ENGLISH LESSON PLAN
“WHY DO WE DREAM?”

TED-Ed based lesson • Level: B1+/B2 • Duration: 60–75 minutes

1. Warm-up: What Are Dreams? 🌙

Time: 7 minutes

Write on the board: “Why do humans dream?”

1. How often do you remember your dreams?

2. Do you think dreams have a meaning?

3. Can dreams influence our emotions?

4. Why do you think we dream?

Useful expressions: I think that… • In my opinion… • I believe that… • I'm not sure, but… • It could be because… • There is some evidence that… • I agree/disagree because…

2. Vocabulary Pre-teaching

Time: 8 minutes

Answer key: 1-H, 2-A, 3-D, 4-I, 5-B, 6-G, 7-C, 8-J, 9-F, 10-E.

3. Before Watching: Prediction

Time: 5 minutes

Which of these might be a function of dreams? Students discuss their predictions in pairs.

• processing memories

• forgetting unnecessary information

• practising survival responses

• reducing stress

• solving problems

• maintaining brain activity

• expressing unconscious desires

4. While Watching 🎥

Time: 15 minutes

Video: TED-Ed, “Why Do We Dream?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W85Dwxx218

Task 1: General understanding

What is the main question of the video?

• A. Why do people have nightmares?

• B. Why do humans dream and what functions might dreams serve?

• C. Why can't people remember their dreams?

• D. How can we control our dreams?

Answer: B

Task 2: True or False

5. Ancient civilizations were interested in interpreting dreams.

6. Freud believed that dreams could be connected to unconscious desires.

7. Scientists have discovered one definite purpose of dreaming.

8. Some theories connect dreaming with memory.

9. Dreams may help the brain process information.

10. Some researchers believe dreams may help with problem-solving.

Answers: 1 True; 2 True; 3 False; 4 True; 5 True; 6 True.

5. History + Freud

Time: 8 minutes

11. How did the interpretation of dreams differ between Mesopotamian kings and Ancient Egyptians?

12. Why do you think ancient civilizations placed such importance on dreams?

13. What were the main ideas behind Freud's theory of dreams?

14. Do you think dreams can reveal unconscious wishes and desires? Why or why not?

15. How might Freud's ideas still influence discussions of dreams today?

Language support: I would argue that… • One possible explanation is… • This suggests that… • I'm not convinced that… • There is a difference between…

6. Theories of Dreaming

Time: 10 minutes. Divide the class into five groups.

Group 1: Memory and Learning

• How might dreaming be connected with memory?

• Could dreams help us process information?

• Can dreaming influence learning?

Group 2: Reverse Learning Theory

• Why might the brain need to remove unnecessary information?

• Could dreaming help with this process?

• How might this relate to recurring dreams?

Group 3: Continual Activation Theory

• Why might the brain create dreams while processing random neural activity?

• What would dreams be like if they were simply the brain making sense of internal signals?

Group 4: Rehearsal and Instincts

• How could dreams help us rehearse responses to danger?

• Why might humans dream about threatening situations?

Group 5: Healing and Stress Relief

• Could dreams help us process difficult emotions?

• How might dreams be connected with stress?

• Could understanding dreams have applications in psychological treatment?

Each group gives the class a 30-second explanation of its theory.

7. Problem-Solving: “The Committee of Sleep”

Time: 7 minutes

Introduce John Steinbeck's idea that sleep can sometimes help the mind work on a problem. Write on the board: “Sleep on it.”

16. What does this expression mean?

17. Can sleeping help us solve problems?

18. Why might the brain continue working on a problem while we sleep?

19. Have you ever woken up with a new idea or solution?

Mini-task: You have an important presentation tomorrow, but you don't know how to start it.

Before going to sleep, I would ________. The next morning, I might ________.

8. Critical Thinking: Fact, Theory or Opinion?

Time: 5 minutes

20. Humans dream during sleep.

21. Dreams definitely reveal our unconscious wishes.

22. Dreaming may be connected to memory processing.

23. Dreams are the brain's “screen saver.”

24. Dreams can sometimes help people find new ideas.

25. Scientists completely understand why humans dream.

Suggested answers: 1 Fact; 2 Theory/interpretation; 3 Theory; 4 Metaphor/theory; 5 Possible observation/theory; 6 False.

9. Final Speaking Task 🎤

Time: 8–10 minutes

What do you think is the most convincing explanation for why humans dream?

Students give their opinion, two reasons, and one example.

Model: “I think dreams may help us process memories. First, … Another reason is … For example, … However, I also think …”

10. Personal Reflection

• Why do you think humans continue to be fascinated by dreams?

• Do you think dreams have a purpose? Explain your opinion.

• Have you ever had a dream that gave you an interesting idea or made you think differently about something?

• If scientists could answer one question about dreams, what would you ask?

Students choose one question. They do not have to share private dreams.

Homework 📝

Option 1: Writing (120–150 words): “Do dreams have a purpose?” Include your opinion, two arguments, one example, and a conclusion.

Option 2: Creative task: Design the perfect dream laboratory. Describe what scientists would study, what technology they would use, what questions they would investigate, and what they hope to discover.

Assessment

Exit Ticket

• Today I learned that…

• One idea I found interesting was…

• One question I still have is…