Describes a play-based procedure for assessing young children's knowledge of the functions of writing. A case study highlights this discussion. (BB)

Ninth graders explored the theme of power and ambition by reading William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar," studying daily life in ancient Rome, comparing the play's plot to the attempted overthrow of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, examining other power struggles, and developing scripts for modern-day "Julius Caesar"…

A University of Texas, Austin, French course that uses dramatics as a focus for language practice and cultural awareness is described. Relaxation, movement, group dynamics, and interpretation of the text area are all seen as contributing to the language-learning experience. (MSE)

Introduces the work of Eula Lee, a fictional storyteller and the feminist author's alter ego. Encourages teachers at all educational levels to become storytellers for the magic of the story itself, the instructional strength of metaphor, and the personal power of interpretation and presentation. Stresses the stories' ability to reinforce community…

The relationship between drama in education and program evaluation is explored through the evaluation of an elementary school drama program. The compromise approach presents evaluation as a complex adaptation of an innovation or growth profile. The report contains enough hard data to be useful for policymakers but is rich in information…

Describes the development of the practices and perspectives of one elementary school teacher as she engaged in teacher-as-researcher methodology in both urban and suburban settings. Documents how the teacher-as-researcher began to explore science inquiry in an elementary setting and how students, parents, and educators became co-learners,…

Five articles present tips for rallying English-as-a-Second-Language students to the enterprise of creating context, tools, and language itself. The articles focus on using original dramas created by students, teaching nonnative English-speaking medical students to comprehend their patients' colloquial language, conducting research with native…

This article is a reflection on the author's M.Ed. research study, undertaken whilst working full time as a nursery teacher, in which she explores her concerns and the moments of illumination through the research process. She reflects on ways she began to make sense of young children's learning, using some key moments in the study, which examined…

This workbook brings together activities to aid in motivating children to concentrate, listen, respond, think, and learn. The activities rely upon play-like tasks involving drama, music, and other forms of creative expression. The activities are organized by the season in which they are appropriate and include songs, dramatic sequences, stories,…

This resource guide for the early childhood professional contains creative art activities, active learning experiences, interactive bulletin boards, teacher-made materials, simple cooking projects, inviting fingerplays, songs, and music. The activities are planned to stimulate children's curiosity and senses. Through experiencing these activities,…

This brief paper is an anecdotal commentary on a class exercise developed for an advanced European History course covering the period 1815 to the present. It describes a role-play, case-study exercise designed to reinforce previously covered material. Students are directed to attend a mock peace conference to consider if any one country was…

Designed to assist administrators and teachers conducting child care programs for school-age at-risk children, this curriculum guide outlines age-appropriate, process-oriented arts experiences. Content focuses on learning activities in the visual arts, dance/creative movement, drama, and music. Each section includes all or several of the following…

Pleasant View School for the Arts is a magnet school in northeast Ohio that draws from each level of the social strata and offers options for traditional grouping and tracking strategies in unique and effective ways. The school houses two basic programs: (1) the arts; and (2) gifted education, called the Kaleidoscope program. The arts program…

This booklet discusses the use of structured table activities in preschool programs in Australia and alternatives to these activities, such as free play. The booklet notes that structured table activities tend to be teacher-directed, passive, non-creative, and focus on goals set by the teacher. They often do not address the learning requirements…

This paper examines the reasons for including drama in elementary curricula; the relationship of drama to children's developmental needs; and appropriate strategies for teaching drama to young children. Reasons for teaching drama include drama's stimulation of high-level thinking and collaborative work. Drama and improvisation also require high…