Shamrock Puppy

Here's how you can make the cutest little green puppy!!!
Cut a Shamrock out of Green construction paper.
Turn it upside down so that the stem is upward.
Glue googlie eyes onto the center
(or you can cut them out of construction paper too)
Add a pom pom nose
And a red construction paper tungue at the very bottom.
(Hanging down from the Shamrock.)
Cut out a Bone out of white construction paper and glue it on the
stem...
Waa Laa You have a cute Green Puppy!

Paper Plate Shamrock
Need: 3 paper plates, Green Crayons, Green Construction paper, glue,
and scissors.
Color all three paper plates green. Cut a stem from green construction
paper. Glue the three paper plates together and in a triangle type
shape. Then glue the stem at the bottom.

Coffee Filter Shamrock
Need: Coffee Filter, 2 baby food Jars, Water, scissors, Yellow and Blue
food coloring, and a Q-tip

Cut Coffee filter in the shape of a shamrock. Put water in two baby
food jars. Add yellow food color in one jar and blue in the other. Give the
children qtips and let them mix the colors on the coffee filter. You
end up with a very interesting green shamrock.

Fingerpaint Clover Field
Need: 1 piece fingerpaint paper
green tempera paint mixed with liquid starch, mixed very thick
3x3 in pieces of tissue paper in shades of green
scissors, newspaper

Cut shamrocks out of tissue paper (many different sizes). Place
fingerpaint paper on top of newspaper. Pour about 3 tablespoons of
paint
in the middle and spread all over the paper with one hand. Make all
over
design on the paper. before the paint dries add tissue
shamrocks to the paper.

SONGS/POEMS

Hi, everyone! I found a new St. Patty's Day song and though I would pass it
along. This comes from Totline's 1001 Poems and Fingerplays- sung to the tune
of Do Your Ears Hang Low?.

Do your ears point up,
Do you have a lot of luck?
For gold, do you dig-
Can you dance an Irish jig?
If you answered "yes",
You're a leprechaun, I guess!
Do your ears point up?

The children loved it. We took turns dancing a jig in the center of our
circle as we sang the song.

On St. Patrick's Day (sung to : The Mulberry Bush)

Let's wear green and dance a jig,
Dance a jig, dance a jig.
Let's wear green and dance a jig,
On St. Patrick's Day.

All join hands and circle round,
Circle round, circle round.
All join hands and circle round,
On St. Patrick's Day.

Twirl your partner round about,
Round about, round about.
Twirl your partner round about,
On St. Patrick's Day.

Songs:
1. I'm a Little Leprechaun (Sung to: "I'm a little teapot")
I'm a little leprechaun
Dressed in green,
The tiniest man
That you ever seen.
If you ever catch me, it is told,
I'll give you my pot of gold!

2. I'm a Little Shamrock (Sung to: "I'm a little teapot")
I'm a little shamrock see my leaves.
Count my three petals if you please.
If you give me water and lots of sun,
I'll bring you good luck and lots of fun.

3. Leprechaun Fingerplay
This little leprechaun slid down the rainbow, (Point to thumb.)
This little leprechaun stayed home. (Point to index finger.)
This little leprechaun picked a shamrock, (Point to middle finger.)
This little leprechaun found some gold. (Point to ring finger.)
This little leprechaun cried, "See if you can catch me," (Point to
little finger.)
As he ran home.(Wiggle little finger.)

4. FIVE GREEN SHAMROCKS
Five green shamrocks growing outdoors
(Child's name) picked one, and that left four.
Four little shamrocks, green as they can be.
(Child's name) picked one and that left three.
Two little shamrocks nodding in the sun,
(Child's name) picked one, and that left one.
One little shamrock for St. Patrick's Day fun.
(Child's name) picked it, and that left none.
(Cut 5 flannel board shamrocks and let the children make shamrocks on a
stick and place the numbers on the shamrocks for math count.

5. Can't Catch Me Sung to: "Skip to my Lou"
Can't, can't, can't Catch me!
Can't, can't, can't Catch me!
Can't, can't, can't Catch me!
For I'm wearing green, you see!

6. GO ON LEPRECHAUN HUNT
(an adaptation of the Bear Hunt)
Ask the children to listen closely and follow the directions. Instruct
them to clap the rhythm or slap their knees as you tell the story.
Going on a leprechaun hunt. I'm not afraid.
Let's go! Oh. look! I see a grassy field.
Can't go around it. Can't go under it. Can't go over it. Let's go
throughit.
Let's go! Swish, swish, swish, swish.
Oh, look! I see a giant tree.
Can't go over it. Can't go under it. Can't go through it. Let's climb
it.
Let's go! Climb, climb, climb.
Oh, look! I see a river.
Can't go over it. Can't go around it. Can't go under it. Let's Swim it.

Let's go. Swim, swim, swim.
Oh, look! I see a dark cave.
Can't go around it. Can't go under it. Can't go over it. Let's tiptoe
into it.
Let's go. Tippy, tippy, toe.
It's really dark in here. Better turn on my flashlight.
Oh, no. I see something!
It's mean! It's green! It's a leprechaun! Let's go!
Run! Run! Swim! Swim! Climb! Climb! Swish! Swish!
Whew...safe at home again.

7. Shamrocks

2 little shamrocks lying in the grass
along came a leprechaun skipping down the path
he picked it up and held it toward the sun
that's for good luck now there is 1
1 little shamrock lying in the grass
along came a leprechaun skipping down the path
he left it there so there'd always be 1
that's for good luck and now my stories done!

This song could be used with any young children especially if you can
include some hand clapping on the chorus. (It gets the children more
involved in the song.)

Sung to the tune of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow"

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

We're wearing green for the Irish (3 X) On this St. Patrick's Day.

We'll dance a jig for the Irish (3 X) On this St. Patrick's Day.

Me fither & mither were Irish (3 X) and I am Irish too.

We kept a pig in the parlor (3 X) and he is Irish too. >>


Leprechaun's Magic Potion
Take lemonade Kool-Aid (unsweetened package) and sugar and get blue food
coloring. Before the students come in the room, write the "recipe" on the
board behind some chart paper. Read a St. Patrick's Day story and then tell
the students you are going to write a story (using the chart paper and
semantic map) about St. Patrick's Day..."mysteriously" find the recipe and
tell the kids you are going to have to have their help to make the magic
potion. Already have the Kool-Aid and sugar mixed together in a container
marked "magic potion." Have the kids help you mix up the magic potion and
water, then after it is mixed, add 3 or 4 drops of blue food coloring, which
of course turns the drink green. Afterwards (after everyone is done
drinking), write a story as previously planned.

White Craft Paper Shamrock
I made a large, white craft paper shamrock in which the children dipped their
hands in green paint, and made their handprints on the shamrock,which they
later decorated with gold glitter. I also wrote each child's name by his or
her handprint. This could also help with name recognition as well,as they
search for their name next to their handprints. I would recommend putting a
bucket close to the activity table when the children do this,as it was
difficult to go back and forth between the sink where the children were
washing their hands,and the activity table. (We started the St.Patrick's Day
Activities early because March 17th is picture day at the nursery school I am
at, in case anyone is wondering...lol)

St. Pat’s Day Hats

We made the cutest hats last yr for st pats day.......... a wide black band to
fit around the head & just cut a hat, with a band & golden ( yellow)
buckle........you can use construction paper or fun foam to make
these.........its also cute to make a little green shamrock to jauntily stick
in the hat band...voilla...... a room full of leprechauns

POT OF GOLD
Needed:
Black construction paper
gold foil (if you don't have it on hand, like me, use tin foil)
glue
gold glitter

First cut out a kettle shape from black construction paper. I used white
crayon to draw the top hole of the kettle. Have children crumple up small
pieces of foil into nuggets. With glue we filled the kettle hole with our
nuggets, then on the front of the kettle wrote "POT-O-GOLD" with glue. Then
the kids sprinkled or poured the gold glitter on that & the wet glue by the
gold nuggets until all the glue was covered. I previously cut out a bunch of
green shamrocks from construction paper, so we glued two of those on each side
of the kettle. While the glue dried, we colored in rainbows & glued or
stapled those to the shamrocks just above the kettle. I cut them out so they
were dome shaped, and used kinda like a handle.
That just came out of my head today, so if you find another way to do about
the same thing, you'll like these. They sure are a cute addition to our St.
Patrick's Day decorations!

Magic Dust

To help the children track down this leprechaun
they may need a special tool. From poster board cut out two shammrock shapes,
cut away the middle and glue green cellophane between the two shammrocks.
On the trail of a leprechaun-to end the St. Patrick's Day Fun place a bunch of
clues on shammrocks and hide them througout the room(draw a picture of a book
for them to go to library etc.) With the special magnifying glass look around
the room for the clues. Arrange the clues to lead to a black kettle filled
with coin shaped candies, serve shammrock shaped cookies and lemonade tinted
with green food coloring.

Leprechaun Ladders or Necklaces

Cut drinking straws into 1-1/2 sections (white or clear straws). Cut out 4
inch shamrock shapes out of green construction paper and punch holes in the
centre (make sure that these holes are not bigger than the straws).
Give each child shamrock shapes, straw sections, and a peice of green yarn.
Tie a straw section onto one end of the string to start them off. On the
other end tape a child-safe needle. Let the children string the shamrocks
and straws onto the string. When they have finished, hang their
"Leprechaun ladders" from the celing or in a window. Or else the children
can use their creations as a necklace.
*you can take this opportunity to talk to the children about patterns or
sequencing.

POEM
Leprechaun, Leprechaun

Leprechaun, Leprechaun,
Come hunt with me.
How many green things can we see?
We found a green ( leaf/etc) under a tree.
We found a green (frog/etc.) next to me.
We found a green (apple/etc.) on the ground.
We found green (caterpillars/etc.) all around.

*Let the children supply the names of green things as you recite this poem.
*Ask the children to add more items that you may have found out side or in
the centre.

SCIENCE
Sprouting Shamrocks

Cut shamrock shapes out of terry cloth or sponges, one for each child.
Place these into an aluminum pie tin and add a little water. Let them
sprinkle alfalfa seeds or grass seeds all over their shamrock. Let the
children observe these over the next few weeks as their shamrocks turn
green.



SCIENCE
Magic Pudding

Place 1 tablespoon of pistacio pudding mix into a sterilized baby food jar
for each child. Add 2 tablespoons of cold milk and watch as the contents
turn green. Have the children shake their jars (carefull not to drop them)
for about 45 seconds. Then let the children ear their pudding science
that they created.

Weighing Gold

Collect many various sized rocks and spray paint them gold. Set out the
nuggets of "gold" and a scale. Let the children weigh the gold
individually, together. Ask questions like: How much does four nuggets
weigh? How many nuggets does it take to make a pound? How else could we
weigh these nuggets.

*Extension: Have a treasure hunt! Have a few children do the hiding and a
few do the finding. Let the children create a treasure map. Try to use
all the elements of your centre (outdoors & indoors).

SNACK
Irish Soda Bread

Let your children make this treat with you.
You will need:

2 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Butter or Margarine
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Raisins or Currants

In a large bowl, mix the flour, soda, and salt together. Use fingers to
blend in butter. Stir in milk and add raisins or currants. Knead the dough
breifly, then shape into a flat loaf and place on a greased pie tin. Bake
at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm with
butter or jam.

Another Version of Sprouting Leprechauns:

Give each child a plain paper cup. Have the children make leprechaun faces on the sides of their cups by gluing on precut facial features and cotton beards. When the glue has dried, let the children fill their cups with potting soil and sprinkle on alfalfa seeds and water. place the leprechaun cups in a sunny spot and hae the children water them each day. Alfalfa seeds sprout quickly, and it won't be long before each leprechaun has a head of green "hair". On St. Patrick's day, have the children present their "Leprechauns" to a parent, grandparent or friend.