Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District

Students at Old Bethpage Elementary School learned to sing the popular Chinese New Year song “Gong Xi Gong Xi.”  In fact, some students had the chance to sing it over the loud speaker during morning announcements.  In Chinese class, first and second grade students studied tales about the New Year, including the Chinese Zodiac, and reenacted them for peers.  They also learned how to say all twelve of the animals in Chinese.  Third grade students researched traditional Chinese food served during the New Year and compared the most popular dishes to American cuisine.  Fourth grade students learned to read and recite popular New Year chants and poems.  The fourth graders also learned a variety of dances including the Lion Dance, Fan Dance, and the Ribbon Dance and performed them during the Chinese New Year Parade.  All grades participated in the parade with rooster puppets, masks, and lanterns.

The activities to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year met some of the national learning standards for foreign languages, as outlined by the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL).  Many thanks to the teachers, principals and students who made this year’s celebration such an enormous success!