It’s March and that means it is time for St. Patrick’s Day read alouds and leprechaun traps! Do you know the book, How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace? It’s the cutest book for March and St. Patrick’s Day. You’re going to love it! Keep reading to find out how to use this book for an Interactive Read Aloud and STEM Challenge your students are also going to love!
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St. Patrick’s Day Read Alouds
There are quite a few cute St. Patrick’s day books that are perfect for read alouds. Here are a few of my favorite.
My Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Read Aloud
Do you know the book, How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace? It’s the cutest book for March and St. Patrick’s Day. You’re going to love it! Keep reading to find out how to use this book for an Interactive Read Aloud and STEM Challenge your students are also going to love!
St. Patrick’s Day Interactive Read Aloud
This book is seriously just the cutest! The Leprechaun does everything he can to get past all the traps the kids set. It’s perfect for introducing the STEM challenge that goes along with this resource. As with all of my other Interactive Read Alouds (IRAs), this one is no different, it touches on a TON of common core standards and reading skills necessary for learning to read.
Skills include:
- Building schema/background knowledge
- Vocabulary
- Predicting
- Retelling
- In-depth comprehension
- Using picture clues
If you’re familiar with my other Interactive Read Alouds (found >>HERE<<), you will be happy to know that this resource includes all of the same parts and MORE!
- All About Interactive Read Alouds
- Tips & Tricks for Interactive Read Alouds from me, a first grade teacher.
- Interactive Read Aloud PLANNER for 2 complete, color-coded interactive read alouds.First Read (green):
- The first read will get your students acquainted with the book, allow them to practice their predicting skills, introduce vocabulary and help them learn the sequence of the story.
- Second Read (yellow): The second read is more focused on Common Core Skills. Because this is the second time they have read it, they are more able to understand the characters, setting, and structure of the book, while also reviewing vocabulary.
- Sticky note printables for each read aloud and vocabulary.
- Print & cut notes.
- Tips for printing on sticky notes with a link to a blog post with step-by-step directions. Check out >>THIS<< blog post if you need help.
- Sticky note template to use when printing.
- Vocabulary cards including the words, definitions, and sentences.
- 3 mini-charts to use for brainstorming, learning and questioning.
- 3 reading connections/retelling worksheets.
- STEM Challenge that includes 2 challenges, note to parents and recording worksheets.
You may be familiar with these other read alouds of mine and can see blog posts about these books: My Mouth is a Volcano, Chrysanthemum, First Day Jitters, Last Day Blues.
St. Patrick’s Dat Read Aloud Planner and Sticky Notes
Here is a sample of the planner. The red type is for vocabulary instruction. Each planner includes the page numbers, type of stopping and interaction, and in-depth comprehension questions to support your readers.
These sticky notes are probably the best part! Every IRA of mine includes a template and detailed directions for printing on sticky notes. Just print, stick these in the book on the correct page, and you are ready for your read aloud. Don’t worry about paying attention to the planner as you read, just print on these are you are ready to go! If you’re not so sure about printing on sticky notes, or don’t have the time, I have another option for you. In this IRA, and all of my others, there are print and cut notes. Use them as bookmarks for when you read. Just print, cut apart and place in the book on the correct page. Easy, peasy.
Vocabulary, Worksheets, & Charts
Also included are vocabulary cards for 2 words, mini-charts to support background knowledge and comprehension as well as retelling and reading connection worksheets for your students.
Retelling Worksheets
We love completing these retelling worksheets with all the different trap ideas. It really helps them with the STEM challenge.
Leprechaun Trap STEM Challenge
Now, moving onto the best part of this Interactive Read Aloud. Included with this one is a Leprechaun trap STEM Challenge and everything you need to do it successfully in your classroom. I’ve done this with my firsties and they ABSOLUTELY love it!
About a week before St. Patrick’s Day or whenever you’re going to do your STEM challenge I tell my students to start bringing in things they might want to use to make a leprechaun trap. I also typically send a quick note home (via Seesaw, my choice for parent communication) telling parents a little bit about what we’re doing.
Included are teacher directions, STEM challenge directions, leprechaun to color, planning and post-challenge worksheets.
After reading the book, I have my students start thinking about their trap ideas and bring in the supplies they may night. In the classroom, I supply things like tape, glue, yarn, and anything else I might have that they might want.
Leprechaun Trap Preparations
I typically plan a couple of days for thinking about their trap and bringing in what they need, especially over a weekend so they can find what they need. I also emphasize just bringing in things they may already have from home but some students have specific ideas of things they need.
Also included in >>THIS<< resource is a note you can send home to families.
Trap Making Time
Then it’s trap-making day. I have them color their leprechaun and get started on making their trap. I typically give them 45-60 minutes. Most can get pretty involved and I want to make sure I give them enough time.
You could have students work with partners, but I’ve always had them work independently. I also explain that the trap must actually do something to “trap” the leprechaun.
Here are some of my favorite traps:
Once they have made their trap, taken a picture or video tapped it onto Seesaw, I have them complete their worksheet explaining what their trap actually looks like and the materials they use.
Once we’re done, they get sent home to catch leprechauns at home.
My students are truly so engaged during the read aloud knowing it will help them with the Leprechaun Trap STEM challenge. They are typically very engaged during IRAs, but this STEM challenge puts a whole new twist on listening to the book. They want to get any tips or tricks they can to make the best trap.
CAN’T FIND THIS BOOK?
Sometimes we have a hard time finding this book and with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, there isn’t time to order it.
I’ve got you covered! Sometimes when I don’t have the book, or want to switch it up a bit, I’ll use a YouTube video. You can complete all of the components of my How to Catch a Leprechaun Interactive Read Aloud and this can be done virtually or in person.
As you’re watching the video, use the included planner and stop the video on the right pages. Have students, in person or on the screen, answer the questions, and continue the video. All the additional activities, vocabulary, retelling, etc. can be done, but instead of reading the book yourself, you cut yourself a break, and had the kids watch the video. Easy, peasy! ????
Here’s a YouTube video that I made into a safe video link for you to use:
How to Catch a Leprechaun Read Aloud-youtube
St. Patrick’s Day Virtual Bookshelf
I love giving my students options for holiday books. Because we have been doing more online reading, I want to give them options for St. Patrick’s Day read alouds. I created a virtual bookshelf to share with my students. You can grab it too!
To share with my students, I publish to the web under the “file” button on Google drive. That way anyone online can view it without having to log in to Google first. If you want to change the books that I have, or add your Bitmoji, you can make a copy of the Google slide >>HERE<<.
FREE SEESAW ACTIVITY FOR St. Patrick’s Day READ ALOUD
I also made a FREE Seesaw activity for you if you’re virtual or in person. After you read the book, assign this activity to your students. Have them pick books to listen to from the virtual bookshelf, make a trap, and take a picture. I also, always have my students record themselves to practice their oracy and language skills.
More St. Patrick’s Day Resources
One of my newest resource is perfect for the first and second-grade teachers. I’ve loved using Heggerty with my learners to practice phonological and phonemic awareness, but sometimes I like to switch up our routines. To do that, I’ve created St. Patrick’s Day phonemic awareness lesson plans.
Want to learn more about phonological and phonemic awareness? Check out >>THIS<< blog post.
So to change up our daily lessons, >>THESE<< explicit and strategic St. Patrick’s Day Phonemic Awareness Lesson Plans have been so fun to use.
Another resource I have coming soon is a St. Patrick’s Day Blending board to practice blending and support our learners decoding skills. It’s not quite ready yet, but check out >>THIS<< link to go to my Blending Boards custom category in my TPT Store.
COMING SOON!
Additional Read Aloud Resources
Additionally, here are some more read aloud resources that you might find useful.
- Read Alouds: Interactive Read Aloud Bundle for the Year Grab 20 read aloud lesson plans for less than $3 each. That’s $1-$2 off each read aloud. Buy now, and get new read alouds for free when they are added.
- Free Guide: The Ultimate Read Aloud Guide
I hope you and your students have fun with this! It’s one of my most popular Interactive Read Alouds and so fun for St. Patrick’s Day.
Please pin and share for others to see.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need help setting it up. You can email me at [email protected].
Until next time, happy reading and trap-making.
