Looking for a Leprechaun

I just finished an activity with my class that is soon becoming my MOST FAVORITE activity I do with my Kinders.  I won a giveaway from the amazing Reagan that included her Looking for a Leprechaun activity (available on her TPT store-click the link to visit it!).  Ah-May-Zing!!!!  My Kinders were so engaged, excited, enthusiastic, and just plain awesome for this whole activity.  The best part of this activity?  It's FUN but also academic- there are task cards at each clue and the students have to finish the task before going to the next clue... things like Find the vowels, match rhyming words, addition problems, time, money, etc.  AND it's only $3 on her TPT store- it will be the best $3 you ever spend.

 I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Message on the board when the kids came in my room:

Little green glitter footprints ALL OVER my classroom!

The little leprechaun even walked ON MY DESK!  (The kids couldn't believe this!  How dare he?!)

I teach at a private Catholic school... hence the religious statues :)

The leprechaun left rhyming riddles for the kids to use as they made their way through the school to find activities and the next clue.  BUT, we had to be QUIET so the leprechaun couldn't hear us coming!!!!  The leprechaun also surprised each of the participating teachers with a Shamrock Shake from McDs.  (Yes, I got weird looks when I pulled up to the drive-thru and ordered 12 shakes at 7:00 in the morning...  I told them I was sorry, that I'm a teacher and they were for school and they offered them to me for 1/2 off!!  JACKPOT- that was MY pot of gold!!)

I let my cadet teacher take them on the scavenger hunt while me and another teacher GRAFFITI -ed  the WHOLE classroom.... (the bag of Lucky Charms was for one of the activities... they had to sort the charms and tell which group they had the most of...)

After getting back to the classroom, we compiled all the activity pages they gathered from throughout the hunt into a book.  They got to glue one of the footprints on it too- as a keepsake :)

We went all out- gold streamers... golden raisins and rainbow marshmallows were on their tables when they got back... gold balloons EVERYWHERE... gold stars and glitter sprinkled on the floor around the pot of gold...  (the janitors are amazing here... I apologized for my mess, and the student janitor said "hey, that's my job- you just keep doing a great job teaching!"  They are AWESOME.)

Pot of gold treasures... necklaces, bracelets, bouncy balls, eraser toppers, etc.

Here were my poems I used:

Let’s start your search,

The search will feature...

Me and my green foot prints.

Find me with the other Kinder teacher!

Not fast enough,

I’ve already vanished.

Try to catch me

Where you learn Spanish!

Opps, I’ve left again.

In school you should study

But for now try to find me.

I’m visiting your big kid buddies!

Shucks!  You just missed me!

This time you should try....

To find me Where

they do science in Jr. High!

Ah man, so close!

I just can’t be beat!

Now see if you can catch me

Where you go to eat!

You can’t catch me.

I’ve been fast from the start.

Try to catch me now...

In the room where you make art!

You’re getting closer,

I’ll take a break in the shade.

So you might catch me

In the first grade!

You’re quick, but I’m quicker!

Say, what is your age

You can tell me,

If you find me on the stage!

Darn, that was a close one!

Am I a her or a him?

You might find out...

In the place you do gym!

You’re back at the start.

But I had to run.

I left my pot of treasures

For you to have fun.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

So- THANK YOU Reagan for this awesome activity.  (Feel free to add my poems to your packet if you want them, I don't mind!  But as you can tell- I'm no Dr. Seuss!!!) Her packet includes:  task cards, clue signs, footprints, and instructions on how to set it up.

My question to you:  How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day in your classroom?