The Dream Flag Project

A dream is like a shooting star.
A feeling in my mind.
Racing through the midnight sky.
The daylight far behind.
--Sarah G.
7th Grade

I wish my baby sister would come from China. She would be tiny, tiny like the number one. She would be soft like a feather in my fingers.
--Alex G.
1st Grade,
Greenwood Elem. School

My dream screams adventure.
It bleeds for imagination.
--Joe C.
6th Grade

I dream fro a rainbow around the sun and the sun will have a happy face.
--Akee C.
pre-K

I wish peace on earth were a gift upon birth.
--Peter E.
6th Grade

Bad guys of the world, listen to me
I am shooting hearts through my hands
To make you good.
--Samantha M.
1st Grade,
Greenwood Elem. School

My Dream
Is just starting to be true,
Like a bird hatching its egg,
It needs work and dedication.
--Louis S.
7th Grade

And the smell of sweet cookies
Just coming out of the oven
And the size of the horizon
And the feeling of frozen breath.
--Sarah G.
6th Grade

April 26, 2008 Teacher Workshop Materials Videos -- Handouts -- Pictures

Creating Dream Flags

Lesson Guidelines -- Text-to-Cloth -- Images on Fabric -- Flags on a Line Sample Lesson Plans
Gallery Page -- Inspiration Flags

The Basics (printable page)

In the Dream Flag Project, we are creating expressions of our dreams for people--our personal flags for the world we live in. The flags are connected together on lines for display in our communities--each flag an individual expression, collectively as lines of hope and of diversity. They area inspired by the public displays of Buddhist Prayer Flags. (Click here for some pictures of Prayer Flags.) There are only a few basics.

Size and Shape
The size and shape of each flag should be 8 ½ inches in width by 11 inches in height OR 22 cm in width by 28 cm in in height. The flags will be hung vertically so it's best if they read that way.

While general uniformity is not a value of the Dream Flag Project, equality is. Uniform size for the flags is important because it gives each flag an equal weight when all are connected.

Materials
The flags should be made of fabric so that they can blow in the wind. This is essential for the flag concept. Everything else is up to you.

Display
Like Buddhist prayer flags, the Dream Flags are meant to be hung on a line (Flag Lines) and displayed.  The goal is to physically connect as many of the Flag Lines as possible every year in the month of April. We will also display as many images of the flags as possible on this web site.

Layout
Layout is completely individual except for two conventions for flags that include text. If the text has a title, include the title at the top. Include the author's name below the text. For participants age thirteen and under, we prefer that you  use first name and last initial as that is a convention for web publishing.

Important Note: You may want to leave a ½ to 1 in. margin at the top of each flag for attaching to the line.

Poetry Writing Suggestions for Teachers and Others Who Work With Children of All Ages

Printable compiled list of books and web sites.
Printable list of activities with Hughes poems from The Dream Keeper.

For Elementary and Middle School Age Participants
Dream flags can be purely visual or combinations of text with visual elements. Younger children (elementary and middle school students) may find creating the visual element easier with some words to "hang on," so we suggest doing some writing first. But you will know you children best.

For Elementary School Children (printable page)

• There are two stages: 1) developing ideas and writing them on paper, then 2) transferring words to fabric and decorating the flag

Stage 1:

• Talk about dreams as hopes. Talk about dreams for people--people you know, like your family and your friends, people you don't know, like all the children in your country or in the world.
• Have students write (or dictate) sentences that tell about their dreams and hopes. You could give a starter of "My dream for the world is . . . " or let students create their own wording. You may want to make a limit of two or three sentences so there will be space for visual work on the cloth. You may also want students to simply list phrases or words that state their dreams.
• You may also want them to write poems. (See the suggestion for Middle School children below.)

Stage 2:

• Have students (or parent helpers) transfer words onto cloth. This could be before or after children decorate the cloth--whatever works best. (See Layout notes above.)
• Have student decorate cloth flags. (See Fabric Decorations and Images below.)

Suggested Readings List: (in process)

In the Space of the Sky by Richard Lewis, Illustrated by Debra Frasier.
A picture book focusing on wonder about the natural world. Most pages have fewer than twenty words.

The Dream Keeper and Other Poems by Langston Hughes, Illustrated by Brian Pinkney.
A collection of poems which are very accessible to young readers. Poems are divided into sections by general theme. Each poem is illustrated with a black and white etching.

Visiting Langston by Willie Perdomo and illustrated by Bryn Collier.
A poetic text describing a girl's visit to the house where Lagnston Hughes lived.

Love to Langston by Tony Medina and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
A series of poems written in the voice of Langston and based on experiences in his life. Includes notes that explain biographical information related to each poem.

Harlem Poem by Walter Dean Myers and illustrations by Christopher Myers
A poetic description of what Harlem was and is. Rhythmic and jazzy in sound and illustration.

Jump Back, Honey Poems Paul Laurence Dunbar and illustrations by various artists
Illustrated poems from the one of the most well known African American poets before Langston Hughes.

CD's from Smithsonian Folkways at www.folkways.si.edu :Langston Hughes reading his poetry. Selections include "The Voice of Langston Hughes" and "The Dreamkeeper and Other Poems".

• For Middle School Children (printable page)

There are two stages: 1) brainstorming, discussion and writing, and 2)transferring work to fabric and decorating of the flags. These suggestions are intended for students who will be comfortable with some abstract questions, but there are many ways to approach dream flags. Teachers can have students simply write about actual dreams, following the steps above for younger students, or take it in another direction.

Stage 1:

• Have students read the poetry of Langston Hughes--not just his poetry about dreams but also his poetry that dreams. You may want to choose another poet for your readers. His poetry is accessible, well-crafted, and focused.
• For discussion: What was his world like? What was he dreaming? What was he hoping? How does he use poetry to talk about his dreams? Discuss some of the differences between Langston Hughes' world and yours. What are the problems in our world? What are your dreams for the world today?
• Have students compose poems on paper that respond to the question:" What are your dreams for people or for the world?" Students can write about any group of people--large or small, part of the world or all of it. You may want to limit length of the poem to about 12-15 lines, considering the space limit on dream flags.
• Have students create, revise and edit their poems before transferring them to cloth. Help them remember that poems can be just words and phrases, not full sentences and that poems often do not rhyme.

Stage 2:

• Formatting: See Layout notes above.
• Have students transfer final revised, edited poems onto cloth. (See below on Text-To-Cloth Ideas) Help them remember that the cloth version can't be changed--so good editing is really important!
• Have students decorate flags. (See Fabric Decorations and Images below.)

  Suggested Readings List: (in process)

The Dream Keeper and Other Poems by Langston Hughes, Illustrated by Brian Pinkney.
A collection of poems which are very accessible to young readers. Poems are divided into sections by general theme. Each poem is illustrated with a black and white etching.

For High School and Adult Participants (printable page)
Here, the participants may be comfortable enough with abstraction and images to work with words in a more sophisticated manner.

• Have participants find and bring in poems that dream.
• Have participants do some research to discover what some of the problems were in the time and place in which the poet lived. To what was the poet responding?
• For discussion: What are images that represent the problems in our own world? Have students bring in popular media sources. What kinds of words and images create a dialog or response to those images? What are your own dreams, your own images or words of poetry that dream for the world?
• Have students create draft poems and images that represent their dreams. Remind them of the limitations of space (8 ½"x 11".) and the expressive qualities (and limitations) of fabric.
• Have participants work in small groups to share their work and elicit responses. What words and images connect with other people?
• Allow possible revision and editing, then transfer the work to cloth.

Suggested Readings List: (in process)
Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver

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Putting Words on Fabric (printable page)

The key factor is creating something that's sturdy and legible.

Note for younger participants: You may want to leave a wide margin around text to allow for decoration. This will make it easier for children to avoid decorating over the letters.

Here are some methods:

Method 1: Permanent Markers
This is simple and direct. Use light color fabric with a tight weave--not too thick. Use Sharpie or other brand of permanent markers. Write the words on the fabric using as large a letter-size as possible and simple, legible letter style (for easier reading).

Method 2: Fabric Markers
Use light tight-weave fabric and fabric markers. This will give you a little more color variation and may give you more graphic flexibility as well.

Method 3: Computer Printing.
This is a more complex (and costly) way of transferring text to cloth, but allows students to make sure the text is perfectly edited and formatted before printing. This requires computer access for participants (or parent helpers), an inkjet or laser printer, and special sheets of printable fabric available at fabric stores. Some companies that offer this product are June Tailor (under View Our Catalog), Canon, and Avery. Also, Color Textiles has been a good supplier for some schools at lower cost. 
(http://www.junetailor.com) (http://www.colortextiles.com/)

Have students word-process their text and format it for printout on standard paper. When the copy is "perfect," print text on fabric. (Works best if you insert one sheet at a time.) Let print set for a few minutes (or print may smudge.) Remove paper backing from the cloth. It will tear a little on the sides. (You can cut off the loose edges or just leave them.) Inks vary in their fastness. You may need to fix the ink by ironing the fabric to make it waterproof. Laser printer ink has proved fast without ironing. Experiment with your printer and see what works. You can apply watercolors, watercolor pencils, and other media to the fabric for beautiful effects in combination with the text.

Note: For some great detailed information on the computer printing process, check out the Dream Flags Wiki entry of Pete Endriss (of the John Wister School in Philadelphia). He's helped print as many as 450 Dream Flags for his school many times.
Pete's Wiki Notes on Computer Printing

Method 4: Needlework
Embroider or cross-stitch letters onto fabric. This is for those who know how. Make sure the thread won't run when wet.

Method 5: Silk-Screen.
This is usually for large quantities but may be combined here in a way that allows individuals to modify a basic text or decoration scheme. You could have letters for D R E A M or some other "starter" and let students add their own text to this.

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Fabric Decoration and Images (printable page)

For older participants
The sky is the limit here, literally. Create work that is weather-resistant and expresses your dreams.

For younger participants (elementary and middle school)
Here are some suggestions:

Since participants may be working on cloth for the first time and may not be able to "redo" work easily (especially if the text has been printed on the fabric already), they should experiment on scrap cloth. Any kind of old pillow case or sheet will do cut up in rectangles.

If they have text, help them remember that people need to read it and that they should either decorate around the text or use media that won't cover up the text.

Media that work well include the following:

Watercolor Paints
Easy and available. These can be used to create beautiful wash effects. Light colors are good for going over text (if it's fast). Help students to communicate a feeling with color, a feeling that goes with their dream. After drying, the flags should be "set" with hair spray, ironing, or other spray fixative. Experiment with what works (before the whole group does it.)

Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint will be weatherproof without fixing; it also offers more color. It is harder to work with, though, and harder to clean up (stains cloth). It also needs to be diluted to create colors that will go over text without covering it. Generally, this is a more expressive media and is better for middle school age and up.

Water Color Crayons
These are very rich in color and are best used around text, not on it. They are also somewhat expensive. Like watercolor paints, they need to be fixed.

Water Color Pencils
These allow a sharper line for drawing with the color of watercolor paints. They create lines that can then be blended by applying water. They are somewhat expensive. The color has to be fixed like watercolor paint.

Oil Paint
Oil will allow a rich range of expression but will also tend to harden significantly when dry and will be opaque. This may make the flag stiff and heavy, so it is recommended in moderation an only by older participants.

Attachments to Fabric
Anything can be attached to the fabric as long as it does not add so much weight or stiffness that the flag will not fly in the wind. Hot gluing, sewing, stapling, etc will all work. The flags should remain the same size as other flags (8 ½" x 11") with some allowance for edge decorations. Help participants to remember not to use tape or other adhesives that will not be weatherproof.

Here's the main idea: Make your dreams fly!

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Attaching Flags to a Line -- printable page --

Method 1: Hand Sewn
This is probably the simplest durable way to attach flags. For this you need a fabric line as they use in some Buddhist prayer flags. Sew each flag directly to the cloth line with a double stitch. This holds the flag fast so it will not slip. Students with reasonable fine motor skill and hand strength (usually 4th grade and up) can do this themselves. A variation of this is to use a machine to sew them, a faster method if adults are doing the attaching.

Method 2: Drawstring
Leave ½ in. + margin at the top of each flag. Sew a hem at the top of each flag, leaving a "pocket" through which a line will pass. Use a ¼ in. or less diameter nylon chord and thread it though the flags. (You may want to "subdivide" your chord to make threading easier. You may want to apply a small amount of glue to each end of the flag (where the chord comes out) to keep flags from sliding in the wind.

Method 3: Pinned
This is the simplest and least time-consuming method. It is not the most attractive, but it's pretty wind-proof and has the advantage of allowing you to remove the flags later . Get two safety pins for each flag. Get a cotton clothes line (with nylon center for strength). Using safety pins, pin each flag to the line, putting the pin through the center of the line, then through the corner of the flag, then closing it. Flags should be spaced a few inches apart for flapping. About four inches works well. They may rust a bit.

Here's the main idea: Make your dreams fly!

 

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A Few Sample Lesson Plans:

Short-But-Good Lesson Plan for Dream Flag Poetry Writing: This is an outline for a unit that might take three to six normal class periods and result in the writing of Dream Flag poems. It is geared for elementary or middle school students.

MLK Day Lesson: This is handout includes three Hughes dream poems, an excerpt from King's dream speech, and some suggested activities. It contains some reference to Mildred Taylor's Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, but can be modified to your own purposes.

The Poet's Voice: Langston Hughes and You : This is a lesson from EdSite, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It's central question is: "What qualities make a writer's voice forceful, distinctive, and memorable?" It includes readings and directions for discussion, 5 student journal entries, and a writing assignment focused on voice (or Dream Flag poems in our case.) Appropriate for upper middle school and high school. Could be adapted for others.