Catch Him!
A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to live in Ireland for a period of time. Having that first-hand knowledge comes in handy at this time of year. When I was a classroom teacher, I always made a big deal about St. Patrick's Day. I used it as an opportunity to introduce the children to the country of Ireland and a little information about the Irish culture. Playing on the spoof of the leprechaun made the activities fun and adventurous. We would go on a Leprechaun Hunt or leave little goodies out for the little guy. In later years, I have seen my grandchildren build leprechaun traps to try to catch the perpetrator who was turning their milk green in the fridge.
I have always looked upon the tall tales of leprechauns as a folktale and true fantasy stemming from the Irish culture. Studies have been done that indicate that children build great foundations from folktales. In fact, folktales and fairytales provide an example of complete fantasy for young children. With virtual reality appearing in games and movies, it is difficult for young children to differentiate between fact and fiction. Folktales provide an opportunity for children to experience something that is complete fantasy. Folktales have no pretence of being real.
So, set up your leprechaun traps and see what happens to the young children around you!
Labels: leprechaun
posted by John Funk @ Permalink4:51 PM
6 Comments:
Thanks John for sharing. I know the kids in my daycare love looking for leprechauns and in their preschool classroom, the leprechauns we very naughty this year. Kids thrive on folktales and these are experiences that will remember for a lifetime.
Thanks a lot John. I am studying to be an early educator and these ideas of incorporating St. Patrick's Day into classroom curriculum sound very fun and effective.
I love your ideas, I will keep them in mind for next year for my classroom
I love your ideas!! Thanks for sharing stuff!!
St. Patricks Day has always been a favorite for me because we get to wear green. I think it is neat when teachers take the opportunities through holidays to learn about other cultures and traditions, and even how others influence our traditions in America. Your ideas have the potential for all sorts of math, reading, science, and social studies integration, and could be extended to similar culture/tradition activities for other holidays. This is great, thanks! (Amanda Brown TL 4330)
early childhood education is so important for our young children. they get to socialise with their peers even if they do not learn anything in those first few years.Most educators in the caribbean focus on wht the child is learning academically although i know that this is important interacting and developing social skills are also important.
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