Top o' the mornin' to ye! Do you have your green ready to wear?
Whether or not you are Irish, this holiday is fun for all and
presents the opportunity for a multi-cultural lesson. Here are
some ideas for you to try.
1. Speak to your children using an Irish brogue. This will
captivate their interest!
2. Who was St. Patrick? Why is there a holiday named for him?
Are Irish children in school on this day? Let children do
research to find out.
3. Discuss some of the symbols for St. Patrick's Day and explain
what they mean. Classify them as real or unreal. For instance,
shamrocks are real but pots of gold at the end of the rainbow
are not.
4. Read aloud part of a fictional St. Patrick's Day story. Have
your children write their own endings. Read them out loud or
hang them on a bulletin board for all to read. NOTE: This may
also be done with small groups of children working together!
5. Afterwards, read the ending of the story you started. Have
the children compare the author's ending with their outcomes.
Which was more realistic? Which was more funny? Which did they
like best?
5. This would be an excellent time for a cooking experiment.
Remember the story "Green Eggs and Ham?" Try making some green
eggs, green vanilla pudding pops, or anything else that would be
suitable for your age group. Green food coloring could be added
to white frosting before icing some cupcakes. Let the children
taste the frosting while it is white and ask them to predict how
it will taste after it becomes green. Were they right? Compare!
6. While your children are out, sprinkle some green glitter on
desks, tables, or the floor. Perhaps you can write a note in an
unusual handwriting. Of course, you will feign innocence as to
how those things got there! What do the children think happened?
7. Older children may find out more about Ireland. What are the
similarities and differences to your own country? How are you
and the Irish children similar and different? Make Venn Diagrams
for your comparisons.
8. Here is a finger play, "Ten Funny Leprechauns," taken from
Swing into Spring, Macmillan Seasonal Activity Packs, 1988,
Macmillan Educational Company. Try making finger puppets to
accompany this dramatic play!
"Ten funny leprechauns Danced in a line. One found a shamrock
And then there were nine.
Nine sleepy leprechauns Stayed out too late. One fell fast
asleep And then there were eight.
Eight little leprechauns All named Kevin. One said, "I'm Joe!"
And then there were seven.
Seven helpful leprechauns Picked up some sticks. One grew tired
of this And then there were six.
Six hot leprechauns All took a dive. One did a belly flop And
then there were five.
Five jolly leprechauns Ran through the door. One ran back again
And then there were four.
Four thirsty leprechauns Sat down to tea. One didn't like it And
then there were three.
Three tiny leprechauns Hid inside a shoe. One fell out again and
then there were two.
Two laughing leprechauns Went for a run. One ran very fast And
then there was one.
One lonely leprechaun Wanted to have fun. He joined all the rest
And then there were none."
This poem lends itself well to lessons on adjectives, verbs, and
rhyming words. Use different colored crayons, markers, or
highlighters to determine answers.
I hope these ideas are useful and ignite your own creativity!
Freda J. Glatt, MA, retired from teaching after a 34-year career
in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Her focus, now, is
to reach out and help others reinforce reading comprehension and
develop a love for reading. Visit her site at
http://www.sandralreading.com. Reading is FUNdamental!
Please post your comments on this article or ideas you have for St. Patrick's Day at the Other Holidays Message Board
