Labour Day: Lesson Plan

Suitable for Prep, Grade 1, 2 & 3

Look at the four images and try and elicit what holidays or festivals are these from? Ask students ​which other festivals and holidays they know and celebrate. Then identify the image that fits with ​the festival you'll be learning about today.

Share the following information about Labour Day with students or source an age appropriate ​picture book to read with them to start the conversation about this holiday:

Labour Day in China, or International Workers’ Day, is a public holiday that celebrates workers’ ​contributions to the country. In 2024, Chinese Labour Day will be celebrated from May 1st-5th. ​International Workers’ Day is a time for family gatherings and fun. During the Labor Day Holiday, ​many people go shopping, visit prime tourist destinations, and hold demonstrations and ​performances. Labour Day is sometimes called May Day and is celebrated throughout the world in ​over 80 countries.

In this lesson, students will learn about occupations in China. They will also engage in a discussion ​and a hands-on activity that will help them understand what it means to be a part of the labour ​force that helps communities function and develop an appreciation for various facets of the ​workforce.

• Find out about an interesting occupation in ​China: Panda Hugger Job in China.
  
• Discuss with the class what a Panda Hugger ​/ Nanny's job responsibilities are.
• Ask students what jobs their parents or ​other family members have. Discuss which ​skills these jobs entail.
  

Have a class discussion about dream jobs. Which jobs might students do when they grow up? Ask ​them to share 3 skills they are good at e.g. listening, caring for others and drawing.. then discuss ​which jobs might suit these skills e.g. nurse or an artist.

Students can make a community job hat - for ​example a Nurse, Chef, Police Officer, ​Firefighter, etc. To get started, prepare some ​blank paper, coloured pencils, pens, and glue or ​tape. Instructions on how to guide the students ​through making a job hat can be found here.

Students can work in groups to survey their classmates or other classes about ​the jobs their parents and caregivers do. They can record the outcomes and ​graph them in an age appropriate way if they wish too.

• 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 to share about this holiday.
  

• Create a Learning Wall about the fetsival.
  

• Display students‘ work on the festival on the Learning Wall or around the school.
  

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