Group Activity: Life Skills - Lesson 1 - Holidays – Chinese New Year

Celebrations

© Star Autism Support 2017. Themes First! - Celebrations

Objective: This activity builds on listening, motor, and social skills to support students in reaching individual learner outcomes through cultural literacy.

Materials: • Chinese zodiac posters (provided)• Animal image outlines (provided)• Chinese New Year fact sheet (provided)• Chinese New Year image (provided)• Book by Joan Holub: Dragon Dance• Scissors (1 per student)• Glue (1 per student)• Crayons or markers

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

Preparation:1. Print:

a. Chinese zodiac posters (1 per student)b. Animal image outlines (1 set per student)c. Chinese New Year fact sheet (1 for entire class)d. Chinese New Year image (1 for entire class)

Instructions:1. Read the book, Dragon Dance, by Joan Holub. 2. Lead a discussion with students about the Chinese New Year:

a. Read to the class from the Chinese New Year fact sheetb. Hold up or pass around the Chinese New Year image for students to look at while you discuss

the holiday3. Explain that students will be making their own Chinese zodiac posters.4. Distribute to each student: Chinese zodiac poster, animal image outline set, scissors, glue, and

crayons/markers.5. Direct students to:

a. Color each animal image outline b. Cut out each animal imagec. Glue each animal image in its corresponding space on the Chinese zodiac poster

© Star Autism Support 2017. Themes First! - Celebrations

Chinese New Year Fact Sheet

• The Chinese New Year—also called the Spring Festival, or the Lunar New Year—is celebrated by Chinese people around the world to mark the end of the winter season and the beginning of spring.

• The holiday also honors ancestors and elders. This a time for reunions with family and friends.

• Traditions and customs that go along with the Chinese New Year:• Decorations are often red colored paper cut-outs

that celebrate happiness, good fortune, luck, and wealth.

• Firecrackers and firework are set off to scare away evil spirits.

• Dragon and lion dances are performed at parades to bring good luck and prosperity.

• People give and receive red envelopes filled with money for the Chinese New Year.

• The Chinese New Year is the longest festival in the Chinese lunar calendar:• Each year of the Chinese lunar calendar is named

after an animal. These animals are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

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© Star Autism Support 2017. Themes First! - Celebrations

Chinese Zodiac Poster

Rat

Dragon

Monkey

Ox

Snake

Rooster

Tiger

Horse

Dog

Rabbit

Ram

Pig

© Star Autism Support 2017. Themes First! - Celebrations

Animal Image Outlines: