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Dream Catcher by ECSDM

Social Studies

Intermediate, 7th Grade

Students will…

Learn to make a dream catcher out of basket reed and yarn using traditional Native American methods.
Read and analyze various traditional stories associated with dream catchers.
Analyze and discuss famous Native American dream catchers.

As a class read a variety of traditional stories associated with dream catchers, and look at various dream catchers.

Teacher demonstration on how to make a dream catcher in four separate steps. Students will follow along during the teacher demonstration for each step.

Steps:

This instructional content was intended for use with a SMARTBoard

Using the traditional methods of Native American Indians, students will design and create their own dream catcher.

Dream Catcher- In Native American culture, a dream catcher is a handmade object based on a hoop (traditionally of willow), incorporating a loose net, and decorated with items unique to the particular dream catcher. There is a traditional belief that a dream catcher filters a person's dreams, letting through only the good ones. There are related traditional stories.
Native American Indian- People indigenous to the Americas, living there prior to European colonization. This term encompasses a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of them still enduring as sovereign nations.
Basket Reed- Broad-leaved grasses growing along the banks of streams, cut and dried for various uses.
Weaving- To become interlaced, woven or interwoven.

Art Supplies:

Begin lesson with a traditional story about dream catchers and discuss the reading as a class.
Begin constructing the hoop with basket reed and wrapping it with yarn.

Following a teacher demonstration step by step... (demonstration will go along with the SMART Board Notebook.)

Students should create a hoop about 8-10" in diameter, and secure it in place with masking tape (do this in several areas).
Students will then select two or three colors of yarn to wrap around the hoop.
Knot the yarn together at one end, and then tie and knot it on to the hoop.
Wrap yarn around the hoop snug (careful because reed is dry and can break).
Make sure the yarn is being wrapped evenly next to one another.
Try not to bunch or overlap the yarn.
Wrap the entire hoop with yarn, and then tie a knot.

Review previous day's lesson on dream catchers.
Continue lesson with visuals of dream catchers made by Native American Indians from the SMART Board Notebook.
Discuss and analyze the works of art and compare them to the dream catchers the class is making.

Following a teacher demonstration step by step... (demonstration will go along with the SMART Board Notebook.)

Begin with a piece of yarn several yards long.
Tie one end to the hoop, and roll the other end of the yarn into a ball for easily handling when weaving.
Begin looping around the hoop about 10 to 12 times ending at the starting point.
Second time around...
Begin weaving through the yarn loops created on the hoop.
Weave all the way around to the starting point again.
Continue this process until you have reached the center of your web.

Remember~

You may need to attach more yarn to the current piece in order to complete the web.
You can add beads at any time by just unraveling your yarn ball and sliding the bead through the end of the yarn and send it down into your web.
Repeat this as may times as you want.

Review previous day's lesson on dream catchers.
View various dream catchers from the SMART Board Notebook and discuss ways to add feathers once the dream catcher is completed.

Following a teacher demonstration step by step... (demonstration will go along with the SMART Board Notebook.)

Students will finish weaving the web and tie off the end of the yarn.
Students will then add feathers to their dream catcher.
Students will then complete an rubric/evaluation form and hand their project in to the teacher.