rama plays an important role in childhood as D children create and recreate real-life situations. It enables them to try new behaviors without criticism or ridicule. In short, drama frees children to portray roles in order to gain better understanding and empathy toward others. As Verriour (1989) wrote, "Drama has the power to place children in a position to take risk in their learning without fear of penalty, to face and deal with human issues and problems, again without penalty, as well as to reflect on the implications of choices and decisions they may have made in the dramatic context" (285).Through drama, both language and thought are advanced. Moffett (1967) believes that dramatic interaction is "the primary vehicle for developing thought and language" (63). A meta-analysis of research studies was done by Wagner (1988), and the results supported Moffett's contention. She reviewed research that investigated the effects of drama on learning and found that "drama has a positive effect on personal attitudes often associated with language growth: self-confidence, selfconcept, self-actualization, empathy, helping behavior, and cooperation'' (Wagner 1988, 48).Although research supports the contributions of drama to language growth and the language arts, it receives little attention in elementary classrooms and in research. Still fewer yet are studies that focus upon how students feel about drama. This article reports on an ethnographic study of five sixth-grade students who participated in a drama workshop in their school district.Pamela J. Farris is a professor of curriculum and instruction at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. Joanne Parke i s a drama teacher in the Chicago suburbs.