Explain to your students that it's almost Lunar New Year (or in China, Chinese New Year) and that today's lession is going to explore this.

Establish your student's prior knowledge by asking the follow questions. This can also be used as a prediction task.

• What does the word ‘lunar’ mean? (moon)
• What and when is Lunar New Year? (it changes each year, around Jan/Feb as it is based on the lunar calendar)
• Who celebrates it? (many Asian countries)
• How is it celebrated? (lots of different ways, eating special foods, decorating homes and community areas with red, and letting off fireworks)
• What is the Lunar Calendar? (calendar traditionally followed in Asia, based on the moon cycles, not the sun cycles)

Watch 7 Things to Know About the Lunar New Year

Watch the video to learn more about the Year of the Tiger.

Click here to find out your Zodiac Sign and learn more about the Year of the Tiger

Many Asian countries celebrate Lunar New Year. Each does so in their own unique and special way. The wider Asian diaspora also celebrates it.

 

Watch the video below to learn more about the countries that celebrate Lunar New Year:

In the Gregorian calendar, which is the most widely used calendar in the world, New Years Day falls on Jan 1st every year. In the Lunar Calendar, New Year’s Day is the first new moon on the Lunisolar Calendar. The Lunar calendar is always 29 or 30 days.

While the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Islamic calendar is purely lunar.
Watch the following video (0.00 - 1.15) to find out more:

Activity: Exploring the commonalities and differences of the Gregorian and Lunar Calendar
Instructions: Ask students to read these articles and watch the videos:

1. Lunar Time vs. Solar Time
2. Lunar New Year: Why the solar calendar actually rules our lives

Then, ask students to them fill out this Venn diagram using the information they have learnt about Gregorian and Lunar Calendars. Have students discuss their answers with a partner and provide them with the correct information where necessary.