Sample Learning Activities Showing How the Seven Multiple Intelligences can be Utilized in a Lesson or Unit on Pesach

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices. Accordingly, our mentees should know about the theory of multiple intelligences developed by *Howard Gardner.

Dr. Gardner posited that a student’s intelligence should not simply be measured by his or her verbal and mathematical abilities. Intelligence should also include five other areas of giftedness including visual/spatial, body/kinesthetic, musical/rhythmic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.

On the chart below you will find sample learning activities that engage the seven multiple intelligences of students.

Sample Learning Activities that Engage the Seven Multiple Intelligences of Students in a Lesson or Unit on Pesach

Multiple Intelligences	Sample Learning Activities
Verbal/Linguistic	· Read the Haggadah · Write your own Haggadah · Read and answer the Four Questions · Ask your own questions about Pesach · Write a Pesach poem
Mathematical/ Logical	· List the 10 plagues in order of occurrence. · Measure the ingredients in making Pesach food (e.g. latkes, charoset). · Logical question; What would you do if you were a slave in Egypt?
Visual/Spatial	· Set the Pesach table correctly · Design and decorate your own Seder plate · Design a matzo cover · Design an afikomen bag
Body/Kinesthetic	· Make brick out of mud as the slaves did in Egypt · Sew a matzo cover or afikomen bag · Make Pesach food (e.g. Matzo and charoset) · Role-play the story of Moses’ meeting with pharaoh, etc. · Dance to Pesach music
Musical/ Rhythmical	· Play Pesach music · Sing Pesach music · Listen to the chanting of the Seder · Create a new Pesach song
Interpersonal	· Interview your parents and grandparents about their memories of Pesach, and share them with the class · Discuss your favorite memory of Pesach with a learning partner
Intrapersonal	· Think about the meaning of Pesach · Keep a Pesach diary · Think about ways that we are enslaved today (e.g. to technology, money, material objects, fame, etc.)

* Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York, NY: Basic Books.

On the next post we will discuss four methods to determine a student’s learning styles and multiple intelligences preferences.