The paper contains progress reports supported by data about two short activities aimed at introducing physics themes in primary school. The first is a formal storytelling intervention named "Mommy Comet" carried out in first- and fifth-grade classes and concerning motion in the absence of forces in the Solar System broad context. The…

Increased emphasis on standardization in primary grades can stifle spontaneous literacy play. The authors argue that allowing playful, collaborative, multimodal literacies into primary classrooms and specifically in writers' workshop can expand and enliven the way we see students' literacy strengths. The authors look closely at the unique…

It is definitely easier to write about work when things are going well, but it is even more important to write about what happens when things get challenging. The act of writing about the challenging times can be challenging in itself but can also provide invaluable insights into the process of teaching: important for the writer and just as…

This paper presents a field experiment examining the effect of drama education on the psychological development of grades 1 and 4 students. The drama curriculum was delivered after school for one day each week for 16 weeks. Students in the experimental group attended drama education classes, whereas students in the control group took part in the…

Considers how people and institutions outside the classroom shape the extent to which drama becomes part of the culture of the school and of individual classes. Discusses a case study of how classroom teachers and a school drama specialist negotiate and interpret the evolving status and function of drama as a potentially generative, artistic…

Describes the use of generative curriculum in a first-grade class, whereby students pursue their own topics of interest and ways of learning as they engage in meaningful inquiry. Outlines demonstrations that teachers can use to help students develop their own topics. Areas covered include composition, visual arts, notetaking, interviews, surveys,…