Kindergarten: Japanese Carp Fish and Lantern Art—3-D Fun!

Materials for Carp Fish
• 12" x 18" white drawing paper (two pieces per student)
• Permanent markers
• Crayons
• Scissors
• Pencils
• Stapler or glue
• Streamers
• Oil pastels
• Visuals of authentic fish art

Materials for Lantern Art
• 9" x 12" red construction paper
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Gold and silver paint
• Cotton swabs
• Stapler or glue
• Yarn
• Beads and streamers

Learning Objectives
Kindergarten students will ...
• learn about the art of the Asian artisans, specifically the carp fish and the lantern art usually
created during the Chinese New Year.
• learn how a 2-D piece of art becomes 3-D in nature.

Procedure for Carp Fish
1. Students see examples of actual Asian carp fish art and are inspired by this authentic art.
2. Students playact what carp fish look like and make “fish” faces to begin to feel comfortable with the concept. Underwater music makes for a fun learning environment too!
3. Students receive two pieces of white paper and the teacher models how to draw a large fish on the paper. Once it is drawn, the student holds the two pieces of paper together and cuts around the fish shape, creating a front and a back to the fish.
4. Students begin to decorate their fish, using permanent pens for details and crayon for their colored areas.
5. Students then add touches of blended oil pastel to give the fish a “glowing” look.
6. Students glue or staple multicolored streamers from the bottom of the carp fish.
7. Students (with guidance) glue or staple their fish edges together to create a 3-D effect.
8. These fish are hung from the ceiling with fishing line, yarn or raffia to create an exciting environment for all!

Procedure for Lantern Art
1. Students see examples of actual Asian lantern art, becoming inspired by its authenticity.
2. Students “feel” the glow of a lantern as the teacher lights a few lanterns around the room and turns off the lights for a relaxed and fun learning environment!
3. Students receive a piece of red construction paper and fold it in half. The teacher models the steps for students.
4. Students draw vertical lines on the paper, making sure not to go to the top or bottom. It often helps to fold the top and bottom down about an inch.
5. Once the pencil lines are drawn, students cut the lines using scissors. This is easy when the paper is folded in half again. The trick is to constantly remind the students that they can’t cut all the way, and to pay attention to the fold at the top and bottom. If this is reiterated, there are very few “uh-ohs.”
6. Students then decorate their lantern with designs or line themes using markers and crayons.
7. Students paint dots of gold or silver onto the lantern.
8. With guidance and once they are dry, the students wrap their lantern around so the edges match up, and they glue or staple the edges together to create a 3-D effect.
9. Students can then add streamers and beads to the bottom of the lantern.
10. These lanterns are hung in the art hallway for a fun environment that helps celebrate the Chinese New Year!

Note: Some classes made the carp fish while others created the lantern art. All were hung from the ceiling in the Art Hall, creating a wonderful environment to celebrate this festive holiday.

Grade 1: Korean Egg-Art Painting

Korean Egg-Art Painting

Materials
• 9" x 12" Bristol board
• Oil pastels
• Pencils
• Scissors
• Watercolor paints
• Brushes
• Water cups
• Glitter
• Glue
• Korean egg-art visuals

Learning Objectives
First-grade students will ...
• learn about the continent of Asia, specifically the country of Korea and their beautiful, intricate egg art.
• design their own egg inspired by the art of the Koreans.
• experiment with line designs and cool and warm color schemes.

Procedure
1. Students see examples of different types of Korean egg art.
2. Students are given a piece of Bristol board and draw a large oval shape lightly in pencil that represents their egg.
3. Students begin to add a variety of line designs onto their egg using oil pastels in either a warm or cool color palette.
4. Students think about the patterns and fill in their space.
5. Students then watercolor their eggs, using the opposite color palette of their oil pastel.
6. During their next class, when their eggs are dry, students cut them out.
7. Once cut out, they add a few dots or lines of glue and then sprinkle glitter on the eggs.
8. Students exhibit these in the Asian art exhibit.

Extension
At the end of this lesson, students write a poem about their egg to go with their language art curriculum. These are exhibited as well!

Materials
• 9" x 12" Bristol board
• Pencils
• Prismacolor® Art Stix
• Tempera paints
• Brushes
• Brayers
• Newspapers
• Images of gyotaku works
• Plastic gyotaku fish or real fish

Learning Objectives
Second-grade students will ...
• learn about the continent Asia, specifically the art of the Japanese gyotaku fish prints, which were
thought to bring good luck to the fishermen.
• learn printing techniques.
• learn to embellish prints.

Procedure
1. Students learn about the art of the Japanese, specifically gyotaku fish prints.
2. Students look at several types of authentic fish prints and discuss the texture, line and color they see.
A discussion of the elements of art is important for this project.
3. Students get a piece of paper and write their name on the back.
4. Students work as a group as we have limited plastic fish. Newspapers will be put onto the tables along
with brayers and two plastic fish.
5. Students then receive several colors of tempera paint, put directly on the newspaper.
6. Students ink their brayers and then roll the paint onto their fish, taking their paper and placing it on top
of the fish, while gently rubbing their hands over it to create a deeper texture.
7. Students wait for their printed/painted image to dry, and add their other materials in certain areas to
enhance the work and bring out more texture via color.
8. Students mat their art and hang it in the Asian art installation!

Grade 3: Chinese New Year Dragons

Materials
• 9" x 12" Bristol board
• Oil pastels
• Pencils
• Scissors
• Watercolor paints
• Brushes
• Water cups
• Fabric
• Glue
• Streamers
• Popsicle sticks
• Visual examples of Chinese New Year dragons

Learning Objectives
Third-grade students will ...
• learn about the continent of Asia, specifically the country of China and their amazing New Year dragons!
• design their own dragon inspired by the art of the Chinese.
• experiment with shape, color and texture.

Procedure
1. Students see examples of different types of Chinese New Year dragons.
2. Students are given a piece of Bristol board and draw a large dragon head and neck lightly in pencil, being creative in their designs based on the images they have seen.
3. Students cut these out and color them in using outlines in blended oil pastel.
4. Students then watercolor on top of the dragon head.
5. Students watercolor their dragons using a colorful palette.
6. During their next class, students add streamers, raffia and fabric pieces to act as the body and tail of their dragon.
7. A popsicle is added to the head so students can hold up their dragon like a puppet.

Extension
At the end of this lesson, students can all gather with their art and you can hold a Chinese New Year’s parade with the dragons held up high in celebration of this wonderful event!

Materials
• 5" x 5" scratchboard pieces
• Scratchboard sticks
• Glue
• Construction paper
• Visual examples of Asian symbols/characters

Learning Objectives
Fourth-grade students will ...
• learn about the continent of Asia, specifically the writing and characters used in different
types of Asian writing and calligraphy.
• learn about line in art.

Procedure
1. Students see examples of different types of Asian calligraphy and characters in writing.
2. Students are given a piece of scratchboard and lightly sketch out their design, using some of the
characters that appeal to them.
3. Students scratch out their design using their scratchboard sticks.
4. Students then discuss the color that comes through the scratchboard, thinking about the thickness of each
line to get more color for their mini-composition.
5. Students glue these down onto a large piece of construction paper, creating a class quilt.

Extension
At the end of this lesson, students can create a collaborative mural using different symbols in ink and a background in colored paint, inspired by their mini-scratchboards!