Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students practice sequential thinking.  This is great brain training in the “Math Smart” arena.  Logic is part of the “Math Smart” world, and your kids will enjoy learning to tell a computer what to do, then watching the results.  If you don’t know Kodable, spend an hour with it as part of your lesson preparation.  You’ll need an account, but Kodable offers free teacher’s accounts here:  https://www.kodable.com/register?type=teacher   I always use Kodable for my youngest students or students with no coding experience.  No language is required, so it is brilliant with English Language Learners as well.  Get busy and get started with coding and Kodable!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

3-5 

Objective:

Understand how to use Kodable to create simple sets of instructions for the computer.  With a partner, complete at least three puzzles so that the Fuzzball successfully reaches the end of the games.

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Given a device and access to Kodable, each student team will successfully complete programming instructions for at least three puzzles.

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction:

Explain to the students that today they will be working on their “Math/Logic Smart” abilities.  They will try a brain game that teaches children to “code.”  “Coding” refers to giving a computer instructions so that the computer knows what to do.  Explain that today the class will try coding with a program called “Kodable.”

Show students how to access Kodable on a desktop computer or iPad.

2. Main:

Demonstrate how Kodable works by taking students through a brief tutorial.  Work through the first puzzle together, then they will be off and running.  Give them the bulk of the period to solve Kodable problems.

Remind the children to work slowly and think carefully!  When they get stuck, encourage them to solve their own problems by reviewing their work one step at a time.  I ask students not to touch anyone else’s device except their own.  Sometimes, a child will pass his device to a friend for the friend to fix the problem.  Other times, kids are overly enthusiastic and have their fingers all over everyone else’s devices!  Ask the students to keep their hands to themselves to ensure that they do their own thinking.  Partner groups are fine, but don’t let one student run rampant with other students’ devices.

Watch out for those that say that Kodable is not working.  I have never seen Kodable make an error.  It is always the student’s thinking that is faulty!

3. Conclusion:

Wrap up by asking why Kodable might be good for brains.  How does Kodable force you to think step-by-step?  What happens if you try to skip a step?  How do you solve a problem in Kodable?  Is that the same or different from solving a math problem?  What do you think would happen to your brain if you kept working with Kodable and learning to solve more complex problems?

Resources:

1. Access to a set of iPads or computer devices, one for every two students.
2. Kodable app or web site.
3. Class account with Kodable set up and ready for the kids to work.
4. Ability to project from the teacher’s device so that the students can learn by watching the demonstration and short explanation.

Notes:

A teacher account on Kodable is free but some of lesson plans and more advances features requires a paid subscription.  I find that I can introduce kids to computer coding and get them started with the free modules, so sign up, create a class, and add accounts for your kids.

Most students catch on to Kodable very quickly.  The beginning challenges are very easy, so students get hooked on coding before the challenges get too difficult.  They will have no trouble completing two puzzles, and most will complete many more than that.

Please check device compatibility with Kodable here:  http://support.kodable.com/frequently-asked-questions/what-devices-is-kodable-compatible-with.  At the moment Kodable does not support Android devices, but it is compatible with most web browsers running on PCs and on the Apple iPad devices.

I’ve written this lesson for Kodable, but any “learn to code” programs would work. A lot of good coding material does not require devices.  If you’d like to get started with coding and don’t have equipment or any background knowledge, start at the Hour of Code web site found here:  https://hourofcode.com/us

I have not listed AASL standards, since they do not directly apply to this lesson.  However, Kodable aligns to the Common Core standards.  You can find out more about standards alignment by visiting Kodable’s web site.  Kodable’s web site is extensive with dozens of lesson plans, standards, and guidance for educators.  If you want to introduce your kids to coding and have no experience with it, Kodable is an easy and sensible place to start.

Recommended books for this lesson:

None

Key Terms:

Coding for Kids, Computer Programming, Kodable

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students use what they have learned about multiple intelligence to sort careers.  They also use the library’s collection of resources on careers to find careers that fit each type of intelligence.  This is a sorting/grouping lesson with a chance for kids to work together in teams to extend their learning.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

3-5 

Objective:

Given 24 careers, children will sort them into the eight multiple intelligence categories based on their understanding of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  (AASL 4.1.3, “Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.”)

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each table group will work together to sort careers into multiple intelligence categories.  Table groups will then use their own ideas or the library’s resources to add one additional career to each multiple intelligence category.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the children that people are smart in different ways.  Ask the children the different ways people can be smart and see whether they can remember all eight categories from last week.  (Answer:  Word, Number, Body, Music, Picture/Art, People, Self, Nature Smart.)

Explain that today the students will be working with careers and figuring out which careers fit best into the eight Multiple Intelligence categories.  Show students the team handout (attached).  Ask the children to cut the careers into small word strips, talk over with the team where the careers best fit in the multiple intelligence categories, and place them into their correct categories on a graphic organizer.

Make sure that each table group has half of a flipchart piece of paper, scissors, glue, and markers.  Instruct one person on the team to draw a line dividing the paper in half lengthwise.  Ask another student to draw a line dividing the paper in half widthwise.  Finally, ask two remaining students to draw lines to divide each of the rectangles in half.  The result should be a large box with eight sections.   Ask the children to label each section with one of the Multiple Intelligence categories (see above).  The graphic organizers should now be set up.

2. Main:

Give the children time to cut out all 24 small word strips.  Again, this job should be shared amongst all the children.   Once the mini-word strips are cut out, ask the children to figure out in which category the career word strip best fits.  Example: Dancer would fit in the “Body Smart” category.  Choir director would fit into the “Music Smart” category, etc.

If the children do not know what some of the careers are, have them ask one another first, then ask a grown-up.  If you have access to a dictionary or encyclopedia, encourage the children to search for their own answers.

Once every table group has their graphic organizer filled in, go over their responses.  Here is a guide to the answers I prepared, but if a group can explain its thinking, be prepared to accept more than one answer:

Body Smart:  Lifeguard, Dancer, Mechanic

Music Smart:  Opera Singer, Choir Director, Conductor

Self Smart:  Counselor, Minister/Preacher/Imam/Rabbi, Entrepreneur (Self-Employed)

Nature Smart:  Farmer, Landscape Architect, Meteorologist

Picture/Art/Spatial Smart:  Photographer, Architect, Interior Designer

People Smart:  Teacher, Nurse, Manager

Word Smart:  Author, Journalist, Poet

Number/Math/Logic Smart:  Bookkeeper, Scientist, Mathematician

Now for the challenge!  If there is time, inform the teams that each table group needs to come up with one more career for each category on their own, based on their own thinking and understanding of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  This may be quite difficult for some of them.  You could start by asking them what some of their grown-ups do in their jobs.  Encourage them to look at the library’s collection of materials on careers/jobs.  What else can they discover?  How about barber, disk jockey, or veterinarian?  Baker, bus driver, or plumber?  Police officer, chef, or baseball player?  The possibilities are endless.

When they are finished, the table group should have all 24 mini-word strips sorted, and they should have written in at least one other job for each of the Multiple Intelligence categories.  So, all together, they should have 8×4 or 32 careers listed, four in each of the eight categories.

3. Conclusion:

As a bit of reflection, ask the students how well they followed instructions and cooperated with one another.  Ask how they managed their discussions when they were assigning categories.  Did everyone have a chance to participate?  Ask whether they used the library resources well when they were searching for new jobs in each category.  Remind the children that being able to work with others is “People Smart” and praise the positive behaviors you observed today.

Resources:

1. Scissors, one pair for every two children.
2. Flipchart paper cut in half. One half sheet for each table group.
3. Colored markers.
4. Glue sticks or cello tape, one per table group.
5. A collection of the library’s print resources on careers.

Notes:

This entire lesson is an activity based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  If your school’s Unit of Inquiry does not use Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence model, you’ll need to adapt this lesson for whichever model or terminology is used by your teachers.

Recommended books for this lesson:

None

Key Terms:

Multiple Intelligences, Careers

Team Handout, Multiple Intelligences and Careers

Lesson Overview:

Having learned different ways of being smart, it’s now time to have some fun letting the children challenge themselves.  This is a simple lesson in which you set up stations so that the children can see new things, figure things out, solve puzzles, and generally increase their brain power!  Exercise for the brain is the name of the game today.  The kids will love the games, and I believe that you will have repeated requests for more and harder puzzles.  Let the games begin!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

3-5 

Objective:

To challenge children to use some of the library’s puzzle/game collection to stretch their thinking and reasoning skills.  (AASL 4.1.3, “Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.”)

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each child will participate in four game station activities.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the children that people are smart in different ways.  Ask the children the different ways people can be smart and see whether they can remember all eight categories from last week.  (Answer:  Word, Number, Body, Music, Picture/Art, People, Self, Nature.)

Explain that today the students will use some of the library’s collection of picture puzzle games to challenge their thinking.  They’ll also use a few other games/activities to make sure that their brains are getting lots of exercise.

Tell the children that there are six activity stations.  Each student will be able to choose three or four of the stations for today’s lesson.  If they enjoy the challenges, they might get to work with them on another day.

2. Main:

Set-up six activity stations.  At various times in the past, I have used:

1. Mazes (Spatial awareness)
2. Dot-to-Dot (Numerical order)
3. Doodle Pages (Creative thinking)
4. Crossword Puzzles for Kids (Verbal challenge)
5. Mandalas (Patterns)
6. Sudoku for Kids (Numbers)
7. Hidden Pictures (Visual details)
8. I Spy (Visual details)
9. Spot the Difference puzzles (Visual details)
10. Look Alike Challenges (Visual details)

Believe it or not, some students have never tried a crossword puzzle.  Others have never worked a dot-to-dot or maze.  As simple as it sounds, I assure you that many of these will be new activities for the children.

I’ve listed a few books for the “I Spy” and “Look Alike” stations.  There are also wonderful maze and dot-to-dot books, but most of these challenges have several free, online resources.  I’ve included a few in the “Resources” section below.

You may need an assistant for this lesson to help with the crossword or sudoku stations.  Children may need extra instruction for these potentially new and challenging games.

Let the kids choose three or four of the stations.  Set a timer for eight minutes and rotate the kids through as many games/activities as possible.  In my experience, mazes and dot-to-dot activities hold their attention and get them to concentrate for extended periods.

3. Conclusion:

Bring everyone back to the carpet for a few minutes.  Ask which activities/games were the hardest.  Why were they hard?  Which did the children enjoy the most?  Which made them think the most?  Which were word games?  Which were number games?  Which had to do with pictures or art?  Sort the games into the Multiple Intelligences family, then ask if the children would like to play again.  Wrap up by promising to take a few of these activities to their classrooms and by making the brain games available in the library on a regular basis.

Resources:  

1. Several of the I Spy books by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick.  Example: I Spy School Days or I Spy Year-Round Challenger.
2. Look Alikes Around the World by Joan Steiner. Any of Joan Steiner’s other “Look Alike” books.
3. Carl Warner’s Food Landscapes by Carl Warner.
4. Fill-in-the-picture doodle pages, found here: http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Printables/PrintablesThumbs.php?category=Doodle_Pages
5. A selection of Usborne Publishing’s Doodle Books.  Example: A Doodle-a-Day pad, or Travel Doodles.
6. Guide to free Hidden Picture Puzzles: https://www.thebalance.com/hidden-pictures-for-kids-1357609
7. Guide to free Maze Puzzles: https://www.thebalance.com/free-printable-mazes-for-kids-1357612
8. Crossword puzzle or sudoku books for kids, anything by Will Shortz, puzzle master extraordinaire.

Notes:

Avoid using coloring pages unless you think there are some students who would not be able to do any of the other activities.  Coloring pages fit with some lessons, but not this one.  We’re trying to get the kids to think about words, numbers, patterns, and there is much less thinking required on a coloring page.  I’ve included mandalas as the exception since they are more about patterns!

Also, only use doodle books in which the children must supply part of the drawing!  Be careful with your purchases of doodle books.  Some doodle books are actually coloring sheets.

I’ve not listed a source for crossword puzzles because the sources I have tried have not been easy enough for English Language Learners.  Perhaps a book would be better, but I am not comfortable enough with them to recommend one.  If you know of a good source for crosswords that is appropriate for early elementary and English Language Learners, please let me know!

Recommended books for this lesson: 

1. Several of the I Spy books by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick.
2. Look Alikes Around the World by Joan Steiner. Any of Joan Steiner’s other “Look Alike” books.
3. Carl Warner’s Food Landscapes by Carl Warner.

Key Terms:

Picture Puzzles, Hidden-Picture Books, Mazes, Brain Games, I Spy, Mandalas

 

Lesson Overview:

This is a “tuning-in” lesson in which we build off the students’ new understanding of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences developed by Howard Gardner.  Make sure that the children have a basic understanding of different kinds of intelligence.  With that basic idea and an armful of easy biographies, you are all set for an exciting lesson on multiple intelligences hiding within the collection.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

3-5 

Objective:

To understand that there are different kinds of intelligence and that the library collection features each of these kinds of intelligence in its collection.  (AASL 1.2.3, “Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.”)

Suggested Time:

35-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Working together, the class will create list a biographies that matches one of the types of intelligence in Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the children to tell you what their new unit of inquiry is about.  Ask them to tell you different ways in which people can be smart.  Their answers should include:

1. Word Smart (Verbal)
2. Numbers Smart (Logical/Mathematical)
3. Body Smart (Bodily-Kinesthetic)
4. Music Smart (Musical)
5. Picture Smart or Art Smart (Spatial)
6. People Smart (Interpersonal)
7. Self-Smart (Intrapersonal)
8. Nature Smart (Naturalistic)

Your teachers may use different terminology, so please be sure to check with them so that the language you use is consistent with the language used in the classroom.

2. Main:

Explain to the children that today they will find out about the biography collection and how the biography collection matches the kinds of intelligence they are learning about.

Ask the children if they know what a biography is.  If they don’t know, teach them that a biography is the record of a person’s life story.  It might be told in writing, or on film, or in a recording, or even in a series of still photographs.  But, the record of a person’s life story is a biography.

Spread the biographies out on tables, windowsills, or a large carpet – anywhere the children can see them.  Ask each child to select two biographies.  Give the children about ten minutes to skim/scan the biographies for a few simple facts about the lives of the people whose biographies they are holding.

Come back together as a class.  Scribe for the class as you work through the multiple intelligences and books/biographies that may be a match.  Here are a few that match up in my library:

1. Word Smart:
   1. The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus by Jennifer Bryant
   2. Dav Pilkey by Jill C. Wheeler
   3. (Any biographies about authors, and we have lots! Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling, Michael Morpurgo, etc.)
2. Number Smart:
   1. The Librarian who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky.
   2. On a Beam of Light: a Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne
3. Body Smart:
   1. Jackie Robinson Plays Ball by Robyn O’Sullivan.
   2. Young Pele: Soccer’s First Star by Lesa Cline Ransom
   3. (Any biographies about athletes, both historical and modern.)
4. Music Smart:
   1. Before John was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford.
   2. Play, Mozart, Play! By Peter Sis.
   3. (Any biographies about musicians, composers, or conductors.)
5. Picture Smart or Art Smart:
   1. Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars by Joan Holub.
   2. An Eye for Color: The Story of Josef Albers by Natasha Wing.
   3. (Any biographies on artists, sculptors, photographers, graphic designers, etc.)
6. People Smart:
   1. Mother Teresa: A Life of Kindness by Ellen Weiss.
   2. Barack Obama: Voice of Unity, Hope, and Change by Libby Hughes
7. Self-Smart:
   1. Anne Frank: The Young Writer Who Told the World Her Story by Ann Kramer.
   2. Rosa Parks, My Story by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins.  (Teach the concept of autobiography if the students do not already know it.)
8. Nature Smart:
   1. The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps by Jeannette Winter.
   2. The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino.

Challenge the children to look further into the biography collection and try to find resources on people who are smart in each of these ways.

3. Conclusion:

Emphasize to the children that we are all smart in different ways, and that we have great examples of multiple intelligences right in our own library. Challenge the children to read a book about a person who is smart in the same way that they are smart, and smart in a way that they are not!

Send the class work to the homeroom with the kids.  It is a great extension to the concept of multiple intelligences with a literary theme.

Resources:

1. At least 50 of the school’s biographies, preferably picture books or easy biographies (about two per child).
2. Flipchart Paper
3. Markers
4. Yellow sticky notes (optional)

Notes:

One effective way to change this lesson would be to use yellow sticky notes so that the children could put a note on each biography indicating the ways that that person was/is smart.  If you do this, then the kids can easily sort the books and find the ones they are most interested in.

Be sure to check the middle school collection.  Quite often, Middle School has biographies that are appropriate for Upper Elementary Students.

Recommended books for this lesson:

A wide assortment of biographies.

Key Terms:

Multiple Intelligences, Howard Gardner, Biography, Biographies