Tuesday, February 21, 2012

No Leprechauns On My Watch! {Traps!}


My first grade team has a really fun tradition they’ve been carrying on well before I joined the ranks – Leprechaun Traps!

Before we go any further: This post is going to share some info that’s Not Safe For Kiddy Ears (NSFKE). So if your sweet peas are peeking send them away! Maybe I'll share a super cute picture of my dog while you send them away....



OK. Now that the kiddos are gone… I’ll let you in on a secret. Leprechauns are not real. Upsetting and earth shattering, I know. But each year we convince even our non-believers that they DO exist and they LOVE first graders.

About two weeks before St. Patrick’s Day we send a home a note explaining the Leprechaun Traps and challenging students to be creative and out-smart those tricky Leprechauns.

On St. Patrick’s Day students bring in their projects. Last year I had a cutie pie bring in one that looked like this:

Apparently, it was from a website. BUT, SUPER CUTE nonetheless.

Each student shares his/her trap and explains how it works to the class. We also snap a picture of the kiddo and the trap. We set the traps each time we leave the room – because everyone knows a leprechaun would NEVER come in while were actually there!

While we’re out together  (library or recess) one of my sweet teammates comes through and completely trashes our room and puts a chocolate coin in each trap. We’ve had the leprechaun leave little green footprints around the room, he’s flipped chairs, he’s hid some book bins, and he has even thrown GLITTER on the floor. But, they knew it wasn’t me because I was with them the whole time!

After we get our room all cleaned up we write about the events and our reactions to our visitor.

Our hallway display for March is the student's writing and picture.


Here is a link to all these documents if you're interested!


This download includes:
* Parent Letter 
* At Home Writing Component (Lucy Calkins "How To")
* Classroom Response / Hand drawn 
* Student Response: Tricked (Space for student photograph)


P.S. Sorry there are no real photographs of these! I didn't know I was going to be a blogger so I really didn't document the events well! Additionally, we are on break ALL WEEK (I'd hate me too) and Mr. Frank is sealing the floors (this means NO ONE IN!) so the pictures I do have are stuck at school. 

16 comments:

Amber @ Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher said...

A first grade class at our school always makes leprechaun traps at our school! They are always so very cute. We have leprechauns that visit my third graders throughout the week before St. Patrick's Day too. Pesky little things. :)
I'll probably use one of the writing sheets when they visit!!

Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher

Tammy said...

That's a very cute idea. Thank you for sharing.

Tammy
foreverin1st.blogspot.com

Kim said...

Absolutely LOVE! Thanks for sharing!

Kim

Growing Up Teaching

Unknown said...

Thank you! This is awesome!
Jennifer
First Grade Blue Skies

Christina Bainbridge said...

Super cute! I didn't do anything with a leprechaun last year and my 1st graders were DEVASTATED that one did not come and destroy our classroom!

:)
Christina
Mrs. Bainbridge's Blog

Sarah Paul said...

So cute! I love doing leprechaun traps. I totally need these!
Sarah
Sarah's First Grade Snippets

Cupcake said...

I want to do this!! Thanks so much for the downloads!!
❤Teri

A Cupcake for the Teacher

Unknown said...

Love this idea! So cute! :)
Cheryl
Crayons and Curls

Tarra Mackelson said...

Great idea ladies! Thanks for sharing. You have inspired me to create some St. Patrick's Day mischief in my classroom!

Tarra
www.chalkboardchitchat.blogspot.com

Jill said...

OMG! I so wanted to do this but I didn't want to go through all the work to set everything up! And now you've done it for me! Love you. :)

Marvelous Multiagers!

Camille said...

Wow! Love the downloads!!! I was just thinking about putting together a letter for parents and now I have it, plus so much more. Thank you!
Camille
An Open Door

Emily said...

I LOVE leprechaun traps. Last year St. Patrick's Day was during Spring Break so it was a bummer, but you HAVE to read my leprechaun trap post from 2 classes ago! Thanks for the extras. =)

Emily @ Second Grade Silliness 

Molly Maloy said...

Thanks for visiting my blog! And I LOVE leprechaun traps!! I remember seeing another class do them once when I was in school and i thought it was the neatest thing ever!!! Thanks so much for sharing, I think I'm going to jump in and do it this year with my 4th graders! They are the sweetest things ever and still believe in all the holidays! :)

Molly
Lessons with Laughter

Jill said...

I have done lep. traps in the past, this year I am doing something different because I did them when I taught kindergarten and I have all the kids I had in kindergarten. A friend of mine brings in a lunch bag with flower seeds in it and tells a little story about meeting a leprachaun at the grocery story and he/she gave her these magic seeds. The students then draw what the seeds will become and write about it. It's fun but I love the traps. Thanks you have a great blog.
Jill
bubbalulu.blogspot.com Tales from Second

The Convenient Teacher said...

Ok which on of you ladies owns the Sheltie. She looks exactly like my Sammie GIrl. Nose and all. She is so cute and I am absolutely in love with Shelties...they are the smartest breed of dog...o wait, persons I'v ever met. There is nothing like having one. My heart skipped a beat as I scrolled down your blog and noticed that pic. She is so adorable. I will put some pics of Sammie on my blog so you can see how much they look alike.

Unknown said...

That is the cutest project ever. I may try it next year with my preschoolers, however, with drawing journals rather than writing. Thanks for the great idea

Post a Comment