A ST. PATRICK'S DAY LESSON PLAN

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
The following is a St. Patrick's Day Lesson Plan courtesy of The TEFL Academy.​

ESL LESSON PLAN
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Level of students targeted by the plan: Grade School/Elementary students
Topic: Holidays and special events
Time: 30 minutes
Objective: 
This lesson plan aims to enlighten the minds of students about holidays, special events, and traditions that people in the United States celebrate annually. 
The information provided delivers details about one of the most celebrated occasions in the United States among those of Irish descent. 
Reinforce facts about history and American and Irish culture.
Source: https://esllibrary.com/courses/
Introduction:
Ask you students to read the following facts about St. Patrick’s Day. Answer the questions in the drills down below. 

• March 17

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every March 17. It is considered to be the most important national holiday in Ireland, it is also celebrated by Irish men and women living in different parts of the globe.
It is customary that people of Irish descent wear green during St. Patrick’s Day. This color represents the national color of Ireland, which also happens to be the color of the shamrock- a plant with three leaves on a single stem. This symbol is yet another popular item associated with Ireland. It is also considered the official symbol of St. Patrick’s Day. 
In many cities, people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by way of parades, dances, and festivals. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, you will notice the Irish community will have a celebration of sorts for this occasion. 
It is also customary for people to greet each other with well wishes and good fortune during St. Patricks’ Day. In fact, most Irish people will send cards to each other in commemoration of this social event. 
During St. Patrick’s Day, stores are decked with green decors, cakes, pastries, and candies.  There are also Irish pubs and bars that sell green-colored beer during this festive occasion.

• A Brief History of St. Patrick’s Day

• St. Patrick is actually British. He was born in Britain at the end of the 4th Century. He was kidnapped by Irish pirates at the age of 16 and was taken back to Ireland.

• St. Patrick was sold as a slave in Ireland. He worked for six straight years as a shepherd. He led a lonely life while in Ireland so he turned to the Bible for comfort and solace. 

• He escaped from slavery when he went to France at the age of 22. He studied the Bible thoroughly and became priest in France. 

• He returned to Ireland to convert the natives to Christianity.

• St. Patrick grew popular in Ireland due to his strong sense of bravery. Many admired him for his work, as his mission allowed him to build churches and schools all over Ireland. With the spread of Christianity, he was also able to build a strong sense of national spirit among the Irish people. 

• The Shamrock

• St. Patrick allegedly used the shamrock leaf in his Christian bible teachings. In his teachings, he used the shamrock to compared it with the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit)

• There are no snakes in Ireland

• There are no snakes in Ireland. This is a fact, and is believed to be due to a miracle performed by St. Patrick. It is said that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland by placing all of them in a box and hauling them into the sea. 

• It was on March 17, 461 that St. Patrick died. Soon after his demise, March 17 was then marked as St. Patrick’s Day. Apart from celebrating the life of a saint, St. Patrick’s day is also a special occasion as it remembers the conversion of Ireland into a Christian nation. 

The Lesson #1
Read the statements and answer them aloud before placing your answers on the space below. 

• St. Patrick’s Day is regarded as a national holiday in which European country?

• St. Patrick was born and raised in which country?

• What happened to St. Patrick when he turned 16?

• Upon arrival in Ireland, what was his main line of work as a slave?

• How long was he a slave in Ireland?

• Where did he go when he escaped from slavery?

• What was the main goal of St. Patrick for returning to Ireland?

• When did St. Patrick die?

• How do people from all around the globe celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

• What were the contributions of St. Patrick to show his love and concern for the people in Ireland?

The Lesson #2 
Vocabulary Review

• Matching Test

Directions: Simply match the words on the left with their correct definition/ meaning on the right.
____ 1. Paradea. a book of sacred writings of the Roman Catholic Church
____ 2. Pirateb. a religious individual who serves and represents the Church
____ 3. Miraclec. to steal or take away a person 
____ 4. Admire d. an act of God, an unbelievable event that cannot be explained
____ 5. Convertby Science
____ 6. Prieste. an individual forced to work for someone, a person
____ 7. Biblebought/sold
____ 8. Shepherdf. coming from; origin
____ 9. Slaveg. a plant native of Ireland featuring three long leaves in one
____ 10. Shamrocksingle stem
____ 11. Kidnaph. a robber who lives in the sea
____ 12. Descenti. to adore or respect
j. an individual with the main task of taking care of sheeps
k. to change or alter

• Complete the Sentences

Directions: Choose the correct word from the box below in order to complete the following statements.

• Francisco is of Argentinian __________. His grandparents moved to the United States 50 years ago.
• In many animated movies, a _________ wears a black patch over one eye and a scarf on his head.
• When his father recovered and fully healed from cancer, the whole family thought it was a ________.
• The ________ is the national symbol of Ireland.
• The _________ customarily performs the wedding vow in a church.
• There are many clowns, dancers, and entertains in the __________.
• Before the American Civil War, it was normal for Americans to own _______.
• You can _______ your US dollars to Singapore dollars at the airport. 
• He is a very religious person. He reads the _____ daily

Priest
 Shamrock
 Miracle
Pirate
Descent
Kidnapped
Bible
 Convert
Slaves
Parade

• After they _______ the rich businessman, they asked for 5 million dollars for his safe return. 

This lesson plan was provided by The TEFL Academy.