Play Centers

A study investigated students ' perceptions about their interactions while using a Literacy Play Center geared toward social studies with a "time machine " theme. Subjects, 19 fifth-grade students in a suburban elementary school in central New Jersey, were interviewed about their experience and video taped while interacting in the play center. Results indicated that students reported feeling very happy and excited while in the Literacy Play Center apparently because of the social interaction that took place. Findings suggest that students perceived the social studies activities and their involvement in the Literacy Play Center as much more interesting than when content area subject matter was delivered via traditional text and lecture method. Contains 27 references and 2 tables of data; 3 appendixes illustrate details of the play center and present student and teacher questionnaires. (SC) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document.