Laura K. Heinze –
Master of Science in Education
Action Research Project
May 2013
Southwest Minnesota State University
Education Department
Marshall, MN 56258
Abstract
This action research project examined how puppet strategies taught through the
third tier of the Social Emotional Teaching Pyramid influenced preschoolers’
identification and expression abilities of anger, sad, and happy emotions. Quantitative
and qualitative guided interviews and observations were used in a one-group pretest
posttest design during the 2012-2013 school year to answer two research questions. An
integrated 3- through 5-year-old School Readiness class (eight children) in rural southern
Minnesota participated. A guided interview form revealed preschoolers’ emotion
identification abilities and thought processes of handling emotions; while an observation
form categorized observed anger, sad, and happy expressions as “acceptable” or
“unacceptable.” Findings revealed positive anger and happy identification and
expression gains, no gains in sad identification and unacceptable expressions, and
increased rules or strategies in children’s thought processes. Results of this study provide
information for early childhood practitioners on benefits of emotional instruction through
puppet strategies from the Teaching Pyramid.
Makaleskop 