The Question:

 Eleni Migos Xydias is wondering what are some things teachers do for Chinese New Year?  This year (2012,) it begins on January 23rd 2012.

The Answers:

Allison Lynn

Make Chinese lanterns – Make a Chinese zodiac wreath after reading about theChinese zodiac and how the animals came to be (if you don’t have any books, Youtube has a few short videos) – Make dumplings- prepare filling ahead of time and teach children how toform the dumplings. There are a ton of resources on Enchanted learning.  I teach in China so there are a bunch of things going on already for CNY so it’s pretty easy to teach it around here. I’d try to get my hands on lots of books and videos about what happens around CNY.

Christopher William  Gibbs

We did our unit this week since Groundhog is next week. We lowered the tables for the week and made pillows to sit on. Also made dragons, zodiac, and lanterns. So much fun!

Sandi Greko Starland

We eat lunch with chop sticks (that I get from a local restaurant), make lucky penny red folders, try to write number in chinese calligraphy, and read a couple of books about it. My kids LOVE eating with the chopsticks! Also decorate the room with red paper lanterns and “sweep ” out the classroom.

Linda Trobaugh

My co teaching partner has done it for years – they make a long chinese dragon out of bulletin board paper – the kids all decorate. Tallest child holds it at the front, then all the kids hold it and walk under it and walk through the halls. Also, make masks, trace or paint chinese numbers, and we’ll have chopsticks and fortune cookies

Tabby French Leonard

I ordered take-out. Each child got his own container of sweet and sour chicken, rice, and an egg roll. They ate with chopsticks. I asked parents for a $3 donation to cover the cost.

Anne Aycock Pulley

Give each child a fortune cookie. Read them their fortune, then have them make up a fortune and write it down for a bulletin board. Have the kids try to eat rice with chop sticks. Make Chinese lanterns-(blow paint black paint onto red paper.

Kay Surber Snead 

I made fortune cookies out of felt (5 in. circle, folded and spot glued) and inserted a fortune that they could read,for example: You are so smart!

For more good ideas visit: ApplesForTheTeacher.com

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!