Deck 16: Integrating Curriculum Through Pretend and Construction Play

Question 1

A box covered with foil stood in the corner near some silver covered capes and foil covered smaller boxes with rectangular space cut out of them which allowed the children who wore them to see. Four children donned their "space suits" and entered their "space ship" and prepared for the countdown. Mr. Redker was pleased with the way this unit was developing. What is the least likely type of play?

A) Role play
B) Theme-related play
C) Write and play
D) Socio-dramatic play

Answer 1

Write and play

Question 2

Nicholas first examined the magnets and then arranged them carefully, talking to himself. What kind of play is this most likely to be?

A) Construction with natural materials
B) Role play
C) Pretend with objects
D) Pretend time and place

Answer 2

Pretend with objects

Question 3

Dimitri crawled around, growling to himself, sometimes approaching other children. Nichol told him that he should just go home. Dimitri crawled over to the large blocks where he arranged them as a three-sided enclosure with boards for a roof. Then he growled that he was going into his own lion den. What type of a construction project was this?

A) One from natural encounters.
B) One stemming from mutual interests of teachers and children.
C) One stemming from teacher concerns.
D) One stemming from thematic concerns.

Answer 3

One from natural encounters.

Question 4

Ms. Kruger quietly walked up to the "camp fire" outside the tent where two children were standing around picking up materials and putting them down one Monday morning. She asked if she could play, too, and James nodded yes. "This is a very fine campsite. I am getting hungry," Ms. Kruger said as she began to kneel by the "fire" with a tiny stick in her hand. What role is she playing?

A) Observer
B) Collaborator
C) Planner
D) Model

Question 5

Once the children got underway, Ms. Kruger indicated that she thought she should make a phone call near the ranger's office and then get back to work. She left the campsite and continued to check on the play periodically during the day. What role is she playing?

A) Observer
B) Mediator
C) Responder
D) Collaborator

Question 6

The following day, Ms. Kruger laid bedrolls in the tent and set up a hibachi (small grill) and some cooking tools before the children came in. What role is she playing?

A) Observer
B) Mediator
C) Planner
D) Collaborator

Question 7

In the block area, Ms. Halliwell noticed that Su Min was making another enclosure to put the animals in. As she knelt beside her, she asked Su Min to tell her about her structure. "House," Su Min replied. Ms. Halliwell said, "It is a good thing you are building a house, as it might rain today. Will the people in your house get wet?" What roles or strategies did Ms. Halliwell use?

A) Directing
B) Scaffolding
C) Monitoring for safety
D) Analyzing the task

Question 8

The 3-year-olds in Mrs. Mezga's class at Missouri Central School are asked to create an Eskimo village out of cardboard boxes and other art materials. Based on what you have read about construction, select the answer that best describes the appropriateness of this activity.

A) It is appropriate because the children are asked to make something.
B) It is inappropriate because the children have no conceptual base from which to develop their construction.
C) It is appropriate because the children are getting a chance to work together on a tangible product.
D) It is appropriate because the activity is relevant to the children's lives.

Question 9

Alana, Judith, and Salinda were pretending to operate a post office with other children being the customers. What would you expect Judith and Salinda to do when Alana "drove" her truck into the counter area?

A) Stop playing.
B) Ask if she wanted some stamps.
C) Tell her that the mail was by the back door and ready for transport.
D) Call the adult for assistance.

Question 10

How can a play frame be established?

A) Nonverbally, by walking into a pretend center.
B) By invitation, "Let's play…"
C) By an adult announcing which child will portray each role.
D) Nonverbally, by one child controlling the materials.

Question 11

Four-year-old Winslow is under the snack table growling and bending his fingers in a claw like action. What elements of pretend play is he demonstrating?

A) All of the elements are present.
B) None of the elements are present.
C) Make believe, role-playing, and object substitution.
D) Transformation of time, make believe, object invention.

Question 12

How are meta-communications used during pretend play?

A) To describe what is and is not play.
B) To share information.
C) To argue with others.
D) To ask questions.

Question 13

Which child is engaged in the most complex form of pretend play?

A) Karen is making a nurse's cap so that she can play nurse with other children as patients.
B) Jacquel is quietly talking to herself as if she were sailing a boat while painting blue watercolor.
C) Vincent is providing the noise for the truck he is moving across the floor, "rummmm, rummmm."
D) Donald is "cooking" while playing alone in the housekeeping area.

Question 14

Which material is least likely to require the cognitive function necessary for construction play?

A) An erector set which James selects to make an oil derrick.
B) Blocks that Adel selects to construct an apartment building.
C) A paint-by-number set that was a gift to Thad.
D) Stones, sticks, and leaves that Kelvin uses to make a village.

Question 15

Which is the best explanation that materials are independent from the ideas that they represent?

A) Materials are used as resources and may not be related in any way to the meaning that the child assigns to the final product.
B) Children have the skills necessary to use the materials independently.
C) What children represent with a specific material is highly dependent upon cues suggested by the materials themselves.
D) The technical difficulties that a child experiences while using a specific material influence the meaning of the final product.

Question 16

Mrs. Granger had several five year olds who did not seem to know what to do in the housekeeping area and just fingered the materials. Last year, when she taught three and four year olds in a neighboring community, they all could participate in housekeeping play with no difficulty. What would be the best explanation of these differences in performance?

A) Differences in maturity.
B) Ethnic differences.
C) Family Life experience.
D) Differences in learning and practice.

Question 17

What influences individual differences in children's pretend play?

A) Age, because pretend play skills simply emerge in a systematic manner over time.
B) Cultural background and family life because poor kids do not know how to pretend.
C) Maturity, style and social involvement preferences, culture and family background.
D) Master players present in the group and the quality of materials available.

Question 18

Under what conditions will the highest quality of play occur?

A) Children need at least 10 minutes to play at the end of the day or before lunch.
B) Children can play when the teacher is busy writing plans or grading seatwork.
C) The best play is when children figure out what they want to do and then bring materials from home to use.
D) Children play best when they feel secure and comfortable and have the time and materials to use.

Question 19

A group of four year olds had been playing flower shop successfully for several days and Ms. Grausam has noted their flagging interest. What strategy would be the best to use in this instance to promote and expand this play?

A) Provide tissue paper and a wagon with a "Delivery Sign" attached to the back.
B) Ask the group why Jefferson is not involved in the play.
C) Make a nondirective comment about what the children are doing such as, "It looks like you are arranging flowers."
D) Observe carefully to see what happens next.

Question 20

Which strategy will be most productive in supporting construction play related to a pet unit?

A) Place an ample supply of materials in open shelving and wait for the children to do something with them. Give assistance as needed. Answer any questions.
B) Copy and enlarge the pattern for making a dog that you have found in a published resource. Ask children to follow the directions carefully. Help individual children and replace the pattern piece if one child messes up.
C) Ask a dog owner to bring a dog into the classroom. Encourage children to look carefully at various parts of the body. Point out anything they might have missed. Later ask children to record in some way the dog visit.
D) Stop children from making mistakes if they are not recording their learning accurately. Make them start over after they have more information about what they are doing. If this does not work, they can sit and wait till the others are finished.

Question 21

What are the elements of pretend play? Define each one.

Question 22

What is the difference between story reenactment and pretend play with fictional roles?

Question 23

Explain the difference between fighting and rough and tumble play.

Question 24

What are some strategies that will support children's respect for other children's play and construction?

Question 25

Compare object play, fine motor practice play, and craft projects to construction play.

Question 26

Justify using pretend play and construction in terms of the six curricular domains.

Question 27

Describe how you would use pretend play and construction play to promote children's mathematics or literacy skills?

Question 28

Ms. Pandi wants to do a unit on The Arts and Artists. List three construction activities that might be possible and also three thematic play experiences that might be useful for six-year-olds. Then choose one construction idea, list the materials needed and describe what she should do to implement this with children (2 strategies). Choose one of the pretend play ideas and list the props that would support the play. Suggest 2 strategies for what should occur in the classroom.

Question 29

Explain how pretend plan and construction integrate the curriculum.