Lesson 6: A New Year

With all the Chinese New Year revelry in the air, I wanted to share some New Year's celebratory music.  I chose to  show how different people all over the world are inspired to sing as the old year turns to the new. I found a site that lists many songs for Chinese New Year here.

Gongxi Gongxi/ Greetings Greetings; a traditional Chinese New Year's song. Translation can be found here.  Listen on Youtube here.
Avinu Malkeinu/ God hear us...; a traditional Jewish New Year's sung prayer.  This version composed by Max Janowski and sung by Barbra Streisand.  Listen on Youtube here.

Barbra Streisand

For a Reform Jewish perspective on the history of Avinu Malkeinu, you can read here.  General information can be found at Wikipedia.


I showed them pictures of the dragon being paraded down a street for the Chinese New Year, and we talked about our own Philadelphia Mummer's parade where people also dress up and parade down the street on January 1st.  I told the children about Jewish New Year/ Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur that occur earlier in the Fall, and how Jewish people go to synagogue and sing prayers together and listen to a cantor sing as well.  

We talked about how though the Chinese New Year song was from China, it is now sung in Chinatowns all over the world, including our own city.  I taught them that although Max Janowski was born in Berlin, Germany, he worked in Japan early in his career and spent most of his life in Chicago.  Music truly travels the world. 

One class loved the joyful and upbeat Gongxi Gongxi, and another loved the famously rich voice of Barbara Streisand.  They all seemed to enjoy the lesson. 

Here is the lesson plan.
Here is the coloring page. Print one for each student (double sided).
Here are the visual aides.  If you have the capacity to project these, that would be great.  I have mine in a binder and walk around the tables giving everyone a closer look.

I also pointed out the wide geographical origins of the pieces on a large world map.  

Enjoy!