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CLUB OF DREAMERS |
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Famous faces from throughout history are brought together in the book Dream: A Tale of Wonder, Wisdom & Wishes by Susan V. Bosak in a detailed library scene done in oil paint by illustrator James Bennett. The people in the illustration are part of the Club of Dreamers – a club that you too can join!
The world needs more Dreamers. In fact, the world is desperate for Dreamers. A Dreamer is someone who…
Can see beyond "what is" to "what can be"...
Has the creativity and courage to try new things and overcome obstacles...
Makes a difference in their own life and the lives of others...
Can Believe and Do and Think their ideas into reality.
Dreams challenge us to find the very best part of ourselves. And our dreams and goals are built on the work of people who have come before us. If you have a dream of finding a cure for cancer, first you must learn everything we know so far about cancer and what causes it. If you're a young woman who wants to become a doctor or politician, there was a time when it wasn't accepted or possible; only through the work of women before you do you today have the opportunity to pursue the career of your choice. Even if your dream is something like starting your own business, it's all about learning everything you can about what's come before – and then taking it one step further.
Said Albert Einstein:
Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others... for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself to give in return as much as I have received.
Not many of us will be an Einstein. The text that goes with the illustration in Dream reads, "Great men and great women – some famous, most not." It's true that many famous people have achieved big, important things that have shaped the course of the world. Keep in mind though that these people weren't born heroes, but were shaped by experiences in their lives. A person's life is made up of a combination of factors – their personality, their intelligence, their determination, their courage, their social circumstances, the education they receive, the money they make, the events that happen around them that touch their life, and how they act and react to what happens to them.
It's also true that the course of the world is shaped every day in little ways by "ordinary" people who aren't famous. We all make a difference – and that's why the Club of Dreamers is open to everyone.
Start by finding out everything you can about the members of the Club of Dreamers in the illustration. Click on a name below to read a short introductory biography, selected quotations, and a list of recommended books.
From left to right, in the front of the illustration: |
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Rachel Carson
Leonardo da Vinci
Albert Einstein
Anne Frank
Mohandas Gandhi
William Shakespeare
Ludwig van Beethoven
Charlie Chaplin
Margaret Mead
Harold Allen
Sojourner Truth
Rear, left to right:
Ferdinand Magellan; Simón Bolívar; Amelia Earhart; Nicholas Copernicus; Confucius; Socrates
How many people in the illustration did you recognize? How much do you know about each person? How much more can you find out using the library and the Internet? How did the person grow up? What were key turning points in their life? What did they do that was special, important, or noteworthy? Why do you think each person was included as part of the Club of Dreamers?
Some interesting notes about the illustration:
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The two most prominent heads are in the bottom, left corner – Rachel Carson and Mohandas Gandhi. They represent two of the most important challenges facing the world today: living more sustainably with our environment, and dealing with war and conflict. At the same time, there are some mysteries to which we may never know the answers – as is represented by Confucius and Socrates at the top, right of the illustration debating which came first, the chicken or the egg! Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein represent the value of the sciences, while William Shakespeare, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Charlie Chaplin represent the value of the arts. Anne Frank and Sojourner Truth represent the basic human rights to which all people are entitled. Margaret Mead brings together art, science, and humanitarianism in her search to better understand the world and its peoples. Making progress in our world is often the result of a spirit of adventure, exploration, and statesmanship, as is represented by the foursome in the top, left corner – Ferdinand Magellan, Simón Bolívar, Amelia Earhart, and Nicholas Copernicus. Harold Allen, at the right, top of the illustration, is a 75-year-old youth mentor with Experience Corps in Philadelphia, PA. He may not be rich or famous, but the work he does is very important and he's doing something positive. He represents the ordinary person who can make a difference.
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Now you can join the Club of Dreamers by putting yourself into the picture! As you live your life, growing up and older, you may make a difference in big ways or in small ways. By joining the Club of Dreamers, you're recognizing and celebrating the fact that you CAN make a difference in your own life and the lives of others.
You're going to put your face into the illustration in place of Harold Allen's. There are three versions of the illustration you can download. The first – Coloring Page
– is a black-and-white, line-drawing coloring page. The original illustration was painted by James Bennett; the line drawing was created from the original illustration by artist Laurie McGaw. Note that when you download the page, it's split into two halves. That's so that you can print each half on a standard 8½ x 11 inch sheet of paper and, after coloring the drawing, tape the two halves together.
Draw your face into the blank space where Harold Allen's used to be – you may want to check out the activity How to Draw a Face. Or, paste a photo of your head into the space. Color the rest of the page. Then cut the joint edge of each half of the drawing. Stick a short strip of tape on the back of one half and then carefully overlap the other half so that everything lines up. Finish by putting more tape on the back.
The second downloadable – Illustration (split) – is a color version of the illustration, with a white oval where Harold Allen's head used to be. Again, the illustration has been split into two halves so that you can easily print each half onto an 8½ x 11 inch sheet of paper. Once you print the halves, cut and overlap slightly along the joint; then tape them on the back. You can glue an appropriately sized color photo of yourself over the oval.
The third downloadable – Illustration (full) – is a color version of the entire illustration (i.e. it's not split into two halves). It's a JPG image, so to download it you have to right click and "Save Target As..." to your hard drive. As part of a computer class, you can try your skills in Photoshop or another illustration software package. Place a digital headshot of yourself into the white space, overlapping some of the background and bookshelves to create a nice effect.
Welcome to the Club of Dreamers!
Once you join the Club of Dreamers, who else do you think belongs in the club? Do you think someone is missing from the illustration that should have been included? It might be someone famous that you admire. Or, it might be someone you know in your community who you think is doing important things.
Some other ideas for using the Club of Dreamers:
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If you're a teacher, start or end the school year by initiating your students into the Club of Dreamers. Read Dream and then have students complete this activity and others. -
As part of a classroom or school-wide theme, initiate students into the Club of Dreamers.
To start off a service learning project, read Dream and discuss the members of the Club of Dreamers, their contributions, and how students can make a difference in their community. As part of a character education program, have students come up with a "code of conduct" for members of the Club of Dreamers (e.g. honesty, integrity, respect for themselves and others, courage, compassion, perseverance, etc.) Start a real Club of Dreamers in your school, as part of a community, afterschool, or service learning program. Young people themselves can join and they can also research various historical figures to add them to the club over time. If you're giving Dream as a gift to someone in recognition of an achievement or as inspiration, include a printout of the Club of Dreamers color illustration with their face.
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There's a complete version of this Club of Dreamers activity on the Dream CD. You can also get a Club of Dreamers poster.
Recommended Reading:
A Study of Heroes. A classroom-tested program under the Raoul Wallenberg Committee that highlights various role models representing a broad spectrum of cultural, racial, religious, and generational diversity. Profiles of people such as Abraham Lincoln, Roberto Clemente, Arthur Ashe, Andrei Sakharov, Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Jefferson, Helen Keller, and Anwar Sadat are accompanied by cross-curricular activities and worksheets.
American Heroes by Marfé Ferguson Delano. National Geographic, 2005. 50 profiles of Great Americans from Pocahontas to Charles Lindbergh with over 300 illustrations, fun fact boxes, quotes, and illustrated timelines.
1000 Makers of the Millennium by Linda Martin (ed).
DK Publishing, 1999. Short biographies of men and women who have shaped the last 1,000 years, with illustrations and highlight boxes that focus on major events and achievements in each century.
1000 Years of Famous People by Miranda Smith (ed). Kingfisher, 2002. Chapters range from World Leaders, Explorers, and Scientists to Sports Stars, Stars of Stage and Screen, and Movers and Shakers, each filled with short biographies and illustrations.
www.biography.com/search. Short online biographies of hundreds of heroes, leaders, and dreamers. |
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© SV Bosak, www.legacyproject.org
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