Using drama method in geography subjects studied in social sciences for primary school fifth grade students (sample of Kazan district)

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to develop activities based on how the drama method could be used in geography subjects studied in Social Sciences for Primary school fifth grade students and also to investigate and describe whether the activities that have enhanced the learning levels of the students. In order to reach the aim of this study, the problem "Are there any differences of the learning levels between the experiment group and the control group when learning the importance of Turkey and its location in the world, the properties of the face of Turkey (mountains, plains, plateaus, rivers, dams, and lakes), and the climate and plant cover of our country" was determined. This study was carried out in Kazan Primary School, which is in the Kazan district in Ankara, during the 2003-2004 education year. 33 students of class 5-D were chosen for the experiment group and 33 students of class 5-B were chosen for the control group. The model of this study is The Experiment Model with the Lasttest Control Group. In the study, the drama activities were prepared for six subjects, which were chosen from the 'Our Wonderful Country' unit. Between the dates 17.02.2003 and 04.03.2003, the subjects were taught to the experiment group with the drama activities while the subjects were taught to the control group with the traditional methods. To be able to make better observation the lessons that the experiment group attended were video-recorded. Moreover, the experiment group kept a drama journal where, after each lesson, they wrote down their opinions about the lessons that were taught with the drama activities. After the completion of teaching the subjects, a 20 question achievement test that consisted of targets about the subjects at the level of the knowledge and comprehension was handed out to each student of both groups as a last test. The data created from the acievement test have been analysed with the independent t-test.VI Findings of the study showed that there were many differences between the experiment and control groups. The group that was taught with the drama method was more successful than the other group in the following subjects; the importance of Turkey and its location in the world, and the climate and plant cover of our country. Whereas both the drama and the traditional method were found to have the same effect on the students when learning the properties of the face of Turkey (mountains, plains, plateaus, rivers, dams, and lakes). Finally, according to the findings it has been reached to the conclusion that when teaching the geography subjects in Social Sciences in 5th grade, the drama method enhances the learning levels of the students. The data created with the journals and the video-recordings of the students also support the findings of this study. Because with the realisation of which subjects they know and they do not know, the students have realised the enhancement of their learning levels and they have mentioned about this change with their own.