Students experiment, problem-solve, and communicate about their ideas and experience. Multisensory expression builds on the capacity students already have to communicate using bodies, voices, classroom space and play. Without the obstacle of finding a word for everything, students express complex thoughts. This builds a “fun” scaffold to verbal expression.
Kids live in a multisensory world, and they have been learning through their sensory experience since they were very small. When they engage in multisensory expression they access all of their intelligences, and can express rich and complex perceptions in a more nuanced way than through words alone.
Multisensory expression is not limited to the private space of an individual’s writing page- it exists in a communal space where children can see and hear each other’s ideas all around them. In this way they can freely learn from and inspire each other.
Watch how active vocabulary is created through multisensory expression! Children took a 5 Senses Journey to a farm and its apple orchard and learned new vocabulary. They made settings and puppets inspired by their visit. Our documentarian captured a student in the midst of her puppet play, searching her memory for the word “orchard”- and finding it.
Jeaninne Longo’s goal was to use Bridges to help her students connect and understand this challenging text. Students created puppet characters and settings to understand the challenging text of Charlotte’s Web. They enjoy puppet play with the characters and share their retelling with the class, and get commentary afterwards.
“After reading Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse and Chrysanthemum, we discussed and charted how both of these characters’ feelings/emotions changed throughout the story. Students then selected a specific character and showed two different emotions/feelings…
…Before creating these emotions, we acted them out with our faces and bodies (hands opened/ crossed), focusing on the faces. We discussed how the selection of the shapes (circles, crescents, raindrop, leaf), space and directions changes the emotions. This was their interpretation of Lily’s and Chrysanthemum’s emotions.” -Bibi Zabar, PS 62Q, 1st gr
“Students were tasked with creating a puppet of an animal or plant that has special adaptations that allow it to survive, and also creating a collage of a setting that shows the animal or plant’s habitat…
…On the last day of the unit, students put on a puppet show where they invited another puppet friend to learn more about their adaptations. It was wonderful to see students a bit more independent this time around, and I honestly felt a lot more comfortable flowing through with the lessons as well!” -Jessica Giler, PS 62Q, 1st grade
