CHAPTER 15
Chapter 15 True/False Questions
Circle T if the statement is true; circle F if the statement is false.
T F 1. Based on your understanding of the definition of play, the game of ping-pong could
represent ‘play’ for some people, but not for others.
T F 2. The opposite of play is seriousness.
T F 3. Play is governed by internal rules.
T F 4. Everyone in the proximity of a pretend play scenario is in the play frame.
T F 5. Occupational role assumption appears at about two and a half in the early childhood
period and becomes more elaborate over time.
T F 6. Object exploration is typical of the early preschool children, but is unnecessary to 5-8-
year olds.
T F 7. Adults generally understand what the construction is with no other cues than can be had
by looking at it.
T F 8. Mr. Hobek’s second grade is weaving potholders for a gift using a metal frame and
looped stretch fabric purchased for this purpose. This is an appropriate construction
activity.
T F 9. Teachers in the primary grades are usually more comfortable with construction activities
than with pretend play activities in the classroom.
T F 10. A specific object or event may be successfully represented by many different kinds of
materials.
T F 11. Violent play rarely emerges from the carefully planned play opportunities provided by
teachers as a part of the curriculum.
Chapter 15 Multiple Choice Questions
Circle the best answer.
12. 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 type of
play is this? Mark all that apply.
1. Story re-enactment
2. Theme-related play
3. Write and play
4. Socio-dramatic play
a. 2 and 4
b. 3
c. 1 and 4
d. 2 and 3
13. Nicholas first examined the magnets and then arranged them carefully, talking to himself.
What kind of play is this likely to be? Mark all that apply.
1. Pretend with art materials
2. Make believe
3. Pretend with objects
4. Pretend with miniatures
a. 1 only
b. 2 and 3
c. 3 and 4
d. 1 and 2
14. 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.
15. 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
16. 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
17. 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
18. 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?
1. Observing
2. Scaffolding
3. Monitoring for safety
4. Analyzing the task
a. 4
b. 3 and 4
c. 1 and 3
d. 1 and 2
19. 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 getting to make something out of open-ended
materials.
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 inappropriate because the activity is not relevant to the children’s lives.
e. a and c
f. b and d
20. 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.
21. How can a play frame be established?
a. Nonverbally, by beginning to enact a familiar role.
b. By invitation, “Let’s play…”
c. By announcing a role, “I’m the teacher”.
d. All of the above
e. None of the above
22. 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 taking, and object substitution.
d. Transformation of time, make believe, object invention.
23. How are meta-communications used during pretend play?
a. To describe what is and is not play.
b. To construct the play frame.
c. To transform objects and settings.
d. All of the above
24. Which child is engaged in the most complex form of pretend play?
a. Karen is making a nurses 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.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. Which of the following statements is true?
a. Play is a significant factor in children’s intellectual development.
b. Young children’s block play predicts achievement in mathematics at the 7th grade.
c. Creative efforts require the generation of alternatives and a selection among alternatives.
d. All of the above are true
e. a, b, and c are not true
9. 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 the feel secure and comfortable and have the time and materials
to use.
30. 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.
31. 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.
Chapter 15 Short Answer Questions
Give a short, concise answer to each statement.
32. What are the elements of pretend play? Define each one.
33. What is the difference between story reenactment and pretend play with fictional roles?
34. Explain the difference between fighting and rough and tumble play.
35. What are some strategies that will support children’s respect for other children’s play and
construction?
36. What are the effects of pretend play in language and literacy? Identify 5 different effects.
Chapter 15 Essay Questions
Give complete responses to each statement.
37. Compare object play, fine motor practice play, and craft projects to construction play.
38. Justify using pretend play and construction in terms of the six curricular domains.
39. 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.
40. Explain how pretend plan and construction integrate.
Chapter 15:
Short Answer: Give a short, concise answer to each statement.
Essay: Give complete responses to each statement.
