Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

FILMSTRIPS by Irene F. Cypher Photographically speaking, it is possible today to provide such truly beautiful color or black and white pictures that it seems pathetic to us to offer anything but the very best for teachers and pupils to use in their classroom work. Children love color; they react to intriguing design and well organized composition and lay-out; they respond so spontaneously to sincere, honest story presentations. The best proof of this is to observe the eyes of any group as they watch a film, filmstrip, slide or television presentation. Many projected pictures elicit a warm chuckle, a sparkle of the eyes, a slow gasp of appreciative understanding, and this is a wonderful phenomenon to see. It seems to us that no producer— professional or amateur—has a right to offer pictures that are trite, "wishy-washy" in tone qual NOW IN THOUSANDS OF CLASSROOMS! 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The pictures we bring into our classrooms should truly be the means whereby we introduce pupils to trees, animals, buildings, people and anything else you care to name. Some of the newer materials that are coming to us are really excellent and that is why we take the liberty once again of including in this column a unit of slides (after all slides and filmstrips are closely related and should be used together more frequently). French Civilization as Reflected in the Arts (a series of 30 slide lectures, with narrative tapes in French and English; produced by Cultural History Research, Inc., Harrison 1, N. Y.; units of 50 shdes, $48.7.5, with tape in either language $8.00; price selections listed in folder.) Both subject content and photographic quality of these slides is superb. It is a long time since we have seen slides of such beauty and excellence and it is a pleasure to recommend really good materials. The units provide, as the producers say, "an integrated approach to the cultural life of France" and this includes visual dealing with political, economic, social and art materials. The tone quality and enunciation of the tapes is good in both the English and French versions. We could get excited over using these slides, for there is so much to see in them, and the photography is so good that you feel as though you were on the spot. To be recommended for art, social studies, cultural appreciation; certainly language classes will both enjoy and benefit from the comparison possible b\' using the tapes for study, and for conversation. American History Series, Set No. 3 (6 strips, color; produced by Young America Films, McGraw-Hill Co., Inc., 330 West 42 St., New York City 36; $32.50 per set, $6 single strips.) This unit carries us forward from the time of the post-Civil War and Reconstruction period to the end of the 19th century, when the United States becomes a world power. This is curriculum enrichment material, and suggestions are made for the use of many types of materials and projects in con nection with use of the filmstrip' Basic vocabulary sections highligh ; names and terms to be studied ani considered, and the content is specifi cally appropriate for grades 7 to 1: The Cowboy: Rodeo and Raiui (single strip, color; produced by \'is Ta Films, P.O. Box 2406, Sepulvedi Calif.; $5.) This title alone is enonel to intrigue boys and girls, but the i ' ture content, too, is intriguing. We , taken to see the way cowboys work the ranch to prepare for a rodeo aii< then to see the rodeo itself, with it program of special events and activi ties. Visual presentations of the brand ing and roping are interesting, aii( the picture sequences clearly illuN trate how the cowboy handles hims<l and the animals. The strip has con ; siderable interest potential for pupil, and is good factual resource materia for study of western life. Founders of America 6 strips, blacl and white; produced by Encyclopae dia Britannica Films, 1150 Wilmettt Ave., Wilmette, Illinois; $18 per set $3 single strips.) To understand mucl of the development of the Unitec States one must know the men whc helped to found the nation. In thi; pictorial biography series we are introduced to Washington, Hamilton Franklin, Marshall, Williams and Jef ferson. The story treatment deals with the periods during which the mar were active in the military and political affairs of the country and they art shown in relation to the events of the period in which they lived. Useful foi any consideration of personalities and episodes in the American Revolution. The picture-story content can be adapted to classroom discussion and follows standard curriculum unit outlines. How We Get Our Homes (4 strips, color; produced by Society for Visual Education, 1345 Diversey Parkway, Chicago 14, 111.; $16.25 per set, $5 single strips.) Home is a very important place to all of us, and we know that a good home is the work of many people. In this series, our attention is focused on how a home is planned, constructed and made ready for its occupants. Particidar attention is given to the things a family looks for when they choose a home, in terms of building site, neighbors and community facilities. The material is listed as related to social studies units; we also think it is to be recommended for language arts work, for pupils love to talk about things close to them, and a home is certainly closely related to a. niajor portion of their interests and activities. The material is also good for study of community workers, for it 186 Educational Screen and Audiovisual Guide — April, 1960