circles

• I chose this theme as a way of honoring the launch of my website- Mandala means circle in the ancient language of Sanskrit
• Across cultures, circles represent unity, wholeness, equality and completion
• Circles can be found everywhere in nature and inspire endless possibilities for learning

Activity ideas organized by Multiple Intelligences:

Spatial- make a collage or photo essay of pictures of circles around  your house and in nature; draw a page of blank circles and use your imagination to create a different picture out of each circle

Musical- write and sing songs inspired by circles; explore circular sound, such as the circular breathing needed for playing a didgeridoo; investigate- is there a reason why drums are usually circular?

Kinesthetic- explore circular movement in your body- rotate your joints, neck, torso, etc.; create a dance inspired by moving in circles; try hula hooping

Logical-Mathematical- research the geometry of circles- what is unique about the geometry of a circle that is different than other shapes?; explore circles and astronomy- the planets, sun, moon, their orbits; find out- what number does a circle represent? why?

Interpersonal- early learning- play group games that allow children to connect in a circle; explore differences in how people interact if they sit in a circle or rows; plan an event or fundraiser that is somehow inspired by circles

Intrapersonal- choose one of these journal prompts and spend some quiet time reflecting: write about your circle of friends or family- what do you love about them? what would you like to change?; write about a time when things came “full circle” for you- when you start out feeling one way, change a lot and then go back to how you felt in the first place- why do you think this happened?

Naturalistic- observe circles in nature- in flower petals, the rings inside a tree, the shape of the sun, moon and planets…; how do patterns of circles and spirals appear in nature?; create a log or picture book of what you see

Linguistic- investigate the history of the word ‘circle’, the word for circle in different languages, phrases and idioms with the word; write a creative story with a circle as the main character

Existential- research the symbolism of circles in different cultures and religious traditions; explore quotes on circles, mandalas, wholeness and unity- use them as inspiration for conversation, journaling or daydreaming about the deeper meaning behind circles

Taking time to connect: Reading this list to your children and creating conversation is a simple way to begin to understand more about their preferences and show them that you are interested in who they are as learners. Which ideas interest them the most? The least? Are there things you thought they’d like, but they don’t? Things they’re good at, but they don’t prefer?...