Lunar New Year: Lesson Plan
Suitable for Grade 4, 5 & 6
Year of the Rabbit
WHAT IS LUNAR NEW YEAR?
Lunar New Year celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. It takes place around January and February every year. Explain to your students that it's almost Lunar New Year (or in China, Chinese New Year) and that today's lesson is going to explore this.
Establish your student's prior knowledge by asking the following questions. This can also be used as a prediction task.
- What does the word ‘lunar’ mean? (moon)
- What and when is Lunar New Year? (it changes each year, around Jan/Feb as it is based on the lunar calendar)
- Who celebrates it? (people living in, or with heritage from many Asian countries)
- How is it celebrated? (lots of different ways, eating special foods, decorating homes and community areas with red, and letting off fireworks)
Watch 'How is Chinese New Year Celebrated?' video below:
YEAR OF THE RABBIT
The Chinese Zodiac Story is a famous Chinese legend which explains the Chinese Zodiac and the order of the 12 animals. 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit.
Watch 'Chinese Zodiac Story 2023/The Story of the Year of the Rabbit' and ask students to name all 12 animals. See if they can recall the order of the race results.
Look at the following years, identify which ‘animal’ students in the class are:
2023/2011 Rabbit , 2022/2010 Tiger, 2021/2009 Ox, 2020/2008 Rat, 2019/2007 Pig, 2018/2006 Dog, 2017/2005 Rooster, 2028/2016 Monkey, 2027/2015 Goat, 2026/2014 Horse, 2025/2013 Snake, 2024/2012 Dragon
HOW IS IT CELEBRATED?
There are lots of different, special ways this festival is celebrated. There are special foods, activities to do, and lucky colours to wear and decorate your home with.
Watch these two videos and identify the different festival activities. Students make a visual infographic on Lunar New Year activities.
WHO CELEBRATES IT?
Re-watch How Asians Celebrate Lunar New Year Worldwide with your class and ask students to identify the different countries and different activities that appeared in the video.
Many Asian countries celebrate Lunar New Year. Each does so in their own unique and special way. Many Asian people who move to different countries also celebrate it.
While looking at the countries, discuss:
- What is similar about these countries geographically?
- Can you find some other countries in Asia?
- Is there anyone in your class with ties to Asia?
Note: Many Asian people who have moved to other countries still celebrate this festival. You may have people in your class, school, community, city, etc that celebrate this.
THE LEGEND OF NIAN
There are many legends associated with Lunar New Year, the most famous one is the origin of how Lunar New Year is celebrated in China. It believes a monster named ‘Nian’ visited villages, attacking them. To learn more, watch the video below with your students:
CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR ACTIVITIES TO DO AT SCHOOL OR AT HOME!
Dumplings are a traditional food made together as a family, then eaten and enjoyed together during the holiday.
- Try making dumplings yourself using Meg’s Global Learning Recipe Cards.
https://megvault.com/chinese-recipe-cards
Red lanterns are hung around the streets, in public places and in people’s courtyards or gardens for decoration at Lunar New Year.
- Try making your own red lanterns using Meg’s Global Learning Arts and Crafts cards.
The character 'Fu' symbolises luck, but it is traditional to place the character upside down. This symbolizes luck 'pouring down' or 'arriving'. An upside-down ‘fu’ character placed in a public space like your front door is believed to invite luck in.
- Print out this colouring in page for students to decorate however they wish, or for ambitious students; to practice writing the character. When completed, display the finished worksheets on your classroom door for good luck!