Chinese New Year Dragon

Here's a great craft to celebrate the Chinese New Year (10th February 2024). This celebration lasts 15 days so time to make the craft after!
This project was made in a 2 hour session combined with a lantern craft and wrtiting/cultural activities.












I adapted an idea (http://www.redtedart.com/) by using a paper plate for the head and tail and used whiteboard pens to colour.

For an easier project, transfer the idea to an A4 piece of card/paper (the head, folded body and the tail on one piece of paper with lollipop sticks) for a small model.

Materials
-Coloured paper/thin card (to fold for the body)
-Paper plate for head and tail
-Kebab sticks (or lollipop sticks for smaller models) -Cut the end of kebab sticks so not sharp
-Tape
-Coloured pens (board pens or normal felt tips)
-'Pritt-stick' glue
-Normal materials -pencils, scissors, etc
-Decorative materials -shiny paper, stickers, etc

Stage 1
-Fold A4 paper in half lengthways
-Cut in half
-Pleat like a fan (fold, turn over, fold, turn over, etc)
-Repeat with the other half and tape together

 Stage 2
-Use pre-stencilled plate

 (Draw head shape to cut in dark colour and face in lighter colour/pencil for students to get the basic image) ...If making several, use a stencil from a plate to draw head shape to cut and inner image for students to draw
 

-Cut out head shape
-Keep off-cuts to use for tail

Stage 3
-Draw design and colour with board pens/felt tips

Stage 4
-Cut a triangle shape for tail
-Colour tail

Stage 5
-Connect folded body to head and tail with tape
-Tape sticks to the back on the back of paper plate parts

Stage 6
-Decorate with shiny paper or stickers


You can make a lantern to go with with this project and use animal vocabulary for the Chinese zodiac signs
For a similar lantern idea check out
http://craftwithjack.blogspot.com.es/2016/10/easy-halloween-lantern-easy-halloween.html#more

Happy Chinese New Year!