Menu
close
Anonymous.
Rob_Hugo@PortNWJust bought three new books for my Chinese New Year Unit.
The Runaway Rice cake by Ying Chang Compestine
Round is a Mooncake by Roseanne Thong
This Next New Year by Janet s. Wong.
AnonymousKathryn and I have several web-sites that go with the New Years unit as well. Ju Wei and I have been working on math, history, and language arts lessons that coincide with the New Years unit as well. Oh, and Ast lessons too![Edit by="cashb on Jan 21, 11:26:39 AM"][/Edit]
AnonymousGreat, I will get the information from you next week at school.
AnonymousOn Friday 1-27-06 I will be celebrating Chinese New Year in my Kindergarten Class with three centers. #1. Painting the Dragon made from egg cartons and paper towel rolls. #2. Calligraphy writing "Luck" on red paper with gold glitter. #3 Graphing things they were able to put up with chop-sticks.
I told the K-2 team teachers next door that I would do this lessom. A positive outcome was that they too decided to teach a lesson on Chinese New Year. Now nearly 60 children will benefit and learn about Chinese New Year.Text
AnonymousLast Friday, the 4th grade and the 1st grade joined together as big/little buddies to make Chinese New Year Dragons. I read them a story about the dragon and the kids loved it. The dragons were very simple but so cute. The kids had a great time making them and parading around the room as dragons. It is neat to hear the kids share their traditions and customs of celebrating the new year.
AnonymousI think it's great that everyone is acknowledging the New Year. Even in my sixth grade class I mentioned it (though it is rather out of context). I have a title one aide in my room now and when she heard me ask the kids what year they were born in, what Chinese animal were they, etc. she then brought to me the next day a newspaper article all about the "Year of the Dog" and also a cute poster from a Hawaiian store of all the animals and a brief description of them. It is hanging in my classroom right now! Next year I plan to do a journal entry, "What year were you born in according to the Chinese and do you agree or disagree with your personality description, why or why not? Give examples."
AnonymousI received a book called Chinese New Year For Kids by Cindy Roberts. This book is a hands-on workbook for parents and teachers. This book gives an overview of Chinese New Year and the Chinese New Year calendar. There are many ideas for celebrating Chinese New Year in your classroom and home. Additionally there are art activities for making a dragon puppet and Chinese lantern. There is an explanation of different zodiac games and directions for conducting a dragon parade.
AnonymousKim-
Where did you get that book? I need some hands-on resources to incorporate more Asian culture in my classroom and that sounds like a start. Could I borrow it and make a copy? Chinese New Year is definitely one avenue and the kids love it.
AnonymousI found another book that could be incorporated into the classroom. It is called Happy New Year by Demi. I really enjoyed reading this book. There are numerous things that could be done with this book. There is a Chinese Lunar calendar that explains what people do before and after the Chinese New Year celebration. There is a picture of the Animal Zodiac, which explains the moon's cycle and the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. There is also ten different New Year poems and wishes that the students could replicate using calligraphy. Children could also paint their favorite god, animal, or symbol that is displayed in the book. Additionally, there is a list of common foods eaten during the New Year celebration. Each food is listed and it explains what each food represents. It has a list of common trees and flowers and explains what each of these plants symbolizes. It also explains the Lion Dance and the Dragon Dance. There is a great deal of information that may be learned from this book.
AnonymousHere is another book that I encountered called Chin Chaing and the Dragon Dance by Ian Wallace. This is a fictional book about a little boy who will perform the Dragon Dance with his grandfather during the New Years celebration. It discusses the evening festivities in China. The illustrations of the story are detailed and portray life in China through the eyes of a young boy. The pictures are detailed and incorporate many of the family traditions n China.
AnonymousI read a story called The Crane Wife by Slimiko Yagawa, which is one of Japan's most retold folktales. This story has been made into plays, movies, and an opera. Every year Japanese families will go and see the different versions of this story to pass on with their children. In this story, there is a lot of open space in the illustration for the children to complete the picture with their own imagination. The folktale is about a man who marries a stranger after he has rescued a wounded crane. The wife begins to weave magnificent fabric which puts food on their table. She asked her husband not to watch how she weaves the fabric. At first he was content with his happiness but soon greed and bad advice helps break his promise. When greed affects his decisions his happiness is lost. I think this folktale shares a story that all children would benefit from hearing.
AnonymousI also came across a story called Gung Hay Fat Choy by June Behrens. This is an older book that discusses the Chinese New Year celebration but it contains real photographs. There are pictures of the Dragon Dance and parade. There are numerous pictures of families in traditional dress performing a variety of dances. It portrays a family getting ready for the celebration and the food that there are preparing for their feast. It also shows how children celebrate the holiday, which our students would relate to.