How to Trap a Leprechaun

 It should come as no surprise that I am a fan of Saint Patrick's Day.  My classroom is notorious for having strange things happen around this time in March. This year my students used their creativity to write expository pieces on how to catch a leprechaun.  They had to use the words first, next, then and last to start each new step.  We then illustrated our projects with the cute leprechaun design I found on another blogger's site.


 I have one "enrichment" period a week and we used this time to set up our own "trap".  Much to my class's amazement the next morning they found the trap was destroyed and the leprechaun had left a messy path around the classroom (he even shaving creamed a desk).  Our tricky leprechaun even left a scavenger hunt of clues leading to a golden snack of donuts and juice.  The clues that the leprechaun leaves are always difficult enough that they require some critical thinking and group problem solving.  While the activity is mostly fun, it is a great way to work on reading comprehension and teamwork.  I have a lot of fun with this activity every year but by far my favorite quote from a student as I was passing out cups for juice was, "this cup smells like leprechaun."  It is truly a joy to work with children at the peak of their imagination.