Logical-mathematical intelligence is the biological computational capacity that relates to reasoning, logic and abstract thinking. Children who favor a logical-mathematical intelligence will tend to be quite skilled with numbers and numerical concepts, drawn to problems of logical complexity and scientific reasoning.
To be clear, the fact that a child may exhibit a tendency towards one particular intelligence is not to say that they don’t exercise other intelligences. Nor does this mean that only those kinds of individuals that are “mathematical” have logical-mathematical intelligence. Rather, we all have the ability to engage our various intelligences in different ways and under varying circumstances. What matters is that we expose ourselves to opportunities that will allow us to develop our different intelligences and that we are mindful of the way in which we (and our children) process the diverse information which we encounter throughout our day.
With that in mind, the following list offers various tasks and activities designed to help children develop their logical-mathematical intelligence.
Activities
The activities are presented in levels of increasing complexity. These levels are in no way related to a child’s age or grade level. Rather, in light of the fact that each child has a unique intelligence profile, these activities allow children to start at whatever level they prefer and to continue feeling engaged and motivated in this learning experience as they advance to the more challenging levels. Also, in addition to logical-mathematical intelligence, many of these activities also help develop other intelligences. In those instances, I have identified the relevant intelligences using the MI code outlined here.
Please note that this list is neither absolutely comprehensive nor is it intended to be used as a checklist of performance. These are simply suggestions to help stimulate the development of your child’s intelligence. With that in mind, I welcome feedback and additional suggestions.
LEVEL 1
Record stories told to you by someone else and use your notes as a basis for a story. Identify the key elements and create an outline of the story. [L.I.]
Collect a variety of leaves and classify them in five different ways. [N.I.]
Practice adding, subtracting and dividing using raisins, buttons or other objects.
LEVEL 2
Make a puzzle. [S.I.]
Create a maze or crossword puzzle for a friend. [S.I.]
Listen to patterns in music. [M.I.]
Gather random assortments of items from your house and arrange them in a pattern. Then sort or categorize them in different ways. Chart the results and explain them with a friend. [S.I.][Ie.I.]
Measure different things with your various body parts. Compare the lengths of different items in your house. [BK.I.]
Predict the ending of a book you are reading. [L.I.]
Map out the main ideas and sub-points of each idea from a book you are reading. Think of a new story and map out the main ideas and sub-points of each main idea for your new story. [L.I.]
Create new riddles and share them with your friends. [L.I.]
Write directions for completing a task and then give them to someone else. Discuss how effective the directions were in helping the other person complete the tasks. [L.I.][Ie.I.]
Think of a problem you are currently facing and illustrate a machine that you would create to help you solve the problem. [S.I.]
Create patterned number sequences and have someone else identify the pattern. Try creating patterns with shapes or words as well. [L.I.][S.I.]
LEVEL 3
Create a secret code and write it down in a code key format. Write letters using your code key. Share your code key with someone else and see if they can decipher your message. [L.I.][S.I.][Ie.I.]
Choose one of your favorite books and write the next episode or continuation of the story. [L.I.]
Pick a topic to discuss and find arguments to support both sides. Have a debate with someone else. Give each other feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments. [L.I.][Ie.I.]
Find examples of history “repeating itself” or think of a time when the same mistake has been made multiple times. Reflect upon why this is and how those mistakes could have been avoided. [Ia.I.]
Follow a recipe to make a cake from scratch. Illustrate the recipe. [L.I.][S.I.][BK.I.]
Create a dance using ten different dance steps. Teach the dance to a friend. [BK.I.][Ie.I.]
Create a “paint by numbers” picture for someone else to color. [S.I.]
Make a calendar and keep track of important events. [L.I.][S.I.]
Take a walk and notice patterns in nature. [N.I.]
Source:http://totthoughts.com/2012/02/28/activities-logical-mathematical-intelligence/
