Details and Share
Chinese New Year – Lion Dance
This lesson is great for grades K-2. It integrates Social Studies with elements of visual and performing arts as the children create a Chinese lion and a dance.
Grade Level: K - 2nd
Subject:
Length of Time: About 45 Minutes
Objectives & Outcomes
After a lesson on Chinese New Year, the learner will learn/create a dance and create a Chinese dragon using construction paper, crepe paper, markers, and a large brown paper bag.
Materials Needed
- Internet access
- projector
- large brown paper bag (typically found in grocery stores)
- scissors
- markers
- construction paper
- glue
- crepe paper
Procedure
Opening to Lesson
- Teacher will read "Chinese New Year" by Lola M. Schaefer.
- Students and teacher can have a discussion about what they already know about Chinese New Year and what they have learned.
Body of Lesson
Instructional activity/Development
- Teacher will show a YouTube clip of a traditional Chinese Lion Dance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWdnCSZSHtE).
- Teacher will facilitate a discussion about what student believe the significance of the lion dance to be. What do students notice in the video? What is familiar? Why do you think certain things are there?
- Teacher will elicit that the dance is done to bring blessings and good fortune in the new year and that lion dancers perform to the sounds of drums.
Guided Practice
- Teacher will model the steps of creating the Chinese lion.
- Open the large paper bag. Cut two holes where the eyes will be.
- Use markers, construction paper, glue, and crepe paper to decorate the Chinese Lion.
- Give the lion a face, complete with teeth, a red tongue, and colored eyes.
- As the lions dry, students will learn the steps to a simple lion dance.
- Teacher will be guide students to bend up and down in synchronization.
- Students will have five minutes to independently use the lions they created to practice or create their own lion dance with partners.
Independent Practice
- Using the lions they created, students will perform their lion dances.
Closing
At this time, teacher and students will gather back on the rug to discuss new concepts that were learned in the lesson. Teacher will dictate student responses onto chart paper.
Read our guide on Teaching Holidays in the Classroom.
Assessment & Evaluation
Lion
- Teacher will assess students' ability to accurately follow the steps to creating the lion.
Performance Assessment
- The dance will be used as a performance assessment. Did students stay on task and attempt to learn the steps? This provides students an opportunity to convey their understanding through gestures, sounds, and physical movement. This provides students with a deeper connection to the material.
- Teacher will assess students' ability to accurately follow the steps to creating the lion.
Performance Assessment
- The dance will be used as a performance assessment. Did students stay on task and attempt to learn the steps? This provides students an opportunity to convey their understanding through gestures, sounds, and physical movement. This provides students with a deeper connection to the material.
Modification & Differentiation
Learn how to teach students about holidays and history here.
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