Mid-Autumn Festival

Suitable for Grades 7-10

Mid-Autumn Festival-Kong Ming Lanterns
Woman Look at the Red Lantern for Mid Autumn Festival
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Ignite Curiosity!

Mid-autumn festival celebrations.Rabbits in Chinese Mid-autumn festival lanterns
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WORD BANK

  • Myth
  • Mooncake
  • Lunar ​calendar
  • Riddles
  • Global
Delicious Moon Cake for Mid Autumn Festival

Look at the images and word bank from Mid-Autumn Festival, discuss what students ​see and predict what the festival might be about.

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Explore Ideas!

WHAT IS MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL?

Mooncake
Mooncake

Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival celebrated annually in China and globally by Chinese communities. It's a lunar ​festival, which means the date changes yearly, but is always in Autumn, on Month 8, Day 15 of the lunar calendar. That day ​is always in September or October. The festival centres around enjoying the full moon and, like all festivals, has special ​foods to eat and different activities. There is also a well known myth from the festival, ‘Chang’e the Moon Goddess’.

HOW IS IT CELEBRATED?

Students explore the videos and readings, recording key information and then discussing with a partner how Mid Autumn ​Festival is celebrated.

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Read Mid Autumn ​Festival: Celebrations, ​Greetings, Origins and ​identify key information ​about Mid-Autumn ​Festival and how it is ​celebrated.

EXPLORE GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS

Hand-drawn Mid-Autumn Festival Illustration - Cute rabbit making mooncake

Mid-Autumn Festival is not only celebrated in China, but across East and South East Asia. Consider which countries this ​includes. Explore the videos to identify similarities and difference between celebrations and consider why communities around ​the world (outside of China/Asia) celebrate it.

Mooncake

Mid-Autumn Festival – ​“Children’s Day in Vietnam”

Mid Autumn Festival - Mooncakes

How the Mid-Autumn Festival is ​celebrated around the world

Mid Autumn Festival - Mooncakes

Gardens By the Bay Mid-Autumn ​Festival Light up 2018: Singapore

Extension: The Rabbit in the Moon Story

During the Mid-Autumn Festival Changér Flies to the Moon is a commonly told story. It is based on the myth of Houyi and ​Changér and also references a 'rabbit in the moon'. The idea of a rabbit in the moon can be found in other cultural stories, ​including ancient Aztecs.

Explore the global links of this story through the videos and activities on these pages.

Moon Rabbit and Mooncakes for Mid Autumn Festival
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Create!

WRITE A LANTERN WITH A RIDDLE

Hand drawn Mid-Autumn Festival illustration - Cute rabbit holding a lantern

Lantern making is a common activity at Mid-Autumn Festival. ​Riddles are often inscribed on the lanterns as part of the ​festival and seen as a fun activity. Explore how riddles work ​here and try writing your own.


Make a lantern (find simple and complex lantern making ​activity cards here), including a riddle (find Riddle Writing ​activity card here), inscribed on the lantern just like they ​do at Mid-Autumn Festival.

PLAN A CELEBRATION

Individually, in pairs or small groups, plan how you could celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival at your school. Brainstorm ideas, ​consider different activities, foods eaten (cooked/sold), who can attend, how to advertise it (school social media, ​posters) etc. Design educational materials eg. poster or video for the school community, to display or share to educate ​others about the holiday or festival.

MAKE MOONCAKES!

Mooncake

Follow the instructions below to make either a no-​bake mooncake or a cooked version.

Adam Liaw’s delicious no-bake mooncake

Mid Autumn Festival - Moon Rabbit and Mooncakes

How to make moon cakes at home-easy recipe

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Share!

Rabbit holding mooncake
  • Share your students’ fantastic work with your school community to show them the great intercultural ​learning taking place in your classroom!


  • Prepare an assembly item, social media content or posters to share about this holiday.


  • Create a Learning Wall about the festival, with Inquiry Questions.


  • Display students‘ work on the festival on the Learning Wall or around the school.
Mid Autumn Festival Moon and Cloud
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Post!

  • Tag @MegGlobalEd on school posts so we can celebrate your students’ wonderful ​work. Find Meg on Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and Instagram
Mid-Autumn Festival-Kong Ming Lanterns