Chinese New Year: crafts and fun for kids
The exact origin of this holiday is too old to be traced, but many explanations still exist One idea is that the party began when a beast named Nian which means the year in Chinese came out the day before the new year and began to address the people in the villages of course, the people were very frightened by this monster and therefore a brave old man went to the beast and said that instead of eating the villagers, he must eat the other animals that were afraid Nian these people follow the old man's request and all the beasts were hunted in the forest the old man went to the back of Nian, and he is, the man was an immortal god the villagers were very grateful to the old man to give them a peaceful life before the old man is gone for good, he told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors to the deb ut of each new year, as the red scare of the beast They also triggered firecrackers to scare away an e beast terrible This is just an idea on how the Chinese New Year began, there are many other ideas on how this celebration began most people celebrate the holiday without really knowing why.
Another interesting thing about Chinese New Year is that very few people know when this festival is celebrated without looking at a traditional Chinese calendar, as it does not fall on the same day in ancient China a lunar calendar Today we use solar calendars on a lunar calendar, the new year begins the first night of the new moon after the sun enters Aquarius This date is anywhere between January 20 and February 19 on a solar calendar the Chinese years are grouped into sets of 12 each year being represented by a zodiac sign animal is said that a person has the characteristics of the animal of the year they were born procedures See for more information the Chinese zodiac.
During the celebration of Chinese New Year, people participate in many traditional activities The Chinese believe that as they enter a new year, they should put behind them all the things of the past They clean their houses, pay off debts, buy new clothes, paint their doors and windows, and even get new haircuts These activities symbolize new life and a new beginning.
The houses are decorated with flowers and paper decorations indicating wishes of prosperity, good luck, happiness, good fortune, wealth and longevity for the coming year of entering zodiac animal decorations are also displayed red and gold are popular colors to decorate with Red represents the power of happiness, vitality and drives away the animals gold represents wealth and good fortune.
A very important tradition of the Chinese New Year is the exchange of gifts is a traditional gift given is of little red envelopes filled with lucky money envelopes These are given to children by their family and friends The color red is used for bring good fortune, and inside money is used by children to buy holiday treats These envelopes symbolize the gift of good fortune.
The food is also very important for the end of year festivities for families and friends gather for large parties before eating, they put their food on alters and make offerings to the gods food served at these feasts vary, but what is served is always a tradition for this family.
The dragon is another popular symbol for the Chinese New Year is a symbol of strength, kindness, and good luck, and supernatural forces The dragon is considered a legendary combination of many animals during the New Year, one the main events is a parade in the streets of the city as part of the parade, people dress in dragon costumes and dancing in the streets These suits are made of very silk and brightly decorated extravagantly Some dragons are long men and boys 100 feet complex dragon dances with a person handling the dragon's head and the rest of the body in motion.
A celebration of Chinese New Year would not be complete without fireworks There are many beliefs about why fireworks are used The first is that the noise awakens the dragon that will fly through the sky bring spring rain for crops another belief is that the noise of the fireworks is supposed to frighten evil spirits and misfortunes, preventing them from entering the new year in fact, gunpowder was invented in China there are more than 1,000 years for thin firecrackers were thrown at the feet of the dragons in the parade keep them awake for the celebration dragons are supposed to sleep the rest of the year.
The New Year's Eve is the strictest part observed the feast It begins with a late-night party with members of the family ancestors are honored and offer food and incense are made to the gods in the midnight strike, the celebration really begins the sky is filled with fireworks and the streets are full of people wishing each other a good year next morning, gifts are exchanged between family members and friends for other days of celebration, the time is spent visiting friends and wishing them luck in the new year new year's Eve and the first three days of the new year is officially observed as a holiday Meanwhile, the most companies, except cinemas and restaurants closed for people celebrating the return to work somewhere between the fifth and eighth day of the new year, but the spirit of celebration lasts the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the New Year After that, life takes it's not again rMal routines.
It is important to remember that the Chinese New Year is celebrated not only in China Everywhere there are Chinese people, there is a celebration of Chinese New Year The specific activities of the celebration often vary depending on the region, but basic principles are the same.
Cech Globalchild million in 1991 Multicultural Resources for young kids New York Addison-Wesley.
Chinese New Year Celebration Guide Box 1993 Lakeshore Learning Materials.
Sing R 1992 Chinese New Year Dragon Teacher In multicultural celebrations Guide Cleveland, Ohio Modern Curriculum Press.
Santino, J F 1990 Calendar in the new Book of Knowledge Vol 3 pp 11-17 Connecticut Grolier Inc.
Tan Nan Junior College of Technology in 1996 Chinese New Year available online.
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Yuan, Haiwang 1995 Chinese New Year or available online.
--Students will recognize that different groups of people celebrate special holiday to them.
--Students demonstrate their understanding of the concept of tradition.
--Students will identify and participate in three traditional activities used during celebrations of Chinese New Year.
--Students explain why the traditional activities are made.
--Students localize the year they and their families were born on a graph of the Chinese zodiac and whether the characteristics of animals are an accurate representation of their personality.
3-5 class periods would be better if you can celebrate during the time of celebration of the Chinese New Year.
-Children Chinese New Year books annex.
A conference Mini Explain that different groups of people celebrate different festivals speak their holiday in the New Year we have just celebrated January 1 Show students where China is on a map or globe Briefly describe how ancient Chinese used a lunar calendar so that they celebrate the new year is another time Explain to children how they determine the date of the new year Share information about the history of the party and some of its traditions Make tell them the holiday is celebrated in places other than China Check understanding with questioning and examining the information necessary Ask the children to write something they learned in their journals.
B Chinese information Zodiac Business Journal on the lunar calendar Explain to the children how the years a Chinese calendar are grouped into sets of twelve each year represented by another animal, and the animals are called zodiac signs Remind the children that under new year's celebration, the Chinese people welcome the new animal for the year, they use images of this animal to decorate Tell them that people believed that the people of the features were like the animal of the year they were born students Chinese Zodiac Chart have see Annex understand the years for each animal according to the example of the rabbit Ask them know what year they were born, and that members of their family year born may need to be an activity of duties Let them match these dates and whether they think the charac stics of the animal accurately represents those born that year Ask them if they think it would be true for everyone Here are some additional features that you may want to add to the table If time allows, ask -their show their paintings.
--loving mouse -Rat, keeper of secrets, charming, hard work.
C Reading have several picture books and information books available to children in the class library Choose some of them to read and discuss with the class a children's book list is attached, but it is sure to be listed There.
D Concept Development Review some of the traditional things done during celebrations of Chinese New Year Define the concept of tradition A long continued practice or custom transmission of beliefs, legends and generation of customs generation Give examples of things that people do that are traditions and things that people are not as traditions from the children of the traditions that you have or the traditions that we have here in America.
Ask the children to interview their parents about the traditions they have in their family See Annex to the letter to parents ask children ask their parents how the tradition began and it particular significance, he encourage children to ask questions on traditions related to holidays or celebrations Have children draw a picture of their tradition and write a short sentence about these images will be shared with the class, and then linked together like a book of traditions that can be enjoyed by the class Remind the children that most things Chinese New celebrations according to the traditions Year.
F Guest Speaker If possible find someone of Chinese origin, or a person who has visited China and attended a celebration of the Chinese New Year have somewhere to talk with the class of things they heard, saw and made during the celebration encourage the speaker to bring objects and images they can have the participants individually write the speaker thank you notes Ask them are specific thing they have learned from the speaker.
G Hands on Chinese New Year is filled with many exciting activities colorful and traditional Through learning this celebration, children should be able to experience some of these make sure that you remind activities children symbolism behind these activities see background have children participate in at least three of the planned activities when they finished with the celebration, have the children write in their journal activities they did, and what these activities mean.
Dragon dance Let the children work in groups 3-4 to make their own dragon costume paint a large dragon head on a grocery bag Tie a long piece of butcher paper to decorate the body with sequins, glitter and feathers to make it fancy Ask the children to dance and take turns being the head and body.
Make red Envelopes- Ask children to make money on paper and put the paper in the envelopes Gives the square of red paper Ask them to fold the corners to meet in the middle and seal it with a gold sticker If they wish, they can decorate the envelope to make it more special envelopes can be given to friends or family members.
Fireworks- Painting Give the children pieces of black paper put the little drops of paint on their image and then blow the drops with a straw before the paint is dry, sprinkle glitter have on the pictures Ask the children to see if they can think of other ways to paint fireworks.
Making good luck symbols -In China, the word for good luck is fu FOO Explain that Chinese characters are like our people alphabet painted signs with this character to hang in their homes and on the streets These signs are painted in the traditional red and gold colors and are hung upside for the Chinese word rhymes with the Chinese word to get to it is sort of a pun that by suspending the sign backwards, good luck happen Have the children use the red square to make their own sign fu They can either draw the character themselves following the instructions given in the notes or decorate a sign before using gold and red paint and flakes.
H Compare and contrast this activity is to help children compare the celebration of Chinese New Year with New Year celebrated on January first the children take a piece of paper and construct a Venn diagram two circles that overlap have a title of a circle Chinese new year and the other circle January 1 new year piece label overlap even fill the diagram unique information about each celebration, and fill the overlap section with the things every celebration has in common after they work on it alone, let them in small groups and share their ideas with each other.
--Pictures and phrases on the traditions will be evaluated.
--sharing practical course work items will be evaluated.
--Journals Mini-conference and reflection on the activities of Chinese New Year will be assessed.
Use of this zodiac table, fill in the missing years follow the rabbit Find the year of your birth Find the years, members of your family were born Are animal characteristics correspond to those of you or your family do you think this is true for everyone Be prepared to answer these questions in the classroom When finished, illustrate your theme FUN sign.
Adapted from Sing, R Guide 1992 Chinese New Year Dragon s Teacher In multicultural celebrations Cleveland, Ohio Modern Curriculum Press.
Behrens, June 1982 Gung Hoy Fat Choy, Happy New Year Chicago Children's Book Press.
Brown 1987 Tricia Chinese New Year New York Holt.
Half 1987A Chinese Zoo New York Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Handforth, Thomas Mei Li 1938 New York, Doubleday.
Hou Tien Cheng 1976 Chinese New Year New York Holt.
Politi, Leo 1960 Avg Avg New York, Charles Scribner's Sons.
Wallace, 1984 Ian Chin Chiang and Toronto Dance Groundwood Dragon.
Waters, Kate and Madeline Slovenz-Low 1990 Lion Dancer Ernie Wan Chinese New Year New York Scholastic.
Blackwood, Alan 1985 Festivals New Year Hove, East Sussex Wayland.
Kelley, Emily Happy New Year 1984 Minneapolis Carolrhoda.
Yoshiko, Samuel 1972 twelve, twelve animals Nashville Abingdon.
Do not forget to check the internet, as there is much information about the Chinese New Year online You can even participate in celebrations of the Chinese New Year on the Internet.
We discuss the concept of tradition and how they are often specific to different groups of people Please take a moment to let your child you interview some traditions you share with family We would especially know about the traditions linked to parties and celebrations we discuss the traditions of Chinese New year we thank you for your help and cooperation.
The diagrams drawn Sing, R Guide 1992 Chinese New Year Dragon s Teacher In multicultural celebrations Cleveland, Ohio Modern Curriculum Press.
Chinese New Year Lesson Plan, the plan, Chinese Year.
Rue Lesson, 17300 Rochefort, Франция