Today was so much fun and so exhausting.I have a love/hate relationship with these types of days.
These types of days are the reason I LOVE teaching,
but the reason I sometimes feel like a bad mommy when I get home.
but the reason I sometimes feel like a bad mommy when I get home.
We had a pretty typical morning with a calendar, daily 5, lunch, then recess.
But this afternoon was a totally different story.
We did our Forces and Motion unit on Day 4-Force, which always goes over well.
Then, we did our St. Patrick’s Day Chart
and talked all about the island of Ireland, the potatoes that grow in Ireland, and when we celebrate this holiday. THEN the fun started.
We started making homemade potato chips with the potatoes my students brought in and measured this week.
These are time-consuming but a HUGE hit!
They are so yummy to eat.
They are so yummy to eat.
While the cooking was going on, I broke my students into groups and
allowed them to start making traps to catch the leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day.
allowed them to start making traps to catch the leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day.
We read the book, Leprechaun on the Loose
{I get mine from Scholastic Teacher Store}
I give each group a bin, a pot of gold with a gold coin. They also get an empty box of crayons.
It is our nonstandard unit of measurement based on the book, since the leprechaun hides behind a box perfectly.
Each group finds items they want to use to build their trap and they put their finds in their white bin.
Then, they design what they think their “traps” will look like.
Then, they design what they think their “traps” will look like.
Lastly, they build their actual traps, using their pot of gold and gold inside to lure the sneaky leprechaun to the trap.
We also start growing a potato!
We grow the roots to see how they grow and what happens. {This is the free download.}
We complete one page per week to see how the roots change and grow.
Then… the “Never Seen Before” thing happened.
I usually ask for any type of potato and get ANY TYPE.
We got one red skinned potato, one with an eye growing… awesome… and one sweet potato.
I usually ask for any type of potato and get ANY TYPE.
We got one red skinned potato, one with an eye growing… awesome… and one sweet potato.
This wasn’t just any type of sweet potato,
but a PURPLE SWEET POTATO!
We didn’t fry it up, but we did cut it open.
HERE is what it looked like!
Seriously… a purple sweet potato!!!
I have never in my whole life seen a purple sweet potato before!
I can home exhausted, smelling like I worked a McD’s, and
with a classroom covered in leprechaun traps that prohibit 10 different activities for Monday morning…
with a classroom covered in leprechaun traps that prohibit 10 different activities for Monday morning…
but I also had a HUGE smile on my face! It was fun… and now it is DONE!
We also have this FUN reading comprehension game.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Looking for more March Ideas?
Fun day! We grow purple potatoes! We are hoping to catch a leprechaun in our room.
Love those days! That sweet potato is so cool. I've never heard of such a thing!
Irene
Learning With Mrs. Leeby
We have purple sweet potatoes all over in Hawaii! They are very yummy as potato chips! And we use them in a lot of desserts here!! :o)
I found your blog through TBA! Really great post – it looks like you all had so much fun. Great share!
Stephanie
Middle School Matters Blog
I would have never ever guessed purple sweet potatoes! Glad you had a fun day.
Sooooo cute. I love the post!
Hello'
I'm a teacher and i'm looking new ideas for my student and I found yours very relevant. Thank you so much for sharing.
Teacher Carla
fun brain