Multiple Intelligences and Analogies

Submitted by: Beth Lewis
School: Holman MS

Summary

This mini unit is intended to be taught in the beginning of the school year so that students can discover their individual learning styles and strengths and use this knowledge to capitalize on their learning experiences in all subject areas. They will apply their metacognitive awareness through a self-selected project that incorporates analogical thinking. The first phase of the unit includes lessons on analogies, and students must compare their personalities through critical thinking to seemingly dissimilar ideas. For example, they are asked “Which are you more like, a computer or a quill pen?” and must analyze their personality to see which object is more similar to them. The second phase of the unit includes students taking online learning style inventories to gain awareness of how they learn best. The final assessment piece is a product self-selected and created by students that must reflect one’s own strongest area of multiple intelligences and also demonstrate mastery knowledge of analogies.

TIPC Ratings

Developing:
In one part of the unit, I provided the websites for the online Multiple Intelligence Survey, however, students then had to plan out their project and conduct research on their selected analogy. I met one on one each day while students did the project to help guide appropriate selection of online research tools.

Developing:
Many parts of the unit engage students in ongoing communication through whole class and small group discussions as students learned about analogies. In the process of learning new content the class was collaboratively working. However, the project by nature is intended to be independently done since it was a product about personal learning style and growth.

Approaching:
Analogies require a high level of critical thinking and open ended interpretations. Students must be able to defend and provide examples to support their thinking.

Approaching:
The project is not only appreciative of multiple learning styles, it also is student centered as students have free reign to demonstrate their understanding. They can select any medium or method for expressing their knowledge (such as a speech, a newspaper, a bulletin board poster, Active Inspire, Power Point, Websites, etc.)