THIRD-GRADE DRAMATIC PROJECT UTILIZING CHILDREN'S INTERESTS IN ADVENTURE, COM- See story on opposite page the aims of kindergarten activities on page 18, where it was stated that they give training in social and moral relations, in problem solving, in expression, in æsthetic enjoyment, and in manual skill. The actual use of a play house, a play grocery store, and other community buildings in order to secure these forms of training was described on pages 126-127. Under the name of dramatization, imitative plays are extensively used in teaching primary reading and history. Pictures of dramatic projects are shown on pages 134, 136, 236, 238, and 240. Story of the picture on opposite page. The third-grade children shown in this picture have been studying the early history of Chicago as described on page 137. In this connection they constructed a little play centering around some of the incidents in the life of Chicago's pioneers. In making their play they chose the situations which they desired to use from "The Story of Chicago," devised the necessary action, dictated the dialogue, elected the actors, secured some of the costumes from the school's costume box and made others, practiced the play a few times, and then presented it to the assembled grades at morning exercises as shown in the picture. Such a project may consume the time of the periods for history and language for two or three weeks. Usually a class undertakes only one or two such projects during the year. The picture illustrates vitalizing the study of history and training in problem solving and in oral, written, and dramatic expression. It also illustrates the utilization of children's interests in adventure, communication, imitative or dramatic play, and emulation. The last appears in "trying out" various children for the several characters. It also illustrates provision for individual differences, since a variety of talents are called for, and children who may not succeed well in certain abstract phases of school work may ९९ star" in such a project as that shown in the picture. The picture illustrates also the matter of schoolrooms and equipment. Notice the small stage with simple, solid-color flies overhead, the screens for walls, the stock fireplace, the spinning wheel from the school museum, and the costumes from the school costume box. 10. Interest in games. Illustrated by popularity of sporting page. The interest in games is another complex of instinctive tendencies which is a striking feature of human nature, not only of children but also of adults. To appreciate this fact one has only to recall the intense interest in baseball, football, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, prize-fighting, card-playing, and the sporting page of newspapers. Rich and poor alike are enthusiastic. The interest of the well-todo and better-educated classes is illustrated by the fact that many of the leading daily papers which cater especially to these classes maintain as one of their principal features especially strong sport departments, including some of the highest-priced writers in the country. Children's interests in games used to improve drill. - The interest of children in games is proverbial. As in the case of imitative play, kindergartens and primary grades now use Story of the picture on opposite page. The dramatic scene shown in this picture was prepared in the same general manner as described at the bottom of page 237. In this case, however, the fourth-grade children were studying Roman history and constructed their play around the struggles between the Horatii and the Curiatii. The costumes in this case are easily made from cheesecloth, crêpe paper, or other simple materials. Some of them are found in the school's costume box. Some of the practical-minded, adventurous boys of the class, who show very little interest in school, may become keenly interested in making the weapons used in this scene and in taking part in the combats. This interest may be extended to reading the history in order that the weapons and action may be historically accurate. This play was prepared for the spring festival held in the school garden. No effort is made to secure a finished performance or elaborate costuming. After the teachers and children have had a little experience with such performances, they take only a few hours (that is, the history and language periods for two or three weeks) to finish the task, from the study of the historical situation to final presentation before the assembled school. |