Count the Stars

crayola supplies

Paint Brushes
Artista II® Washable Tempera Paint
Model Magic®
No-Run School Glue
Pointed Tip Scissors

household supplies

recycled newspaper
yarn
hole punch
paper towels
cardboard
Hallmark tissue paper
container(s) of water

Why?

Practice counting in Chinese using a comet counting tool designed with Chinese numerals.

Steps

1. Why learn Chinese? In the world's population, three times as many people speak Chinese as speak English. In the United States, more than 2 million people speak Chinese. Find out which people in your school or community speak Chinese or one of its dialects.
2. Counting to 10 is a basic skill in any language. Written symbols are the same in Mandarin (putonghua, or common language), Cantonese (spoken in Hong Kong), and other Chinese dialects, although the pronunciation may vary. Research how to write and say the Chinese characters for the numerals from 1 to 10.
3. Use Crayola® Scissors to cut cardboard into a Chinese design such as a dragon boat or a starry pattern such as the whoosh made by a comet's tail. Punch 10 holes in the cardboard from which to hang stars.
4. Dip tissue paper in Crayola School Glue thinned with water. Attach in layers on both sides of the cardboard base. Dry.
5. Use Crayola Model Magic to form 10 large stars, one for each numeral from 1 to 10. While the Model Magic is moist, use the pointed end of a Crayola Paint Brush to etch the Chinese characters for each numeral, one per star. You may wish to etch English or Roman numerals on the other side, or include other symbols of China and its culture. With the brush tip, push a hole into the top point of each star for hanging. Dry.
6. Cover a table with recycled newspaper. Use Crayola Tempera to paint your stars, the characters, and any designs, characters, or words on your cardboard base. Dry.
7. Use yarn or string to tie the stars (in sequence) from the cardboard.

adaptations

Construct a similar learning tool for other Chinese characters. Make the cardboard support in the shape of the topic of your sentence, then hang the characters in correct order underneath it.

Research Chinese characters with which you can write a short poem. Illustrate it with Crayola® Markers on a scroll in a style similar to ancient Chinese scroll painting.

Gather information about Chinese history, culture, family names, cities, time zones, music, and/or art. Compare the geography and climate of China to the area where you live.

benefits

Students research information about China and its languages, including interviewing speakers of Chinese in the school or community.

Students identify Chinese characters for numerals from 1 to 10.

Students create a counting tool to learn Chinese numerals and represent Chinese culture.

grades

Grades 4 to 6
Grades 7 to 12

subjects

Language Arts
Math
Social Studies
Visual Arts

time

30 to 60 minutes
Multiple Sessions

curriculum standards links

US: Research U.S. Standards
UK: Research UK Standards
Canada: Research Canada Standards

safety guidelines

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Crayola Washable Paints—Not for use as body/face paint.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.

String-Like Materials—Includes string, raffia, lacing, yarn, ribbon, and other similar material. Children 3 years and younger should not be given any string-like material that is longer than 12 inches. Close adult supervision is essential whenever children use string-like material. When crafts are to be worn around the necks of children 8 years and younger, attach the ends of the “string-like material” with clear adhesive tape, which allows easy release of the bond if the craft becomes entangled or caught on equipment. For children older than 8 years, the ends of the “string-like material” may be tied and knotted.