Help students understand how the Chinese New Year is celebrated with food. Ask students to research the foods that are traditionally eaten during the Chinese New Year, such as dumplings. Ask parents or members of your community who are Chinese to bring food to share with students during your celebration, and to explain to students the significance of certain foods during the holiday.
Every new year in Chinese culture is designated by a specific animal Zodiac sign, which is based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Encourage each student to learn about his own Zodiac animal and the animal for the new year. Each animal in the Zodiac is assigned different characteristics, which a person born during that year is said to portray, as well. Ask each student to write a short paragraph comparing her personality with the characteristics associated with her zodiac animal.
Encourage students to learn more about China during your study of the Chinese New Year. Place students in groups and assign each group a specific topic concerning China, such as the geography, economy, transportation, history or cultural traditions. Ask each group to research a topic and create a presentation that includes video, pictures, maps or stories to share with classmates.
Help your students experience the excitement of the Chinese New Year by decorating your classroom with traditional decorations. The Chinese New Year is celebrated with decor in the colors red and gold, to symbolize luck and wealth, according to the website National Geographic Kids. Make firecracker decorations by covering toilet tissue tubes with red paper and gold decor, and hang them from the classroom, suggests the website Kaboose. Show students pictures of traditional decorations and provide art supplies for students to recreate these decorations for the classroom.