(Photo courtesy of Locust Valley Central School District)
Second-graders throughout Locust Valley Central School District practiced traditional Chinese activities such as calligraphy and lantern making in celebration of the Lunar New Year. During a Google Meet with teachers from a school in Taiwan, the students at Ann MacArthur Primary School and Bayville Primary School learned about schools in Taiwan and traditional Lunar New Year activities.
One of the Taiwanese teachers demonstrated Chinese brush painting, or calligraphy, as the second-graders used paint brushes to follow his lead, producing beautiful prints of crabs. The lead teacher, Winnie Bear, explained the artistic process and then shared more information on their culture.
With the Lunar New Year beginning on Feb. 1, Ms. Bear said that Taiwanese people, like the Chinese, will celebrate with fireworks, food and friends and family. She explained that there are traditional foods eaten to help guarantee a good new year. Oranges are said to bring good luck, pineapple to bring prosperity and apples to provide safety. Eating these foods is expected to help make the Year of the Tiger a good one.
Many thanks to second-grade teacher Dani Schatz for connecting with teachers from around the world and organizing visits that provide first-hand cultural lessons.
