Objective
By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to understand and appreciate the traditions and customs of Chinese New Year through art and physical activities.
Materials and Prep
- Red construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Markers or crayons
- Empty cardboard box
- Masking tape
- Chinese New Year music (optional)
Make sure to have a clear space for physical activities and gather all the materials before starting the lesson.
Activities
- Create a Chinese New Year Dragon: Help the student cut out a dragon head shape from the red construction paper. Then, have them decorate the dragon head using markers or crayons. Once done, assist them in attaching the dragon head to the cardboard box using the glue stick. Encourage them to make additional dragon body parts using paper if desired.
- Dancing with the Dragon: Play some Chinese New Year music and invite the student to hold the dragon's body (the cardboard box) while you hold the dragon's head. Move around the room together, dancing and making the dragon "come alive".
- Lucky Red Envelopes: Teach the student about the tradition of giving red envelopes during Chinese New Year. Provide them with red construction paper and help them fold it into envelopes. Encourage them to decorate the envelopes with drawings or symbols of good luck.
Talking Points
- "Chinese New Year is a special celebration in China."
- "People celebrate Chinese New Year with lots of fun activities and traditions."
- "The dragon is an important symbol during Chinese New Year. It is believed to bring good luck and scare away evil spirits."
- "We are going to make our own dragon head and dance with it."
- "Red envelopes are given during Chinese New Year to wish good luck and prosperity. We can make our own lucky red envelopes too!"
- "Let's dance and move like a dragon to celebrate Chinese New Year!"