| Education and Activities
 Social Studies & History: The Harvest Moon Festival, or Chuseok, is one of the most important holidays in Korea. Families indulge in traditional foods that feature harvested ingredients, including vegetables, fish and grains. During the celebration, they exchange gifts, play games and dance to folk music.
Math: Like most of the world, Korea uses the Gregorian calendar, but the Harvest Moon Festival is based the original lunar calendar, which means the date of the celebration changes each year. This year, the festival takes place on September 14th. Can you think of any other holidays that are based on a lunar calendar?
Food: Rice is a staple food in Korea and the most widely grown crop. One popular dish is called bibimbap (also spelled bibimbop)—a rich bowl with veggies, eggs and beef. Generally, Korean meals are served with small dishes of kimchee (spicy pickled cabbage) and other vegetables. Koreans use chopsticks to eat. Have your child try using chopsticks at dinner.
Language Arts & Reading: In Korean, which is the spoken language in North and South Korea, bap means “ cooked rice” and bee-bim means “mixed up.” Elementary-aged kids can learn more about this traditional dish from Linda Sue Park’s book Bee-bim-Bop!.
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