Traditional Chinese Arts & Crafts

Prerequisites:

Open to students entering grade(s): Grade 1 - 3

Course Description:

This three-week Mandarin workshop introduces Grade 1 - 3 students to traditional Chinese visual and material culture through hands-on arts and crafts. Designed around three themed weeks, the course blends practical making, cultural context, and Mandarin language practice to build students' artistic skills, cultural knowledge, and basic vocabulary related to traditional Chinese arts. This course balances creative making with cultural learning and Mandarin practice, offering students a rich, age-appropriate introduction to traditional Chinese arts while supporting language development and artistic confidence.

Learner Outcomes:

Students will:

• Develop fine-motor art skills through diverse media: paper cutting, calligraphy, painting, clay modelling, and textile work.
• Understand key cultural meanings behind traditional Chinese arts and folk symbols, including lanterns, zodiac animals, knots, and festival motifs.
• Gain basic Mandarin vocabulary and simple conversational phrases related to materials, tools, colors, animals, festivals, and step-by-step instructions used in the class.

Methodology:

• Project-based, maker-centered learning: students learn skills by completing clear, scaffolded art projects (paper-cut panels, ceramic tiles and etc.).
• CLIL-style Mandarin integration: vocabulary and phrases are taught and used in context during demonstrations, labels, and short student presentations.
• Cooperative and inquiry-based tasks: observation, sketching, and small-group work link nature/culture study to creative making and peer language practice.
• Multimodal supports and differentiation: picture cards, templates, step diagrams, and tiered challenges ensure accessibility for varied skill levels.

Assessment:

• Teacher observations and quick skill demonstrations for technique, safety, and Mandarin use.
• Learning journals/portfolios with sketches, photos, vocabulary lists, and short reflections.
• Simple criteria assessing craftsmanship, creativity, cultural understanding, and Mandarin integration.

Teacher / Instructor:

Session 1 [AM & PM]: Pamela Peng