In honor of the Lunar New Year, Valley Stream UFSD Thirteen students engaged in educational and interactive classroom activities and lessons to learn about the culture and traditions surrounding the festive holiday. The schools in the district read books on the subject and created various activities to show their appreciation for the holiday.
Howell Road Elementary School students read Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chin. The story was about a young boy who received a traditional gift of red envelopes that contained “lucky money” commonly known as leisees. After reading the book, Howell Road students crafted lucky red envelopes.
At Wheeler Avenue Elementary School, students celebrated the Lunar New Year by reading The Runaway Wok by Ying Chang Compestine. The Chinese New Year tale is about a boy who went to the market to buy food but came home with an old wok that rolled away from their house. After reading the story, the students used musical instruments to practice Lunar New Year-related musical pieces to celebrate the holiday.
Some parents and grandparents at Willow Road Elementary School joined students to read aloud various stories and watch videos about the Lunar New Year. Families who celebrate the Lunar New Year brought in cultural items for show and tell. Afterward, students crafted colorful dragons and participated in a musical parade to the joy of everyone present.