The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

380 Enriching Learning Through Visual Aids The Educational Screen meaningful problems which the production would materially help them to solve. With this adequate preparation for an appreciation lesson, the class attended the special morning show for school children. The afternoon periods were given over to a discussion of the picture as a beginning of the activities involving review. In this first review even the materials read in books and elsewhere were introduced and criticized in the light of the morning's experiences. Also during the next few days compositions were written about the pictures, illustrations were drawn, models made, and similar activities were carried on. Thus the materials from the pictures were assimilated and utilized by the pupils, through a series of interesting projects requiring repetition of subject matter. Another sixth grade class enriched its learning by means of a second type of visual aid. The members were studying Egyptian history having in mind the solution of the problem: ''What constitutes the essential historical information which will show Egypt's contribution to the progress of civilization ?" This problem needed to be solved before the pupils could continue their project, the writing of a pageant depicting the progress of civilization. With the felt need in mind, they planned a trip to the museum to see the Egyptian mummies and other ancient relics of this early civilization. Under the teacher's guidance the pupils developed a program, listing the objects they were to study and what they wanted to find out from first hand observations. This involved careful planning to the end that the essentials, even to important details, would not be missed. The children organized themselves into groups to each of which they assigned special responsibilities. These were natural activities for them in the light of their interests and purposes. Therefore, their excursion to the museum presented to them an exceptional opportunity for enriching their experiences and increasing their knowledge by a real experience, exposure to materials representative of the life and customs of the ancient peoples. I The visit required the whole of one school day. Teacher, pupils, and many of the parents spent a fascinating time in the one small section of the museum. There was little evidence of the desire on the part of anyone to go elsewhere during the time spent in the building. Discussions, explanations and questioning were indulged in similar to that which adult research students would have carried on in the same situation. For some time thereafter, this experience served as a basis for much oral and written composition involving a review of Egyptian life and customs. All through the remaining periods spent on the study of Egypt the influence of the visit to the museum was very marked in the thinking, acting and feeling of the children. It was noted in the contributions it made to their major project in such activities as the writing of a section of the pageant dealing with Egyptian history and geography, the making of the necessary stage scenery, the designing and making of appropriate costumes. The products of these purposeful experiences were concrete records of the desirable outcomes attained. The use of slides by the children of a fourth grade class illustrates how these were utilized to enrich learning when, first, careful preparation; secondly, meaningful exposure; and thirdly, purposeful follow up or review activities were observed in using them. The class was studying about the missions of California. The special responsibility of a group in the class consisted of developing and presenting reports on mission life to the rest of the pupils. This group went to the auditorium and examined carefully a collection of slides. They read the accompanying descriptions. The busi