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Monthly Themes

Happy New Year!

New Year Celebrations

Writing Prompt

Instructions:

Every New Year celebration needs some fun decorations. Have students think of something they might make for a New Year celebration. Then have them write instructions that explain how to make the decoration.

Activities

Grades Pre-K–3: Art
New Year Coloring Pages

Students can color New Year pictures and use them to decorate the classroom.

Grades K–2: Music
Sing In the New Year

Help children learn the famous New Year song “Auld Lang Syne” with the music and lyrics from this site.

  • Auld Lang Syne
  • http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyrics/auldlang.html
Grades K–2: Arts and Crafts
Masks on Parade

Children can make their own masks to wear in a New Year classroom parade. Give each child a paper plate with eye, nose, and mouth holes cut out. Have children decorate their masks with paints, crayons, paper and cloth scraps, streamers, and glitter. When they are finished, attach pieces of yarn or rubber bands to the backs of the masks. Children can showcase their masks by wearing them in a classroom parade.

Grades K–2: Social Studies
A Year of Celebration

Children can create a timeline to help them remember important holidays in the coming year.

Grades K–4: Arts and Crafts
Fireworks Display

Students can create their own fireworks picture by using dark construction paper, glue, and different colors of glitter. These fireworks pictures are great decorations for Western New Year or Chinese New Year.

Grades K–4: Arts and Crafts
Egg Carton Dragons

To help celebrate Chinese New Year, have students make their own dragons.

Grades K–4: Social Studies
Make a Calendar

Have students make their own calendars for the new year. To make a class calendar, have pairs or small groups of students work on different months of the year. Each student should mark a holiday or special event where it occurs.

Grades 1–3: Art/Social Studies
Lion Masks

The Lion Dance, a spectacle with performers wearing Lion Masks, takes place during the Lantern Festival with performers wearing Lion Masks at the end of Chinese New Year. Lions are believed to bring good luck and scare away evil spirits. Have your students make lion masks—scary, cute, or funny—to help them celebrate.

Grades 1–5: Art
Chinese New Year Greetings to Color

Another way to decorate your classroom is with Chinese New Year greetings. Students can color them for the classroom or bring them home for friends and family.

Grades 2–8: Language Arts
New Year Celebrations Word Find

Students can find words related to celebrating the new year.

Grades 1–8: Social Studies
New Year Quizzes

Test your students' knowledge about the new year.

Grades 3–5: Social Studies
New Year Quiz

Have pairs of students take this online challenge and see who earns more points.

Grades 3–5: Language Arts
Red Gift Envelopes

It's traditional in China to give gifts of money in red envelopes at New Year's. Have your students make their own red envelopes. Rather than money, have them write good luck wishes to send.

Grades 3–5: Arts and Crafts
Dragon

Use paper-towel cardboard rolls to make dragons to celebrate Chinese New Year.

  • Make a Dragon
  • http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/cnycraft.html
Grades 3–5: Arts and Crafts
Dragon Masks

Have your students make dragon masks for a parade or for decorating your classroom for Chinese New Year.

Grades 3–5: Foreign Languages
International New Year

Students can have fun wishing each other “Happy New Year” in 26 different languages.

Grades 3–8: Language Arts
New Year Poetry

Have students describe their New Year's Day experience in poetic form.

Grades 3–8: Foreign Language
Learn Chinese

With a little practice, students will soon learn to write "Good wishes" to friends and family for the Chinese New Year.

  • Chinese New Year!
  • http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/instructor/images/Jan05_China/china_repro.pdf
Grades 4–8: Language Arts
Happy New Year! Crossword Puzzle

Have students find the hidden words that have to do with celebrating the New Year. Print out this crossword puzzle for students to complete at home or in school.

  • Happy New Year (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/january/pdf/newyear_xword.pdf
  • Happy New Year Answer Key (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/january/pdf/newyear_xword_key.pdf
Grades 4–8: Language Arts
Chinese Zodiac Word Finds

Challenge your students to find the hidden words.

  • Chinese Zodiac (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/january/pdf/zodiac_hard_wf.pdf
  • Chinese Zodiac Answer Key (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/january/pdf/zodiac_hard_wf_key.pdf
Grades 6–8: Language Arts
New Year Resolutions

Have your students make their own resolutions for the coming year with help from this online goal-setter.

Houghton Mifflin