Free printable Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival lesson plans | Examiner.com

China's lunar calendar system is centuries older than the Gregorian calendar. The Chinese New Year begins in on February 8, 2016. The beginning date for Chinese New Year varies from late January to mid February on the western calendar. 2016 celebrates Chinese New Year of the Monkey (or KangXi). Each of the 12 years in the Chinese zodiac is represented by a different animal and the calendar repeats every 12 years. It was Chinese New Year of the Monkey in 2004 and will be again in 2028. CNY kicks off the Spring Festival in China and ends with the Lantern Festival, a quaint, charming holiday.  Free printable Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival lesson plans | Examiner.com

Chinese New Year of the Monkey books for kids, children's literature from China

 Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival celebrates the culture of the Orient. It begins Feb. 9 in 2016 and culminates with a Lantern Festival. What better way to explore Chinese culture in your classroom than with literature? Here is a list of children's books for pre-K to second graders from China. Some books are specifically Chinese stories and others are Japanese Buddhist stories. Chinese New Year encompasses traditional animals of the zodiac so many kids' books in this list are animal-themed. It's CNY Year of the Monkey in 2016. Chinese New Year of the Goat books for kids, children's literature from China | Examiner.com