The curriculum for the entire month of January in grades one through four is dedicated to the most important holiday in Chinese culture: Chinese New Year. Students learn that Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar and therefore falls on a different day every year. Students in grades three and four delved into this concept more in depth and compared how this important holiday is celebrated in Korea and other Asian countries. All of our students learn the traditions, customs and stories about Chinese New Year through experiences that leave a lasting impression. 

The story of the monster named Nian teaches students why red is the primary color used for Chinese New Year celebrations. Making red colored projects reinforces this concept. Students learned about the tradition of giving the ‘hongbao’ by receiving a red envelope with a lucky penny from their teacher. The story of the Twelve Zodiac Animals teaches students the names of the animals and that every year has an animal symbol. Students enjoyed learning what animal year they and their family members are born. We also spent time practicing popular Chinese New Year greetings and songs.

The culmination of our unit is the fabulous Chinese New Year parade held in each of our four elementary schools. During our parades students from each fourth grade class proudly marched through the hallways carrying dragons, lions, drums, ribbons, and fans. All other students lined the hallways and enjoyed as the parade went by, bringing good fortune to all!