You May Say I am a Dreamer
In our Year 4 classroom, multiplication tables transformed from routine exercises into a journey of discovery, creativity, and cultural appreciation. By plotting multiplication tables on circular grids, we uncovered patterns—spirals, stars, and shapes that seemed infinite. This mathematical artistry fascinated us and revealed the hidden beauty of numbers.
Our exploration deepened as we studied native cultures in our unit, Where We Are in Place and Time. We read about dream catchers, and how these traditional creations filtered out bad dreams, letting only good ones pass through. Inspired, we decided to weave our own dream catchers, using multiplication circles to guide our designs.
Each student chose a “lucky number” from their multiplication tables and used its pattern to craft the webbing of their dream catcher. As colorful threads crossed and designs took shape, the parallels between numbers and dream catchers became clear: both weave connections, tell stories, and offer endless possibilities. The students each studied their heritage by presenting a heritage map to the class and then added beautiful drawing representations of their cultural heritage to their dream catchers.
When the dream catchers were complete, our classroom turned into a vibrant gallery of mathematical and cultural art. Each creation was unique, reflecting the individuality of its maker. Students discovered how mathematics, art, and culture intersect, and one observed, “It’s like the patterns connect the past, the present, and the future.”
But our project didn’t end there. Inspired by their dream catchers, the students wrote their own dreams and presented them to an audience of Preschool, Year 1, and Year 2 students. To make the experience even more engaging, they created an improvisation routine to accompany their presentations, adding movement and storytelling elements to their performance.
This creative extension gave the students a platform to share their ideas and increased their confidence in speaking and performing in front of a crowd. It was a joyful celebration of learning, creativity, and connection.
Stay tuned for part two of this blog, where we’ll share photos capturing the students in action as they presented and performed for their younger peers.
You may say we’re dreamers, but we’re also explorers, thinkers, and creators. And our journey is far from over.
