Apparatus and method for teaching liberal arts concepts

• US 5,980,263 A
• Filed: 04/01/1998
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karen M. Conover
• Original Assignee: Karen M. Conover
• Inventors: Conover, Karen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US09/053,581
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 434/322, 434/156, 434/178, 434/157, 434/167, 434/172, 434/176, 281/51
• US Class Current: 434/322
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0046 History
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 3/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A teaching apparatus comprises a three-dimensional geometrical object having a surface divided into a plurality of segments, each of which includes a question relating to a particular field of liberal arts study. In a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the three-dimensional geometrical object is a sphere, and the plurality of segments are defined by visible lines provided on the sphere'"'"'s surface. In embodiments of the teaching apparatus of the instant invention, the particular fields of liberal arts study include the fields of music, literature, and art. For each of these embodiments, the particular questions are applicable to approximately any song and artist, story and author, and piece and artist. At least one of the questions used is designed to elicit emotional responses from a user. Alternatively, at least one of the questions is designed to elicit individualized responses from a user. Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the instant invention includes at least one of the questions which is designed to elicit creative responses from a user.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating a better understanding and appreciation of a work of literature, comprising the steps of:

providing a book;

reading a story from the book;

providing a three-dimensional geometrical object comprising a toy ball and having a surface divided into a plurality of segments, and wherein each of the plurality of segments on the surface of the three-dimensional geometrical object includes a question relating to a work of literature;

playing with the geometrical object;

reading a question from the surface of the geometrical object;

relating the question to the story;

answering the question.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of playing with the geometrical object includes the step of passing possession of the geometrical object from one user to another user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting one question from the plurality of segments on the surface of the geometrical object performed before the step of reading the question.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of reading a story comprises the step of reading a story aloud to a plurality of pupils, and wherein the step of playing comprises the step of passing possession of the geometrical object to the plurality of pupils, one at a time, and wherein the step of answering the question comprises the step of generating an individualized response by the pupil in possession of the geometrical object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of answering the question comprises generating an emotional response from a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of answering the question comprises generating an individualized response from a user.