Books and Lesson Plans to Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with preschoolers
Here is a list of some picture books for preschoolers about that are sure to be a hit with preschoolers Saint Patrick’s Day followed by a Saint Patrick’s Day lesson plan for a preschool classroom. Before incorporating this into your curriculum, make sure you know and understand your school’s policy and philosophy about celebrating holidays.
Title: Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
Author: Tomie dePaola Illustrator: Tomie dePaola Publishing Year: 1992
Description: An illustrated tribute to the Irish patron saint from the best-selling author of Quiet, Strega Nona, and many others. This timeless picture book is a perfect introduction to important Irish legends and an ideal St. Patrick’s day gift
Title: The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day
Author: Natasha Wing, Illustrator: Amy Wummer Publishing Year: 2009
Description: A picture book that tells the story of two siblings who set traps to catch a leprechaun on the night before St. Patrick’s Day
Title: The Secret Life Of Leprechauns: St. Patricks Day Picture Book For Preschoolers & Toddlers Author: Luna James Publishing Year: 2020 Description: A St. Patrick’s Day picture book for preschoolers and toddlers that explores the secret life of leprechauns
Title: Ireland
Author: Julie Murray, Year Published: 2015 Description: Great for early readers, this book covers basics of Irish culture, history and geography
Title: The Four-Leaf Clover Author: Shannon K. Mazurick Year Published: 2020 Description: A story about a patch of clovers where each clover had three leaves except for one clover that had four leaves
Here is a lesson plan that incorporates different curriculum areas.
Title: Learning About Saint Patrick and Making Irish Soda Bread
Grade level: Preschool (ages 3-5)
Objective: Through this lesson, preschoolers will learn about the history and traditions of Saint Patrick's Day through reading and making Irish Soda Bread. They will also learn about fractions and measurements while making the bread.
Materials:
"Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland" by Tomie dePaola
Green, orange, and white construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Paint and paintbrushes
Large sheets of paper or canvas
Rolling pin
Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Flour
Baking soda
Salt
Buttermilk
Butter
Honey (optional)
Baking sheet
Oven
Introduction (10 minutes):
Begin by introducing Saint Patrick's Day to the preschoolers. Explain that it is a holiday that celebrates Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
Ask if anyone knows anything about Saint Patrick or the holiday.
Show pictures of shamrocks and leprechauns to help generate excitement and interest.
Reading and Discussion (15 minutes):
Read "Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland" by Tomie dePaola to the preschoolers.
After reading, ask questions to gauge their understanding of the story. For example:
Who was Saint Patrick?
What did he do to help the people of Ireland?
Why is he celebrated on Saint Patrick's Day?
Encourage the preschoolers to ask questions about the story or the holiday.
Art Activity (30 minutes):
Distribute green, orange, and white construction paper and scissors to the preschoolers.
Instruct them to cut out shamrock shapes from the green paper, leprechaun hats from the orange paper, and clouds from the white paper.
Once they have several shapes, ask them to glue them onto a large sheet of paper or canvas to create a Saint Patrick's Day scene.
After they finish gluing, encourage them to use paint to add details and texture to their artwork.
Cooking Activity (30 minutes) (before doing this activity, make sure you know what allergies if any the children in your classroom have)
Introduce the preschoolers to the ingredients for Irish Soda Bread: flour, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, and butter.
Explain to them that baking is a way of measuring and using fractions to make something delicious.
Instruct them to measure 4 cups of flour into a mixing bowl using a measuring cup.
Then, explain that they will need 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt, which are smaller measurements. Help them measure these using measuring spoons.
Add the baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl and stir together with a spoon.
Cut 4 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and add them to the mixing bowl. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Explain to the children that they will need 1 and 1/2 cups of buttermilk for the bread. Show them how to measure this using a measuring cup, and pour the buttermilk into the mixing bowl.
Use a spoon to stir the mixture until a sticky dough forms.
Sprinkle flour onto a flat surface and transfer the dough onto it. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it forms a smooth ball.
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a circle about 1 inch thick.
Place the dough on a greased baking sheet and use a knife to cut an X into the top of the dough.
Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, or until it is golden
When it is time to eat, have children use their vocabulary to describe the taste and the texture of the bread
