Labour Day in China, or International Workers’ Day, is a public holiday that celebrates workers’ contributions to the country. In 2021, Chinese Labour Day will be celebrated from May 1st through the 5th. Chinese Labour Day began in 1919, but wasn’t declared a national holiday until 1949. During the “cultural revolution” May Day in China was considered almost the most important holiday in the country. Today, Labour Day is a holiday meant for enjoying time off with friends and family. Labour Day is celebrated in over 80 countries and is also known as May Day.

In this lesson, students learn about occupations in China. They will also engage in a discussion and collaborative activity to learn more about how the Labour Day holiday is celebrated throughout the world.

1. Review occupations: Occupations Song in Chinese. Try to sing along. Practice the new vocabulary. As a bonus, find out about an interesting occupation in China: Panda Hugger Job in China
2. Review Labour Day Holiday Activities. Learn how people spend their time away from work during the Labour Day holiday
3. Review the following video about Labour Day: Fun Facts About Labor Day. Discuss with the class the significance of Labour Day in China. Discuss how Labour Day is celebrated in Australia / New Zealand / UK / USA and how they might look similar or different than how it is celebrated in China

1. Ask students to get into groups of 4. Have them share with their group what they do with their families on Labour Day in Australia / New Zealand / UK / USA. Ask them to discuss why they think having a Labour Day holiday is important
2. In their groups, have students design an informational poster/text about Chinese Labour Day. Students can use Microsoft Word, Google Slides, or Mindomo
3. Ask students to present their posters/texts to the class