I had so much fun conducting this lesson with my own children at home last March. Leprechauns dig through all things green looking for gold. They make a huge mess! In turn, the kids are flabbergasted and write a letter about everything they see.
Irresistible Fun!
It all began when I was teaching the Kindergarten Dual Language class. The 1st Grade Dual Language teacher and I did this lesson and it was simply TOO MUCH FUN!
Truth be told, this lesson takes a little bit of time. But it’s a giddy, chuckling, tickling time. Setting it up will make you laugh and the reaction from the kids makes it SO WORTH IT!
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Common Core State Standards
NOTE: This lesson can address the following Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.2.A, L.1.2.C, L.2.2.A, L.2.2.B, L.3.2.B
Making the Mess
- First, very early in the morning at school (or after the kids have gone to bed if doing this at home), start making a mess with everything GREEN.
A Kindergarten or 1st Grade Classroom
In a Kindergarten or 1st Grade Classroom it could include pulling the following GREEN items out and onto the floor in front of where they’re stored:
markers and crayons
pattern, connecting and/or play blocks
construction paper
GREEN ANYTHING
Be sure and add GREEN food coloring to the classroom toilet, HA!
A Home School–Your Own House!
At home it could include pulling the following GREEN items out and onto the floor, kitchen counter etc.
socks, underwear, shirts, pants, shoes
blocks, toys or stuffed animals
markers, crayons, colored pencils
construction paper
foods from the pantry and/or fridge
Don’t forget to add GREEN food coloring to any/all toilets
Here are some pictures from our Green Attack at home:
The Next Day
The next day, watch the kids enter and react. Give the students plenty of time to discover all of the leprechaun’s mischief. React with them to play along!!
Help them settle down and walk them through the following writing lesson.
NOW THE LESSON!
To get a full understanding on how I conduct each writing lesson you may want to read the Writing Prompts Introduction post. The lesson outlined below (and all other prompts posted) will make more sense and be easier to follow and use. Here’s the lined paper I use for Grades K-2 and Grades 2-7
Tell the Story Line
Begin the lesson by telling the story line: “Leprechauns just attacked our classroom/house! You’re going to write a letter to the leprechauns telling them what you saw and think.”
Brainstorm
Brainstorm and list the many things that the students saw.
Show the 5 Sections
Greeting/Introduction
1st Things you saw
2nd Things you saw
3rd Things you saw
Conclusion/Salutation
As mentioned in the writing prompts introduction, K-1st Graders are encouraged to write 1 sentence for each section, 2nd Graders 2 sentences, 3rd Graders 3 sentences and so on.
NOW TO WRITE!
Guide the students through the following steps so their story is organized and complete. They are free to write these ideas in their own words.
Date, Greeting and Questions
- Write the date on the first line right side
- Skip a line.
- Next, write the greeting on the 3rd line left side: Dear Leprechaun,
- Then, skip a line again.
- On the next line write exclamatory questions or statements:
What were you thinking?! Where are you?! Are you crazy?! Do you see this mess we have to clean up?! OR Ha! Ha! You are funny!
Describe in Detail What You Saw
6. Sixth, write about everything that you saw, found and thought about it.
(Have the students write 1-4 things depending on their ability.)
Conclusion
7. Seventh, write a concluding exclamatory statement:
I’m going to get you! Watch out! We will find you!
Salutation and Name
8. Write the salutation on the next line, under the body of the letter and in the center.
Your Friend, Your Enemy etc.
9. Lastly, write your name under the salutation.
Here’s my Kindergarten son’s reaction letter:
Print the Lesson
Here’s the full lesson for you to print out and use.
EASY ART ACCENTS
As soon as the students finish writing their letter, they can complete their St. Patrick’s Day art accent.
GAMES TO PLAY!
Describe. Guess. (Describing any object in the room/house.)
Leprechaun Traps!
P.S. The following year, as the next St. Patrick’s Day approached, my children started talking about whether or not our house was going to get hit again.
Around that time, we learned about building leprechaun traps from the master Science and Slime maker at Little Bins for Little Hands.
So they built one of there own. Ha!
Books about Leprechaun Traps
When, I took my son to Barnes & Noble to browse the other day, we spotted the following books:
They escaped!
My boys set out their trap the eve of St. Patrick’s Day. Much to their surprise, the leprechauns escaped their trap!
My oldest son’s reaction to his younger brother was, “I knew they’d escape your trap!” The two boys immediately started chattering about how they’re going to build a better trap next year!
Soon after, they wrote new letters to the leprechauns in hopes that they’ll come back!
The story continues….!
