This year is the Year of the Loong (Chinese Dragon) in the Chinese zodiac, and the first cultural immersion experience for Chinese language students is the celebration of the most important Chinese festival, Chinese New Year.
In Year 7 classes, students deepened their understanding of Chinese New Year through engaging activities such as Fact Wheel and Edpuzzle, and they tested their knowledge through a Kahoot competition. Additionally, they practised the traditional art of paper cutting to create “龙福” (Long Fu), symbolising luck in the Year of the Loong.
Year 8 classes had the opportunity to participate in the annual “Dumplings in Da Costa” Chinese food culture immersion activity, which they greatly enjoyed. During this activity, students learned how to make dumplings using soft wrappers and tender chicken fillings, folding them into various shapes. They also took part in the Chopsticks Challenge team event, where they passed a single Jelly Bean using chopsticks down a table and back again. The excitement of the challenge added to the lively atmosphere of the event. After completing the challenge, students were served the boiled dumplings by the chefs at Da Costa and enjoyed them together in the spirit of Chinese culture.
In Year 9 classes, students focused on learning about the cultural activities that take place during Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinese. They also enjoyed watching segments of the Spring Festival Gala and created “龙福” drawings on red paper for good luck.
Special thanks were extended to Mr. Stuart MacDonald, the site manager of Chartwells, and his team for their full support of the dumpling-making activity, as well as to all the Chinese teachers for their efforts in preparing resources and teaching students about Chinese New Year.
Fangfang Qiu
Coordinator of Chinese
