Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/a-rich-diet-for-learning-a-multi-sensory-approach-that-nourishes-all-children/5017748/
Lisa’s StoryLisa was quietly working alone using clay dough. Her teacher, Mrs. Reeble, noticed that Lisa had formed four pieces with her dough. Mrs. Reeble said to Lisa, “I think your clay dough is telling me what you know about butterflies �" is that right?” Lisa nodded yes. When Mrs. Reeble asked if Lisa had names for the pieces, Lisa pointed to each and labeled them “egg, caterpillar, cocoon, and butterfly.” When Mrs. Reeble asked Lisa how she knew to make the lifecycle of the butterfly with her dough, she replied, “I know because I’ve been in the greenhouse.”
Borrowing a book on butterflies that two boys nearby were using, Lisa copied the names of each stage and put the word labels by her clay dough pieces. She and Mrs. Reeble discussed the need for a sketch to preserve her work, since the sketch would last even longer than the dough. Lisa created a sketch, then placed the word labels where she wanted them near each part of her drawing.
Lisa moved to an open space in the room and used body movements to represent each shape on her sketch, pointing to her paper each time she changed shape. Then she asked a ...