February 3, 2011 marks the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese calendar. Teachers can use this holiday as a stepping stone in introducing Asian culture to their students.
Topics Related to Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year celebration can be used to make students aware of the cultural aspects and beliefs of Asian culture.
- Arts/Crafts: Students can find art work of Asian artists. Teach students about origami (paper folding).
- Astrology: Introduce students to the animals in the Chinese zodiac
- Astronomy: What does the moon have to do with determining the date of the New Year?
- Culture: Contrast the culture of the past with the culture of today.
- History: The historical innovations of Chinese (kites, gun powder, hot air balloon).
- Mythology: The fables and stories surrounding the animals of the zodiac.
The Chinese Zodiac
Everyone wants to know what animal is associated with their birth. This may be a little more difficult than one might think. For the sake of simplicity, the Chinese zodiac characters are usually associated with the numeric years of the western calendar. But since the actual Chinese New Year occurs somewhere between January 21 and February 19 the zodiac animal may be different than would be expected.
That means babies born between February 3, 2011 and January 22, 2012 will be born in the Year of the Tiger. Those babies born earlier in 2011 are technically from the Year of the Tiger. Students can find out for certain what zodiac animal represents them by visiting the Zodiac Sign Calculator and entering their birth date.
The Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
All but one of the animals in the Chinese zodiac (the dragon) are real animals. They all have unique characteristics, fables and stories associated with them. Detailed information about the animals of the Chinese zodiac can be found in the book: The Secrets of Chinese Astrology [Gramercy Books, 2003] by Derek Walters.
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Sheep
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
Classroom Activities for Chinese New Year
Depending on the age and maturity of students, there are a variety of activities that can be planned for this day. Not all activities need to focus on just Chinese New Year. Let this holiday become an opportunity for students to learn about the Asian community both local and international.
- Invite an Asian-born member of the community to discuss their culture, beliefs, and way of life with students.
- Have students create their zodiac animal as a drawing, painting, or an origami creation. (See Origami Research Center: Chinese Zodiac for patterns.)
- Find a video on YouTube of a Chinese New Year celebration and have students discuss the differences and similarities between western and eastern celebrations.
- Read students some of the folk stories from Fishing for the Moon and Other Zen Stories by Lulu Hansen, an excellent source of animal based Zen stories. The book comes in a pop up format which adds another layer to the tales within.
The Chinese New Year is always a cause for celebration. Bringing the celebration to the classroom can be an educational experience and provide young minds with the diverse experience of another culture.
Resources:
Other Articles About Chinese New Year
Matching Birthdates to Chinese Zodiac Animals
Other Articles About Using Holidays in the Classroom
Classroom Suggestions for Veteran's Day
Dates and Zodiac Animals of Chinese New Year
Holiday Activities for Children at School
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