Science and the arts might seem very different, but the processes that both fields use are very similar. The scientific method is a way to explore a problem, form and test a hypothesis, and answer questions. The creative process creates, interprets, and expresses art. Inquiry is at the heart of both of these methods. The purpose of this article is…

Primary-secondary transition can be a period of extreme anxiety for some children, with lowering of self-esteem and confidence. Creative drama has been reported to enhance self-esteem and confidence. This paper explores the possibility of using drama to facilitate successful transition. It focuses on secondary datasets from six primary schools in…

Designed to be used before and after attending a performance of "Alice in Wonderland," this cue sheet provides information about the performance and suggests activities to help families foster children's understanding and appreciation of the performing arts. The cue sheet presents activities to help children think about the performance,…

Describes the class activities that lead to the making of a play and contains the script for a play entitled "The last of the Scotts," written and acted by students with the teacher serving as the producer. (RB)

A collection of plays, stories, and rhymes are offered in this article to help celebrate Halloween. (DF)

Designed to be used before and after attending a performance of the musical play "The Very First Family" (in which a Stone Age family and their neighbors bring three of Rudyard Kipling's stories to life), this cue sheet for teachers presents information about the performance and suggests classroom activities. The activities in the cue…

Discusses the 1996 edition of Montreal's Coups de Theatre. Questions whether festival productions should be juried, what criteria should be used, and how to compare new creations against established productions. Describes various festival productions, a total of 19 productions from 6 countries. Discusses what these plays say to young people. (CR)

Valentine's Day activities which include a play, music, poetry, and numerous art and craft projects are presented in this compilation from February issues of "Instructor" magazine. The short and easy projects, suitable for primary and elementary students, use inexpensive and easily found materials such as paper, cloth, yarn, magazine…

Creative drama can be used productively in the classroom by allowing students to dream and to put these ideas down on paper. Guided imagery is a way of accomplishing this. Guided imagery is when the creative drama teacher guides students on a journey through the imagination. It can be used as a prereading and prewriting exercise. Listening and…

The MADD (music, art, dance, and drama) About Good Books program is a summer Arts Impact program for students in grades 3-6 offered by the Columbus, Ohio Public Schools. Conducted by two literature teachers, the 1975 summer program got under way as the children set the stage by constructing a large tree, for reading and chatting under, and…

This articles describes a Shakespeare Club for elementary school students of all ages and abilities that has created a "Shakespeare Corner" in a school media center and performed a Shakespeare play for the school and community. The benefits of the club for typical students and for gifted students are discussed. (CR)

Investigating the nature and value of dance drama as an expressive idiom for elementary school children, this paper discusses foundational concerns about the nature of dance drama, aesthetic content, learnings in dance drama, and the organization of these learnings. Noting that the ideas of dance drama presented have largely emerged from a content…

Stimulating and enjoyable dramatic activities in the classroom can nurture children's natural sympathies with drama. Re-acting a portion of a second-rate television show can help children become more perceptive critics and prepare them to view better drama that the teacher could bring to the classroom. Free, creative rhythmic movement allows…

One of a series of resource manuals written by participants in the University of North Dakota teacher education programs to help teachers develop more open and responsive classrooms, this booklet focuses on the teaching of creative drama. Following an introduction by Vito Perrone, the titles and authors of the articles are as follows: (1) "'They…

Describes the development and growth of a program at a new York City public elementary school called Growing a Story: A Theatrical Exploration of Imagination for Literacy Enrichment. This arts educational program fosters students' pride of ownership, self-esteem, and interdependence through improvised creation and performance of original…