Happy (Lunar) New Year!

Along with ringing in the new year and celebrating the new decade of 2020, third graders have been busy learning about Lunar New Year as part of our China study.  Typically, most people know this holiday as Chinese New Year.   However, the Lunar New Year, which is based on the phases of the moon, is celebrated by many countries around the world.   This year, the Lunar New Year falls on January 25.  Last week, third graders read articles together in pairs.   We learned about the origin of Lunar New Year as well as many of the stories and traditions.  As we read, we made note of the similarities and differences between how different people celebrate the new year.

We also learned a lot about customs that bring luck to a family in the new year.  For example, cleaning before the new year makes room for new fortune.  Red is considered a lucky color so red clothes and red decorations such as lanterns, play a prominent part in the festivities.  The Lunar New Year lasts for 15 days and some schools in China are closed for a whole month!   During this time, some families gather to celebrate and carry out traditional customs.  For example, on the seventh day of the new year, it is the national  birthday where everyone observes a traditional second birthday.  On the 8th day of the new year, it is the birthday of millet(!) an important crop in China.  We learned many new facts from the articles we read and also the videos we watched. Third graders showed their comprehension and good thinking skills as they worked on responses to what was new or interesting information to them.  We also took a quiz to see how much we remembered and understood about the things we learned.  Gong Xi Fa Ca!  Happy Lunar New Year everyone!