Connecting Activities

Give each child a paper shamrock to wear while listening to the story. Discuss the Irish custom for St. Patrick's Day called "the wearing of the green." This ancient custom originated as an important symbol of springtime and hope. Talk about how shamrocks also symbolize good luck. Brainstorm a list of other items which symbolize good luck such as a horseshoe or a rabbit's foot.

Discuss the country of Ireland and the history of Saint Patrick. Two very good sources are Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola and Shamrocks, Harps, and Shillelaghs: The Story of St. Patrick's Day, by Edna Barth. Both books contain a wealth of information on the origins of St. Patrick's Day.

Talk about the lore of the mischievous Leprechaun. Find a Leprechaun doll in a toy store or card shop. Have your class name the Leprechaun and keep him in the classroom as your lucky mascot during the month of March. It is especially fun if the Leprechaun plays harmless pranks during the night, such as hiding reading books or leaving footprints on the classroom floor (with a little help from the teacher, of course!).

In your math center, put out a jar filled with pennies or cnady coins to resemble gold coins. Estimate how many coins are in the "pot of gold." Place the pot at the end of a large laminated rainbow. If you laminate the rainbow, the estimates can be written on the rainbow using a wipe-off pen. Group the pennies or candy coins by tens, and count to check your estimates.

Enjoy a treasure hunt using the "pot of gold" coins. Hide one hundred coins in the classroom and let the students work in teams to find as many coins as they can. Try timing the hunt. Group the coins by tens and total them. Estimate the weight of the coins and check the weight on a balance scale.

Make potato prints. Prepare the potatoes by carving a design into half of a raw potato. The excess potato has to be cut away leaving a raised design. The potato is then dipped into tempera paint, and pressed on a piece of construction paper to make a potato print picture. Try using bright green paint on yellow construction paper for a nice effect.

Rainbows are often associated with the Leprechaun's pot of gold. For some activities related to rainbows please visit my Rainbows Page.

Have students create St. Patrick's Day floats`hold a St. Patrick's Day parade in your school or classroom.

Use this Convenient Drop-Down Menu to Explore More St. Patrick's Day Pages

Page updated on March 8, 2002

You are listening to "An Irish Lullaby"

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