Dream Catcher Writing Activities

Dream catchers come in a variety of colors and sizes.

Dream catchers are part of Native American tradition. Hung near the bed of the owner, a dream catcher is made of web and wrapped around a circular or tear-drop shape that has a hole in the center. Beads and feathers hang from the shape. The legend behind it is that good dreams are allowed to pass through the center of the dream catcher while bad dreams are caught in the web. The dream catcher can be used as inspiration for a variety of creative writing activities revolving around actual night dreams or the hopes and dreams of the writer.

History

Research the history of dream catchers, such as the tribes that were known to use them, their construction and their purpose. Write an essay describing the origin of the dream catchers, the spiritual ideas that are assigned to them and their role in the modern world. Include a reflection on your personal opinion on them, explaining if you have used them, if you would use them and your opinion on their effectiveness.

Observations

For one week, keep a notebook beside your bed and in the morning just after you wake, write a journal entry describing the dream you had the night before. After the week is over, hang a dream catcher above your bed and keep the journal close by. Record your dreams that occur while sleeping under the dream catcher. After another week passes, re-read all of your journal passages. Write a reflection describing the differences and similarities between the dreams of the first week and the second. Include a reflection on whether you felt the dream catcher affected your sleep and dreams.

Storytelling

Write a short, fictional story that centers around a dream catcher. The story can take place in the past in a Native American village or can be applied to a modern individual using a dream catcher. You could blend the past with the present by overlapping the two stories or having the dreams in the story relate to the future or past. Include factual details about the construction of the dream catcher and the legend behind it.

Construction

Write a detailed, informative piece on how to construct a dream catcher according to ancient tradition. The essay should include a list of the items and tools necessary for its construction, a description of the materials required and the steps it takes to construct one. Add an explanation of each step of the process to illustrate the deeper meaning of the dream catcher. For example, after instructing the reader as to how to create the web, explain why the gap is left in the middle.

References

• Integrate Learning: Topic: Dream Catchers
• Native Languages: Dream Catchers