyone to select one piece of board each and give them these directions:
i.
Take your back to the circle. Hold hands
with the people on either side of you
ii.
Stand on your board to the left with
both feet.
iii.
Step on your board to the left with both
feet.
iv.
Step two boards to the left with both
feet.
v.
Then step to the left with your left to
the left your foot and share the next board with the right foot of the person
to your left.
c) People
who lose their balance should step off. Otherwise, they could pull others down
Discussion:
1) What was the hardest thing about this? Was it hard to
move off you “ home board” ?
move off you “ home board” ?
2) How did the person to the left or right
affect you?
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Intrapersonal Intelligence
Encourage journals,
diaries, personal anecdotes, autobiographies, analysis, reflections, guided
imagery, predictions and independent projects.
1) Group
Activity : Favourites
Materials : Paper and pencils
Purpose : To see whether student have integrity or not
a) Write
a category and five or six examples on the board (eg: in the category of food-
nasi lemak, laksa, mee goreng, pizza, kek, satay could be listed). Then ask the
class for another category and examples. Students might be interested in food,
specials projects, movie, TV show and so on.
b) Using
the class category and examples, each student lists the examples in order of
individual preference.
c) Give
the students 5 minutes to look for other students with lists similar to theirs.
When the time is up, vote to see which examples were the most popular.
Discussion:
1) What causes people to have different tastes?
2)
Are these differences always a good thing?
Can they sometimes cause problems?
2) Group
Activity : Go- Around
Materials : None
Purpose : To see whether student have integrity or not
Have
students stand or sit in a circle. Ask them to answer a question, one at a time.
Go
around the circle. (students always have the option to pass)
Examples:
·
What word says how you feel right now?
·
What word describes the person who is
your ideal?
·
What about yourself are you proudest of?
·
What is the best thing you’ve ever done?
·
What is something that makes you happy?
·
What is a favorite possession of yours?
Discussion:
1) Were you surprised that other students gave
the same answer that
you gave?
2) Which question received the greatest
number of
different answers?
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Interpersonal
Intelligence
Encourage involvement
in commercials, plays, friendly letters, role-playing, group research,
cooperative sculpture, brainstorming, debates, group problem solving and
reenactments.
1)
Group Activity : Truth Detector
Material
: None
Purpose : To see the creativity
of student
Have
students introduce themselves to the class. They should tell some of their
likes and dislikes, favourite things to do and so on. It is important they
include one thing in their introduction that is lie. The rest of the class
should listen carefully and try to determine the lie.
Discussion: 1) Were some people better at convincing
you
than others?
than others?
2) Why were some people better able to
convince you
than others?
3) What were the best lies? Why?
4) Why do you think truthfulness is
important in life?
1)
Group Activity : What do you think?
Material
: Paper and pencil
for each group, object
Purpose : To see the creativity of students
a) Divide
students into groups of 4 to 6. Groups brainstorm uses for a certain object. Each group should
choose a recorder to write down their ideas. Because this is brainstorming, all
ideas should be considered and written down.
b) Select
an item. Show it to the whole group. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for each brainstorming
session. Ask the recorder or some other member of the group to share the group’s
list.
Suggested
Items:
Candle,
ruler, paper clip, scissors, pencil, nail, screw, hammer, spoon, chair, eraser,
toothbrush
Discussion:
1) How many different ideas did the separate
groups come up with?
Naturalist
Intelligence
Encourage nature walks,
animal reports, nature collections, classroom pet care, gardening projects and
identification scrapbooks.
1)
Group Activity : Animal Search
Material
: Animal Name cards
(make enough cards for the
the number of students-there should be four
cards
for each animal)
Purpose : To see alertness of
student
a) Tell
students they will give an Animal Name card. Their job is to find other
students with the same animal. They may only use sounds and movements for
clues. No talking!
b) Give
each person an Animal Name card. Give students one minute to look at heir cards
and plan how to give clues to other students as to which animal they are
looking for.
c) Tell
students to walk around, giving clues. When one student finds another with the
same animal, they should link arms and continue looking for others with the
same animal.
Discussion: 1) Did it take long to find someone with your animal?
What made it difficult
or easy?
2) What animal was the most difficult
to give clues for?
Why?
2)
Group Activity : Season Scenes
Material
: None
Purpose : To see creativity of
student
a) Divide
the class into groups of 4 to 6. Ask them to choose a season of the year:
v Winter
v Spring
v Summer
v Fall
Their
task is to create a tableau-or frozen picture-of the season.
b) Allow
time for students to brainstorm about characteristics of the chosen season and
decide how to show these. Also, allow time for the groups to practice.
c) Let
the groups present their scenes so the class can guess which season is being
shown.
Discussion:
1) How did your group decide which season to show?
2) Was it difficult to think of things
to show in
your
tableau? Why?
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