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Designing Centers Based on the Multiple Intelligences
(Written in the 2003-2004 school year- I no longer use this system: I like to try something different each year) Many of my centers are based upon Howard Gardener's Multiple Intelligences theory, in which he explains that everyone is smart in a variety of ways, not just those traditionally valued by schools. At the beginning of the year, I give the kids a survey so they can be more aware of their learning style and strengths. After completing the survey, they graph their different strengths and write a paragraph explaining how they learn best. When they begin using centers, students practice the same skills repeatedly, but in different ways depending on what center they are in. For example, in a Bodily-Kinesthetic center, they may lay on the floor and do rubbings of their spelling words, while in a Logical Mathematical center, they may do a word join like the game Scrabble using their spelling words. I used to do only literacy centers but recently incorporated math centers, as well. Within the center for each type of intelligence, there are several choices of activities so students can never claim to be "done" with a center or complain they have already completed everything there. Numerous teachers have asked for more resources on MI for primary-aged children because the materials are so hard to find, but I recently cam across Laura Candler's File Cabinet, which is a treasure chest of info on MI and many other topics:
MI Survey MI lessons and directions Ways people are smart sorting slips
Smart song MI center labels from abc teach
Multiple Intelligences Center Photos
The top lines show the technical name of the intelligence devised by Howard Gardner. The lines underneath are the sub-categories used in children's terms.
Click any photo to enlarge. Images open in the SAME window, so use your back button to return here.
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Intrapersonal Intelligence:
Self Smart
This center is called, "In My Book...", which is a play on words alluding to both a book and the expression meaning "in my opinion". Students choose any reading material that interests them (even magazines, newspapers, cookbooks, etc.- things they may not normally read during school hours) and then reflect on what they read using the prompts you see above. The left part of the file folder explains what to write for each prompt in case students need more detailed instructions.
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Musical- Rhythmic Intelligence
Music Smart
In this center, students listen to books on tape, then draw a picture of their favorite part and write at least five sentences. I try to choose books which use rhythmical language, poetry, or include music in the story. Sometimes I change the tasks based on the story they heard.
Another Music Smart center uses a times tables cassette tape. Students listen to the math facts being sung on tape while following along with the lyrics on paper or just closing their eyes and listening. After the song ends, they write the times table that they just heard on the tape. They repeat for as many songs as they have time for.
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Naturalist Intelligence
Discovery Smart, Nature Smart
This center includes National Geographic magazines, Time for Kids, Scholastic News, and science-related books for kids on a rotational basis. Students read stories and then record an interesting ("weird") fact they read in the blue book. The book is simply photocopies of a page that asks children to record their names, the date, the title of the publication they read, the title of the article, the author, and what the weird fact was. I bound the pages together using a book binding machine my school has, but you could use a three ring binder (it would probably be more durable, too). Students enjoy reading what previous classes and classmates read about.
The Reading to Learn center focuses on reading to be informed tasks. It's a part of Nature smart, so students read papers or books in the center about different animals. They then create a four square graphic organizer showing what they learned.
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Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence:
Word Smart, Poetry Smart, Book Smart
Word Smart centers are mostly making words activities. In "Stir the Stew" students use a small ladle to scoop letter tiles out of a bowl (in this picture, I just have a baggie). They then use the worksheet to record the words they create using only the letters they scooped out. Each section of the worksheet is for a different length of word: two letter words, three letter words, etc. Students could easily just write the words in their journals so you don't have to photocopy worksheets.
This poetry center focuses on reading fluency and expression, but the Magnetic Poetry center requires sentence structure and parts of speech practice. You'll see the Magnetic Poetry center on a following page about using commercially-made materials.
This Book Smart center was incredibly quick to make! Students get to choose anything they want to read in the classroom library. This is a big treat because they can choose easy picture books, class-made books, magazines, and other materials they would not get to choose from the library for D.E.A.R. time.
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Bodily- Kinesethetic Intelligence:
Body Smart
This is a fun one. I also use a Hershey fraction book (with brown construction paper photocopies of the chocolate bar sections in the book) and Valentine candy heart multiplication/division book (with real candy hearts that students know are very old and not edible!). They are great hands-on math practice activities. For younger students, you could use the Cheerio or M&M counting and sorting books.
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Interpersonal Intelligence:
People Smart
The focus here is writing for a meaningful purpose. Many students only write in school, and because they have to. This is an opportunity to show them that writing can be fun and useful in their own lives, right now. They can write a letter to whoever they want, and after turning it in to me after center time, can give it to that person. They use different colored ink pens, which makes it really fun in their eyes. The left side of the folder demonstrates proper letter writing format, which I insist on towards the end of the year, although I allow casual notes in the beginning. You could also use this center for business letter format practice.
Another People Smart center involves autobiographies and biographies, and students are asked to reflect on the character's lives and often their own. You'll read more about that on a following page about using books in centers.
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Visual-Spatial Intelligence:
Picture Smart, Art Smart
In Picture Smart, students use photos and drawings as an inspiration for their writing. They can also be given specific tasks, such as writing five verbs they see, ten adjectives for a picture they think is pretty or interesting, creating captions or headlines, a dialogue with quotation marks for two people in an ad, etc.
In Art Smart, students choose an art task sheet to complete. You'll read more about this and see more examples on a following page.
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I'll be adding lesson ideas as the school year goes on, so check back!
I'd love to have your ideas, as well!
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