1st grade Chinese New Year Lanterns

 1st Grade Chinese New Year Lanterns

I got this idea from The Kitchen Table Classroom. Head on over to her post here https://www.kitchentableclassroom.com/how-to-make-a-chinese-lantern-a-chinese-new-year-craft/

I just changed it a bit to fit the needs of my classroom.  Check out her webpage. She has tons of ideas! 

I first showed the students the video on Youtube CBeebies: Celebrating Chinese New Year-Let's Celebrate. It follows two American Chinese children celebrating the Chinese New Year. It's around three minutes. 

Each student could pick a colored cardstock paper with the template of the lantern. I chose the blank one from her website. 

Children could draw what they wanted. I displayed photos of Cherry Blossoms as well as dragons for children to model if they chose to do so. They drew this on the back of their papers (the side without the lines). 

They folded their paper with the lines out and cut them on the fold. The next step was to glue the edges (the long sides) onto the yellow construction paper 6 1/2" x 10". Don't forget to have them cut the box out on the end for the tabs. A lot of my students needed help with this part but we got through it! We allowed these to dry overnight. 

On the next art class the students put glue on the outside tabs and glued the lantern together. I had them hold the tabs tight and count to 20.  I punched holes in the top for them, they strung the yarn through and they were to tie a knot. Many of my students needed help with tying! 

They were so proud of them! Here is my demonstration video: