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

FILMSTRIPS by Irene F. Cypher Here beginneth another school year nice and bright and shining, running over with fresh opportunities. Wonderful time to forget some of the things you perpetrated in the name of education last year; wonderful time to use new material to give additional data on a topic; also a wonderful time to use some old standbys in a slightly new and different way. This all has a double barrelled significance, to wit; ( 1 ) the new material may bring classroom study right up-todate with the latest information and (2) using the old material in a new way gives you, the teacher, a means of presenting familiar lesson details and content in a way that allows you to put some variety in your own approach to classroom work. If everything is done the same way, year in and year out, academic life could become rather boring for the one who most needs to be alert and interested— the teacher. Try organizing the way you introduce filmstrips into a unit presentation; take time to make adjustments in the way you include filmstrip material in any study. It could well be that both you and the students will discover a lot of details you might otherwise have missed; and the fact that you present material in a different way gives you an opportunity to become reacquainted with it. Alfred Pellen (single filmstrip, color; produced by National Film Board of Canada and available from Stanley Bowmar Co., Valhalla, New York; $.5 single strip). Pellen, a Quebec born artist, is one who has been in the forefront of the arts; he is well known, a prize winner, and a creative artist of skill. Those interested in the contribution of western hemisphere artists to the cultural heritage of this century feel that he has contributed material of merit, and particularly with respect to his portrayals of Canadian people and the folk art of French Canada. Filmstrips of this type are really work biographies, and have much to contribute to a study of both an artist and his work. The strip includes representative examples of Pellen's paintings and shows something of how he helped to inspire other artists. Latin Teenagers (4 filmstrips, color, 4 narrations taped on one 3.75 ips dual track tape; produced by Studyscopes Productions, 7.556 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles 46, Calif.; $31.50, with study booklets). Teenagers of Mexico, and an account of the things that interest them are here presented and recorded by the boys and girls themselves. The filmstrips and tapes can be used together or separately and the material has a good potential for holding pupil interest and stimulating language study. Again, visual and audial are combined to give us a rounded picture of school customs in Mexico, events at a fiesta, school and social activities at home, a fair and special sporting events. The aim is to provide material that will stimulate interest in language study, and it is to be recommended for that purpose. Pupils will be able to relate with the teenagers shown in the pictures. Scanning the Universe (7 filmstrips, 6 black and white, 1 color; produced by Encyclopedia Britannica Films, Wilmette, 111.; $21 complete series, $3 single strips). Interest in astronomy and space phenomena is high at the moment, and this series presents many interesting details about planets, comets, the milky way, exploring the moon and exploring the sun. A majority of the pictures included were photographed at Mt. Wilson and Palomar observatories, and this is an opportunity for students to see what the heavens look like when viewed through giant telescopes. Details are large and clear and the viewer feels as though he could reach out and touch the stars. The material is well planned for science and astronomy from junior high school through to college. The New Africa (single filmstrip, black and white; produced by The New York Times, Office of Educational Activities, Times Square, New York 17, N. Y.; $2.50 single strip, $15 for monthly series of which this is one unit). There are so many facets to any study of Africa today that it is hard to get a clear understanding of all the issues involved. This strip shows some of the areas included in the development of new nations, the role of Africa in the world today, and the problems faced by both the United Nations and the United States in helping to encourage enlightened development in the countries of north, south and central Africa. Content information provided is varied and gives an insight into major issues, geographical developments and social problems. The story is a complex one and this strip will be particularly helpful in presenting an account of colonial problems as they exist today and the role of African nations in world economy. Western Europe Series (4 filmstrips, color with 331/3 rpm records; produced by Knowledge Builders, Visual Education Building, Floral Park, N. Y.; $6 with script only, $7.50 with record; one unit, a two-part filmstrip and record, $8.59 with script only and $10 with record). The Rhine Valley, the cities of Florence and Paris are the geographical areas presented to us in this series. The imit on Paris is a two-part one, and includes "The City of Light" and "The Old City." The material presented gives us regional geographic features and outstanding landmarks and places, a view of famous buildings, and an introduction to the sculptures, paintings and architecture of Florence. This is regional and environmental history and geography, not social history. The pictures are not captioned, and the teacher may use either a descriptive manual or the record narrations for detailed information about the picture content included in the strips. In each instance historical background is supplied and an over-view of the general points of interest of each city. Actually the viewer is taken on a field trip to see the cities included, and given a description of the places of outstanding interest and historical significance Fasia Filmstrips (Color filmstrips ■ produced by Slide and Filmstrips Ltd and distributed by The Copp Clarl Publishing Co., Ltd., 517 Wellingtor St., West, Toronto 28, Canada; 25 a' $2.95 each and 2 at $4.95 each). Thi; material consists in each instance of i short strips or filmslips as the pro ducer calls them, one with caption: and one without. It is planned tha the teacher using this material wii have a class read a poem severa times and by means of directive ques tioning study and comment on thi filmsliji with captions. In furthe study of the particular poem the non captioned filmslip will be used antjj^ (Continued on page 498) 496 Educational Screen and Audiovisual Guide — September, 196»|j