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St. Patrick's Day
Potato Science Project
Potato Science Project
- Potatoes played a critical role in Irish history, so why not do some potato science? Grow a potato in a jar of water so young students can see the root system.
For older kids, grow several potatoes in a variety of solutions – plain water, water with fertilizer, water with bleach, etc. – and see which grows best.
- Teach a quick lesson on a great Irish writer – W.B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde, or George Bernard Shaw are all terrific choices.
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Introduce them to some traditional Irish folklore. You can start with this Google ebook called Tales from Old Ireland, it shares some of the best known children’s tales from the land of Eire.
For older students, encourage them to think about how these writers’ identities as Irishmen may have influenced their writing – particularly Wilde’s and Shaw’s works that lampooned English society. Yeats’ poetry was also influential in recording the events during the Irish revolution.
Don’t be afraid to indulge in some modern Irish humor and drama, like Frank O’Connor’s short story First Confession, Roddy Doyle’s book The Commitments, or Conor McPherson’s play The Seafarer. Irish literature is known for adding humor to even the most dramatic work, which makes for more student-friendly reads.
Math Practice with St. Pat
St. Pat’s Math Adventure, based on the story of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland, asks kids to solve math problems as they attempt to prevent the snakes from launching a counter-offensive. It’s a fun way to practice basic math skills.
Golden Coin Science Experiment
Combine legendary leprechaun magic with a lesson on chemical change with this experiment. For older students, follow these steps to turn pennies into gold coins. Using zinc, your students can change the color of copper objects to look silver and even gold.
These are pretty, but cannot be used as legal tender. Still, it’s fun chemistry for the holiday.
The History of the Irish Potato Famine
The Irish Potato Famine fits into any social studies curriculum.
World History? Obvious.
American History? Consider the Irish immigrants who came to the U.S. because of the famine.
Government? What responsibility did the British government have to prevent or ameliorate the famine?
For older students, consider holding a debate on whether or not the potato famine qualifies as genocide, as some historians have suggested.
Discover a Modern Irish Writer
Playwright Brian Friel has written movingly about Irish history and culture in plays like Translations and Dancing at Lughnasa. Choose a scene from one of these plays and have students read it aloud in class.
Pair this with the “learn to speak Gaelic” activity to help students determine how to pronounce those “unusual” names in the script.
Rainbow Science Experiment
Introduce students to the science of rainbows. If time is short, bring in a prism and demonstrate how it bends light.
If you have more time, let kids make their own rainbows, using this more involved rainbow creation experiment. If you’re feeling extra generous, you could get gold-covered chocolate coins for kids to find at the end of their rainbow.
Satire Review with A Modest Proposal
Use classic A Modest Proposal by Irish writer Jonathan Swift to teach the concept of satire to middle school or high school students. For maximum effect, don’t tell the students that it is a satirical proposal, and see how long it takes them to figure it out.
Use Science to Trap a Leprechaun
If your students are learning about motion, momentum, or other basic physics concepts, put these concepts in action by having students build a leprechaun trap.
Gather a bunch of items – pulleys; string; sticks or Lincoln logs; a “cage,” box or bowl to hold the little fellow; and “bait” (candy works well). Encourage students to approach it as an experiment – form a hypothesis about how the pieces will fit together, test the hypothesis, and revise their plan based on the results.
Learn to Speak Irish / Gaelic
As a class, learn the most authentic way to wish someone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day – in Gaelic/Irish!
Check out these common Irish phrases with some audio examples or use this Irish language handout with phrases, their Irish spellings and phonetic spellings. To actually hear the words spoken, play some audio pronunciation examples, play a few for your students from IrishSayings.com. (Note: You should choose these examples yourself rather than giving students access to this site. It includes some “colorful” sayings.)
Irish Storytelling Day
Many Irish myths and legends were passed down through oral tradition. Have students explore some of the most famous myths and legends, choose one, and practice telling it aloud.
Students can use the story (or notes) for guidance, but use this opportunity to teach oral presentation skills like volume, timing, and delivery. Divide the class into groups and let them present their stories to each other on St. Patrick’s Day.
Top 12 St. Patrick's Day Lessons by Kim Haynes (adapted from TeachHub)