It’s March and time for some Leprechaun fun Literacy Ideas and a Freebie!
I know how hard it is to keep little hands busy learning all day. I also know that many of you are teaching students who’s abilities range from below grade level to above grade level and everywhere in between. So, I thought it’d be a good idea to give away a freebie that would give you some options in your literacy activities during group work, shared reading time and writing centers and stations.
Using Leprechauns as a theme in your March activities will ensure student engagement.
Try using the “craftivity” at the beginning of your St. Patrick’s Day themed activities and that way you can have students playing the games all throughout the month. Finish off the month with the writing activities.
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I love integrating Themes with learning-don’t you?
HERE ARE SOME FUN FACTS AND ACTIVITIES for the Elementary Classroom
Did you know that Leprechauns are a type of fairy in Irish folklore?
According to legend if a human catches a leprechaun that leprechaun must grant that human three wishes in exchange for his freedom.
Leprechauns are never girls.
Leprechauns are shoemakers.
Leprechauns hide their gold coins in a pot at the end of the rainbow.
Leprechauns originally wore red, a three cornered hat, black leather shoes and silver buckles.
Leprechauns dance the Irish jig so much they wear out their shoes.
The original name for Leprechaun was lobaircin meaning a small-bodied fellow.
Many stories say that Leprechauns are mischievous creatures.
If you catch a Leprechaun, you can barter with him for three wishes.
Leprechauns make “tap, tap, tap sounds” like the sounds of a tiny hammer mending shoes.
There’s a famous cereal (Lucky Charms) that has a Leprechaun for a mascot.
Leprechaun stories teach us that greed and “get rich quick” schemes are folly.
My thought is to save your “gold coins” under the rainbow, or, in a bank, and you’ll have plenty ‘O money for a rainy day.
Students may enjoy coloring these fun Leprechauns after they’ve finished their seat work.
You many want to finish off March with one or two of these fun games.
GAMES AND ACTIVITIES
LEPRECHAUN
RELAY:
You’ve
played all kinds of relay races at birthday parties, but how about a relay race
to see which team can be the Leprechaun?
(You’ll
need a Leprechaun Hat and a Pot of Gold or some other Irish props you can
easily find at the dollar store)
SET
UP: Put the Leprechaun hat and the pot of gold on a chair for each team.
HOW
TO PLAY:
Divide
the students into 2 lines and GO!
Students
race down to put on the Leprechaun clothes. They have to do a little jig and
sing “I Am a Leprechaun” (See the words below), then take off the
Leprechaun costume and run back to their team. Whichever team finishes first
wins.
LEPRECHAUN
HIDE AND SEEK:
(you’ll
need a gold coin)
1
student is the Leprechaun.
Divide
the class into 2 teams.
All
the other students close their eyes.
The
Leprechaun hides a coin somewhere in the classroom.
Each
Team get’s 20 questions to find the gold.
All
questions have to answer ‘YES’ or ‘NO’.
CHASE
THE LEPRECHAUN
(You’ll
need a gold coin, or bean bag or a scarf for each student) This game is similar
to “Duck, duck, goose”.
All
students except the “Leprechaun” sit in a circle. The Leprechaun skips around
the outside of the circle as students say:
LEPRECHAUN,
LEPRECHAUN,where’s
your gold?Will
you share it before I’m old?
The
Leprechaun taps whomever is right in front of him/her on the word “old”. That
person jumps up and chases the Leprechaun around the circle. The Leprechaun
tries to get to that person’s seat before being tagged. If the Leprechaun is
tagged he gives up his gold (all of it) to the chaser, if he makes it to the
spot, the chaser gives up his gold.
Whomever
has the most gold at the end of the game is the winner.
Use this original poem and Song as part of your Literacy stations and reading centers.
And–I know you want students writing every day!
One thing that I know students love to do is to hide things. Make this little leprechaun and let the students hide him every day. You could tell them that for every day they find him, they earn points and their points equal a Leprechaun party at the end of the month. Or, you could say they earn points when behavior is GREAT!
You’ll find this craftivity and and more in this
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