Targeting Multiple Intelligences:
Teens Teaching Teens
As a seasoned health teacher
for 21 years, teaching was becoming stale. I needed to
infuse some excitement into the curriculum. Junior high
students are often difficult to teach and reach because
of their developmental stage. Knowing that teens are more
engaged with a hands-on approach, technology seemed a good
solution.
This was the thinking that motivated one teacher to develop "Teens Teaching
Teens," a multi-faceted Internet project for eighth grade students. In
this class, drug education is a major component of the curriculum. Rather
than listening to information provided by the teacher and the textbook,
each student works in a group to conduct research, prepare a PowerPoint
presentation, and assume the role of the teacher to instruct the class
on their assigned drug. Each presentation must cover drug history, plant
type, countries of origin, medical uses, how the drug affects the nervous
system, how the drug is used, street names, signs of use, physical effects,
psychological and emotional effects, problems for society, withdrawal
symptoms, and other facts, statistics, or laws...
"Teens Teaching Teens" reaches
a diversity of learning styles. Howard Gardner's Multiple
Intelligence theory is evident throughout this project...
The variety of activities offered, and the ability of each student to
contribute to the group based on their individual strengths, ensures
an interesting and successful learning experience for all.
Check out Dale's Lesson Plan, Teens
Teaching Teens.
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