Stephanie Meyer

Stephanie Meyer

April 7, 2007

Final Project Summary

EDTL 611: Dr. Savilla Banister

Motivation and retention of knowledge are big problems in today’s schools. My students often come to school with many worries about what is happening at home, who their friends at school are, etc. Academics is not usually their top priority. My goal was to create a set of curricular materials that cover the fifth grade astronomy standards and would not only motivate students to learn science, but it would also get them to successfully work together, developing their own individual strengths, and help them to retain long term knowledge. Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences provided me with an avenue to successfully reach all of my students through the intelligence they are strongest in.

Gardiner’s theory of multiple intelligences allows students to learn a curriculum in nontraditional ways, which can be very motivational. Traditionally, we focus on teaching students science using a textbook, which only truly reaches those students who are strong in verbal-linguistic skills. By developing this unit, my goal was to be able to differentiate my instruction to include a variety of intelligences. By including a variety of intelligences, I am better able to reach my students. Also, if students are being taught using an intelligence in which they have strength, they are more motivated to learn, because they can be successful. It is very difficult for all children to be motivated and learn effectively if they are all being taught the exact same way because not everyone learns in the same way. Differentiation is crucial in today’s classrooms when there is a wide range of strengths and ability levels. Inclusion policies also have an impact on the growing diversity in student ability.

When I use multiple intelligence theory in my classroom, I also provide the opportunity for new leaders to emerge and students to develop essential communication skills through group work. Generally in a classroom there are a few students who tend to be a bit more mature than the rest and they usually step into the role of group leader. However, by incorporating multiple intelligences into my classroom, I am able to foster students’ leadership and communication skills more effectively. At the beginning of the school year, I had my students complete an online multiple intelligence inventory. I used the information gained from the inventory to group my students by intelligence for this unit. In each group I placed children with different strengths. My goal is that for each activity in which a different intelligence is focused on, the student with that strength has the opportunity to be the leader. For example, when we do a bodily-kinesthetic group activity, the child with the bodily-kinesthetic strength has the opportunity to take over and lead the group through the activity. This will help to improve all of my students’ communication and leadership skills. I am hoping that it will also help to strengthen the intelligences in which my students are weak, which will help them to be more successful in a wide variety of school settings.

Lastly, multiple intelligence theory will help my students retain the knowledge they learn over the long term as opposed to just memorizing the information for a test and then forgetting it a short time later. This will happen because when students are learning things in ways in which they understand them (different intelligences) they are more likely to internalize what they are learning. Also, students will be creating authentic assessments throughout the unit. These assessments include, picture books, journal entries, and PowerPoint presentations, etc. These authentic assessments will be products that students create either in a group or individually. They will require that students synthesize what they know as opposed to regurgitating information on a more traditional assessment like a test. Students will also be posting what they have learned in a resource for other fifth graders on our classroom website.

I teach the state indicators involving space at the end of the year. At the end of the school year, students are very difficult to motivate when it comes to academics. By incorporating the multiple intelligences into my space unit, I am hoping to motivate my students to learn, improve their leadership and communication skills and increased their retention of long-term knowledge.

Works Cited

Barthelmes, J. & Tucker, L. (2007). Zeroing in on essential learning.

Birmingham Grid for Learning, BGfL Homepage. (n.d.) Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Multiple Intelligences Web site: ks3/ict/multiple_int/

Goodnough, K. (2001). Enhancing professional knowledge: A case study of an elementary teacher. Canadian Journal of Education, 218-236. Retrieved April 6, 2007, from Education Full Text.

Goodnough, K. (2001, April). Multiple intelligences theory: a framework for personalizing science curricula. School Science and Mathematics, 180-193. Retrieved April 6, 2007, from Education Full Text.

Hickey, M. G. (2004, January). "Can I pick more than one project?" Case studies of five teachers who used MI-based instructional planning. Teachers College Record, 77-86. Retrieved April 6, 2007, from Education Full Text.

Köksal, M., & Yel, M. (2007). The effect of multiple intelligences theory (MIT)-based instruction on attitudes towards the course, academic success, and permanence of teaching on the topic of "respiratory systems.". Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 7(1), 231-239. Retrieved Friday, April 06, 2007 from the Education Research Complete database.

Nazzaro, D., Little, E., & Lach, C. (2003, March). From all sides now - weaving technology and multiple intelligences into science and art. Learning and Leading with Technology, 32-35. Retrieved April 6, 2007, from Education Full Text.

Özdemir, P., Güneysu, S., & Tekkaya, C. (2006). Enhancing learning through multiple intelligences. Journal of Biological Education, 40(2), 74-78. Retrieved Friday, April 06, 2007 from the Education Research Complete database.

Özdener, N., & Özçoban, T. (2004). A project based learning model's effectiveness on computer courses and multiple intelligence theory. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 4(1), 176-180. Retrieved Friday, April 06, 2007 from the Education Research Complete database.

Quinlan, K., & Sterling, D. (2006). Inquiry - based investigation on the internet: sound and the human ear. (Cover story). Science Scope, 29(4), 26-29. Retrieved Friday, April 06, 2007 from the Education Research Complete database.

Smith, M. K. (2002). Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from

Ucak, E., Bag, H., & Usak, M. (2006). Enhancing learning through multiple intelligences in elementary science education. Journal of Baltic Science Education, Retrieved Friday, April 06, 2007 from the Education Research Complete database.

Wu, W. (2004). Multiple intelligences, educational reform, and a successful career. Teachers College Record, 106(1), 181-192. Retrieved Friday, April 06, 2007 from the Education Research Complete database.