Lesley University School of Education
Celebrating Chinese New Year
Rebecca McKittrick
December 1, 2010
BACKGROUND
This lesson was planned for a grade two class of 20 students with a range of abilities. There are no students with IEPs.
Overall Purpose: To introduce a new culture to the students and explore the ways that traditions and celebrations from other countries are now celebrated in America.
Teacher’s Purpose: Creatively guide students through an exploration of another culture’s traditions and celebrations and identify how this culture is present in our own country today. To allow the students the opportunity to experience some of the traditions through activities in the classroom.
Relationship to curriculum/theme: This lesson is the first lesson of mini unit of the Chinese New Year.
LESSON
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks Strand and Learning Standard(s):
Grade 2 Learning Standards
2.8 With the help of the school librarian, give examples of traditions or customs from other countries that can be found in America today. (G, C)
Behavioral Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to 1) locate China on a map of the world; 2) Give a brief description of what Chinese New Year is and when and why it is celebrated 3) Share at least one custom that is recognized as part of Chinese New Year
Materials:
Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures Imperial China by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degan
Red construction paper
Black construction paper
Pencils
Scissors
Glue sticks
Oranges (or clementines)
Motivator:
While students are at their desks, bring out a tray of oranges. Tell the students that they are going to have a very special snack today to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year. Ask the students if anyone has ever heard of Chinese New Year and if they have anything, they would like to share about what they might know. Tell the students that we are going to be starting a unit about Chinese New Year and will learn about some customs that Chinese-Americans have brought to our country to celebrate this important holiday. Share with the students that the Chinese believe oranges and tangerines are symbols of good luck and wealth so during the Chinese New Year, they are very popular treats to be given to friends and family. Finally, tell them that after we enjoy this special snack, we will gather on the carpet and begin our exploration into the Chinese New Year!
Procedure:
Vocabulary words: China, Chinese New Year, ancient, chop sticks, western countries, Asia, Chinatown, festival, lantern, tea, Emperor, Forbidden City
1) Using a large classroom map of the world, locate China.
2) Review vocabulary words
3) Read Ms. Frizzle’s Adventure: Imperial China explaining that we will read the “story” part of the book once through and then go back to reread the info boxes on each page.
4) Reread the book going over all of the info boxes at the bottom of each page.
5) Start a discussion about Chinese New Year asking them to take turns sharing something they remember from the book about the holiday.
6) Record the responses on chart paper
7) Tell the students that we are going to begin a celebration of Chinese New Year and for the next fifteen school days, we will learn or experience something new about Chinese New Year.
8) To begin the New Year celebration, the Chinese decorated their homes and the villages. The Chinese believe the color red means happiness and good luck so they usually decorated with red. Chinese children made paper cutout pictures to represent the animals that represented each year.
9) Show one completed example of the cutout and explain step by step how the cutout is made, showing them each material they will use.
10) Have students return to their desks.
11) Some of the steps will need to be done as a class.
12) Each student will have a piece of black paper, a piece of red paper, pencil, ruler, glue stick and scissors (sharp point).
13) On the red paper the will measure and draw a two-inch border.
14) Inside the border, they will draw their animal picture being sure to leave all lines connected at some point.
15) Once they have completed the drawing, they will cutout the holes or parts of the paper that are not connected.
16) The result will be the red paper cutout of the animal they chose. (You can choose to only allow them to do the animal that is represented that year or let them choose from all of the animals).
17) Using a glue stick, glue the red cutout onto the black construction paper.
18) Display the cutouts in the classroom to create a Chinese New Year classroom display (If you choose to make the Chinese New Year Center mentioned in the Enrichment Section below, you could use these to decorate the center).
Year of the Ox example
Motivational Techniques:
Starting with the oranges for snacks.
Wrap-up:
The students will take turns hanging their paper cutouts in the designated area of the classroom. Return to the carpet area and have a brief wrap-up discussion about what they learned about Chinese New Year. Ask what questions they might have or what else they might like to learn about and list the responses on chart paper. Tell the students that on the next day, the class will visit the school library and ask the librarian to help them find books about Chinese New Year, cultures or traditions and we will use these books as well as the internet to find more information.
Assessment:
On-going assessment throughout the mini-unit through classroom discussions and student contribution during each lesson and group activities.
Modifications:
Some students may need help with cutting due to fine motor delays.
Pitfalls & Solutions:
A student may have a food allergy to oranges in which case you would need to use a different motivator.
The school library does not have an adequate supply of books on the topic. If this were the case, the teacher would supply books that they have or retrieve from public libraries and create a special section of a classroom library.
Enrichment & Extensions:
Here are some ideas for other lessons for the mini unit or to use as extensions if just doing one lesson on Chinese New Year.
1) Create an area of the classroom to make a Chinese New Year’s Center
2) Make paper lanterns
3) Make Dragon puppets and have a classroom dragon parade
4) Make Red Envelopes with paper money
5) Have a Chinese New Year Party and serve some traditional treats and use chopsticks (depends on school rules)
Many ideas and info for crafts can be found on this website: http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/chineseasianjapaneseartscraftsideaskids.html
