Multiple Intelligences – Earth Day

**note: students must know something about multiple intelligences, including their own.

TITLE:  Earth Day

GRADE:  4  – 7

MATERIALS/TIME REQUIRED:  Variable – allow at least three days

PROVIDE FOR INCLUSION – A You Question, Energizer, or Linking Strategy

Tell students they are about to work on an individual project. Have them share their strongest and weakest intelligence with a partner, group, or in class.

IDENTIFY THE OBJECTIVES

Content Standard: People, places, and environments

Collaborative: Think constructively, celebrate achievement

Personal:  Develop and showcase Multiple Intelligences

IDENTIFY THE STRATEGY

Circular Curriculum (from the Artistry for Learning)

After you teach the concept, invite students, working in tribes or individually, to choose one to three of the following demonstrations of learning.  (Individuals do one, groups or tribes do more than one.)

Here is an example of demonstrations of understanding, based on the multiple intelligences (also the student handout):

Earth Day – April 22

To celebrate our environment, you will have the opportunity to create one of the following learning demonstrations:

Verbal/Linguistic (25 points)

Using “Publisher”, create a card or brochure that:

• Tells what Earth Day is (at least 25 words)
• Describes a major environmental issue the planet faces (25 words)
• Tells what is being done to help (25 words)
• Suggests what more can or needs to be done (25 words)

[each item above is worth 5 points; 1 color graphic for each = 4 points; 1 point for your name on it; ½ point off for each spelling error ]

Logical/Mathematical (25 points)

Create a timeline of events.  Start with the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970.

Identify three major events since then that have helped the planet, and two major events that have hurt the planet.  Each event must have a description that includes when, where, what, who was involved, and why this helped or hurt the planet.

What:  Environmental Protection Agency  (EPA) When:  December 2, 1970 Where: Washington, D.C. Who: President Richard Nixon Why:  to make one agency to concentrate on “research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection.”

H__________________H______________________H________H_________________

Here is a website to help you get started:

http://www.epa.gov/earthday/history.htm

[each entry is worth 5 points]

Visual/Spatial (25 points)

Create a power point presentation:

• One subject/theme: the title
• 10 slides only (no more, no less!)
• Each slide must have a picture or graphic
• Each slide must have 10 words to describe, inform, or explain.

[2 points for each slide; 5 points for the subject/theme]

Musical/Rhythmic (25 points)

Write (rewrite) words to a well-known tune that address Earth Day, helping the environment, saving the planet, etc.  Your song must be at least 100 words long (just a little more than this musical/rhythmic entry description!).  You must somehow perform the finished product: you can have the class sing it, you can karaoke, record and play for us…be creative!   You must hand in a written page with the words to your song.

[10 points for at least 100 words; 10 points for addressing an Earth Day / environmental theme; 5 points for performance.

Naturalist (25 points)

Make a collection of data/objects from the environment around our school or your home that represent a healthy environment and pollutants.  You can present your information in words, pictures, drawings, labels, examples….or a combination of all.  You must have six objects total – any combination of healthy / pollutant.  Each item/object must have a description that includes what it is, who uses it, where it was found and how this helps or hurts the planet.

What:  Florescent light bulb Who: Anyone, anytime a light is turned on in my house Where: Every room in my house How: Florescent light bulbs use less energy and last longer, so there is less waste (throwing away dead light bulbs)

[4 points for each object’s description; 1 point for each object’s graphic, etc.]

Body/Kinesthetic (10 points)

This one is extra-credit only! You can even work with a friend or in a group.  You must prepare an environmental snack.  Your snack must not require any paper to be wasted (plates, napkins, etc.).  Anything holding your snack, or needed for serving your snack must be reusable. And finally, your snack or treat must be organic and made by you; this means that you cannot just by something from your local health food store.  Organic ingredients are those which come from living organisms, without using chemicals to grow them.  Here is a website to get you started!

http://www.wildoats.com/u/recipemain/

REFLECTION

Content: What did you learn while you were creating your project?  What did you learn from others’ presentations?

Collaborative:  How would you rate your ideas – original, or influenced? Explain.
 If someone uses your idea, but changes it to his/her own interpretation, it is copying?

Personal: What did you like about this project and all it’s choices? What didn’t you like?

PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR APPRECIATION

After each presentation, applause or invite statements.

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT

Have each student grade himself/herself on several levels. For example: accuracy of information, presentation, effort involved, compared to others, etc.

LEARNING COMPONENTS

►Group Development Process (Influence)

►Cognitive Theory (making connections)

►Multiple Intelligences

Cooperative Learning

►Constructivism

►Reflective Practice

Authentic Assessment