The Chinese dragon represents wisdom, strength, benevolence, and good fortune. Invite your students to learn more about this symbol by creating a miniature version and by reading stories about dragons.

1. Begin by passing out the Dragon Symbolism Reproducible (PDF). Have students decorate their dragons with bright colors and glitter.
2. Next help kids to fold a piece of 8" x 11" paper in half vertically and cut along the fold.
3. Accordion-fold each piece and join together to create the animal's body.
4. Attach the head at one end and the tail at the other.
5. Tape chopsticks to the head and tail.
6. Use your puppets as props for a read aloud of A Time of Golden Dragons, by Song Nan Zhang

PDF
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Wendy K. Cruikshank is a resources teacher at Jerry Potts Elementary School in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This article was originally published in the January/February 2005 issue of Instructor.