EP 151 Celebrate Lunar New Year in Your ESL Classroom with Engaging Lessons and Activities

Welcome, educators! To all the amazing ESL teachers out there—thank you for the incredible work you do every day. You’re not just teaching a language; you’re opening doors, building confidence, and giving students the tools they need to succeed in a new world. Your patience, creativity, and compassion create a safe space where students can thrive, and the impact you have will stay with them for a lifetime. Know that your efforts are deeply appreciated, and you are truly changing lives!

This week, let’s explore some engaging ways to bring the Lunar New Year into your classroom. From close reading exercises to hands-on crafts, these activities will spark curiosity, foster cultural appreciation, and build essential language skills.

Lunar New Year Close Read

Close reading is a powerful strategy to teach and support ESL students, and the Lunar New Year is an exciting topic to explore.

Why is this effective? Close reading allows students to unpack key vocabulary and phrases tied to the holiday, such as “red envelopes,” “lanterns,” or “spring festival.” Through this, they can practice identifying main ideas, analyzing details, and drawing inferences while learning about the traditions, foods, and symbols of this unique celebration. The cultural connection naturally motivates students to engage more deeply.

For a hands-on twist, incorporate a gallery walk with photos related to the Lunar New Year. This visual element reinforces comprehension and creates opportunities for discussion and interaction.

Ready to get started? Check out the Lunar New Year Close Read Lesson at myadventuresinesl.com/store. This ready-to-use resource includes texts, guiding questions, vocabulary activities, and more to make this lesson impactful and easy to implement.

Red Envelope Writing Activity

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a meaningful Red Envelope Activity that blends cultural appreciation and creative writing.

What You’ll Need:

• Red paper (or pre-made templates)
• Markers, crayons, or stickers for decoration

Start by introducing the tradition of red envelopes, or hongbao, with a short story or video. For example, you can read The Lucky Red Envelope by Vikki Zhang to provide context and spark interest.

Next, guide students to fold and decorate their own red envelopes. Encourage creativity—they can add drawings of lanterns, zodiac animals, or fireworks. Once the envelopes are crafted, have students write a short message of good luck or gratitude to a classmate, teacher, or family member. Provide sentence starters like “I wish you…” or “May you have…” to support their writing.

Finally, encourage students to exchange their envelopes. This adds a speaking element to the activity and spreads positivity in the classroom.

Lantern Craft and Storytelling

Engage your students with a Lantern Craft and Storytelling activity that combines cultural exploration and language practice.

Step 1: Build Background Knowledge Explain the significance of lanterns in Lunar New Year celebrations. Highlight how lanterns symbolize hope, light, and unity, and introduce the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the festivities. Use read-alouds or videos to help students connect with the topic.

Step 2: Create the Lanterns Provide materials like colored paper, scissors, glue, and markers. Guide students through making simple paper lanterns. Free templates are readily available online for easy preparation. Encourage them to personalize their lanterns with unique designs, such as zodiac symbols or their favorite colors.

Step 3: Storytelling Pair the craft with a storytelling activity. Using speaking or writing frames, students can either retell a story you’ve shared or create their own inspired by their lantern. For instance, they might imagine a journey their lantern takes or a wish it grants. This activity not only boosts creativity but also strengthens language skills.

If you’re ready to make the Lunar New Year come alive in your classroom, visit myadventuresinesl.com/store to access full lesson plans and resources, including two weeks’ worth of activities. Your students will love learning about this rich tradition while building their language abilities.