Guidance Lesson Plan Multiple Intelligences

Classroom Guidance Lesson Plan

Kimberlee V., Alyse W., Srae C.

Grade Level: 8th Grade

Materials:

Lunch-size Paper Bags - one for each student

Magazines and Catalogs (to cut things out of)

Scissors

Glue Sticks

Pencils or Pens

Ability to Share PowerPoint Slides (optional)

Rationale and Purpose: How can 8th grade students benefit from learning about their multiple intelligences? What do 8th graders need to know about strengthening and applying these multiple intelligences? This lesson is intended to provide 8^th graders with an introduction to the concept of Multiple Intelligences. In this first lesson of a planned two-part series, 8^th grade students will learn about people-smart, self-smart, word-smart, art-smart intelligences. Students will be given the opportunity to practice skills designed to strengthen and develop each of these types of intelligences. We hope to underscore the students’ knowledge that they possess each of these intelligences in varying degrees and that they have the power to strengthen and build them.

We hope to encourage students to confidently explore how they can develop and utilize their strengths as they enter high school and also as they begin thinking about various career interests. This lesson is intended to ensure that each student feels empowered to develop their strengths in the different types of intelligence. Students will participate in activities designed to strengthen skills in the following area of intelligence: people-smart, self-smart, word-smart, art-smart.

At the beginning of our lesson, students will be asked to participate in a class activity. This activity requires students to get into small groups of 3-4, and will be given a set of materials and a prompt. Students will then be given a few minutes to present and talk about the activity with their group. School counselors will then discuss the purpose of the activity by presenting the multiple intelligences that were covered. During this discussion, school counselors will use a PowerPoint and follow up questions to make sure students are able to articulate the information. At the end of the lesson, students will be asked about what intelligences they used in the activity. The hope in this assessment is to make sure students understand and can apply the four multiple intelligences that we covered. If by the end of this lesson, school counselors feel like students did not grasp the meaning and application of the intelligences, they will come back the following week and review before moving on to the next five intelligences.

Applicable Standards:

Domain: Academic Development

Student Competencies:
Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills

A:A1.1  Articulate feelings of competence and confidence as learners

A:A2.4  Apply knowledge and learning styles to positively influence school performance

Standard B: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial postsecondary options, including college.

A:B1.6 Use knowledge of learning styles to positively influence school performance

Introduction:

Hello everyone (each counselor introduces themselves), we are going to start off today with an activity. I am going to tell you the instruction first and then you will all go. After the activity, we will discuss why this activity is important and the reason why we chose it. How does that sound?

Developmental Learning Activity:

(Instructor introduces activity, but does not identify it as anything. Opens the multiple intelligence PowerPoint and displays the first slide titled “Activity”)

We are going to have all of you transition onto the floor, you will move all your desks, chairs and belongings to the side. I want you to bring a pencil with you to the floor. We are going to have three big groups that you all will be working in, so 3-4 people per group. (Give time for students to transition to the floor).

Okay, now we are passing out a stack of supplies to each group. There are magazines, printed out pictures, scissors and glue provided for each group. Everyone please get one paper bag for yourself. (Hand out supplies to each group)

Now that everyone has their own bag and supplies we are going to start the first part of the activity. I would like you all to start off by going through the magazines and pictures that we have provided, start gluing them on the paper bags. These items should apply to you or stick out you. As you are going through these pictures I want you to think about and use pictures that you think hold significance to who you are, what you like?  What is important to you?  What people, activities, events, hobbies come to mind with these questions? What are your dreams, goals, career interests? (display the prompt on the PowerPoint)

You can fill up one to three sides, depending on how fast you work. But, please leave one side of your bag blank. You will be given 8-10 minutes to work on this, please get started.

(Start timer for 8-10 minutes to create collage - art smart/visual activity, give two-minute warning)

You have two minutes left, start putting your last couple pieces onto your bag. If you are not finished, that it totally fine. You are more than welcome to take this home and finish it on your own. Okay, time is up. Now turn your bag over to the blank side and get your pencil ready.  We are going to do a writing piece. I would like you to write a collection of words that stick out to you or a paragraph that represents

●      The things people may not know about you or life events have made you the person you are today and are very much a reason why you are who you are.

●      Or why you chose the pictures that you chose.

(Give them 5 minutes to write - linguistic/word smart, give one-minute warning).

Okay, you have one minute left, start wrapping it up.

Pencils down, now we are going to go back into our groups and each individual will share one thing about themselves that they put on their bag. It can be a picture, a word, or about the paragraph that you wrote.

(Give them 5 minutes to talk in group). Please start finishing up your conversations.

Discussion:

(Discuss the activities with the students. Display the PowerPoint that shows each of these four types of intelligence and their definitions.)

Alright! How did everyone like that activity? Was it fun? Awesome! Today we are going to learn about Multiple Intelligences. Who has heard of Multiple Intelligences? Great! Yes, Multiple Intelligence is a way of describing many of the different ways in which we learn. Can you think of ways you think people can learn? Yes! There are currently 9 identified areas of intelligence. Today we are going to learn about just four areas of Multiple Intelligence. How do we get better at something? (Students respond) Yes, through practice.

(Open multiple intelligence slide that lists the 4 multiple intelligences we covered.)

With this activity, we worked on four of these multiple intelligences. The first being “people smart” usually when someone is people-smart they really enjoy working with others or being on a team. How many of you liked doing this activity with your peers? How many like being on a team? (read questions on slide) Awesome! Now, how many are opposite of that? Put your hand on your head if you rather do things on your own? Those of you who put their hand on their head, you would fall under the multiple intelligence of being “self-smart.”(read questions on slide) The third multiple intelligence that we used today is “art-smart” (read questions on the slide) this is when an individual learns best by using diagrams and pictures. During this activity, how many of you liked incorporating the pictures you cut out and tailored them to what is important to you? (wait for hands) And how many of you would rather of just wrote about yourself and put into words what you think is important to you? (wait for hands) If so, you would fall under the word smart intelligence. This is when an individual learns by writing and talking about what they are doing. (read questions on slide if needed)

(Using the  PowerPoint Presentation talk about the different ways to boost intelligences), 

Now, here are some ways we can boost our skills in these four areas!

Self-Smart - Taking the time to getting to know ourselves and what we think about things is important. How can we be more Self-Smart? (wait for response; we can meditate, we can write in a journal, we can pay closer attention to how we react in different situations.) 

People-Smart -  Improving your ability to get along with people and to get more comfortable in groups can be scary sometimes. Try to find a group of people with whom you have something in common. A sports team, debate, drama, volunteering . . . What other ways? Do you think there will be opportunities to be part of different groups in high school?

Word-Smart - To improve your word smarts, you can spend time reading. Anything, you are interested in, pick up a book or go to a website and read all about it. The more you read, the more you will increase your strength in being Word-Smart! Another way to improve your word-smarts is to write. You can write poetry, you can write in a journal, or start writing your own short-story or novel. Each of our our Smarts can be improved with practice. (give time for responses between each question)

Art Smart - What is Art? (wait for response) Art is how we express our creativity. How can we flex our creative muscles? We can draw, we can sculpt, we can write songs, and poems. Exploring different ways to be creative will boost our Art Smarts. What are some ways you can think of to boost your Art Smarts? (wait for response)

What are your questions?

Assessment & Evaluation:

Today we talked about four out of the nine multiple intelligences. What were the different types of intelligences that we discussed? What did we do in our activity that was an example of self, people, word, art smart?

Can someone have more than one? Yes, we worked on people-smart, self-smart, art-smart, and word-smart. Our multiple intelligences can tell us different ways that we are successful. We can have more than one intelligence. (give time for responses between each question)

Closing/Follow-Up:

With that, we encourage everyone to go home and share your amazing work with someone you know. Maybe a parent, guardian, friend, or peer. Talk about what you presented in class and the prompt questions that we covered. Maybe some of you will talk about your career choices, family systems, or whatever it was that is important to you. This can help us think about our multiple intelligences outside of the classroom as well as be aware of how we can strengthen our smart  skills! See ya next week!

References:

Nelson, A. (2017, September 07). The life collage "Bag Project". Retrieved February 13, 2019, from http://ashleysfacsoflife.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-life-collage-bag-project.html

The 9 types of Intelligence and how to increase yours. (2018, September 12). Retrieved February 11, 2019, from https://www.aconsciousrethink.com/8522/types-of-intelligence/