Duration: One lesson
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will:
Intelligences identified
The lesson will address two forms of intelligences, which are linguistic and naturalistic intelligences
Linguistic intelligence
Activity: Understanding Multiple intelligences
Students will go through the procedure below, using the above learning materials to try and understand what multiple intelligence is, from the readings on Gardners theory. This will help enhance their comprehension skills.
Procedure
- Begin the lesson with a 5 minute period for the students to write about their understanding of intelligence. You may prompt them to think along these lines;
- What is meant by being intelligent in the society
- How can intelligence be measured
- What abilities are most valued by the school and society
- Hold a discussion of the students thoughts and ideas about intelligence in the class. The following ideas may be brought up.
- Intelligence is the capacity and the ability of people to do certain things, it is inborn, and there is nothing one can do to change their intelligence
- Schools generally value ones ability to pass grammar and comprehension tests, to solve complex mathematics problems as well as possession of sporting talent and abilities.
- The most common methods of measuring intelligence would include the IQ tests as well as general tests such as the SAT.
- Introduce the classroom activity sheet on Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences. Accompany students in reading the descriptions of different intelligences. Hold a discussion on what is believed to be an important intelligence especially in the school and society. Is there a possibility that one individual would have more than one intelligence? Students will most likely appreciate the fact that linguistic intelligence is one of the most important form of intelligence.
- Give copies of classroom activities to students that are on short information on popular personalities. Make sure that the students read them and come up with the particular intelligences that are likely to be manifested in these personalities. In case some have problems figuring out the intelligences, ask them to specifically try and find out how these people made it big in their specific areas of interest.
- Use a couple of minutes to hold a discussion of the various students' responses. Is it true that these people fit what is defined as traditional intelligence? Likewise, ask students if they can figure out any other people that had different forms of intelligences. You should also try to find out the students' current perceptions of intelligence, and see if it has changed.
- Encourage students to consider how multiple intelligences, and especially linguistic intelligence affects schools and societal activities.
- Ask students to share their main ideas on the subject. This should be more of a discussion as to what the students believe is the most striking issue about the subject. This will enhance the students' linguistic capabilities.
- For the take away task, ask the students to write down their understanding of intelligence, and how it is linked to their performance and abilities both in class and in the society at large
Naturalist Intelligence
Activity: conserving the environment
Procedures
- Ask students to write down what they understand by the term environment and what environmental conservation means. They may be required to note down, what surrounds them, what is natural environment, and how the environment has been degraded. Ways in which man has destroyed the environment should also be expected.
- Discuss with the students, their ideas on what the environment is, and how to conserve it. Students may define environment as; Nature that surrounds them, naturally occurring physical features as well as wildlife. Man's activities such as farming, construction of industries, poaching and human fires may be identified as forms of environmental degradation. Carbon and ozone layer destruction could also be included.
- Introduce the classroom reading on environmental conservation. Together with the students, explore the meaning of the term environmental conservation, noting that it’s the conscious efforts by groups, governments and individuals to preserve the environment, by ensuring a responsible use and interaction with the naturally occurring resources.
- Give examples to students on the various efforts that the governments and organizations as well as individuals are putting and have put into ensuring that environments is conserved. Specific organizations such as the Greenbelt movement that have ensured a global planting of trees should be mentioned at this level. Encourage students to name other efforts in their regions.
- Ask students to explain their personal efforts to conserve the environment in their specific regions. How have such efforts received by other members of the society? Have such efforts elicited any interests among other members of the society to enhance their own personal efforts?
- Organize the students in groups of ten and request them to suggest one area of environmental conservation that they would like to engage in. It could be planting trees, preventing soil erosion, sensitizing citizens on the methods of soil conservation etc.
- Whatever the students come up with, organize with the school administration to have them do over the weekend. The school could facilitate the student activities such as providing school transport. Students who choose to educate citizens on environmental conservation could be provided with transport and schools PA system to enable them reach more people in their activity.
Summary of my lesson plan
Choice of intelligences
My choice of the intelligences for the foregoing lesson plan were informed by several factors, mostly bordering on the grade level and emerging trends. Students exhibit different levels and types of intelligence. The choice of subject, was therefore on point to make students understand and appreci\te their individual and diverse intelligences.
Linguistic intelligence is particularly responsible for the students' ability to decipher the language and understand comprehensions as well as being able to make constructive and persuasive arguments, which is very important for their learning process. This is majorly because all forms of learning require the understanding of the language used, comprehension of any content, therefore, a proper acquisition of language intelligence is paramount for the students personal and career growth.
Secondly, people with linguistic intelligence find it easy to understand complex language, and also properly express themselves in reading and writing as well as speech, which is important for ones life and career. The development of this form of intelligence could be done by reading a variety of books and content, writing in different fields as well as developing public speaking skills.
Naturalistic intelligence – My choice of the above intelligence is informed by the need to impart students with knowledge about different aspects of nature.There has been a global outcry as a result of destruction of the environment and nature, prompting the need for students to nurture their understanding of the different aspects of nature, and the roles that they can play, in their individual capacity to safeguard the environment.Naturalistic intelligence is therefore helpful to students as it instills a sense of understanding, and responsibility,towards nature.
Relevance of the chosen activities to the students
It's important for students to be able to appreciate Gardners work on the The subject of multiple intelligences. Likewise, understanding of the subject will assist students to understand the importance of making efforts towards enhancing their particular intelligences, that are helpful in their future career endeavors.
Environmental conservation
The world is reeling from the effects of environmental degradation. Forests are cleared, rivers are drying up, wildlife is getting extinct, all as a result of mans influences on the environment. In this regard, nations and organizations are putting in resources to try and salvage the environment from further destruction.
The particular activity will instill a sense of responsibility among students in their personal efforts to conserve the environment in their individual and collective capacity. It will also be relevant in sensitizing the community at large on the impact of environmental degradation on future generations.
The lesson will enable to students to be able to appreciate the different intelligences that they possess, as well as the efforts required to enhance such intelligence. It's also important for students to be able to fully understand the importance of the various forms of intelligences in their general lives as well as career growth.
Secondly, the lesson plan will help students understand that they have a role to play, as members of their society, in different capacities. This is particularly important in encouraging students to be fully involved in meaningful activities in their locations that would be helpful to their societies while at the same time nurturing their different intelligences.
References
Hardman, M.L. Drew J.C. & Egan M.W. (2011) Human Exceptionality: School, Community, and Family Wadsworth, Cengage learning
McDevitt M.T & Ormond, E.L (2013) Child Development and Education Pearson Education, Inc.
Recipe for Success: How Children Learn," from the British Broadcasting Corporation (2006)
