St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that is nearly completely American. It meant in honor of those of Irish descent, but in the United States, most people just use it as an excuse to participate in questionable behaviors. You will see advertisements all over for super cheap beer and cartoon caricatures of little leprechauns. Many persons of genuine Irish descent are often offended by the basis of the very idea of St. Patrick’s Day as it is celebrated in the United States. In Ireland, the holiday is was created in order to honor the patron saint, St. Patrick. I decided that I wanted to do something different in teaching my children about this day. I made this a day of discussion.
****Some of the links contained within this post may be from affiliates. If there are affiliate links on within this post, the links do not cost you anything extra at all. If you sign up or make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. For more info, please read my disclaimer.
First, I let the children have a bit of fun. We made green silly putty.
Eco Friendly Silly Putty
Materials
Directions
Simply pour solution into a cup. Add in your desired amount of green paint. Use the craft stick to mix the solution and paint together. The amount of paint used is the amount of putty that you will have. I recommend to measure out about 1 cup of paint to have a good amount of putty to work with.
Now, down to business ……….
“Black” History Month is over. However, the struggle continues for equality. Equality is something that many different nationalities and ethnic groups have fought for all around the world, but more specifically here in the United States. I discussed with my children how the Irish have endured racism, classism, and discrimination here in the United States while trying to make a living for themselves and their families. I helped my children to understand the plight of the Irish by comparing it to that of African Americans. The plights are not the same nor have endured the same severity, but I wanted them to have a basis to compare from so that their understanding and overstanding would be deeper.
In the end, I honestly believe that the boys have more of an openness to others and showed their compassion. My boys are taught to openly express their emotions rather than repress them. With this, I have been able to avoid melt downs and bursts of anger. In this discussion, my oldest, who is my more “sensitive” child was really upset to hear about some of the things that had happened. Of course, I let him know that its okay to be upset but that we have to make sure that we do not participate in anything in the likeness of that toward anyone else.
What kinds of table discussions do you have with your children?
This is a freebie as part of our St. Patrick’s Day Activity Book!
This freebie includes:
- 10 pages of content
- Color by Number
- Make a Word
- Word Search
- Coloring Pages
Ideal for 1st through 3rd grade, but can be modified for K-8th grade.
Click here to download yours.
You can also get the full St. Patrick’s Day Activity Book! This activity book introduces the patron saint and history for the holiday. It includes book lists, suggested materials, art projects, word puzzles, copy work, vocabulary, history, and more.
Included in this unit study, you will find:
- Over 100 pages of content
- 12 St. Patrick’s Day Facts
- A resource list that includes recommended websites, books, documentaries, and more.
- Notebooking pages for copywork
- Color by Number
- Leprechaun Math
- Make a Words
- Word Searches
- Coloring Pages
Subjects covered include:
- Literature (Reading and Reading Comprehension)
- Language Arts
- Geography
- Science
- Social Studies
- Art
- Math
- Music
- Field Trip Ideas
Ideal for K-8th grade.
Hasta Pronto!
Please feel free to share your comments or suggestions! I would love to hear from you. If you enjoy reading my blog, make sure to sign up so that you can always be alerted for new posts, tips, and recipes. You can also find me at Wombology (A Safe Place for Women to Heal) and Being Mama Dot (Chronicles of a Homeschool Mom).
If you are a homeschool mom needing some new ideas and encouragement or if you are completely new to homeschooling and you are looking for ways to get started, click here to apply for a Strategy and Brainstorming Session with ME! Let’s work together to get you to where you want to be!
Hi! I’m Kat aka Mama Dot! Nice to meet you. I’m a homeschooling mom of three boys. By day, I run a mom’s blog (Being Mama Dot) and subscription service (Wombology). In my downtime, I create resources for families homeschooling children of color at Our Learning Curve. I love coffee, reggaeton (music in Spanish), knitting, and reading. My favorite thing to do is to feel my feet in the sand. #beachbum. Currently, I am an MA/Ph.D. student in Africana and Latin American studies. When I am not in school, I spend my days running my online business and taking care of my little ones. Make sure to check out OLC’s Instagram, Twitter, or join us over at Facebook.