The Dream Flag Project


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Ideas for the First Week


For the first week, it's great to start with a few Hughes poems that your students will like. "The Dream Keeper" is a sort of theme poem for this project, and it would be great to know how many students get to read this poem next week. If you can, let us know if you read it with your students.  And if they memorize it, let us know that too. It's a fun and easy poem for memorization.
Click here  for a copy of the poem.
Email what you did with it to dreamflags@agnesirwin.org


Hughes Background

It's also nice to start with some background on Langston Hughes. There are lots of books with this kind of information and some excellent web sites as well. Some of the sites have Hughes poetry and even a recording of him reciting his work! We have a list below at Langston Hughes and Writing Resources.

Birthday Present for Langston Hughes
If you want to celebrate the birthday of Mr. Hughes, here's a small-group assignment to get it going. Groups have to create gifts of word for Langston Hughes with their own idea or one from the list.
Birthday Present for Langston Hughes: Word document or Web Page

Dream Flags Lesson Plan for Elementary and Middle School
If you want a lesson plan for the whole project, we have one designed for six forty-minute class periods.
Click here to see a printable page of the plan. It covers an introduction of Langston Hughes, some study of his poetry, and drafting of original dream poems by students.

Prayer Flag Background
Another place to start is with the idea that this project will take our dreams and make them fly. Our inspiration comes from the concept of Prayer Flags, and here's a page with links to many examples along with some explanation of how they are intended to bring good wishes and positive hope to all: Prayer Flags Page


The Dream Flag concept was created by sixth grade teachers Jeff Harlan, Sandy Crow, Helen Holt and others at The Agnes Irwin School, Rosemont, Pennsylvania, U.S. The Dream Flag Project (www.dreamflags.org) is a collaborative project facilitated by Jeff Harlan and Sandy Crow. Contact dreamflags@agnesirwin.org or Jeff Harlan, Dream Flags Project Director, The Agnes Irwin School, Ithan Ave. and Conestoga Road, Rosemont, PA 19010, U.S. A.

. . . for Helen