Date: September 6, 2003

Grade Level: Preschool Education, Kindergarten, 1

Subject(s):

• Social Studies/Holidays/Specific Holidays
• Language Arts/Literature/Children's Literature
• Arts

Duration: 40-45 minutes

Description: This lesson is to be used on St. Patrick's Day. Students will discuss their prior knowledge of St. Patrick's Day, and then they will listen to a St. Patrick's Day story (anything related to traditions, leprechauns, rainbows, etc). Students will then learn a finger play called, "Do Your Ears Point Up?" Finally, students make their own rainbows using Jell-O powder.

Goals:

1. Students will learn about St. Patrick's Day traditions.
2. Students will be able to recite and perform movements to a finger play.

1. After listening to a St. Patrick's Day story, students will be able to name at least three items related to St. Patrick's Day (colors, leprechauns, rainbows, pot of gold, etc.).
2. Students will actively move their bodies (arms/legs) as they recite the finger play, "Do Your Ears Point Up?"
3. Students will use Jell-O powder to create a colorful rainbow.
4. Students will express their feelings on the smell of the various flavors of Jell-O powder.

• St. Patrick's Day by: Gail Gibbons, 1994 (or any other related St. Patrick's Day book)
• photocopies of an outline of a rainbow and clouds (see Procedure for more details)
• small Dixie containers of three Jell-O flavors (any flavors/colors)
• glue
• crayons/markers
• Rice Krispie Treats tinted green with food coloring
• Finger Play

Next, the children will stand up while the teacher demonstrates the motions and says the words to the finger play. The children will join in on their own when they begin to catch on to the words and movements. Then, students will have an opportunity to make their own rainbows using Jell-O powder for the colors of the rainbow. They will glue and then sprinkle the powder onto the picture using their fingers, while describing the flavorful smells of the Jell-O powder. [Author's Note: The outline was a picture of a rainbow that covered almost a notebook sized paper with a cloud on each end of the rainbow. There were about 3 or 4 arches that made up the rainbow, about 1 1/2 inches of space where the Jell-O powder is glued. This outline needs to be created by the teacher.] The children can then color the clouds with crayons or markers. Afterwards, students can enjoy St. Patrick's Day Rice Krispie Treats!

Assessment: The children will be evaluated on their participation during the finger play, rainbow activity, and by their responses to questions asked related to St. Patrick's Day. [Sample questions: What color is associated with St. Patrick's Day? Can you name anything that comes to mind when you think of this special day? What did you learn about leprechauns?]

Useful Internet Resources:
* Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treats - Original Recipe
http://www.kelloggs.com/cgi-bin/recipes/rcp_recipe.pl?p_rcp_nbr=47&p_grp_nbr=1

* ProTeacher - Seasonal Ideas - March
Includes links to other St. Patrick's Day ideas.
http://www.proteacher.com/160003.shtml

Special Comments: I used this lesson with preschoolers and kindergarteners. They absolutely loved the finger play and the Jell-O rainbow, especially the wonderful smells. I would definitely repeat this lesson time and time again.

Finger Play :