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Beyond Curriculum #2
By Michele R. Acosta, Sat Dec 10th
Multiple intelligences instruction has the potential to reachand teach vast numbers of students, but incorporating iteffectively while still meeting curriculum requirements andinsuring that students are developing their verbal-linguisticand logical-mathematical intelligences is no small feat. In the first part of this series, I asked the question: How doyou effectively incorporate the multiple intelligences, meet therequirements of your school's curriculum, and make sure thatyour students are developing their verbal-linguistic andlogical-mathematical intelligences all at the
same time? I also answered the question: you don't - at least not all atthe same time. But some assignments can meet all of theserequirements, and better yet, they have the potential to reachall of the multiple intelligences (as opposed to two or three).I use a mini research project as an introductory activity for F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby; however, theassignment would work with any small scale research project. Thepurpose of the project is for students to gather informationabout an era (in my case it was the Roaring Twenties), and sharethat information with each other. Since the goal of the lessonis the communication of knowledge, it doesn’t matter how theinformation is disseminated. (Article continued below)
I give students the opportunity to work alone, in pairs, or ingroups of three or four. Each student is required to select hisor her own topic to research. If students choose to work withclassmates, their individual research is to be integrated intoone presentation. As preparation for their projects, studentsbrainstorm methods for demonstrating knowledge. The form of thefinal product is left to the students' discretion. As a result,students can use the combinations of intelligences with whichthey are most comfortable. The final products created by my students tell the success story: One student wrote and presented a first-person narrative ofAmelia Earhart's life. Her presentation was accompanied by afreehand drawing of a world map on which Earhart's fatal flightwas charted. This student used her verbal-linguisticintelligence to write and speak her narrative and her spatialintelligence to draw the map. She also used herlogical-mathematical intelligence to organize her research intoa presentation. Two students wrote a newsletter about sports in the 1920s. Theyconcentrated specifically on Babe Ruth and on the 1919 WorldSeries which was fixed. These boys used their verbal-linguisticintelligence to write their articles, their spatial intelligenceto format their newsletter, and their interpersonal intelligenceto cooperate. They also used their logical-mathematicalintelligence to organize their research into a newsletter. Two other students wrote and presented a 20-minute dialoguebetween Bonnie and Clyde. They wore costumes for effect. Byselecting this method of presentation, they not only presentedthe historical and biographical information about the exploitsof Bonnie and Clyde, but also managed to examine Bonnie &Clyde's emotional and psychological state. In order toaccomplish this, these students needed to draw on theirintrapersonal intelligence. These students used theirverbal-linguistic intelligence to write and speak theirdialogue, their interpersonal intelligence to collaboratetogether, and their logical-mathematical intelligence to arrangetheir research into a coherent dialogue. Three other students found a Benny Goodman radio sketch andacted it out vocally. They also wrote a commercial about fads ofthe 1920s which was inserted into their sketch. In order totruly communicate the "radio" element of their topic, thesestudents made an audio cassette of their presentation and playedit for the class. These girls used their verbal-linguisticintelligence to verbally "act out" their radio sketch, theirinterpersonal skills to work together, and theirlogical-mathematical intelligence to organize their researchinto a presentation. Another student taught the Charleston to the class, using herbodily-kinesthetic intelligence, while yet another student usedhis musical intelligence to present the Blues. Students learn more from this project because they are allowedto express themselves in ways that give them confidence toexperiment. Whether they are readers or not, they begin the unitin a positive frame of mind and are more willing to tackle thechallenge at hand because of their recent success. Visitwww.thewritingtutor.biz/teachers_resources/Englishlessonplans.php for more information about this assignment and others. Handoutsare available for most lesson plans and writing assignments. About the author:Michele R. Acosta is a writer, a former English teacher, and themother of three boys. She spends her time writing and teachingothers to write. Visit TheWritingTutor.bizfor writing & educational resources for young authors, teachers,& parents. Acosta also provides professional writing and editingservices. Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Writing Tutor & Michele R.Acosta. All rights reserved. | 