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Aboriginal Dreamtime Symbols

Aboriginal Dreamtime Symbols

Learn about the rich culture of Indigenous Australians and create an Aboriginal Dreamtime symbol.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Heavy Paper
  • Paper Clip(s)
  • Toothpick(s)

Steps

  • Step 1

    Share a book such as "Poems from the Dreamtime" by Dom Reyam. Dreamtime refers to the creation of the world in Australian Aboriginal mythology. Display images of traditional Aboriginal Dreamtime symbols and note that common symbols are concentric circles, curved lines, dots, and straight lines.

  • Step 2

    Point out Australia on a map and talk about its characteristics - climate, topography, animals, etc. Ask students to look at Dreamtime art and decide what they think some of the displayed symbols represent. Could a squiggly line be water? A snake? Is a large circle a pond?

  • Step 3

    Invite students to create their own Dreamtime symbol using the sgraffito technique. The word "sgraffito" comes from "sgraffire" which means "to scratch" in Italian. Have them begin by using various colors of construction-paper crayons or bold colored regular crayons to completely cover a piece of heavy paper. Then have them use a common item as a scratching tool such as a paper clip, scissors point, or a toothpick to scratch symbols that represent an aspect of Indigenous Australian life onto the paper in the style of Aboriginal Dreamtime.

  • Step 4

    Have them present their art and some facts they learned about Aboriginal Australia. Ask others to see if they can interpret the designs.

Standards

LA: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

SS: Culture: Through experience, observation, and reflection, identify elements of culture as well as similarities and differences among cultural groups across time and place.

SS: People, Places, and Environments: Use maps, globes, and other geographical tools. Demonstrate understanding of the use and misuse of the environment and the relationship between human populations and the physical world.

ARTS: Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches.

Adaptations

Research Aboriginal symbols and find how they are used in contemporary art.

Identify other cultures or ethnic groups that base their artwork on images of nature and animals.

Research and sketch an animal that lives in Australia. Fill it with symbols that describe it.