What’s more fun than a glittery, rainbow-colored St. Patrick’s day craft? Decorating the classroom once they’re finished. Young students will love the creative influence and decorative use of these five crafts. They can create leprechaun traps out of shoeboxes and attempt to catch the elusive little creatures that are popular for this holiday, and put them in strategic places around the classroom. Other projects include creating rainbows and shamrocks, integrating a variety of new and different materials, and even writing activities. Check out what Education World has rounded up for the holiday:
Leprechaun Trap
Source: TheCraftingChicks.com
Materials: Shoe box, construction paper, markers, gold glitter, green paint
Grade Level: K-2
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
This project is great for younger students. Start with a tale about a leprechaun, (like Ten Lucky Leprechauns or The Leprechauns Gold) and how on St. Patrick’s day, leprechauns will sneak into the classroom looking for a pot of gold. Students will be able to get creative making their own leprechaun traps with little more than a shoebox painted green and some glitter. For the gold leprechaun bait, try using chocolate coins or gold-wrapped Rolos the kids can enjoy after the holiday is over. For a bit of good fun, stamp little leprechaun feet around the classroom, and trigger some of the traps just to learn that the leprechaun escape using magic!
Rainbow Writing Craftivity
Source: FirstClassTeacher.Blogspot.com
Materials: construction paper, shamrock printouts on green paper, rainbow party streamers, tape or glue
Grade Level: K-2
Difficulty: Easy
This project combines writing and arts and crafts for a lot of colorful fun. First, give students a writing prompt like “What would you do if you found the leprechaun’s pot of gold?” or have them write a letter to a leprechaun. Their responses will be taped to their own pots of gold at the end of the rainbow, made of streamers and construction paper. They will also look great hanged around the classroom.
“Handmade” Four-Leaf Clovers
Source: Fun.FamilyEducation.com
Materials: pencil, scissors, glue, green construction paper
Grade Level: K-2
Difficulty: Easy
Students will have fun tracing their own hands and using them as the petals of a four-leaf clover. Using green construction paper, have you students trace and cut out their own handprints, and arrange them in the shape of a clover. For a bonus activity, have them write ideas like what they think is at the end of the rainbow on each hand. The finished project will look great decorating a bulletin board, windows, or classroom walls.
Recycled Scrap Paper
Rainbow Source: NoTimeForFlashCards.com
Materials: white paper, pencil, glue, scrap paper/craft materials
Grade Level: K-3
Difficulty: Easy
The fun of this project is making a rainbow out of anything! Bring your students a bin full of scrap construction paper, scrapbook paper, even pom-poms, pipe cleaners and stickers, in a wide array of colors. Kids will enjoy using what they find to create a colorful rainbow that can then be used to decorate your classroom.
Shamrock Suncatchers
Source: HandsOnAsWeGrow.com
Materials: contact paper, glitter, green tissue paper, green grass paper
Grade Level: K-2
Difficulty: Easy
These bright and glittery shamrocks will be wonderful classroom window decorations when they’re finished. Using sticky, clear contact paper, have students press green tissue paper, gold glitter, and green grass paper into their shamrock shapes. Encourage them to be creative with their designs, and let them stick them to the classroom windows where they think they look best.
Compiled by Samantha DiMauro, Education World Contributor – See more at: http://www.educationworld.com/node/41194#sthash.ujAbM625.dpuf
