Dramatic Water: Using a Drama-Based Approach to Science in the Early Years

Autor/inn/en	Kambouri, Maria; Michaelides, Anthia
Titel	Dramatic Water: Using a Drama-Based Approach to Science in the Early Years
Quelle	In: Primary Science, (2015) 136, S.10-12 (3 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0269-2465
Schlagwörter	Drama; Science Instruction; Teaching Methods; Preschool Education; Foreign Countries; Cyprus + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schauspiel; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Ausland; Zypern
Abstract	The water cycle is taught to 4- and 5-year-olds in Cyprus even though it is quite an abstract topic. By using an active and drama-based approach, Maria Kambouri and Anthia Michaelides hoped to support the children in understanding the process. Their aim was to enable the children to: (1) represent the water cycle (the journey of a water droplet) by drawing, acting or describing; (2) overcome initial preconceptions (erroneous ideas) that they might hold about the water cycle; and (3) use correct vocabulary to describe the water cycle (e.g. vapour, evaporation, water, sunshine). The lesson began with the use of a drama technique known as "teacher in role" (Dodwell, 2009), where the teacher acts out the role of a droplet describing the journey of a water droplet from the droplet's perspective. The "hot seating" (Neelands and Goode, 2000) technique was then used. This technique involves a child being seated in the middle of the class and taking on a role from the "story". The rest of the class ask the child questions, which he or she answers in-role. For example, one of the children took on the role of the water droplet and the class posed questions such as "Where are you now?", "How do you feel?" and "Where will you go next?" A second child took on the role of the Sun and had to respond to questions such as "How can you help the water droplet to go to the cloud?" The children next acted out the story as a mime. One group acted out the story using their own movements while the other narrated the story to them in their own words. Then they switched over. The students were then given a time to reflect their understanding of the "water cycle" on paper. This specific lesson could be considered as an initial lesson on the water cycle. Children could be given different scenarios to act out in small groups. Experimentation is an essential aspect of science, so the drama could be followed up with a lesson using more traditional practical activities to explore the phenomenon. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Association for Science Education. College Lane Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AA, UK. Tel: +44-1-707-283000; Fax: +44-1-707-266532; e-mail: info@ase.org.uk; Web site: http://www.ase.org.uk
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01