>I had asked for new ideas. No one sent any new ideas but I was asked to
>post a hit.
OK, I say we have to look outside the fortune cookie!
Here goes:
The Chinese New Year is a celebration of change ... ...
The Year of the Rooster will begin on February 9, 2005.
(so says: http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/chinese/new_year.htm)
It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.
(so says: www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/ mroth/438/CHINA/chinese_new_year.html)
(1) How about we honor and give credit to those Asian Americans who
achieved / created things of which we, as a society, are proud of.
-- I'd look on the Nobel Prize list (pick Asian sounding
names) and google them for a fuller bio.
-- I'd e-mail to the Chinese American Library Association
-- I'd call Professors at your University (all departments.)
-- Call the Chinese embassy or consulate. (Ask them what
positive creations
the Chinese are known for. [Include this for #11, below.}
* Take these bios and either:
(a) Make place cards (8 1/2 x 11 colored construction paper)
picture on outside half with a bio, typed out and pasted on the inside
(b) Place inside a manila envelope on their chair, perhaps
the photo is pasted on the outside of the envelope.
(c) on #20 bond paper (a little heavier than photocopy paper)
print out the bio, print photo at top (if your printer does this ---
Kinko's does...they'll need you to put it on a disk), roll it and
fasten two ribbons, one on each side as if this were a firecracker.
You could put a doily on the back of the item before its rolled up.
(2) Make home made fortune cookies with wonderful, positive teacher
supportive, messages. On the back you can write the phrase "Happy
New Year" in phonetic English. The cookies are very easy to make they
are simply cut out circles, fortune inserted and folded in and then
crimped. I 'spose you could make decorations out of paper ones with
part of the message sticking out. Very artsy!
(3) I would suggest red paper table clothes.
(4) Place Mah Jong tiles end to end, looking somewhat like a snake,
from one edge of the table to the other edge of the table (down the
middle.) You can duplicate this to another table. (Symbols up.) You
can buy these at Target (they support Literacy programs!!!)
(5) Flowers everywhere, candy, oranges and tangerines. (Chinese specialities.)
see http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/decorations.html
(6) Signs with special sayings and symbols on them
see: http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/decorations.html
(I'd put little 3x5 cards with the explanation of what these sayings,
flowers, candy etc symbolize.)
see Chinese ClipArt: www.newton.mec.edu/Angier/DimSum/dimsumclipart.html
(7) It's the year of the Rooster, so you could get little stickers of
roosters and put them on the corners of those 3x5 cards, or as
seating place cards, or on little cards which are placed up against
the platters, explaining what the different special foods are.
Rooster emblem at:
http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/chinese/coloring.htm
(8) Send invitations to each teacher with a special Chinese new year card.
http://www.new-year.co.uk/chinese/cards/cards.htm
(9) Prepare a special website, or manila folders with items for the
students, what children do in China at this time and other special
information that the teachers can provide to the students or special
"units" of study the teachers can prepare for their classroom.
see: www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/chineseny.html
and see: www.edhelper.com/ChineseNewYear.htm with printable worksheets.
games at: http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/chinese/new_year.htm
you can include Nursery Rhymes:
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_nursery_rhymes.htm or put
those into the stories at #11, below.
Lots more at: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_new_year.htm
(10) See if you can get your food service people to whip up a few
special dishes. Perhaps soup and other seasonal specialities (these
should be easy to find on the web.)
For your "program:"
(11) " have explanations of the holidays printed on 5x8 cards, large
enough for each teacher to see and read her/her card aloud. (you
could number them on the back if there is an order to it, which could
be auditorially interesting if each gets a card as he/she enters and
from all over the room the "story" is told, (#1 might now be sitting
in the back, #2 against the right wall #3 in front.)
Sociologically I'd be interested in how the celebration is different
depending on whether the elders are from different parts of the
world, married at the same religious "level" (conservation, orthodox,
reform); if they are/ have been in the States for many years, etc.
(12) Contact the local junior college, ask them to invite either
musicians, dancers, someone who could "read a traditional story."
(13) Invite a few kids from the child care center or elementary
school which has taught the kids a dance or song. This should be
adorable. (Have their parents drive them...avoids bussing and
liability!) Please send me photos! I wonder if you can find large
paper dragons which the kids could put on and dance to. and ...
For the piece de resistance: Not at all Chinese, but a favorite of
mine (year round and every time I go to a restaurant which gives me
wrapped straws) and a favorite of all the kids (young and old alike
love it!) Tell them it's a Chinese Dragon. (Very creative!)
Get many straws wrapped individually in white paper. (maybe 2 per guest?)
Get little Dragon stickers. (2 per straw.)
Buy strong styroform plates (suggest NOT paper!) (Colored would
intensify this picture!)
Buy little teeny cups, (you could use those bathroom paper cups)
Pinch off (ONLY) one end of each straw wrapping paper.
Carefully attach the stickers so that the two stickers adhere to
eachother AND NOT TO THE STRAW. (You're going to need to practice
putting them on the paper so that the steps below can work!) (It's
really not hard, it just sounds it when reading this!)
Place these plates at each person's seat or at various "fun" places
around the room.
Add an ounce of water to the little cups. Place them next to the
plates. Without the plates you'll make a really big mess (and it will
soak the paper tableclothes!)
Now for the Fun and the Magic:
Now have everyone, Take his/her straw (vertically,) stickered faced
dragon at the top, and holding it right below the stickers, knock it
on the table, until the straw paper has lots of creases together. It
doesn't have to be 100% creases, in fact about 1/2 inch of free space
in between sets of creases is best. Leave that Dragon on the paper
plate and using the straw, tip it into the paper cup. Now hold your
finger over one end and remove about 1/4 inch of water. Move the
water in the straw over to the plate, and very, very lightly, slowly,
(count 1, 2, 3, 4 between touches) touch the creases with the water
at the tip of the straw....MAGIC....IT (this new Dragon) moves,
expands, comes to life.....it's fun, it's creative .... and it's
completely biodegradable! :)
I wish you: Gung Ho Fat Choy (May Prosperity Be With You). ... and
the joy of many books (that's Jane's fortune for you!!!)
Please take photos & post them so we may vicariously enjoy
A Happy Chinese New Year!
Best wishes,
Jane
Jane Lowenthal
Library of California Board
> Here are details of the party idea:
>
>Each year I host a faculty Chinese New Year Party.
>It is held in the library...tables are decorated with Chinese dragons,
>candles and some Chinese fans. We dim the lights, use only candle
>light and the "emergency" light and have some
>background music.
> Each table features one of the signs. People are asked to sit
>with other faculty members with that sign. The invitation I issue has
>the zodiac on the back so that faculty will know the sign before
>arriving at the party.
> This year I am making a little twist...I won't tell them ahead
>of time at which table to sit. I will not have the tables labeled. I
>plan to let everyone assemble. Then I will read the traits of a
>particular sign and let them guess who might be under that sign. After
>all 12 signs are "discussed" then we will reveal who is under that sign
>and let those people move to a table together..We won't have to tell who
>we guessed is under a particular sign. I am leaving the zodiac off.
>However, some teachers remember who they sat near in the past.
> In the past I have printed up some "fortunes" for the faculty.
>The fortunes are rather silly and relate to the elementary school
>atmosphere.
>(Examples: You will never accumulate great wealth. You have an
>aversion
>to bubble gum. 1000 frequent flyer miles from paper airplanes will
>soon
>be yours. You will often meet short people. Head lice is important in
>your life.
>Your favorite song lyric is from Randy Newmann's "Short People")
>
> We have 7 faculty members who are single. They will get a red
>envelope with money (a Chinese custom).
>
>Our refreshments are cookies and punch.
>
>
>
>Mary Croix Ludwick, Librarian
>469-713-5950 K-5
>Owen Elementary, Lewisville ISD (near Dallas, Texas)
>ludwickm@lisd.net (school) ludwick@swbell.net (home)
>
>
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