Heritage Program for Everyone (but the Teens)

Posted By on Jul 24, 2008 |


Auntie Helen has done an AMAZING job organizing this year’s Heritage Program (for everyone but the teens . . . they have their own thing). Here is what Auntie Helen has to say about the program:

“I thought that each day we would have a story, art project,and food with each celebration. It would be nice if we could get a different Auntie, Uncle or grandparent to read the story or stories of the day or tell an experience with the holiday. We could make the food and have it for late night snack. The kids will learn 2 chinese songs. I am hoping much of what we do can be incorporated into festival night. Art projects can be decorations and costumes for festival night, maybe the dragon boat race could be part of field day, candles will be given to families during Qing Ming ceremony on Friday night. I need lots of help especially with the directing of the skits for Saturday.

The main resource I am using is the book “Moonbeans,Dumplings and Dragon Boats” by Nina Simonds, Leslie Swartz and The Children’s Museum Boston. You can order this on Amazon .com. Please bring it with you if you have one.”

Here is the Plan:

Monday

Celebration: Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year

Story: The Chinese New Year by Johanna Troughton (Helen has the book)
Use for basis of festival skit
Fun with Chinese Horoscopes by Evelyn Yep
Art Projects: Skits for Festival night, Lanterns and Zodiac masks
Food: Jiao tze

Any Ideas for creating a Lion for a Lion Dance?

Tuesday

Celebration: Dragon Boats

Story: The Tale of Qu Yuan
Art Projects: Make Boats
Chinese Song led by Grandmother Chang
Food: Zhong Zi

Wednesday

Celebration: Moon Festival

Story: Moon Lady by Amy Tan
Art Projects: Kites
Food: Moon Cakes
Chinese Song led by Grandmother Chang

Thursday

Celebration: Ching Ming

Story: The Tale of Jie Zitui
Art Projects: Candle Making and maybe Pin Wheels
Food: Tea Eggs and Spring Rolls
Chinese Song led by Grandmother Chang

Friday

Practice Skits, finish and put up art projects, fly our kites, sailing our boats.

Skits
Chinese Hew Year Story – kids 4 – 7 years old
Monkey King – Kids 8-12 years old

Here is what we need to make this a success, besides one adult at each program per family/kid group to help:

1. 4 Readers (or 3 Readers and 1 Person dressed up to be a Poet (Dr. Dyken – right)
2. 4 Elders sharing experiences
3. Director for the 4-7 yr old skit (Helen has the book to use for skits)
4. Director for the 8-12 yr old skit
5. Zodiac Items like posters, Zodiac/Animal Costumes, Old Chinese Clothes
6. Any ideas for a Lion Costume for the Lion Dance
7. Lots of people to help with food prep for the kids’ snack making (cutting, rolling, cooking)
8. Rolling Pins (a few)
9. Lots of hands to help with the art projects
10.Any and all ideas for the skits, especially the Monkey King skit.