Multiple Intelligences Lesson Ideas
Excerpted and adapted from: Teaching For Multiple Intelligences by David G. Lazear, ASCD Fastback Number 342, 1992, ISBN 0-87367-342-5
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Subject Area, lesson topic: History
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: Debate key controversial historical decisions for today. This could be as simple as discussing whether the settlement of the Americas has been good or not good for the native peoples.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: Trace the patterns of historical development of the various states in the United States. This could be as simple as listing and going over dates of the start of settlement, forming of state government, entering the union, etc.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence: Create collages or murals that tell the story of a historical period. This could be as simple as using objects, such as toy covered wagons or cardboard cutout covered wagons, to symbolize the settling of the west.
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Act out great moments from the past for modern times.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Learn about various periods of history by analyzing their music.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Team members learn about one aspect of a historical period and teach each other.
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Imagine having dialogues with figures from the past.
Subject Area, lesson topic: Language Arts
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: Write a modern-day sequel to a classical piece of literature.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: Predict what will happen next in a story.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence: Illustrate a piece of literature with different textures, colors, images, and patterns.
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Play charades to guess what piece of literature or author I am.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Illustrate a piece of literature with music, sound, and rhythm.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Practice joint storytelling/writing with a partner.
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Write a reflection on what you learn for life today from literature.
Subject Area, lesson topic: Science
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: Tell others how to perform an experiment and have them do it.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: Apply the accepted steps of the scientific method.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence: model with clay or yarn, etc., or Draw patterns/images to illustrate different natural processes.
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Act out sun/planetary rotation.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Make a music tape to accompany different scientific processes.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Assign teams to do lab experiments and report to class.
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Keep a diary on discoveries about the self in science.
Subject Area, lesson topic: Global Studies
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: Conduct a nations of the world spelling and finding bee.”
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: Analyze a culture’s development chronologically.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence: Study other cultures through their painting and sculpture.
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Learn to play games that are popular in different cultures.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Learn about cultures through their music and rhythm.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Conduct interviews with people from different cultures.
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Brainstorm gifts of different cultures for the individual self.
Subject Area, lesson topic: Mathematics
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: Write story problems in teams for other teams to solve.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: Play Math word riddles and explain operations for finding answers.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence: Work with manipulatives to learn math operations.
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Physically embody geometry formulas/fractions of a whole.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Write math operations, formulas, and problem-solving raps.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Partners teach each other processes and apply to problems.
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Think/write about how math concepts help in daily living.
Subject Area, lesson topic: Practical Arts
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: Explain to another how to make something.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: Follow a recipe to make baked goods from scratch.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence: Create a tactile collage which show steps of an exercise routine.
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Invent something new and teach others how to use it.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Use music to improve computer keyboard skills.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Teach and play a series of noncompetitive games.
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Note your moods/feelings when working on a computer.
Subject Area, lesson topic: Fine Arts
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: Write critical analyses of famous art, music, and drama.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: Use tactile mapping with collage to analyze a scene/character in a play.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence: Have imaginary conversations with classical pieces of art.
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Create “living” painting/sculpture of an idea or feeling.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Learn math concepts embedded in musical/dance pieces.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Choreograph a dance about human relating and caring.
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Write a reflection on personal tastes in art, music, dance, drama.
Approach a problem using a variety of ways to solve it, including drawing, talking with others, acting it out, thinking about it, or trying to visualize a solution.