St. Patrick's Day

Around St. Patrick's Day we always practice ABC Order.   I gave them leprechaun cards with 5 words on them.  I was able to differentiate by giving highter students ABC order to 2nd or 3rd letter.  Each child got what they needed!! They had to write the words in ABC order and then use the word in a sentence.  These cards are in my St. Patrick's Day Pack O'Fun!  Click here here if you would like that.  It's on SALE from now until the 17th!!

Next, I had them cut out BIG words from a newspaper.  I didn't tell them why.  After we had all the words cut out and the mess cleaned up, I told them we were glueing them in ABC Order on a green piece of paper!!   We glued on Mr. Leprechaun to hold the paper!!  Cute in the hallway!   And they loved it!!  No idea they were learning!  :D

We also worked on Greater Than and Less Than!! Using the signs to compare is new to them. Earlier this week I used several different visuals (pacman, alligator,etc) to model the < and > signs and how they work. So today, I pulled out the St. Patrick's Day boys and shamrocks. They worked with a partner to make 8 Greater Than Less Than sentences that were true. Then they recorded them on the paper.  They did a great job.  If you would like a copy of this, it is available in my TPT store.  Click HERE.

 

Look at the difference in the first 3 pictures and the last 2 pictures!!  NOTE TO SELF...When you get a new phone, remember to remove the plastic that is covering the camera!  :D

Potatoes! Leprechauns! Gold! Oh My!

We started off reading The Hungry Leprechaun!  This is one of my favorite books!  I love the story.  I love the illustrations.  I love Tippery!  And I love how it gets us all ready for some potato and leprechaun fun!!

Right after reading the book, we did some Potato Activities!  The first thing I do is bring out a 10 pound bag of potatoes.  Of course, I don't tell them what it weighs.   I let them guess!  They have to lift the bag.  You wouldn't believe the answers!!  NO ONE guesses under 10 pounds!  After we weigh them, each child gets their own potato.  They observe with a magnifying glass and record what they find.  Here are the sheets we used to record the results.  Record sheets are in my St. Patricks Day Pack of Fun.  Click here if you are interested!

 

 

 

We also measured them, weighed them, and graphed our favorite ways to eat a potato!

 

 

Unfortunately, they were not heavy enough to activate the scales!!  So, on to plan B!! 

 

I had one of the students hop on the scales!!  (I was certainly NOT going to volunteer!)  He weighed 59 pounds.  (Close to my weight, but not exactly!!)  Then we had him hold the bag of potatoes and weigh again!  Now he weighs 69 pounds!!    Hmmmm... Time for a little math!    They were amazed to find out that the heavy bag of potatoes was only 10 pounds!!

 

 

 

 

Next, I gave each of them a sheet of 8 potatoes.  They choose 8 of their spelling words and put a word on each potato.  Then I had them make a bag. (Don't laugh)  Once the bag and potatoes were cut out, they glued the words in ABC Order. 

 

You could also use the potato words for ABC Order.  We just choose to use Spelling words.

 

I let them get with their Buddy Read partners to practice reading I Like Potatoes.  There is a copy of the poem in my "St.Patrick's Day Pack of Fun".  Click here if you are interested in that!  Afterwards we graphed our favorite way to eat potatoes...skins, french fries, mashed, baked, or chips!  The graph is also included in the "St.Patrick's Day Pack of Fun".  Again, click here for the pack!

Last we read, Jamie O'Rourke and The Big Potato.

I love, love, love this book!!  We talk about how Jamie O'Rourke is the laziest man in all of Ireland.  I ask if any of them have heard the expression "Couch Potato" and what that means.  Then I ask...Do you know a couch potato??   Most all of my kids say MY DAD!  And I want to holler MY HUSBAND!  :D 
So, next we make a big couch!  We put a face and clothes on a potato and lay down on the couch.  Then the kids write about WHY their _____ is a couch potato.  I've had a few say it was their mom or an older sibling, but 9 times out of 10 it is the dad!!  Things that make you go hmmmmmm!

We have a lot of St. Patrick's Day activities coming up in the next 10 days!!  If you are interested in our Pack O'Fun, you can find it on TPT!!  Hopefully I'll have time to upload some of the activities that we're doing!  If you have any quesitons or comments, let me know!  Click here for the Pack O'Fun and here for a fun FREEBIE with the number 17!!