Date of Award

Spring 4-23-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Advisor

Stan Chu

Abstract

Adults constantly use their imagination to help them visualize, problem-solve, enjoy a book, empathize, and think creatively. Therefore, using one's imagination is a critical cognitive skill that can be used throughout life. And it is crucial for educators to encourage imagination, creativity and original ideas in childhood through pretend play, story, picture books, and narrative make-believe if we want our students to be mindful and functioning adults in society. Pretend play is also known as "symbolic play" because it involves the use of symbols. This type of symbolic thought is also needed for language and reading, as our words are symbols. Our words stand for our thoughts and ideas. Therefore, pretend play and language both involve the same underlying ability to represent things symbolically. Reading, writing, and storytelling is the verbalization of symbolic play.

Barrington Bunny: Case of the Curious Clouds can be categorized as a connected math picture book. But at its core, it is a narrative picture book. And as such, the book can be used for various topics including emotional turmoil, impulse to break social norms, acceptance, and changing of needs, among others. Finally, presenting challenging subjects in various outputs, mediums, and supported by an appropriate picture book provides young children more opportunities to understand the material (some children may learn better by reading about it, others by acting out a story, others by making something related to the topic with their hands). Therefore, children understand the material more fully and deeply because they can now think about it in several different ways, giving them a richer, and growing learning experience.

Comments

Early Childhood and Childhood General Education

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