Many people have seen a tangram, but they may not realize that it comes from China. The seven specific shapes cut from a square are called tans. They can be rearranged to create thousands of designs.

Tangram

Materials needed:

Posterboard
Markers or paints (unless colored posterboard is used)
Sandwich bags

Cut a 4 ½" square out of the posterboard.

Paint or color the square before cutting into the shapes shown above.

Draw the lines before cutting to assure that all the corners, etc., meet exactly.

Once the tangram is made, how many different animals or things can you make using all the pieces. Try the designs shown below, and invent some of your own.

Give each participant a bag for their pieces.

Glow lamp

Before electricity came into homes in China, lanterns lit the night. While some hanging lanterns were very intricate, table lamps were simple colorful tubes. Make your own glowing lamp to use a backyard cookout or at the kitchen table.

Materials needed:

Glass pickle jars
Black or dark-colored paper
White tissue paper
Scissors
Markers
Glue
Small votive candle

Fold piece of construction paper in half crosswise. Fold in half two more times, so that you have a strip of paper. Cut triangles along the folded edges. Leave an inch on each end without cuts in it.

Unfold.

Glue a piece of tissue paper to the inside of the black paper. Using markers, color the cut out diamonds from the back side in bright colors. Fold a half inch down along the top and bottom edges.

Put candle in jar. Roll the paper around the jar and paste. Have an adult light the candle!