Özet:

The aim of this study is to examine the views of primary school 4th grade students about the years of National Struggle and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The research was carried out in the basic qualitative research design. The study group consisted of 24 primary school 4th grade students, 12 of whom were female and 12 were male. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool, and the data were collected after face-to-face interviews in the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. After the interviews were completed, the students were asked to draw pictures for the images that came to mind when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was mentioned. The obtained data were analyzed by descriptive analysis method. Findings were presented in tables within the framework of themes and codes and interpreted by supporting direct quotations. As a result of the research; Primary school 4th grade students stated that they could help the National Struggle movement after their historical empathy experiences with the years of the National Struggle, and they defined the years of the National Struggle through emotions such as fear and courage. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's individual characteristics; They are defined as being forward-thinking, hardworking and intelligent, patriotic, respectful and patient, loving children, having blond hair and blue eyes, saving the country and being a hero. If the students had the opportunity to talk to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, they would say; they expressed their gratitude to him, saying that they loved him, advising him to protect the children, asking how he won the war and how he was so far-sighted and hardworking. They used the symbols of war, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's personal characteristics, reforms, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's childhood and adopted daughter Ülkü, the Turkish flag, Anıtkabir and children in their paintings of images that come to life in their minds when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is mentioned.