Learning Enrichment Activities
The Last Dragon
After reading The Last Dragon and researching dragons and the Chinese New Year on the internet, students create their own dragons and lanterns.
HAND HELD DRAGON
MOVABLE JOINTED DRAGON
LARGE CHINESE DRAGON
CHINESE LANTERN
HAND HELD DRAGON
2) Fold paper in half
3) Cut around the dragon head except where the dotted lines are
4) Unfold and you should have two dragon heads attached to each other by the nose
5)Draw the left dragon with a marker.
6) Color the head anyway you like
Making the body
1) download the pre-drawn template of the dragon’s tail here
2) Fold paper in half
3) Cut around the dragon’s tail except where the small area is touching the dotted lines
4) Unfold and you should have two dragon tails attached to each other
5) Draw the top dragon’s tail with a marker
6) Color the tail anyway you like
7) Make a body for the dragon measuring it to fit the head and tail
8) Glue two sticks or straws to the body
9) Embellish with beads, paint, glitter, etc
Be creative, have a dragon parade!
MOVABLE JOINTED DRAGON
PROJECT B: MOVABLE JOINTED DRAGON
This dragon was drawn on file folders, cut out and put together with brads.
- Students drawing the dragon, using the “The Last Dragon” book as a guide
- Pin them together with brads
LARGE CHINESE DRAGON
The Body
Materials needed:
- 5 yards of 60″ wide fabric
- 3 strips of gold fabric (ribbon) for ties
- 4 splatter guards (from the Dollar Store)
- Gold fringe/trim
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Stapler to reinforce trim and glue
- (Foam board for head)
Note: Splatter guards were used for the dragon in the photos, however, anything the students can hold to keep the dragon up will work fine. Instead of fabric, wide paper can also be used. Be creative.
Fold fabric lengthwise and cut (double) fringe along edge 2″ by 7″
Measure and mark the fabric into fourths lengthwise
Then open the fabric
Hot glue the end of fabric to the splatter guard and glue both to the back of the foam board head
Cut holes into the top of the 3 splatter guards
Cut 2 small slits in the center of the fabric in the 3 marks of fourths measured prior
Place the ribbon through the holes in the (3)splatter guards and place on the underside of the fabric corresponding to the small slits (3 sets). Pull the ends of the ribbon through the slits in the fabric and tie tightly on the right (good) side of the fabric
Add fringe and trim with hot glue (staple if needed)
The enhancement of the dragon with fringe, glitter, color, streamers, jewels, etc. can be an ongoing project.
The Head
After researching dragons, students make rough sketch
Gather ideas for dragon head
Rough sketch
Final sketch 20″ x 30″ inches
Cut around edges
Place head on a solid hard cardboard or any other hard surface (several sheets of poster board, foam board or any material to make the head rigid). Cut around the edge of the head
Color the head with markers
You can use markers, crayons, paintbrushes
Adding the final touches of glitter
Attach the head to the cloth body.
Note the handle on the bottom of the head (can use any hard material here the students used a frying pan handle).
Test the dragon….four children will hold the splatter guard handles and hide under the fabric.
Ready for Chinese New Year!
Last and most important…
Have a DRAGON PARADE and ENJOY!
You can make any variations of a Chinese Dragon. We encourage IMAGINATION!
Each student can work on a section of the dragon’s body.
Adding final touches
CHINESE LANTERN
Materials needed:
- Colored paper
- scissors
- ruler
- pencil
- stapler
Cut a 1 inch strip from the edge of a sheet of colored paper (put aside and save for the handle).
Fold colored paper in half (hot dog fold)
Measure the fold in inches, pencil mark the inches lightly on the paper.
Cut strips up from the fold. Stop cutting 1 inch from the open edge of the paper.
Continue cutting in the same pattern through the folded paper.
Open the folded paper.
Bring the end edges together and overlap by 1 inch.
Staple the top together and the bottom together.
Add a handle by stapling it to the top of the lantern.
Optional:
Write Chinese symbols, vocabulary words, wishes, etc. on the lantern.
