February Celebrations
Chinese New Year & Showing Love Every Day: Beyond Valentine's
Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors. The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.
Books
The Dancing Dragon by Marcia K. Vaughan
Chinese New Year Crafts by Karen E. Bledsoe
Chinese New Year For Kids by Cindy Roberts
Paper Crafts for Chinese New Year by Randel McGee
Chinese Children's Favorite Stories by Mingmei Yip
The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth
Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
Activities for Bringing in the New Year:
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=book_newyear&display=activities
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=activities_lessons
Chinese New Year Crafts by Karen E. Bledsoe
Chinese New Year For Kids by Cindy Roberts
Paper Crafts for Chinese New Year by Randel McGee
Chinese Children's Favorite Stories by Mingmei Yip
The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth
Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
Activities for Bringing in the New Year:
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=book_newyear&display=activities
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=activities_lessons
Activities
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/chinesenewyear/
http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.html
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_new_year_crafts.htm
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/chinese-new-year/teacher-resources/6603.html
http://www.theteacherscorner.net/seasonal/chinese-new-year/
http://www.first-school.ws/theme/h_chinese-new-year.htm
http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.html
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_new_year_crafts.htm
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/chinese-new-year/teacher-resources/6603.html
http://www.theteacherscorner.net/seasonal/chinese-new-year/
http://www.first-school.ws/theme/h_chinese-new-year.htm
Clicks
The Holiday Spot offers:
History
Traditions
Chinese Zodiac
The Festival
Wallpaper
Recipes
Coloring Pages
Greeting Cards:
http://www.chinesenewyearecards.com/
History
Traditions
Chinese Zodiac
The Festival
Wallpaper
Recipes
Coloring Pages
Greeting Cards:
http://www.chinesenewyearecards.com/
Music
Chinese New Year Music - Gong Xi (MP3)
Chinese New Year Music 2
Chinese New Year Music 3
Lion Dance
http://www.childbook.com/Songs-and-Stories-CDs-for-Children-Learning-Chinese-s/33.htm
Sheet Music http://www.nancymusic.com/Gunghaymusic.htm
Chinese New Year Music 2
Chinese New Year Music 3
Lion Dance
http://www.childbook.com/Songs-and-Stories-CDs-for-Children-Learning-Chinese-s/33.htm
Sheet Music http://www.nancymusic.com/Gunghaymusic.htm
Chinese New Year Song
Gong Xi, Gong Xi Ni
Smile at everyone you see
Everyone in the family
On this Happy New Year's Day
We wish you a "Kong Si", "Kong Si"
Kong Si, Kong Si, Kong Si Nee yah
Kong Si, Kong Si, Kong Si Nee
Everyone in the family
On this Happy New Year's Day
We wish you a "Kong Si", "Kong Si"
Kong Si, Kong Si, Kong Si Nee yah
Kong Si, Kong Si, Kong Si Nee
Gung Hay Fat Choy – Chinese New Year Song
(wishing you good fortune and happiness)
Sing as a fingerplay with the simple hand motions, or pass out rhythm instruments and have children play on the chorus. Or you use as a circle dancing, holding hands and walking around on the chorus, and stopping to make hand motions on the verses).
Chorus:
(keep a rhythm patting hands together one hand up, then the other)
Gung Hay Fat Choy, Gung Hay Fat Choy
Sing Happy New Year, Gung Hay Fat Choy
1. The new moon tells us, exactly when (hold up one hand in C shape for crescent moon)
To celebrate with family and friends (clap hands in rhythm)
2. Clean up the house and get out the broom(pretend to sweep)
Sweep out the old year, bring in the new
3. Bring out the apples, the oranges too (hold out one fist, then the other)
Their colors bring us joy and good luck too
4. The dragon dances, the lanterns light(place hands together, and snake around )
The firecrackers light up the night (alternate right and left fist out with fingers opening quickly to mimic shooting fireworks).
Chorus:
(keep a rhythm patting hands together one hand up, then the other)
Gung Hay Fat Choy, Gung Hay Fat Choy
Sing Happy New Year, Gung Hay Fat Choy
1. The new moon tells us, exactly when (hold up one hand in C shape for crescent moon)
To celebrate with family and friends (clap hands in rhythm)
2. Clean up the house and get out the broom(pretend to sweep)
Sweep out the old year, bring in the new
3. Bring out the apples, the oranges too (hold out one fist, then the other)
Their colors bring us joy and good luck too
4. The dragon dances, the lanterns light(place hands together, and snake around )
The firecrackers light up the night (alternate right and left fist out with fingers opening quickly to mimic shooting fireworks).
More Activities...
Showing Love Every Day: Beyond Valentine's
Materials:
Creativity and Play: Fostering Creativity from Pbs.org
Opening Song:
Magic Words from Signing Time!
Theme Music:
Wee Sing For Baby by Pamela Conn Beall & Susan Hagen Nipp
Theme Craft:
“Inside this card you will find a hand-full of Love to last a life time!”
Closing Song:
Blow A Kiss By Lori Berkner Under a Shady Tree cd
Take the Theme:
Showing LOVE Every Day- Beyond Valentine's
Wee Sing For Baby by Pamela Conn Beall & Susan Hagen Nipp
Theme Craft:
“Inside this card you will find a hand-full of Love to last a life time!”
Closing Song:
Blow A Kiss By Lori Berkner Under a Shady Tree cd
Take the Theme:
Showing LOVE Every Day- Beyond Valentine's