Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations
Preinstructional Planning
OBJECTIVES
Students will:
Assist in planning and preparing for the celebration
Work together cooperatively in small and large groups
Have fun!
MATERIALS
See Classroom Activities for individual materials lists.
During Instruction
SET UP
Traditionally one's house is cleaned for the lunar new year. Enlist all the students in cleaning up the classroom: sweeping, spraying glass cleaner on desks, tidying bookshelves, and hanging up their coats and backpacks.
People celebrating Lunar New Year dress up, and since red is a common color of the holiday, request that students wear red shirts on the day of the celebration.
Let parents know ahead of time about your celebration plans so they can help at home and in the classroom.
LESSON DIRECTIONS
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Here are a few activities for Lunar New Year. You may want to start small and add additional activities each year.
"Fu" Good Luck Sign for Door
The Chinese symbol "fu," good luck, when hung upside down means "the luck has arrived." It is displayed on a red square turned diagonally.
Materials
Oak tag, cut into 6-inch squares
Red marker
Black permanent marker
Gold metallic pen
Yarn for hanging
Directions
Find an image of the Chinese character "fu" online.
Make a sample to show students. From the sample, make a tracing pattern of the character.
Trace the character onto oak tag. This simplifies the activity for children.
Show sample and explain that the character will be hung upside down.
Have children color and attach yarn for hanging. While they are working, I read books about China aloud.
Large Dragon for Dragon Dance
If there is only one thing you can do, this is it! It's so much fun! Traditionally, in addition to the celebration on the first day of Lunar New Year, the Chinese celebrate the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of Lunar New Year. The highlight of Lantern Festival is the Dragon Dance. In the United States, the Dragon Dance is scheduled for a weekend and is usually less than two weeks after the first day of the New Year.
Materials
Red poster board for dragon head
Additional poster board to make feet for dragon
Metallic pipe cleaners, sequins, and string for decorating the dragon
Glue
Stapler
Yards of colorful cloth, enough so most children can fit under the dragon
Optional: We borrow large cymbals, and a variety of drums and other percussion instruments from the music teacher for musicians who dance along with dragon.
Directions
Our art teacher helps with this project. Construction takes place during several art classes. When planning big projects like this, it's helpful to enlist other teachers as well as parents.
Once the dragon head is complete, we staple on cloth and practice with the dragon. Some children don't want to be inside the dragon and those students are the musicians. On the day we celebrate, we parade around the entire school in and out of classrooms. Banners Around the Classroom Door
Materials
Red bulletin board paper cut into long, narrow strips
Black permanent marker
Gold metallic pen
Directions
Find examples online of chun lian door banners used in traditional Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations.
Decide if you will use Chinese characters or write spring poems in English.
If you use characters, sketch them on red paper ahead of time.
If you write in English, students can do the writing.
Red Envelopes for New Year's Wishes
It's traditional that children receive red envelopes with money from their parents or grandparents. We write notes with Happy New Year messages to exchange with one another. Red envelopes can be made or purchased online.
Materials
Lucky Money Envelopes printable
Practicing With Chopsticks
We use chopsticks for our Lunar New Year feast, so we practice with them ahead of time. Have students follow the instructions on the handout below to become proficient chopstick users!
Materials
Using Chopsticks printables
Cooking Fried Rice
Materials
Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley, which has a recipe for fried rice in the back
Fried rice ingredients listed in the book
Electric fry pan
Knives for chopping
Directions
Plan for ingredients and tools needed. I donate the ingredients and make fried rice in an electric fry pan. There's lots of chopping so children need close supervision. It's a good idea to have a second adult to assist.
Read the book Everybody Cooks Rice aloud to the class.
Help the students prepare the fried rice.
Additional Foods for Feast
I supplement the meal with meat and vegetable dumplings, sesame noodles, white and fried rice, mooncakes, and fortune cookies from a Chinese restaurant. I serve students tiny portions which they are encouraged to try and then come back for second helpings.