Sparkling Dragon

Celebrate Chinese New Year with a magnificent dragon parade! Or design this accordion-fold mythical creature to reenact fantasies.

• 1.

  Search for information and stories about dragons and their role in ancient Chinese culture. Find out about traditions that are still celebrated today. When is Chinese New Year celebrated next? What year of the zodiac is it?

• 2.

  You’ll need at least four pieces of construction paper to create this giant dragon. You might want to work with a classmate or two.

• 3.

  Draw a huge dragon’s head with Crayola® Twistables™. Fill the paper with its eyes, nose, horns, fire, and other features.

• 4.

  On more paper, draw the dragon’s immense body. Create colorful scales with Twistables™.

• 5.

  Create a unique dragon tail on still more paper. Will its tail be long, curled, and pointy, or wide and flat?

• 6.

  Design legs and/or wings for your dragon on another sheet.

• 7.

  Cut out all the dragon pieces with Crayola® Scissors. Attach pieces together with Crayola® Glue Sticks.

• 8.

  With Crayola® Washable Markers and Crayola® Glitter Glue, accent the dragon’s look. Will it be flashy and friendly or fierce and fiery? Air-dry the glitter glue.

• 9.

  Starting at the tail, fold the dragon back and forth like an accordion. You’re ready to celebrate Chinese New Year or tell stories of mythical creatures.

Benefits

• Students research ancient Chinese culture and find out what traditions are practiced today.
• Students discover events and stories that feature dragons and similar mythical creatures.
• Children individually or with partners design and create a multi-section folded-paper dragon.

Adaptations

• Find out what other symbols are common during the Chinese New Years’ holiday. Design them, too.
• Learn about the origins of dragons, what they symbolize, and in what cultures they continue to be heralded.