A LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Chen Kirshenbaum
Title of lesson (include topic): Weaving a Dream Catcher
Time: 59 minutes
Grade Level/s: 8th grade
Main Goal: In this lesson, the students will use the braided rope that they previously made to weave the
inside of the dream catcher using their hands and the hula hoops. The students will work in small groups
and work together to assemble the finished piece.
Standards:
National Core Standards:
VA:CR1.2.8a Collaboratively shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using
a contemporary practice of art and design.
VA:CR2.1.8a Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas,
forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of art-making or designing

Georgia Performance Standards:

VA8MC.2 Identifies and works to solves problems through authentic engagement
(thinking, planning, and experimenting) with art methods and materials, exploring the
nature of creativity.
VA8PR.1 Engages in art making process with care and craftsmanship
Materials and Technologies: Projector, laptops, white board, braided rope, hula hoops, masking tape,
permanent marker, CDs, straws, recycled objects
Key Understandings: The students should understand the basic weaving process of the inside of the
dream catcher. They should also understand how the over-arching goal of the project is to combine artmaking and sustainability.
Essential Questions: How should the students use the rope to weave the inside pattern of the dream
catcher and how does it relate to sustainability?
Key vocabulary: sustainability, weaving, dream catcher, braids
Instruction (Activities and Procedures):
Opening: Today we will use our sustainable resources to combine what we learned in the last
few weeks about dream catchers and weaving to make our own giant and environmentally
friendly dream catchers.
Hook/Attention Grabber (Anticipatory set): After weeks of braiding and practicing weaving,
we will finally be creating our own large and sustainable dream catchers!

Tap into prior knowledge: How does this project relate to sustainability? (Reusing plastic bags,
using found objects.)
Detailed description of activities:
1. As students are walking in, their groups will have already been selected for them. To make
this process easier, it would be best if Mr. Perry could stand with me by the door and tell each
student which table to sit at. This way, the time is best used because the students can go
directly to their table rather than wandering around them. Each table will be marked with a
number so that Mr. Perry can just give that student a number. Also, now these groups can
identify themselves and label all their materials with their number to keep more organized.
2. After this step is completed, the introduction question will be on the board so that the
students can begin answering and not waste time. The definition of sustainability will be on
the board as a refresher, and the question will be: What are some ways we can reuse
materials to make something sustainable? Hopefully the students will make the connection
to the plastic bags, but if they dont, I will make sure to identify this and remind them why we
are doing this project.
3. Once all their comments are received, I will move on to show two more images of dream
catchers and include the diagram they drew the previous week on weaving. Hopefully this
will refresh their memories on the process. I will talk about the weaving process very shortly
and add that they should remember how to weave from the previous week. To tie this in, I
will explain the process we are doing this week. I will show them how to tie a few of the
braided ropes to make one larger rope for the large hoop dream catcher. Finally, I will start
one as an example to assist the visual learners in the beginning of the weaving steps. I will
once again explain how to wrap the outside of the hoop and continue from here. Since the
students know how to weave already, I will only speak for a short period of time and allow
the students to start as soon as possible.
4. After the students have started, all of the assisting teachers should walk around the room and
help students get started if they need help. This step should continue for about ten minutes
before I interrupt to show the examples of the strings that hang down as decoration. I will
have a few to show the class and explain that they may get creative with this step and show
them how to tie one of the strings on. I will talk about the importance of using the found
objects. I will mention things to remember, like the light catching on shinier objects or the
sound the objects make when they hit each other. From this point, the students will have the
rest of the class to finish weaving and at least start the strings to hang down. If the last part is
not completed, the students should be allowed to work on this outside of this particular day in
class.
5. Finally, the last few minutes should be clean up time and I will also remind the students to
bring in other found objects to add to their strings.
Monitoring of students: We will all walk around the room and assist the students that need more
help. I assume this might be more difficult for some students, so we should all make sure that the
students are following as best they can.

Closure: Ask them if they have any questions. Also ask what they thought was easier or harder
weaving the larger dream catchers versus the practice dream catchers last week. Finish off by
getting them exciting to discuss hanging up the giant dream catchers in the trees next week.
Interdisciplinary connections: The weaving process has been accomplished in many decades in the past.
This relates to many history classes as other cultures have done this and these cultures are frequently
discussed in most history classes.
Accommodating individual differences: The groups will be one way in which I accommodate to the
different learners. In the group setting, everyone can work together as a team to figure out the best
process. Also, the other teachers and I will walk around and assist anyone that might be falling behind or
simply not participating because they do not understand. Next, the images on the PowerPoint will help the
visual learners. Finally, the previous class lesson should be a great accommodation to most learners
because they will have the opportunity to practice the weaving process before this. They should use their
recall skills to remember what they have already learned; they can use their pervious knowledge to better
understand this process.
Technology: The projector will only be used for a short period to show the introduction PowerPoint.
Students will be allowed to use their computers to search for other images of dream catchers online for
inspiration or a recall of the weaving process.
Formal/Informal Evaluation of Student learning:
1) I will use teacher observation to ensure that the students are learning properly and fulfilling
what is expected from them.
2) The finished dream catchers will be evaluated at the end of the class to see how the students
did and if my explanations were thorough enough to understand. I would love to have each
group share their dream catchers with the class in order to see other student work and excite
them about their own work.