Describes a classroom experiment--the "concerned observer" experiment--for production students that dramatizes basic film language by relating it to several levels of human observation. Details the experiment's three levels, and concludes that film language mimics wide-ranging states of human emotion and ideological persuasion. (PRA)

Presents 13 improvisation exercises offered by 5 teachers. (SR)

Discusses the unpacking of the term "creativity," hindrances to the execution of creativity, and eight specific teaching techniques that enable the advanced actor to focus all of his/herself into integrated action toward and into an integrated response. (RS)

Describes a simulation activity that has most of the features of a real situation. Discusses how this activity worked in the language classroom. (Author/VWL)

Describes an activity (based on a "Calvin and Hobbs" cartoon) for a college-level introductory grammar course, which asks students to work in groups to create deliberately arbitrary "grammar" rules, and then consider as a group the validity of such rules. Argues that in this way students learn the practice of bringing natural language evidence to…

Describes an exercise for a beginning acting class at the outset of a semester that demonstrates, reiterates, and clarifies some of the fundamental points of acting craft. (SR)

Uses an acrostic of the word "vocabulary" to present enjoyable and effective strategies and activities for vocabulary instruction with elementary students. (SR)

Demonstrates how drama and literature can be used together through the Living Newspaper Theatre, a specific form of government-subsidized drama created in the 1930s. Offers guidelines for a living newspaper play and includes a script. (RS)

Discusses the "mirror game," a classic acting exercise that gets young actors to understand that connecting to their scene partners is a crucial part of acting. Describes the learning opportunities offered by the mirror game, describes how to initiate it in class, and how to add challenges to the exercise. (SR)

Describes the uses of riddles with elementary school students to create interest, develop literacy skills, promote learning in the content areas, and have fun. Notes 16 books of riddles. (SR)

Presents three activities to help elementary students make connections across the generations. Activities include: interviewing grandparents about the toys they played with and how they spent their time; collecting grandparents' words of wisdom and putting them into a book; and gathering the many names students call their grandparents to use in a…

Weddings are unique and dynamic--each flavored differently and each with a life of its own. They celebrate specific customs, rituals, and the importance of family and culture. Always, they stir up emotions, and, on occasion, they may spin and whirl, looping out of control. For children, they may inspire romantic dreams, and provide new roles to…

This article presents a brief biography of author Jon Scieszka, best known for his first published title, "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs!" which has become a modern classic. The publication of this creative and inventive title led to the numerous fractured fairy tales published since its release in 1989. His books have received numerous…

Children may feel a sense of ownership when they learn a new vocabulary word that genuinely excites them--a dynamic word, a poetic word, a word with a delicious sound or interesting meaning. Right away, they like to try out these words, experiment with them, incorporate them into the speaking and writing, and impress others with their mastery.…