Chinese New Year Lesson by elcivics.com

Chinese New Year's is also called Spring Festival. It is the most important holiday in China. It starts on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar and lasts for fifteen days. It is a time of new beginnings. Before the holiday starts, people clean their houses, prepare food, get a haircut, buy new clothes, and pay off debts. It is a tradition to visit family members and friends at the start of the holiday. The year 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. (3 pages)

When is Chinese New Year?

It starts on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. It lasts for 15 days.

In 2011, it starts on February 3 and ends on February 17. It is the Year of the Rabbit.

What is this?

It is a Chinese zodiac wheel. The Chinese name their years after twelve

animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar (Pig).

The year 2011 is the Year of the Rabit.

What year is 2011 on the Chinese calendar?

It is the Year of the Rabbit.

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are cautious, calm, and gentle. They are good listeners, and they like beautiful things.

How do people prepare for Chinese New Year?

They clean their houses, buy new clothes, get haircuts, and pay off old debts.

These actions symbolize a fresh start.

What are these?

They are Chinese lanterns. They are made from paper.

Paper lanterns are hung above streets for Chinese New Year.

What is the woman holding?

She is holding a red envelope.

People put money in the envelopes and give them to children and young adults on Chinese New Year.

What do lions represent in Chinese culture?

They represent protection. Statues of lions are used to guard palaces and other buildings.

The Lion Dance is performed by a pair of dancers.

What are these men doing?

They are performing a Dragon Dance for a crowd of spectators.

The long dragon is made from silk and is attached to poles.

It takes a team of about ten dancers to perform a Dragon Dance.

From: http://www.elcivics.com