Chinese New Year - Brooklyn Children's Museum

Portable Collections Program 

Chinese Kwanzaa New Year

Acknowledgments 

Beth Alberty 

Gloria Cones 

Kayla Dove 

Elizabeth Reich Rawson 

Dawn Reid 

Angela Yang 

Developer 

Emily Timmel 

Graphic Design 

Charita Patamikakorn 

Case Fabrication 

Ellen Leo 

Special Thanks 

Lisa Brahms 

Pearl Rosen Golden 

Keri Goldberg 

Nicki Hoff-Lilavois 

Funding 

This project is made possible by a grant from 

© 2008 

Brooklyn Children’s Museum 

145 Brooklyn Avenue 

Brooklyn, New York 11213 

718-735-4400 ext. 170 

www.brooklynkids.org 

For information about renting this or other Portable Collections Program cases, 

please contact the Scheduling Assistant at 718-735-4400 ext. 118.

Table of Contents 

Checklist: What’s in the Case? .............................. 4 

Information for the Teacher ................................. 6 

How to Handle Museum Objects 

Teaching Students How to Look at Museum Objects 

About Chinese New Year 

Information about the Objects in the Case 

Activities to do with your Students ......................... 12 

Activity 1: Introduction to Chinese New Year 

Activity 2: Chinese Zodiac Animals 

Activity 3: Making New Year’s Decorations 

Activity 4: Hong Bao: A Child’s New Year Gift 

Activity 5: Lion Dance 

Program Extensions 

Resources and Reference Materials ......................... 33 

Vocabulary Words 

Correlation with New York State Learning Standards 

Where to Find Out More about Chinese Culture in New York City 

Bibliography and Web Resources

checklist 

What’s in the Case 

Objects 

Hong Bao Tangerine Money Tree Fu Sign Decorative 

Firecrackers 

Boy and Girl Nylon 

Lantern 

Lion Head Puppet Brass Gong Cymbals 

Rat Ornament Ox Ornament Tiger Ornament Rabbit Ornament 

Dragon Ornament Snake Ornament Horse Ornament Sheep Ornament 

Chinese New Year | 4

checklist 

What’s in the Case 

Objects 

Monkey Ornament Rooster Ornament Dog Ornament Pig Ornament 

Books 

Chang, Monica. 

Story of the Chinese Zodiac. 

Taiwan: Yuan-Liou Publishing 

Co., Ltd, 1994. 

Waters, Kate. 

Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan’s 

Chinese New Year. 

Scholastic Press, 1991. 

Sievert, Terri. 

Chinese New Year: 

Festival of New Beginnings. 

Mancato, Minnesota: Capstone 

Chinn, Karen. 

Sam and the Lucky Money. 

New York: Lee & Low Books, 

Inc., 1995. 

Media 

Holidays for Children Video: Chinese New Year, DVD 

Gong Xi Gong Xi - Chinese New Year Songs, Audio CD 

Chinese New Year Photos 

Other 

World Map 


information for the teacher 

Welcome! 

This case explores Chinese New Year, an important holiday in Chinese culture that’s prominently 

celebrated in New York City. The activities and resources in this case can be used to enhance your 

study of how people celebrate the Chinese New Year in general and the Chinese Zodiac and Lion 

Dance in particular, while also providing you with resources to hold a Chinese New Year festival in 

your classroom. 

The study of Chinese New Year can extend in many directions, including immigration, cross-cultural 

comparison of Lunar New Year celebrations, and of course, a more in-depth study of China and 

its people. We have included some suggestions for how to make these curriculum connections to 

serve as starting points for following your own and your students’ interests. Integrated classes 

were taken into consideration when developing these activites, making many suited for students 

with special needs. For your convenience, you can download this guide from our website: 

www.brooklynkids.org. 

New York City has the fortune of supporting at least three Chinatowns. Even though these 

thriving communities exist in our city, many people do not encounter Chinatown until wintertime 

when street signs and banners throughout the boroughs advertise the many Lunar New Year 

celebrations. During Chinese New Year there are ample opportunities to introduce China and 

Chinese American customs. The objects in this case are intended to introduce Chinese New 

Year for your students and guide them to understand what their neighbors are celebrating and 

perhaps even their classmates. 

The objects in this case are real and authentic, purchased from stores in New York’s Chinatowns. 

Though they are not antique and some may look like toys, it is important to emphasize to your 

students that, like all museum objects, they are to be handled carefully. 



How to Handle Museum Objects 

Learning to respectfully handle objects from 

the Museum’s permanent collection can be 

part of your students’ educational experience. 

Please share these guidelines with your class, 

and make sure your students follow them in 

handling objects in the case: 

Students may handle the objects, 

carefully, under your supervision. 

Hold objects with two hands. 

Hold them by the solid part of 

the body or by the strongest 

area rather than by rims, edges 

or protruding parts. 

Paint, feathers, fur, paper, and 

textiles are especially fragile 

and should be touched as little as 

possible. Remember that rubbing 

and finger oils can be damaging. 

Do not shake objects or the 

Plexiglass cases that houses them. 

Temperature differences, direct 

sunlight, and water can be very 

harmful to certain objects. 

Please keep the objects away 

from radiators and open windows, 

and keep them secure. 

How to Look at Museum Objects 

Objects have the power to fascinate people 

with their mere physical presence. Holding 

an object in their hands forms a tangible link 

between your students, the person who 

made it, and the object’s place of origin. This 

sense of physical connection makes it easier 

for students to think concretely about the 

ideas and concepts you introduce to them in 

your lessons. 

Objects also have the power to tell us about 

their origins and purpose, provided we are 

willing to look at them in detail and think about 

what those details mean. Encourage your 

students to examine an object carefully, touch 

it gently, and look at its design and decoration. 

Have them describe its shape, size, and color. 

Ask them questions about what they see, and 

what that might tell them. For example: 

• How was the object made? What tools might 

the artist have used? 

• What materials did the artist use? Where 

might he or she have gotten those materials? 

• How does the object feel? Is it heavy, light, 

smooth, or rough? 

• How is the object decorated? What might the 

decorations mean? 

• What does the object tell you about the person 

or people who made it? 



Chinese New Year 

Of all the traditional Chinese festivals, Chinese 

New Year is the most colorful, elaborate, 

and joyous. Chinese New Year is celebrated in 

Chinese communities all over the world, 

including Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. 

The first day of the New Year celebration 

usually falls between late January and 

February. Chinese New Year is celebrated on 

the first day of the first moon of the lunar 

calendar. The Chinese calendar measures a 

year according to the moon and its cycles. 

The Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, as 

it is also known, is celebrated in many Asian 

countries. The celebration may last from one day 

to two weeks depending on who is celebrating. 

New Year Preparations 

As with all festivals and holidays, each family 

may have their own traditions for celebrating 

Chinese New Year. In general, however, 

preparations for the Chinese New Year often 

begin as much as a month ahead of time. 

People prepare for the New Year by getting rid 

of bad luck from the past year and ensuring 

a good start to the new one. Having a clean 

house, all bills paid, and everything in order as 

the New Year arrives is very important, as is 

visiting with friends and family. 

Just as some people decorate for Halloween 

and the winter holiday season, many people 

who celebrate Chinese New Year decorate 

their homes and businesses for the special 

holiday. Red and gold are the colors of the 

New Year season; red signifies joy and luck 

and gold represents wealth. Lanterns are 

made, or bought, and hung around the house 

and on the streets. Banners decorated with 

symbols of good fortune are also popular. 

The Fu [FOO, in Mandarin] character of good 

luck is hung upside down because the Chinese 

word for “arrive” sounds similar to the word 

for “upside down.” It means good luck is 

coming. Homes are decorated with red-paper 

spring couplets expressing good fortune 

and good wishes for the New Year. Blooming 

flowers are a sign of good luck and long 

life. Fruit such as oranges, tangerines, and 

kumquats are symbolic of wealth and given in 

pairs or even numbers during the New Year 

to bring wishes for sweetness and wealth and 

used as decorations. Like the Fu symbol’s play 

on words, tangerine and gold are pronounced 

the same way in Cantonese. 

Having plenty of food for the celebration 

promises a year with enough food for the 

family. Many families prepare special dishes 

for a feast on the eve of Chinese New Year. 

Often the ingredients have names similar 

to words like “good fortune” “longevity,” 

“health,” and “prosperity.” Fried dumplings, 

which look like ingots of gold, and noodles, 

which stand for long life (if you can slurp a 

noodle whole, you will have a long life). Fish, 

which is almost always eaten on Chinese 

New Year’s Eve, represents togetherness and 

abundance in the coming year. Families enjoy 

snacking on all the sweet pastries, nuts, and 

candies that served just for this time. A Tray 

of Togetherness, for example, is a special 

round dish with eight compartments containing 

dried fruits, seeds, sweets, and candies. 

Each treat has a special meaning and is eaten 

to ensure a sweet year. The circular tray 

symbolizes togetherness. 



New Year’s Day Celebration 

Chinese Zodiac 

New Year’s Day is the most festive of the holiday. 

When visiting family and friends it is 

customary to bring special gifts like flowers, 

candy trays, and fruit to wish your host a 

good year. Children are given hong bao (in 

Mandarin), small red envelopes filled with 

money. Crowds gather to watch the lion or 

dragon dance, participate in parades, and 

thrill to the boom of firecrackers. The lion or 

dragon represents strength and good luck. 

The lion dance is performed to a rhythmic beat 

of drums, cymbals, and gongs. During the 

dance, the lion or dragon will pretend to gobble 

up lucky money envelopes and lettuce, all 

symbols of good luck and the birth of the New 

Year. The banging drums and the noise of 

firecrackers scare away any evil spirits. People 

wish each other a happy New Year by saying, 

“Gung Hei Fat Choy!” which means, “best wishes 

and be prosperous” (in Cantonese). 

Each year is named for one of the 12 animals 

of the Chinese Zodiac. The animals are the: 

rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, 

sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. In this 

system, the year in which a person is born 

and its symbol are more important than his or 

her individual birthday. The zodiac tradition 

says your personality is shaped by the animal 

year in which you are born. There are many 

explanations for why these animals represent 

the lunar cycle, but one of the most popular 

Chinese legends is that the Jade Emperor held 

a race for all the animals of his kingdom. The 

first 12 to finish represent the 12 years in the 

Chinese calendar. 

v Words in boldface have been included in the 

Vocabulary Words section on page 33. 

The fifteenth, and last day, of the Chinese New 

Year celebration is the Lantern Festival. This 

holiday celebrates the first full moon of the 

year and looks toward the coming of spring. 

During the Lantern Festival, children go out at 

night carrying bright lanterns. 



Information About Objects In The Case 

Hong Bao Red paper envelopes filled with gifts of money. On Chinese New 

Year, adults give hong bao to children. Designs on the hong bao range from 

the traditional to popular cartoon characters but all are meant to invite good 

fortune. Symbols include the Chinese zodiac animal of the year, fish, oranges, 

and flowers. The amount of money in the envelope is always an even number, 

as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals. The number 

eight is considered lucky since the word “eight” sounds similar to the word 

“wealth.” $8 is a common gift amount. 

Tangerine Tree Tangerines and oranges are frequently displayed in homes 

and stores. Tangerines symbolize good luck, and oranges are symbols of 

wealth. These meanings have developed through a language pun, the word 

for tangerine having the same sound as “luck” in Chinese, and the word for 

orange having the same sound as “wealth”. 

Fu Sign “Fu” is the Chinese word for “good luck”. Diamond shaped paper 

signs with Fu written in Chinese calligraphy are popular decorations for the 

New Year. The signs are hung so the word, Fu, is upside down. The Chinese 

word for “upside-down” rhymes with the Chinese word for “arrive.” So when 

the sign is hung upside-down it wishes good luck to arrive soon! 

Decorative Firecrackers Decorations in the shape of firecrackers festoon 

homes and stores during the New Year season. Actual firecrackers are part 

of every Chinese New Year. There is a belief that the noise of the fireworks is 

supposed to scare away all evil spirits and misfortunes, preventing them from 

coming into the New Year. 

Boy and Girl Lantern Red lanterns featuring New Year’s symbols decorate 

stores, homes, and streets during the Chinese New Year season. They are 

especially important on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year when the 

Lantern festival celebrates the first full moon of the year. This lantern features 

a boy and girl, a common motif for New Year as children are good luck 

because they represent the future. 

Lion Head The lion dance is an important tradition in Chinese culture. 

Usually the dance is part of festivities like Chinese New Year, the openings of 

restaurants, and weddings. A well-performed lion dance is believed to bring 

luck and happiness. The “lion” is brought to life by two dancers. One moves the 

head, which is made out of strong but light materials like papier-mâché and 

bamboo, the other plays the body and the tail under a bright cloth that is 

attached to the head. 



Brass Gong and Cymbals Every move of the lion dance is matched by a 

specific musical rhythm. Three musicians—one, playing a large drum, another 

playing cymbals, and a third playing a gong—accompany the “lion.” The 

drummer follows the moves of the lion and the cymbals and the gong follow 

the drum beats. The loud noise of the instruments helps scare away evil 

spirits and bring luck and happiness. 

Zodiac Animal Ornaments According to the Chinese calendar, every 

year has one of 12 animal names. The animals repeat every 12 years. The 

animals are the: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, 

rooster, dog, and pig. Chinese New Year decorations typically feature that 

year’s zodiac animal. 

You can learn more about these and other objects from around the world by visiting our 

Collections Central Online database at www.brookynkids.org/emuseum. 


Activities to do with your students 

ACTIVITY 1 

Introduction to Chinese New Year 

Grades: All 

Related Objects 

Hong Bao Tangerine Tree Fu Sign Firecrackers Lantern 

Lion Head Brass Gong Cymbals Zodiac Animals 

Chinese New Year celebrations happen all around the world, including many right here in 

New York City. Beginning in January, Chinese New Year decorations, signs, and advertisements 

start appearing on buses and in subways, and stores. By watching an introductory video and 

comparing what they see to objects from the case, students will become more familiar with the 

colors, symbols, and sounds of Chinese New Year. 

Guiding Questions 

1. What is a celebration? 

2. Does your family celebrate the New Year? What does your family do to celebrate? Food, 

activities, etc. 

3. Why do people celebrate the New Year? 

4. In what season of the year does the New Year occur? 



Materials 

Blackboard or chart paper 

What Can Objects Tell Me? worksheet 

Paper and pencils 

TV and DVD player 

What To Do 

1. Divide the class into groups of two to four students, remind 

them how to handle museum objects and distribute one object 

from the case to each group. Discuss the ways we can learn 

from objects just by examining them closely. 

2. Using the What Can Objects Tell Me? worksheet, ask students 

to use all their senses (see, touch, smell, etc) to examine and 

become familiar with their object. As they are examining their 

objects ask your students to share their impressions and 

write them on the board. Try to organize their impressions to 

show similarities between objects and to help your students 

eventually make conclusions about the symbols and colors of 

the holiday. For example you can have a section to list colors, 

symbols, or pictures they see (such as animals, flowers, children, 

money), and shapes of objects. 

3. Introduce the idea that all of these objects are part of a Chinese 

New Year celebration. Briefly discuss some of the things you 

might see during a celebration, such as a birthday party, and talk 

about how celebratory objects can vary depending on the 

holiday or culture. 

4. Play Chapter Three of the DVD. Prompt students to look for 

objects in the video like the objects in the case. Remind students 

that they may not see their exact object, but things that have 

similar colors, shapes, or design. 

5. After the video, ask groups to think about what they saw in 

the video and to share how they think their object is used in a 

Chinese New Year celebration. (Younger students or students 

with special needs may benefit from the video being paused 

when something similar is on the screen so you can point out 

the type of object and how it’s being used or use the pause to 

invite students to try and “spy” an object similar to their own). 



What Can Objects Tell Me? 

Look at each object closely. What kinds of things can we learn about an object just by 

examining it closely? What do objects tell us about the people who made them? Use this chart 

to record everything you discover. 

Object 

Describe the colors, 

shapes, and patterns 

you see. 

What things does the 

object remind you of? 

How do you think 

someone might use 

this object? 

© 2008


Object 

Describe the colors, 

shapes and patterns 

you see. 

What things does the 

object remind you of? 

How do you think 

someone might use 

this object? 

© 2008


ACTIVITY 2 

Make a Zodiac Calendar 

Grades: All 


12 Zodiac Characters 

Using objects from the case, your class will create their own zodiac calendar to refer to for the 

rest of the unit. Students become familiar with the zodiac animals and a Chinese legend of how 

the animals were assigned to their years on the lunar calendar. The Chinese calendar is a 12 

year cycle with each year represented by a different animal. The animals are called zodiac signs. 

No one knows for sure how these animals came to be associated with the lunar calendar, but 

there are many legends that explain it. 

Guiding Questions: 

1. Is there only one kind of calendar? What kinds do students know about? 

2. How and why are they different? How are they similar? 

3. How does your zodiac animal reflect you? Are you like the animal? How so? 

4. How does their animal year make them feel? 



Materials 

Story of the Chinese Zodiac by Monica Chong 

Zodiac Chart 

What’s Your Sign? template 

Colored pens or pencils 

Pencils 

Blackboard or chart paper 

12-month calendar (to be provided by the teacher) 

What To Do 

1. Show the students a calendar that they are familiar with and 

begin a class discussion about calendars. Introduce the Chinese 

calendar (lunar, animal years, etc). 

2. Divide the class into twelve groups and distribute one zodiac 

ornament to each group. Have the students identify what animal 

they have. Write the animals on the board and have the students 

say the name of the animals aloud (students may need guidance 

to figure out the type of animal). 

3. In small groups, have students come up with a list of positive 

characteristics that help their zodiac animal survive (tigers are 

strong, rats are agile, etc.) When they are done, have the groups 

share the characteristics of their animal with the class and open 

it up for others to add. Write the characteristics on the board. 

4. Distribute one What’s Your Sign? template and colored pens 

or pencils to each group. Instruct students to decorate the 

template to represent their zodiac animal. Ask your students 

for ideas of what elements they can include in their template 

designs. Write their design suggestions on the board and offer 

some of your own (some ideas may include: animal name, 

animal drawing, animal characteristics in words and pictures, 

animal associations (rabbit and carrot), Chinese New Year 

design elements drawn from case resources: introductory video, 

case objects, and books). Give students time to create their 

zodiac designs. 

5. After students complete their templates, tell the students 

about the legend that explains how the zodiac animals raced to 

determine their order in the calendar. Ask the class which zodiac 

animal they think would be first in the race and why. Have them 

vote on the animal they think would be first (mark the ones 

which get the most votes). 

5. Read the Story of the Chinese Zodiac to the class. Have 

everyone listen for their animal in the story and take note of 

what order they finished in the legendary race. 



6. Once you have read the story, have the students go in zodiac 

order starting with the rat, and bring up their ornament and 

template to the front of the room. Have the students place their 

ornament and template on a table. Have each group follow suit 

to form a classroom zodiac calendar. 

7. Once each group has placed their animal and template, hand 

each student a Zodiac Chart. Explain to the class that Chinese 

tradition says a person’s personality reflects the animal for 

the year they were born. Have the class figure out what animal 

year they were born. How does that make them feel? Are they 

like the animal that marks their birth year? 

8. Hang the classroom zodiac calendar in the classroom for the 

duration of the unit. 



Zodiac Chart 

© 2008


What’s Your Sign? 

© 2008


ACTIVITY 3: PREPARING FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR 

Making New Year Decorations 

Now that they are familiar with the Chinese New Year, students prepare for a classroom Chinese 

New Year festival. Begin by having the students help clean and straighten the classroom and 

complete all outstanding assignments! Then students will have a clean space to create New Year’s 

decorations, make New Year’s gifts and practice the Lion Dance. 

Grades: All 


Fu Sign 

Lantern 

We have provided you with two decoration activities to choose from. Students may make Fu or 

lantern decorations to prepare their classroom for the New Year. Students will learn the meaning 

of Fu and other popular Chinese good luck symbols. 


1. What is luck? 

2. What are good luck signs to you? 

3. What brings you good luck? 



Fu Sign 

Materials 

8” x 8” sheets of red construction paper 

Black acrylic paint and paintbrushes 

(or thick black markers or crayons) 

Glue 

Glitter 

Metallic paper 

Markers 

Ruler 

Scissors 

Fu Character template 

Lucky Symbols Sheet 

What To Do 

1. If students aren’t already sitting in groups at tables or desks 

pushed together, have them create groups. 

2. Begin with a discussion about good luck and items that people 

believe bring good luck. 

3. Hold up/refer to the lantern and Fu sign from the case when 

explaining the good luck symbolism of Chinese New Year 

decorations. You may want to point out the other good luck 

symbols on the sign and lantern. Place the Fu sign so that all 

can see it and explain that many New Year decorations include 

sayings of good wishes for the New Year. The most popular of 

which is an upside down “Fu” meaning “good luck is coming.” 

4. Remind students that part of the preparation for New Year is 

making the decorations and let them know they will be creating 

their own Fu signs for the holiday. Demonstrate how to follow the 

Fu template using a paintbrush to paint the Chinese character. 

5. Provide each group with black paint, glitter, metallic paper, 

markers, Fu templates, scissors, and glue to share. Distribute 

one Lucky Symbols sheet, an 8” x 8” sheet of red construction 

paper and a paintbrush to each student. 

6. Encourage students to use symbols they have seen during the 

Chinese New Year unit as well as what is on the Lucky Symbols 

sheet to decorate their Fu signs. Maybe they want to include 

their favorite zodiac animal? Maybe they want to include other 

lucky symbols? Have the case’s resource books and objects 

available for students to refer to for ideas. 

7. Once complete and dry hang the students’ work around 

the classroom. 



Lantern 

Materials 

9” x 12” sheets of red construction paper (lantern) 

Metallic paper 

Glue 

Glitter 

Markers or crayons 

Ruler 

Tape 

Yarn or string pre-cut to 12” long 

Scissors (safety scissors for special needs students) 

Lucky Symbols Sheet 

What To Do 

1. If students are not already sitting in groups at tables or desks 

pushed together, have them create groups. 

2. Begin with a discussion about good luck and items that people 

believe bring good luck. 

3. Hold up or refer to the lantern and Fu sign when explaining the 

good luck symbolism of Chinese New Year decorations. You 

may want to point out the other good luck symbols on the sign 

and lantern. Place or hang the lantern so that all can see it 

and explain that most New Year decorations are red for the New 

Year, and include special New Year symbols. Remind students 

that part of the preparation for Chinese New Year is making 

decorations and let them know they will be creating their own 

lanterns for the holiday. 

4. Provide each group with red construction paper, Lucky Symbols 

sheets, metallic paper, scissors, markers, ruler, glue stick, glitter, 

tape, and yarn to share. 

5. Demonstrate the steps for making the Chinese New Year lantern. 

Instruct the students to first fold the construction paper in half, 

long sides together, and draw lines for four slits, evenly spaced 

along the fold. 



6. Before cutting the paper, students should unfold the paper and 

decorate their lantern. Encourage students to use symbolism 

that they’ve seem during the Chinese New Year unit. Maybe they 

want to include their favorite zodiac animal? Maybe they want 

to include other lucky symbols? Have the Lucky Symbols sheets, 

case’s resource books, and objects available for students to 

refer to for ideas. 

7. When students complete decorating their lanterns, instruct 

students to refold the paper and cut four slits along their 

previously drawn lines, leaving one inch of paper uncut at the 

open end. 

8. Once complete and dry, show the students how to bring the two 

short edges of the paper together and secure with tape at each 

end to close their lantern. Have students cut a piece of yarn 

about 12” long and tape each end of the string to the inside of 

the lantern’s top rim. 

9. Hang the students’ work around the classroom. 



Fu Character 

© 2008


Lucky Symbols 

Envelopes 

Children are given gifts of money 

in special New Year’s envelopes 

called hong bao. 

Gold Coins 

Fake gold coins represent riches 

in the New Year. 

Kumquat Tree 

These small trees decorate homes 

and stores for the New Year. 

Its Chinese name is gam gat sue. 

Boy & Girl 

Children are good luck because 

they represent the future. This 

boy and girl wish you a happy 

New Year! Gung Hei Fat Choy! 

New Year’s Candies 

People eat special candy to 

ensure a sweet year. 

Gold Ingots 

The gold ingot symbolizes money 

and wealth. Fried dumplings 

supposedly look like gold ingots. 

Fu 

The Fu symbol means good luck. 

When it’s hung upside down, like 

it is here, it represents the hope 

that good luck will come soon. 

Fish 

Fish represent plenty. When you 

eat fish on New Year’s Eve, 

you leave a little on your plate to 

ensure a plentiful year. 

© 2008


ACTIVITY 4: 

Hong Bao: A Child’s New Year Gift 

Grades: All 


Hong Bao 

Gift giving is an important part of celebrating Chinese New Year. Children are given gifts of 

money in special New Year’s envelopes or Hong Bao. Students will make their own Hong Bao 

to give as a gift to visitors to their classroom’s New Year festival. 

Guiding Questions 



Materials 

Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn 

Make Hong Bao template photocopied onto red paper 

Tape 

Markers 


9” x 11” yellow construction paper cut into fourths 

What To Do 

1. Explain that Chinese children look forward to receiving gifts 

of hong bao (also called lei see in Cantonese) from their older 

relatives. Explain what hong bao are using the objects from 

the case. 

2. Read Sam and the Lucky Money. After you read the story, 

continue with a discussion about lucky money. Ask them 

what they would do with their lucky money if they were Sam? 

Would they save it? Would they buy something with it? 

3. Have children look at the various hong bao from the case. 

Note that some have gold calligraphy symbols, others feature 



the year’s animal, and some include cartoon characters. Tell 

your students that they will follow the New Year’s tradition 

by making their own hong bao to give to someone special for 

the New Year festival. 

4. Make sure students have tape, markers, scissors, and yellow 

construction paper to share. 

5. Hand each student a Make Hong Bao template. Have students 

cut and decorate the template to create their own hong bao. 

7. Using the yellow paper, have students make their own “gold” 

coins to go into the envelope reminding them that even 

numbers* are good luck. Have students tape closed their hong 

bao with their gift of “money” inside. 

glue here 

glue here 

9. Collect and save for the classroom’s festival. 

*Did you know? Even numbers are good luck but not “four” and “ten” because they sound 

like the word for “death” in Mandarin. ”Eight” on the other hand is very lucky. The Chinese 

community in Brooklyn settled on and around 8th Avenue for this very reason. 8th Avenue 

is known as Bat Dai Do (“the road to good fortune and prosperity”). 



Make Hong Bao 

glue here 

glue here 

© 2008


ACTIVITY 5: 

Lion Dance 

Grades: All 


Lion Head Gong Cymbals 

The lion dance is a very important tradition for Chinese New Year. The banging drums and 

acrobatic dance are thought to bring good luck. Students will make their own lion heads and 

learn the lion dance by mimicking a video. 




Materials 

Chinese New Year DVD 

Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year by Kate Waters 

Paper plates OR paper grocery bags for more elaborate lion 

heads 

Assorted craft materials such as feathers, puffballs, bells, etc. 

Construction paper 

Washable markers 

Craft sticks (tongue depressors) 


Tape 

Glue 



What To Do 

1. Read Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year. 

2. Take out the lion dance objects from the case for students to 

look at: lion head, cymbals, and gong. Make the gong sound and 

the cymbals crash. 

3. Ask students to share what they see or notice about the lion 

puppet including its features, shape, and color. List their 

observations on the board. 

4. Distribute a paper plate to each student, and have assorted craft 

materials, construction paper, markers, scissors, tape, lion head 

templates, craft sticks, and glue available at tables for students 

to share. 

5. Instruct students to tape a craft stick to their plate and design 

their own lion head mask. 

6. While masks are drying, play Chapter Five on the DVD and note 

the percussive movement of lion’s head and how the dancers’ 

feet and legs move. Have students follow along. 

7. Once masks are dry, have students use their masks and practice 

dancing the lion dance with the video. (If any students prefer not 

to dance, offer them the cymbals or gong to play along). 



Activity Extensions 

Social Studies 

• Find out how other cultures celebrate the New 

Year. Have students read about Vietnamese, 

Korean or other New Year celebration. Older 

students may make comparisons on how they 

are different from the Chinese celebration. 

• Teach students basic sayings in Mandarin 

Chinese: Happy New Year, Hello, Thank You, etc. 

See: http://otal.umd.edu/chintut/greeting.html 

• Have students read about and research China 

or Chinese American immigration. Have 

students research one of the Chinatowns in 

NYC or research what cities in the U.S.A. 

or in the world have Chinatowns. Follow by 

taking a field trip to Chinatown. 

Literacy 

• Have students interview their parents or 

guardians about their favorite New Year 

celebration memory or about their parents’ 

New Year resolution. 

• Have students write their own spring couplet 

in English. As an art extension to this 

activity: Have students create banners with 

their couplets and decorate them with 

symbols and images of Chinese New Year. 

Hang them in the classroom for the remainder 

of the unit. http://www.chinapage.com/ 

duilian/chunlian0.html, http://www.scils. 

rutgers.edu/~kyfoo/chinese/spring_couplets. 

html 

• Have students bring lucky items in for show 

and tell. 

Science 

• The Chinese use a calendar based on the 

phases of the moon. A new moon is the 

beginning of a month. A full moon is the middle 

of a month. Known as the lunar calendar, 

it is calculated by the time it takes the moon 

to travel around the earth. (By comparison, 

the Gregorian calendar, which is used in the 

West, is based on the time it takes the earth 

to circle the sun). Have the class observe 

the phases of the moon (have them keep a 

moon journal, with sketches of the moon, 

or do research on the internet) to better 

understand the lunar calendar. Traditionally, 

Chinese New Year is a two-week festival 

beginning with New Year on the new moon 

and ending with the lantern festival on the 

Full moon. Why do they think that is? See 

Websites: http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lunar/ 

home.htm#moon, http://www.kidsastronomy. 

com/astroskymap/lunar.htm 

Math 

• Based on their age, try to figure out 

what animal year your sibling, parent, and 

grandparent is using the zodiac chart. 

Art 

• Have students design a New Year decoration 

or card featuring their favorite zodiac animal. 

Other 

Now that the unit is complete, your classroom 

is clean and decorated and dancers practiced, 

it’s time to celebrate Chinese New Year. Invite 

another class to come celebrate the New Year 

with you. Have noodles and other Chinese New 

Year treats for everyone to try (see sample menu). 

Have students give each visiting student a 

Hong Bao and let everyone watch your class 

perform the Lion Dance for good luck! 


Resources & Reference Materials 

Vocabulary Words 


Lunar Calendar 

Lunar New Year 

Chinese Americans 

Fu 

Spring Couplets 

Hong Bao 

Lion or Dragon Dance 

Gung Hei Fat Choy 

Lantern Festival 

Chinese Zodiac 

Mandarin 

Cantonese 

One of the most joyous Chinese festivals, Chinese New Year is 

celebrated on the first day of the first moon of the lunar calendar. 

A calendar based on the phases of the moon. 

Another name for Chinese New Year. 

American people of Chinese descent. 

Chinese character for Good Luck. Pronounced [FOO] in Mandarin 

and [FOOK] in Cantonese. The Fu symbol is used on New Year’s 

decorations. When hung upside down it represents the hope 

that good luck will come soon. 

Red paper banners with poetic New Year’s wishes used to 

decorate doorways. 

Mandarin for small red envelopes filled with money given to 

children on New Year’s Day. These envelopes are also known as 

lei see [LIE see] in Cantonese. 

An acrobatic dance performed for good luck during New Year’s 

and other special occasions. 

Cantonese for “Best wishes and be prosperous.” 

The fifteenth and last day of the Chinese New Year celebration. 

This festival celebrates the first Full moon of the year and 

honors the coming of spring. 

The rotating cycle of twelve animal signs naming the years in 

the Chinese lunar calendar. 

Chinese dialect spoken mostly in northern China. 

Chinese dialect spoken mostly in southern parts of China, 

especially Canton provinces and Hong Kong. 

Did you know? That Chinese is spoken in many different ways? Chinese and Chinese Americans 

may speak one of the more common dialects like Cantonese or Mandarin or another dialect 

entirely depending on their heritage. 



Correlations with New York State 

Learning Standards 

The activities in this guide meet the following 

New York State learning standards: 

The Arts 

Standard 1: Students will actively engage in 

the processes that constitute the creation and 

performance in the arts and participate in 

various roles in the arts. 

Standard 2: Students will be knowledgeable 

about and make use of the materials and 

resources available for participation in the 

arts. 

Standard 4: Students will understand the 

cultural contributions of the arts. 

Social Studies 

Standard 1: Students will demonstrate their 

understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, 

developments, and turning points in the 

history of the United States and New York. 

Standard 3: Students will demonstrate their 

understanding of the geography of the 

interdependent world in which we live—local, 

national, and global—including the distribution 

of people, places, and environments over the 

Earth’s surface. 

ELA (English Language Arts) 

Standard 1: As listeners and readers, 

students will collect data, facts, and ideas; 

discover relationships and concepts; and use 

knowledge generated from oral, written, and 

electronically produced texts. 

Standard 2: Students will read and listen to 

oral and written texts from American and 

world literature and relate texts to their own 

lives. 

Standard 3: Students will listen, speak, and 

write about their experiences and respond to 

those presented by others. 

Standard 4: Students will participate in 

group meetings in which the student displays 

appropriate turn-taking behaviors, offer their 

own and solicit another’s opinion. 




You can supplement your unit on Chinese New Year with a trip to the Brooklyn Children’s 

Museum. We offer programs on a variety of cross-cultural topics. For a listing of programs 

currently available, please see our website at www.brooklynkids.org, or contact the Scheduling 

Assistant at 718.735.4400 ext. 118 

Other Places to Visit 

The following museums and organizations have 

exhibits or programs related to Chinese New Year 

and/or Chinese and Chinese American culture. 

Museum of Chinese in the Americas 

70 Mulberry Street, 2nd Floor, Manhattan 

212.6194785 

www.moca-nyc.org 

Asia Society and Museum 

NYC Headquarters 

725 Park Avenue, 70th Street, Manhattan 

212.288.6400 

www.asiasociety.org/visit/newyork.html 

Brooklyn Chinese American Association 

5000 8th Avenue, Brooklyn 

718.438.0008 

www.bca-online.org 

Brooklyn Museum 

200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn 

718.638.5000 

www.brooklynmuseum.org 

Bring Chinese New Year to Your Classroom 

The following is a list of local organizations 

that can be booked for a classroom 

performance or workshop. 

Yee’s Hung Ga International Kung Fu 

Association: Brooklyn Branch 

www.yeeshung-ga.com/lion_dance_chinese_ 

new_year_weddings.htm 

NY Chinese Cultural Center 

www.chinesedance.org 

Bibliography and Web Resources 

The following books and websites have 

provided source material for this guide and 

may also help you enrich your students’ 

experience with the objects in the case. 

Books 

Demi. Happy New Year/Kung-Hsi Fa-Ts’ai! 

New York: Dragonfly Books, 1999. 

A great reference book for children explaining 

Chinese New Year with fun, playful illustrations. 

Roberts, Cindy. Chinese New Year for Kids. 

Chinasprout Inc, 2002. 

Explains customs of Chinese New Year 

through a variety of hands-on activities. 

Websites 

www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/festival/ 

newyear/newyear.html 

This site offers information regarding the 

traditions, customs and symbols of Chinese 

New Year. 

www.explorechinatown.com 

Explore Chinatown is a tourism promotion 

campaign on behalf of New York City’s 

Manhattan Chinatown. It includes maps, 

information about sites to see, interesting 

biographies about storeowners and 

cultural information (i.e. what is dim sum?). 

www.chinatown-online.com 

Provides links to organizations in Manhattan’s 

Chinatown. Includes information about 

the history of Manhattan’s Chinatown. 

Chinese Theater Works 

www.chinesetheatreworks.org 



www.nychinatown.org 

A local photographer’s web site featuring photos 

of New York City’s three main Chinatowns: 

Lower Manhattan, Sunset Park Brooklyn and 

Flushing Queens. He includes background 

information and maps of each neighborhood.

Chinese New Year - Brooklyn Children's Museum

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