With its roots in the feast day for Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick’s Day is an annual celebration of Irish culture, and one of many holidays that occur during, and celebrate, the coming of the spring season.
While many schools and districts are taking their spring break, we wanted to share some tools and resources for educators hoping to integrate the popular event into the classroom.
Saintly Inspiration
Dedicated to the Roman-British Catholic saint who helped convert Ireland to Christianity, Saint Patrick’s Day has become a major event symbolizing national pride, especially among the Irish diaspora around the globe. In recent years, it’s become more popular as a celebration of national pride in Ireland itself.
For many, it’s a day to remember the history of the Irish people and of Irish culture, beyond its traditional religious purpose. Today, it can serve as a way to understand history, religion, culture, migration, and a number of other topics that intersect with the story of the Emerald Isle.
Here are some resources to help you explore this international holiday in your classroom. And don’t forget to check out other resources, directly from other teachers — places like Pinterest, or, if you’re willing to spend a little, Teachers Pay Teachers.
One Day, Many Subjects
Of course, the potential for Saint Patrick’s Day lessons aren’t just limited to history and culture. You can explore math, reading and language arts, springtime activities, and more with these digital, downloadable, and printable packets, worksheets, and other resources at TeacherVision.
Teacher Planet’s St. Patrick’s Day page includes coloring pages, craft activities, lesson plans and more, mostly geared toward young learners. Teach-nology packages a number of fun lesson plans along with plans and resources from other sites.
Saint Patrick’s Day Resources by Grade Level
Some sites helpfully group their resources by grade level. The National Education Association (NEA) also offers free St. Patrick’s Day videos, worksheets and printables, and more, organized by grade level.
Academic publisher Scholastic also groups their elementary-aged resources by grade level. You can chekc out worksheets, activities, and other ideas for young learners here. TeachersFirst links to online resources organized by grade level, including an entire St. Patrick’s-themed unit.
Got your own ideas for St. Patrick’s Day? Share them in the comments, and may the luck of the Irish be with you!
Photo: Kelly Sikkema