Teacher's Role for Holiday Arts Activities:
Chinese New Year
http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/artswork/arts/students/holidays/chineseny01.htm

The social studies focus is on cultural similarities and differences between Chinese New Year and New Year and Christmas in the United States, i.e. the importance of family and friends, the exchange of gifts, the twelve days of the Chinese New Year vs. the less defined week between Christmas and the New Year.Time is spent on comparing and contrasting Chinese character writing and writing with our alphabet.

The theatre skills for students to learn are:

• Imaginative design and creation of costumes
• Organization, organization, organization
• Working together
• Patience with rehearsal
• Critiquing the work done

There are two possible activities here:

• Learning about Chinese calligraphy by making a card or lay see with a Chinese character.The lay see are the red envelopes that hold a small money gift for the children.
• Doing a parade with a lion, making his costume, working with other classrooms so the parade can be done around the school

We did both.We made the lay see, one for each child in the school, with a shiny penny for each child.Then as we did the Lion Dance/parade through each classroom, we left a big envelope filled with lay see for each child in the room.We gave each teacher, ahead of time, a baggie with a couple of lettuce leaves.Then each class rewarded the lion with the lettuce, just as it is done in the Chinatowns on the East and West coasts of our country.

Chinese New Year, the Text

The text, to be read with the children, explains the 12-day holiday with its emphasis on family.The lunar verses the solar calendar is introduced as the reason that the date for the Chinese New Year varies with the year as opposed to the western New Year that always falls on January one.

A number of vocabulary words can be explored: ancestors, cycles, celebrated, culture, ill fortune, lunar calendar, pageant, procession, spectacular, symbolize, tradition, zodiac

Chinese Calligraphy
http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/artswork/arts/students/holidays/chineseny03.htm

Vocabulary: calligraphy, stylized, pictograph, ideogram

• The text helps the children understand that the Chinese do not have an alphabet, but instead have characters, "ideograms," that symbolize ideas.(In current practice the Chinese do use a kind of alphabet to help children write, but the children are not considered well educated unless they can read at least 1,200 characters.)
• After reading the text, we suggest working with the children to help them understand how, over a long time, the pictures for ideas evolved into ideograms.The activity in the text worked well when we did it as a class.Then perhaps some students would be able to create their own characters.

Another excellent introduction to Chinese characters is:

http://library.thinkquest.org/3614/Default.htm Click on "Drawing."

If you chose to do the envelopes, we simply cut 8 1/2 x 11 red paper into three 8 1/2 x 3 5/8 strips.We folded strip into a rectangular envelope.

Then with a glue stick we glued up the sides.Probably the children could do the folding and gluing if they were given the strips of paper.

The directions in the text are quite complete.The students can read and then decorate the envelopes with the calligraphy; or you can present the information.In either case you will need to get the materials to each student; guide their work; and collect the envelopes.Your demonstrating writing the characters on the board can be helpful.

Materials:

1. One or two white sheets of paper for each child to create his or her own character and/or practice making the Chinese characters
2. Black felt tip markers, or brushes and black ink
3. The red squares of paper or the red envelopes
4. A penny for each envelope (if you choose to do this for the students in the classes you will visit).
5. Glue sticks to seal the envelopes

After the lay see are completed, and to facilitate their delivery to the classrooms visited, it is very helpful to put the appropriate number of the red envelopes for each classroom in a larger envelop so that it can be quickly handed to the classroom teacher.

The Lion Dance
http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/artswork/arts/students/holidays/chineseny04.htm

Again, the text explains the dance and its history.There is also a link to a pretty good picture of a lion costume.

In getting ready for the parade, the children will need your help with

• the costume
• finding drums or rhythm makers
• practicing making the sound and moving together
• making certain everyone is involved
• moving through the school in an orderly fashion

1. Making the costume
   1. Materials:
      1. Foam board, or other durable paper plus a method to cut the board
      2. Paint or felt tip markers
      3. Fabric. Preferably red, 60" wide, long enough to cover the number of children who will be part of the dragon. Figure about 3/4 yard per child.
   2. The head for the lion or dragon
      1. There is a pattern in the text that you can copy. But it would be much more fun if the children designed it themselves!! It should be about 30" high and 24" wide.We drew the lion head on colored foam board and cut it out.We cut out the mouth opening so the student could see.Then the students used felt tip markers to color it.Tempra would also work.
         
      2. One of our teachers had a pattern for a dragon head.She put it on poster board and laminated it.We then put a wooden brace across the back and added two dowels so it was easier for a student to carry it.
         
         
      3. For our second year, a parent donated a used lion head that had marched in several San Francisco parades.Even though the mask had been made for a teenager, it was too big for our third graders.A student teacher wore the mask and it was she that was at the head of the parade this year - just after the classroom teacher who guided the group through the halls and around the classrooms.
         
   3. The body for the lion or dragon
      1. We purchased about 12 yards of inexpensive red cloth.A parent sewed gold fringe on the edges.The students, about twelve of them in a line, with their hands on the waste of the student in front of them, marched under the cloth.Sheets would certainly work as well but won't be as colorful!
      2. The teacher with the dragon had the students make colorful 8 1/2 x 11 watercolors with sponged tempra texture.We stapled these on twelve yards of a stretch fabric.Again, the students stayed as a group by putting their hands on the waist of the student in front of them.
      3. The teachers were careful choosiing the leader, who was next to each other, who was at the end.They averted any problems before they could begin!
   4. Other costumes and props
   5. For students that weren't part of the lion or dragon or who weren't beating a rhythm on the drums or symbols, or carrying the "lay see chest," we found other Chinese costumes for them to wear or props for them to carry.
2. The lay see chest
   1. We found a chest that was small enough for a child to carry, but large enough to hold the 8 1/2 x 11 envelopes that had a lay see for each child in a class.It would be even better to have the children cover a cardboard box with some bright paper or with their own designs.
3. Finding drums or rhythm makers
   1. The music teacher let us borrow several cymbals and gongs.We had several drums and then added enough wooden beaters to ensure that every child would have something to do in the parade.If you don't have a source of instruments, pots and pans with wooden spoons can work just as well!
4. Practicing sound and movement
   1. One short period for the children in your class to rehearse will be helpful.
      1. Sound. A rhythm of heavy/light, heavy/light is probably the easiest to do.Some sense of rhythm will be good for the students to work for.
      2. Moving as the lion. Students should be reminded, "The San Francisco lion dancers say that they learn how to move by watching how a cat moves and pounces on a toy - or bird."The idea of walking along with the head looking left and right and then swooping relatively quickly to catch a child is the idea to work for.The problem is that the whole beast must move together. The child who is the head cannot move too quickly and the body members must pay attention to what is happening with the student in front of him or her.
      3. Practice putting the sound and movement together.This is a real challenge in listening and watching for the children.It should be fun, but they must work together!
5. Letting the school know
   1. Ourlead teacher talked with the teachers in the school to find out who wanted the lion to visit their classroom.I believe all the teachers were interested - but we certainly could have not gone to some rooms.
   2. We contacted the principal, office staff and janitors to let them know what we were going to do and when.
   3. We had two students make an announcement to the school on the morning of the parade, but as we have mentioned in the student directions, a flyer could work just as well if that is more appropriate.
6. Marching through the school
   1. In our last parade, one teacher led the way.She had one of the special ed students with her.He had a big bag to take the lettuce from each teacher as the lion "chased away the bad spirits" in the classroom.
      
   2. Several musicians followed
   3. They were followed by the lion and/or dragon
   4. The lion was followed by more musicians
   5. The parade was completed with the two children who handed the lay see envelop to the teacher as the parade left their room.
   6. If it is too disruptive to march through the rooms, it is certainly possible to simply march in the halls and outside - if the weather permits!
7. The critique
   1. One of the things that is important to artists is the critique of their work.This is a concept that is not particularly easy for children to master, thus a critique for all efforts is good practice.The point is:
   2. A critique should be positive.
   3. Discuss first what went well.If the third graders do a parade next year, what should we tell them to do that you did?
   4. Discuss what might be done differently, if the children want to do a parade next year?

      

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