Dec. 28, 2005: Bringing in the New Year

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Use pictures and words from the newspaper to make a "Happy New Year" collage. Include words that show the good things you want to happen in the new year.

2. Look in your newspaper to find three different ways people will be celebrating the new year in your community. Which celebration would you like to join? Why?

3. Interview several friends about their family New Year's traditions. List their answers on a piece of paper. Which traditions are similar? What is the most unusual tradition?

4. People from which cultural groups celebrate the New Year (a) by cleaning their homes, (b) with fireworks, (c) by giving children money, and (d) by forgiving other people?

5. Write a paragraph describing your family's New Year's traditions. You may want to include the following information in your writing:

• When do you celebrate (New Year's Eve or New Year's Day)?
• What people are included?
• What special foods do you eat?
• What activities do you do?
• Does your family do anything to guarantee good luck in the new year?
• How is your family's ethnic, cultural or religious background reflected in your traditions?
  

This week's standard:

• Students describe ways in which language, stories, folk tales, music and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence the behavior of people living in a particular culture. (Social Studies: Culture)
  
  (standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)