Leaping Leprechauns!
I created this leprachaun on a shamrock to display on top of the students' cubbies. I painted the wooden shamrock, which I bought from a craft store and hotglued the leprechaun, bought at a dollar store, atop it.
Books:
Leprechaun Gold by Teresa Bateman
St. Patrick's Day by Carmen Bredeson
St. Patrick's Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting
Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato
by Tomie dePaola
St. Patrick's Day by Gail Gibbons
It's St. Patrick's Day by Rebecca Gomez
Hooray for St. Patrick's Day! by Joan Holab
Jack and the Leprechaun by Ivan Robertson
Let's Celebrate St. Patrick's Day
by Peter and Connie Roop
Clever Tom and the Leprechaun by Linda Shute
Poems:
I’m a Little Leprechaun
By Vicki Claybrook
I’m a little leprechaun
Dressed in green.
The tiniest man
That you have ever seen.
If you ever catch me, so it’s told,
I’ll give you my pot of gold!
Five Little Leprechauns
Author Unknown
Five little leprechauns scurrying by my door,
One jumped away, then there were four.
Four little leprechauns, climbing in my tree,
One hid in the green leaves, then there were three.
Three little leprechauns, just a busy few,
One went for a pot of gold, then there were two.
Two little leprechauns, having lots of fun,
One hopped over the rainbow, then there was one.
One little leprechaun, with all his work down.
He slipped off for a nap, then there were none.
Leprechaun, Leprechaun
by Jean Warren
Leprechaun, leprechaun,
Come hunt with me.
How many green things can we see?
We found a green (leaf) under a tree.
We found a green (frog) next to me.
We found a green (apple) on the ground.
We found green (grass) all around.
*Children can substitute other words for the ones in the parentheses.
This Little Leprechaun
This little leprechaun slid down the rainbow.
(Lift thumb.)
This little leprechaun stayed at home.
(Lift index finger.)
This little leprechaun picked a shamrock.
(Lift middle finger.)
This little leprechaun found some gold.
(Lift ring finger.)
This little leprechaun cried,
"See if you can catch me!"
(Lift pinky.)
As he ran home.
(Wiggle pinky.)
Writing:
1.Before students arrive I move classroom items around, turn some chairs over, and make a trail of leprechaun "gold" (play coins spray painted gold) to a letter from Liam the Leprechaun which goes:
Hello, my Kindergarten friends!
Now, what do you think?
I was here and gone
As quick as a wink!
I've hidden some treasure,
Some hih and some low.
To find it
On your mark, get set,
and GO!
After reading the letter, we look for Liam's treasure (chocolate coins or Hershey Kisses) and then compose a response letter to him.
2. Journals- "If I were a leprechaun I would hide
my gold..."
" At the end of the rainbow
there is..."
What do you think a leprechaun wears?
Songs:
Paddy is His Name-O
(Bingo tune)
I know a tiny little man
Who dresses all in green clothes.
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
And Paddy is his name-o.
He lives across the ocean wide;
He's rarely ever seen;
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
And Paddy is his name-o.
Do Your Ears Point Up?
(Do Your Ears Hang Low? tune)
Do your ears point up?
(point up)
Do you have a lot of luck?
(cross fingers)
Can you dance an Irish jig?
(dance)
For a pot of gold you'll dig?
(pretend to dig)
Can you toss gold over your shoulder?
(pretend to toss)
Like a giant throws a boulder?
(pretend to throw heavy object)
Do your ears point up?
(point up)
"The Leprechaun"
("The Muffin Man" tune)
Oh, have you seen a leprechaun,
A leprechaun, a leprechaun?
Oh, have you seen a leprechaun
Who comes form Ireland?
Among the shamrocks he may hide,
He may hide, he may hide.
Among the shamrocks he may hide
So catch him if you can.
"I'm a Little Shamrock"
( "I'm a Little Teapot" tune)
I'm a little shamrock.
See my leaves.
Count my petals
If you please.
If you give me water
And lots of sun,
I'll bring you good luck and lots of fun!
"I'm a Little Leprechaun"
( "I'm a Little Teapot" tune)
I'm a little leprechaun
Dressed in green.
The tiniest man you have ever seen.
If you catch me,
So it's told,
I will give you my pot of gold.
Five Little Leprechauns
Author Unknown
Five little leprechauns scurrying by my door,
One jumped away, then there were four.
Four little leprechauns, climbing in my tree,
One hid in the green leaves, then there were three.
Three little leprechauns, just a busy few,
One went for a pot of gold, then there were two.
Two little leprechauns, having lots of fun,
One hopped over the rainbow, then there was one.
One little leprechaun, with all his work down.
He slipped off for a nap, then there were none.
Leprechaun, Leprechaun
by Jean Warren
Leprechaun, leprechaun,
Come hunt with me.
How many green things can we see?
We found a green (leaf) under a tree.
We found a green (frog) next to me.
We found a green (apple) on the ground.
We found green (grass) all around.
*Children can substitute other words for the ones in the parentheses.
This Little Leprechaun
This little leprechaun slid down the rainbow.
(Lift thumb.)
This little leprechaun stayed at home.
(Lift index finger.)
This little leprechaun picked a shamrock.
(Lift middle finger.)
This little leprechaun found some gold.
(Lift ring finger.)
This little leprechaun cried,
"See if you can catch me!"
(Lift pinky.)
As he ran home.
(Wiggle pinky.)
Writing:
1.Before students arrive I move classroom items around, turn some chairs over, and make a trail of leprechaun "gold" (play coins spray painted gold) to a letter from Liam the Leprechaun which goes:
Hello, my Kindergarten friends!
Now, what do you think?
I was here and gone
As quick as a wink!
I've hidden some treasure,
Some hih and some low.
To find it
On your mark, get set,
and GO!
After reading the letter, we look for Liam's treasure (chocolate coins or Hershey Kisses) and then compose a response letter to him.
2. Journals- "If I were a leprechaun I would hide
my gold..."
" At the end of the rainbow
there is..."
What do you think a leprechaun wears?
Songs:
Paddy is His Name-O
(Bingo tune)
I know a tiny little man
Who dresses all in green clothes.
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
And Paddy is his name-o.
He lives across the ocean wide;
He's rarely ever seen;
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
He is a leprechaun;
And Paddy is his name-o.
Do Your Ears Point Up?
(Do Your Ears Hang Low? tune)
Do your ears point up?
(point up)
Do you have a lot of luck?
(cross fingers)
Can you dance an Irish jig?
(dance)
For a pot of gold you'll dig?
(pretend to dig)
Can you toss gold over your shoulder?
(pretend to toss)
Like a giant throws a boulder?
(pretend to throw heavy object)
Do your ears point up?
(point up)
"The Leprechaun"
("The Muffin Man" tune)
Oh, have you seen a leprechaun,
A leprechaun, a leprechaun?
Oh, have you seen a leprechaun
Who comes form Ireland?
Among the shamrocks he may hide,
He may hide, he may hide.
Among the shamrocks he may hide
So catch him if you can.
"I'm a Little Shamrock"
( "I'm a Little Teapot" tune)
I'm a little shamrock.
See my leaves.
Count my petals
If you please.
If you give me water
And lots of sun,
I'll bring you good luck and lots of fun!
"I'm a Little Leprechaun"
( "I'm a Little Teapot" tune)
I'm a little leprechaun
Dressed in green.
The tiniest man you have ever seen.
If you catch me,
So it's told,
I will give you my pot of gold.
Play a recording of lively Irish music and teach your class the Irish jig:
1. Play hands on hips and keep feet together.
2. Hop on right foot while placing left foot in front, heel down.
3. Hop again and point left toe in front of right foot.
4. Hop again, returning left foot to front, heel down.
5. Hop again, returning to starting position.
Phonics:
1. "The Match Patch" Game- Cut out shamrocks and glue pictures that rhyme on each side of them. Laminate. Cut shamrocks in half. Studenst match the rhymes to form complete shamrocks.
2. Alphabet Shamrocks- Students put letter shamrocks in alphabetical order.
3. Upper and lowercase shamrock match- Students match upper and lowercase letters written on laminated shamrocks.
4. Pot of Gold Game- Prepare pots with letters written on each and coins with pictures on each. Students put coins on the pot that has the letter the picture begins with.
Math:
1. Shamrock Sequencing- Children put shamrock patterns with numbers written on them in numerical order.
2. Pot of Gold Counting- Make black pots with numerals written onthem and laminate. Children place the correct amount of "gold" (play coins, yellow counters, yellow pompoms, beans spray painted gold, etc.) on each put.
3. Graph Lucky Charms cereal according to shape.
Science:
1. Make "leprechaun pudding"...pistachio pudding.
2. Make green jello.
3. make "leprecahun punch"...lemonade with green food coloring.
4. Examine a shamrock. (I was lucky enogh to find one and laminated it to use year after year.)
Art:
1. Paper plate leprechaun- Glue on green hat orange beard patterns. Draw facial features with markers.
2. Paper bag leprechaun
3. Tissue paper shamrock. I sprinkle glitter over the tissue paper and laminate it to make it shiny.
4. Shamrock necklaces- Children use green yarn, rigatoni noodles dyed green (food coloring and alchohol) and shamrocks cut from an Ellison machine.
5. Shamrock headbands- Students cut out shamrock patterns and glue on headbands.
6. Paper plate rainbow- Cut paper plate in half. Children glue tissue paper squares on to form arches.
7. Shamrock Dog- Cut out shamrock pattern and turn upside down. Glue on yarn fur, wiggly eyes, and a pom pom nose. Draw a mouth. Shamrock patterns can be turned into other animals such as mice as well.
Art:
1. Paper plate leprechaun- Glue on green hat orange beard patterns. Draw facial features with markers.
2. Paper bag leprechaun
3. Tissue paper shamrock. I sprinkle glitter over the tissue paper and laminate it to make it shiny.
4. Shamrock necklaces- Children use green yarn, rigatoni noodles dyed green (food coloring and alchohol) and shamrocks cut from an Ellison machine.
5. Shamrock headbands- Students cut out shamrock patterns and glue on headbands.
6. Paper plate rainbow- Cut paper plate in half. Children glue tissue paper squares on to form arches.
7. Shamrock Dog- Cut out shamrock pattern and turn upside down. Glue on yarn fur, wiggly eyes, and a pom pom nose. Draw a mouth. Shamrock patterns can be turned into other animals such as mice as well.