This special section on the spirit of play discusses (1) characteristics of adult play; (2) styles of playfulness; (3) the creation of environments that foster children's sense of wonder; and (4) strategies for training teachers to be playful and to be attentive to children's play. (HOD)

Ways in which to revive and promote creativity in campus activities programming are offered. Specific steps to take, particularly in committee meetings, to energize individual thinking and group processes and to improve programming and publicity are detailed. (MSE)

Advocates the analysis of student writing and improvisations as texts offering images, stories, and information about their different backgrounds, languages, histories, and cultures. Outlines how teachers can develop strategies for generating such student writing, especially through the use of improvisation. (HB)

In two British schools 16 eighth graders were interviewed about their perceptions of design and technology curriculum. They enjoyed the subject, especially the act of creation. For many, conceptions of "real work" and enjoyment were antithetical. Design and technology appear to provide opportunities for engaging learning activities. (SK)

Summarizes the author's dissertation following a group of bilingual first graders as they created an opera with their teacher and an artist-in-residence. Summarizes the opera process using the libretto format. Discusses the setting, perspectives of all of the collaborators, what was learned, and the educational implications. (SR)

Claims that children have a natural curiosity for their environment. Describes children's interaction and involvement in an activity with different kinds of insects in a Head Start classroom. Encourages parents to allow children to investigate without being too preoccupied with concerns for order or cleanliness. (MOK)

In 1996 to 1997, Hyperion Books for Children and "Book Links" sponsored a story quilt contest inviting children across the country to make story quilts based on a historical event or a period in history. This article presents the winning entry and the several honorable mentions, chosen from more than 65 quilts submitted by elementary and…

Focuses on the theme of safe and comforting places for children, and how libraries can help provide safe havens for children. Presents a survey of safe places in selected works of children's literature. Includes a sampler of creative activities focusing on the theme, and a list of resources (books and videotapes). (AEF)

Recognizes the importance of children's art made at home and focuses on having children express themselves through handmade art. Gives examples of different types of handmade art, such as making room accessories and furnishings, constructing "portable" artworks, and building figures in different mediums. (CMK)

Describes different girls' groups and organizations and discusses how to start a girls' group in a community. Presents a sample outline of activities in a creative arts and writing group conducted at a middle school in New York City. Identifies issues to consider as a girls group develops. Includes lists of print and Internet resources. (AEF)

Describes a project for high school chemistry students that links science with art: making glazed ceramic pots. Includes materials list, base glaze recipe, step-by-step procedures for setting up a lab, and the time frame involved. Text for students covers the history of earthenware pottery, fundamentals of working with clay, description of the…

The number of immigrant and refugee children coming from war-torn countries is increasing in North America. Over the past decades, creative expression activities have been increasingly recognized as a useful way to work with migrant and refugee children. These activities have been used to help them to construct meaning, to structure identity, and…

Creative movement is an ideal vehicle for integrating curriculum, because the potential for human inspiration is limitless. When working in a creative-movement setting, students communicate thoughts, ideas, or feelings without fear of being judged incorrect or losing a competition. Yet, pantomime is just the beginning. The next step would be to…

A visit to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis provided one teacher with a vehicle for improving the language and literacy skills of a group of students from varied backgrounds. Using art as a basis for lessons that used academic language, cultural expertise, and writing, Saurino links creative expression with a host of skills and perspectives to…

This experiential exercise is designed to explore the effects of positive and negative group environments on creativity. It asks students to undertake a creative activity (i.e., draw a picture) in groups with a member predesignated to offer either positive or negative comments. Students in the two different types of group environment produced…