Maya & Miguel . Parents & Teachers (English) . Activities . Chinese Lantern

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Activities

Episode:
Chrissy’s Big Move
Age Range: 6-9 years
Objectives:

•	To express feelings and perspectives about the experience of moving through English, Spanish or your own native language and multicultural literature
•	To connect with characters through reading and media
•	To discover another culture’s traditions and culture
•	To better understand feelings associated with immigrating to a new country

Skills:

•	Language and literacy
•	Social and emotional
•	Culture and diversity
•	Creative expression

Subject Areas:

•	Language Arts
•	Social Studies

Chinese Lantern
Explore an annual Chinese tradition with this fun craft

Introduction
In the Maya & Miguel episode “Chrissy’s Big Move,” Maya's friend Chrissy discovers that her father has been transferred and is moving the whole family to Hong Kong. Chrissy is so distraught that she doesn't want to go. Eager to help her friend adjust to a very different culture, Maya enlists Miguel and the gang to create an imaginative “voyage.” Now, Chrissy can’t wait to move to Hong Kong. In the end, Chrissy doesn’t move and “las tres amigas” (the three friends) get to stay together.

In this activity, thoughts and feelings about moving will be talked about and explored through reading, playing charades and making character connections with language and vocabulary.

Materials:

colored paper (wrapping paper, art paper or painted paper)
scissors
glue, tape or stapler

Directions: Did you know that the Chinese New Year begins with the new moon on the first day of each New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later? The 15th day of this New Year, called the Lantern Festival, is celebrated at night with an amazing lantern display and a parade with children carrying traditional Chinese lanterns.

Make your own Chinese New Year lantern!

Make a long rectangle by folding a rectangular piece of paper in half. Along the fold line, make about 12-15 cuts in the paper’s middle section. Be sure to not cut into the edge of the paper. Unfold the paper then glue, tape or stable the short edges of the paper together.
Create a handle by attaching a 6 x 1/2 inch wide piece of paper to one end of the lantern.

With a Group: How would it feel to immigrate to or live in another country? Help children make episode connections to Maya & Miguel episode, “Chrissy’s Big Move” by reading and discussing these books together:

Explore the experiences of a Vietnamese family as they immigrate to the United States by reading and discussing: Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michele Maria Surat (Ages 7-10)
Learn more about the traditions and customs of China by reading: Chinese New Year by David F. Marx (Ages 6-7)