Lesson 9
Lesson Plan Download pdf
Main (25 minutes)
When it’s Christmas time in the UK, what do most people exchange with one another? (gifts, cards etc). What about for other festivals you may celebrate (such as Eid, Hannukah etc)? Explain briefly that although Christmas is celebrated in Japan, it is not a national holiday and that for most Japanese people, New Year is the big celebration. (See Culture Notes for further explanation). Show children a New Year card (on the New Year Card presentation) and explain that on January 1st every year, most people will exchange cards with friends and colleagues.
Hand out a selection of cards to each table (can be printed from the presentation, or use the worksheet) and have children make comments. What can you see? Is there any writing? What do you think it might say? Are there any pictures/ photos? What are they of? Why do you think there might be an animal on the cards?
Very briefly explain the Chinese zodiac and ask children what this year is. What will next year be? Using the chart (see worksheet), can children work out what animal represents the year they were born?
Children should design their own New Year card, either using the card templates
provided or by making a digital card. Have children included a picture and appropriate
message in their designs? See the New Year's resources on the Japan Society website
for further New Year's activies and ideas:
https://www.japansociety.org.uk/resource?resource=11
