During music classes in February, Miller Avenue School kindergarten students learned about the Lunar New Year on Feb. 17 and it’s being the Year of the Fire Horse. Not only did the students study this holiday’s customs and traditions but the music classes also celebrated the Chinese culture and traditions through music. 

Through vocal exploration, students read Carole Lexa Schaefer’s "The Squiggle" and explored the unique Asian brush stroke-inspired illustrations by Pierr Morgan. Students also learned about East Asian instruments, such as the Erhu and singing bowl, and had the opportunity to play the Chinese bell tree and gong.  

The class concluded with reading Ying Chang Compestine’s "The Runaway Wok," an original folktale, inspired by traditional Chinese culture and taking place on Lunar New Year's Eve. The story was further explored by the students’ listening to Chinese songs and instruments while moving their bodies to match the style of the music.