Little Green Guy Does not Flush & Some!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!  Every year the Leprechaun gets busy at the Gallagher House.  You can see the trouble he caused in 2009 and 2010.  Each year he seems to find more mischievous things to get into.

 

This year my kiddos woke up to a messy house.  Seems that the little green guy had way too much fun in the bathroom.  I had just purchased a large pack of toilet paper at SAMS club and asked my son to put the paper under the sink and he forgot...  well, the Leprechaun took a roll of that paper and covered the inside of our house in it as well as leaving a few green coins along the way...  It was everywhere... Hanging from lights and all over the floor of the house. 

 

Then he left my kids cereal that Mommy NEVER would buy no matter how much my kids beg.  He even spilt a bunch on the floor and table.  O, and he left my son his favorite yogurt...  Green Whips!  My son was so happy!!! 

 

Knock, Knock!

Who's There?

Irish.

Irish who?

Irish YOU were a Leprechaun!

 

After breakfast it was time to brush teeth and would you believe, that that trouble maker used all of our bathrooms...  I guess his mommy never taught him to flush???  My daughter said, "Well he forgot to flush, I hope he remembered to wash his hands..."  Yeah, me too!!! 

 

Look at that green pee!!!!  Silly little guy!!!

 

 

 

My son hasn't discovered it yet, but there are a few surprises still for him to find at school...  That little green guy put shamrock stickers all over his snack and juice box for school.  In his homework folder he placed some more green coins.  His reading book has a shamrock bookmark in it now too... 

 

When my son goes to lunch he will see all green....

 

Mmmm....  Bagel with green cream cheese, green cucumber slices, green grapes, and some green cookies.  There is a note from a Leprechaun in there telling him that he hopes that mommy is not mad that he made my son lunch today. I wonder if he will eat the bagel today???

Our dog even met the Leprechaun.... 

Still a few more tricks up that Leprechaun's sleeve....  More to come....

Teachers - need quick ideas???  CLick Here!!!

Free St. Patrick' Day Printables

Here are a few free printables to help get you ready for St. Patrick's Day!!!  If you like our printables, check out our products by clicking here.  Teaching Heart has been selling products for over eight years to 1,000's of Happy Teachers!!! 

Here are some free downloads...

Graphing the St. Patrick's Way (click to print)- (1-2)
Your students cut out various St. Patrick's Day Pictures. They then place those pictures on their graph. After the pictures are on the graph, they answer questions about the graph.

A Little Color Green Book (click to print) (k-2) (Click to download for free) A fill in the blank book for your students to complete.

Leprechaun Ordinal Numbers Activity or Review (click to print) (1-3)
Supply students with a sentence strip. They glue their leprechauns in ordinal order. Then they read to find out each leprechauns name!

St. Patty Day Dice Game -  you will need the printable game board and you can see a video of how to play here.

For more free and fun St. Patrick's Day Ideas, please visit...http://www.teachingheart.net/stpattyday.html

Lucky Stops Over!

St. Patrick's Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's fun being green for a day! Plus I am 80% Irish... actually more Irish than my husband who gave me the Irish last name to go along with my Irish first name! This year I was feeling extra festive and dyed my hair red to go with my green Irish eyes. My husband called it orange and one of my friends admitted, that I looked much better as a blonde!!! It will fade it time!

As a teacher I loved when Lucky would visit my classroom and make a mess and leave the kids clues they had to read to find a treasure that Lucky left for them. We always made magic pudding. It was so much fun seeing the kiddos eyes light up when they mixed up the pudding and it turned from white to green.  Awwww, so much magic!

At home, Lucky makes his appearance every year. Each year he spices things up and does something different. I posted last year about his visit, here!

This year he first appeared the night before St. Patrick's Day. He left the kiddos a craft project (that he borrowed from here).   He left them a letter that explained that he needed them to make him rainbows with the fruit loops he supplied.

As you can see they had a blast making the rainbows. Even better, my four year old got to practice her fine motor skills while sharpening up her color words. Sneaky Leprechaun made some learning fun for her and she didn't even know she was learning!

When the kids woke on St. Patrick’s Day this year, they found this...

O, my the Leprechaun left their favorite cereal... The kind Mommy always says no to! Mmmmm.... The kids were so happy!

That Leprechaun wasn't done yet. When my son arrived from school he found directions for a scavenger hunt that led the kids to their own pot of gold. Lego gold for my son and Strawberry Shortcake Gold for my daughter.

Lucky was nice to mommy and made all the snow melt before St. Pat's Day.  Two years in a row of beautiful weather on St. Patrick's Day. What more could I ask for???  Oh my, look...  He bought me a bottle of Trax green wine to enjoy this weekend with my favorite Irish guy.  Thanks Lucky The Leprechaun.  Isn't this the cutest label???  It tastes super yummy too!  If you are local you should get yourself some of this green yumminess!  It green...  It should be on my diet, right?  Under 9 dollars a bottle - what a steal!

I hope you had a fun St. Patrick's Day and had some Silly Leprechaun business going on at your house. Great Green Memories are made on the 17th of March! Go get yourself a few! Even if you missed the 17th, the week is for celebrating the Irish!
Cheers!

PS.  Need Spring Ideas?  Click Here

 

Graphing For Green!!!

Graphing the Green


What color comes to mind when you think of St. Patrick's Day? Green of course! So celebrate the holiday and the color by completing the activity below.

YOU WILL NEED -Large sheet of bulleting board paper -A 1/2 sheet of shamrock stickers for each student

PREPARE THE LARGE SHEET OF B-BOARD: -draw a line down the middle -make nine columns going across -on the left side of the line write the following questions in each box.

1. I am wearing green.

2. The house I live in is green.

3. My favorite color is green.

4. I like green beans.

5. My family has a green car.

6. I have a green pencil.

7. My winter coat is green.

8. I like green Jell-O.

9. I have used a green crayon.

10. I know a word that rimes with green.

HOW IT WORKS:


1.) Have a volunteer read #1.

2.) Invite students up to place a sticker in the column next to #1 if it applies.

3.) Repeat 1-2 for all the questions.

4.) Have students use the graph to answer questions during a class discussion

Graphing the St. Patrick's Way- (1-2)
Your students cut out various St. Patrick's Day Pictures. They then place those pictures on their graph. After the pictures are on the graph, they answer questions about the graph.
This is found in our St. Patty Pack - Click here to print for free!!!


For more fun St. Patrick's Day Ideas, click here!

I have to share this craft.  I found it here... and loved it!  I have to try it with my daughter this week once I get the cereal.  Look at how pretty!!!

I'm Ready for Spring... Bring on the GREEN!

O, my goodness...  Will Spring ever come?  Ugh, still tons of snow on the gound.  I can't take it anymore.

St. Patty Day is around the corner!  Let's think Green with some great links to Spring fun!

Ready for St. Patrick's Day???
http://www.teachingheart.net/stpattyday.html

NEW Free Roll for Shamrocks Games
http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com/2010/02/rolling-shamrocks-game.html
You can print the gameboard here and watch a video of my kiddos playing the game.

Like our printables, try one of our CDROM's at:
http://teachingheart.net/primaryteachertimesaver.html

http://www.teachingheart.net/teachspring.html
Check here for many ideas and themes for Spring/Summer

Be sure to download you free bunny graph at:
http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com/2009/04/bunny-learning-then-in-tummy.html


NEW EASTER GUMMIES Graph and Sorting
http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com/2010/02/get-your-easter-bunny-gummies.html
Free Printables!!! I found the Gummies at Sams Club. Start looking!!!

Great ideas and printables in one easy download!

St. Patrick Day Packet
http://www.teachingheart.net/stpatpacket.html

Sing For Spring Packet #2
http://www.teachingheart.net/singspring.html

Spring Packet #1
http://www.teachingheart.net/springpacket.html

End of Year Packet (icecream & watermellon)
http://www.teachingheart.net/endyearpacket.html

LOOK WHAT I FOUND: Off of Teaching Heart

Cute Free Printable mini book: Leprechaun Walk
http://lets-explore.net/blog/2010/02/make-a-leprechauns-walk-book/

PS.  Dear Snow,
I'm done...  the only snowman I want to see if one made of sand!
Love, Colleen

 

Rolling Shamrocks Game

One of my favorite holidays to celebrate with my kiddos and in the classroom is coming around the corner.  It's St. Patrick's Day and it will be here in a few days!! 

Here's a fun dice game my kiddos played today.  I like it because they both can play it together independently.  My four year old is working on her counting skills and her big brother gets to play along too. 



All you need is the printable game board (click the link to download), dice, and a crayon per player.  Players take turns coloring in their shamrocks.  First player to color in all their shamrocks is LUCKY!!!

Check out all my St. Patrick's Day Posts here...

Lots of great ideas and resources can be found here...

Great Green Memories!

Hope you had a fun St. Pat's Day! I am sick this week dealing with a cold that makes me super tired... Not to mention that I have a million things going on over the next few months. But who has time to complain. :)

As I am laying on my bed playing people with my daughter on Monday after picking my son up from school, he asks; "Mom, do you remember last St. Pats Day when that Leprechaun visited our house?" Me... "ummm, yeah (thinking in my head... o, crap why did I start that?!) My son, "That was one of the best days of my life! St. Patrick's Day is so FUN!"

Of course as sick as I am... my heart thinks... "Wow, someday when he is 21 and going out for a beer with his buds he may tell them the stories of the times a Leprechaun visited his house and set up a cool scavenger hunt!" One of the best days of his life... so with the little bits and pieces I remember of my childhood, this may be one of the bits he remembers... So Monday night, you find me preparing to make St. Pats a great memory for my kids. Here is what I came up with this year:

When the kids woke up they found a treat at the table... Lucky Charms Cereal - The first sign of a Leprechaun... Mommy never let's us buy that.

Then after school they found this set-up on the table... Dress-up for the big fun with a note telling them Lucky the Leprechaun had stopped by and set up a scavenger hunt.
Off they went on the hunt. I managed to get some learning in to because my son had to read the clues to know where to look for the next clue. He did great and they found all the Shamrocks. The last one directed them to look outside.

Outside they found their treasurer boxes. They had to dig through the box to find three of each of the given items. They had a blast trying to find the hidden treasures. My daughter just enjoyed playing with the colored pasta.

Hopefully when they get older they will recall the little ways Mommy and Daddy tried to make some times extra special. I hope they will look fondly upon their green memories!!!

Hodge Podge Of Links To Great Fun!!!

ST. Pat's Day Fun

- Ahhhh, make St. Pat's day truly magical for your kids, Forever Flamingo has such a cute idea.

- Go on a Lucky Gold Hunt with your kids.

- Check out his cute book!

Around The House

-I like this chore idea at Play, Explore, and Learn. I need to someday set up something formal like this for my kiddos.

Fun Learning

-Storytime and More posted some Dr. Seuss printables that your kids may enjoy!

-Ooooohhhh, my addiction to Starbucks may come in handy. Check out this great idea for paint holders.

-I am really enjoying all the thinks posted at the Saturday Showcase... Go check it out at

- I would like to try this Lamb Craft with my three year old this week.

-Wow, I love these green egg cookies and while you are looking check out all the great Seuss ideas!

For Mommy

-Make Mini Meatloafs

-Mommy Make Trail Mix

-Some Funny for the Facebook Moms...

-Difference between 1 and 4!

Get Your Lucky Charms Game Free To Print

I am very much into tricking my kiddos into learning. I did it when I was a teacher and I continue to do it with my own children. My job today is to create standard based activities that make learning those state standards fun! I love creating these fun activities for my kiddos and students around the world. It is the best job! I have sold thousands of CD's filled with fun learning activities on the Kindergarten through Third Grade Level. Ninety percent of my customers who buy one CD come back to buy all my other CD's. I feel blessed that I get to touch so many kiddos little brains. If you are interested in my products to purchase for your favorite teacher or if you homeschool, please visit this page!

One thing I did promise myself when I started selling my creations was that I would still make sure that at least 30% would be free on Teaching Heart. Speaking of creating learning fun & FREE... Above is something free I would like to share with you in time for St. Patrick's Day. It is something my kids have been having fun with it.

All you need is a dice, two markers (I used apple jacks cereal), and this free printable pdf file.

The file is pretty large and will take you about five minutes to cut up and tape together once you have printed it. It has enough material for four players. You can play 1 to 4 players. If this is going to be used in a classroom, I suggest you laminate it!

The object is to collect all five lucky charms to put on your shamrock. When your shamrock is full, you are done and very lucky!

How to Play:

Each player gets one shamrock to fill.

Taking turns each player rolls the dice and moves their piece ahead.

Once they land they must pull a card and answer the question. You will see that I have two sets of cards on my board. One set is programed for my son (second grade sight words are already on some of the cards). I programed the rest of his cards (the blank ones provided) with math problems and the Kindergarten writing strokes. You can program the blank cards with skills your child or student needs to work on. The other set of cards have things my three year old is working on (shapes, colors, letter sounds, numbers). This game is great because two people working on two different levels can play together! Great when you have a six year old and a three year old playing together.

These two pictures below give you an idea of what two sets of different level cards would look like!!!

Once they answer the card correctly they complete the activity on the square they landed on. If they land on a lucky charm they do not have they may take the lucky charm and place it on their card. If they already have the charm, they do nothing. Each square tells you what to do. If it is blank, just wait for your next turn. Keep going around the board till the shamrock has one of each charm on it. Pretty self explanatory.

My kiddos loved this game! I hope your children or students enjoy it too and don't even realize they are practicing skills they need to know.

Lucky Charms and Green Pudding!!!

March is almost here... My dog is above and ready for the big day!!

Here are a few of my favorite St. Patrick's Day Activities to keep your favorite leprechaun busy.

Free to Print Activities:

Lucky Charms Sorting (k-1)Use these sheet for sorting the Lucky Charms. My three year old can do this with help.

Lucky Charms Graph (1-3) My son (grade K) can do this pretty independently.

A Little Color Green Book (k-2) A fill in the blank book

Magic Pudding:

My kids love this... It has become a tradition in my house.

Supply each child a plastic cup with 2TBS of Pistachio Pudding Mix (the powder instant) and a green or gold plastic spoon for stirring. One package of instant pistachio pudding makes 4 servings. There is a little over 7 tablespoons of pudding in a package. Tell your kiddos that this magic pudding that a Leprechaun gave you. All they need to do is add milk and stir... Now pour a half a cup of milk to see the surprise... Top with whip cream and little shamrock decorations!!!

Saw this the other day and thought it was cute:


Try Leprechaun Chowder at this site!



Looking for more St. Patrick's Day Activities? Try Teaching Heart's Theme Page For lots more!