ACTIVITIES

This study examined the level of art activities and pupils’ participation in kindergarten classrooms in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The study also sought to find out if there is any significant difference in the level of art activities in kindergarten classrooms based on the location, age and ownership of the schools. Five research questions were raised. Two were answered while three were formulated into hypotheses and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design the population consisted of all teachers of kindergarten classrooms in Oredo local government area. 48 teachers formed the sample for the study. They were selected through convenience sampling technique. A checklist was designed to elicit information on art activities in kindergarten classrooms. Data collected were analysed using mean standard deviation and independent sample t-test. The following findings were made: Drawing with a mean score of (4.65), Painting (4.10), colouring (4.08) and collage (3.35) are the prevalent art activities in kindergarten classrooms in Oredo Local Government Area. Drawing was rated at a very high level of art activities, painting and colouring were rated high and collage was rated moderate in the level of art activities in kindergarten classrooms. There is no significant difference in the level of art activities in kindergarten classrooms based on location, age of the school and ownership of the schools. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that stakeholders in early childhood education, including government agencies, school proprietors, and teachers, should prioritize the integration of diverse art activities into the kindergarten curriculum through improved teacher training, adequate provision of instructional materials, and effective monitoring of classroom practices. In addition art activities should be more frequent in kindergarten classrooms because of it's inherent benefit to the pupils.

This study investigated the alterations in the activities of antioxidative enzymes on the leaves of maize (zea mays) planted in crude oil contaminated soil. Maize was grown on soil contaminated with 5ml, 10ml and 15ml of crude oil. The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. Data obtained were analysed using ANOVA and least significant difference (LSD) at p<0.05. The number of leaves, leaf area and leaf weight were determined at the start of every assay, the percentage germination was evaluated at the end of every week. Results showed that the mean leaf area and percentage germination of maize plant (zea mays) decreased with increasing level of contamination with crude oil. Antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), glutathioneperoxidase (GPx) in zea mays differed significantly (P<0.05) at 5ml levels from those planted in 10ml and 15ml levels of the crude oil contaminated soils. The reductions in these growth characteristics measured were crude oil concentration dependent and elevated activity of antioxidative enzymes can assist as important components of antioxidative defense mechanism against oxidative damage. The results of this study could be beneficial in the understanding of the role of defense system beside these parameters, also significant reduction in lipase activity of the plant was recorded and yellowish leaf coloration due t reduction in chlorophyll content were observed among the plants grown in the crude oil contaminated soils. This study thus revealed that crude oil had pronounced effects on the germination and growth of maize plant. This means that maize plant should not be grown near or on soil contaminated with crude oil.