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St. Patrick's Day Lesson: The Real Story of St. Patrick

Subjects

History

Grades

3-12

Brief Description

Students will examine the life of the real St. Patrick, explore the origins of St. Patrick's Day celebrations in lodge to dissever fact from fiction, and learn about the history and culture of Ireland.

Objectives

Students will:

• Split fact from fiction regarding St. Patrick
• Learn about how St. Patrick'due south Mean solar day came to be celebrated
• Learn nearly the history and civilization of Republic of ireland

Keywords

St. Patrick's 24-hour interval, St. Patrick, Ireland, Irish, Celtic, shamrock, snakes, Christian, Celtic, Pooka, leprechaun, Sinn Fein, Irish gaelic Republican Army

Materials Needed

• (If desired) Computer(s) with Cyberspace access
• For each student, several sheets of paper, large-size lined sticky notes or "Accept a Shilling/Leave a Shilling" sheets
• Pens or pencils
• (if desired) Method of playing music (east.g., estimator with external speakers)

Lesson Plan

Nearly every holiday we celebrate starts with a story. That story gets told throughout the years until it becomes fable, at which point people decide that the legend is worthy of celebration. Somewhere on the way to legendary status, the original story oft gets embellished to the point where it becomes difficult to separate truth from legend.

Such is the instance with the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. Equally March 17 approaches, information technology can be both fun and educational to have a look at the existent St. Patrick and the true origins of his holiday.

Here are some points you'll desire to encompass with students:

Fact vs. fiction

"The mod commemoration of St. Patrick'southward 24-hour interval really has well-nigh cipher to do with the real man," classics professor Philip Freeman of Luther College in Iowa, told National Geographic.

In fact, most don't know that the patron saint of Republic of ireland wasn't even born in Ireland. The boy, whom some advise was originally named Maewyn, was born in U.k. (or, some believe, Scotland) around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family. Despite growing upwardly Christian, the boy felt unsure about the faith. It wasn't until he was 16 years old that his views changed.

The teenager was kidnapped and sent across the sea to Ireland as a slave. In that location, in a cold mountainous region of Ireland, he toiled for seven years as a shepherd. During his time in bondage, he heard voices in his head compelling him to escape, which he did, eventually reuniting with his family.

The experience inverse him, and he felt compelled to render to Republic of ireland and alter his name to Patrick. Earlier his return, he was ordained as a Catholic priest. He made information technology his mission to convert the largely heathen Irish population to Christianity. The work was difficult, as he was routinely beaten by thugs, harassed by the Irish royalty, and admonished by his English superiors in the church. Later on he died on March 17, 461, stories virtually Patrick continued to be told for centuries.

The shamrock

The almost common story attributed to his missionary work was his use of the three-leafed clover (shamrock) to explain the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity to the native Irish. Every bit the shamrock consisted of three leaves growing from a single stalk, Patrick reportedly used information technology to illustrate the conventionalities that God (the stem) consists of the Begetter, the Son and the Holy Spirit (the three leaves).

Today, people celebrating St. Patrick'due south Solar day oftentimes wear a shamrock. Botanists consider the trifolium dubium—the wild-growing, 3-leaf clover—to exist the official shamrock, equally it is an annual constitute that germinates in the spring. The shamrock is the national flower of Ireland, and the word "shamrock" comes from the Irish wordseamróg, pregnant "fiddling clover."

Enquire students whether they call back there'southward such a thing as a four-leaf clover. Although finding a 4-leaf clover is considered good luck, it turns out that they rarely occur in nature. The actual odds of finding i are estimated at 10,000 to 1.

The snakes

Another story attributed to St. Patrick is that he drove all of the snakes out of Republic of ireland during his time as a missionary. We oft see images of him casting out dozens of snakes. While it is truthful that Ireland is completely devoid of snakes, that is only because there have never been snakes there in all of recorded history. The common cold waters of the Irish gaelic Body of water make it impossible for snakes to become to the mainland from neighboring England or even continental Europe.

Historians suggest that the myth was likely spread by monks who wanted to embellish the efforts of the missionary Patrick. Others suggest that the snakes were meant to symbolize the casting out of pagans and paganism, whose beliefs St. Patrick viewed as ungodly. The celebration of St. Patrick'due south Day is therefore controversial amid modern pagans.

The holiday

Today St. Patrick'southward Twenty-four hour period is celebrated on March 17, the saint's religious feast day and the anniversary of his death. The Irish take observed this religious holiday for over one,000 years. Falling during the Christian season of Lent, the twenty-four hours is celebrated in Ireland with worship services in the morning and parties in the afternoon.

What students may not know is that big celebrations and parades are a relatively new development in Republic of ireland. Information technology wasn't until after the 1970s, when the American celebrations of the vacation became popular, that the Irish began to follow suit in an attempt to boost tourism.

Observance of the vacation in the United States began in 1762, when eighteenth-century Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the outset St. Patrick's Day parade in New York Urban center. The soldiers marched through lower Manhattan to celebrate their Irish gaelic heritage. Other parades followed, including well-known celebrations in Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago, which boasted vibrant communities of Irish immigrants.

NOTE: For a educatee linguistic communication arts action on this topic, see the EducationWorld resources Every-Day Edit: St. Patrick'due south Day Parade.

Since that fourth dimension, American festivities accept evolved into a general celebration of Irish civilization. Today in the The states, St. Patrick's 24-hour interval is typically celebrated with clothing, accessories and decorations colored green and displaying traditional symbols such as the shamrock; parades; foods such as Irish gaelic soda bread, corned beef and cabbage; and Guinness® stout (a brand and style of beer associated with Republic of ireland).

Celtic organized religion and mythical beings

Alongside the Cosmic tradition of Ireland, there exist many traditions involving ancient Celtic faith and associated Druidism, including gods, goddesses and a diversity of mythical beings.

One of the most famous mythological creatures associated with St. Patrick's Mean solar day is the leprechaun. Smart and devious creatures, leprechauns look similar little men, sharply dressed in waistcoats and shined shoes. Their legend says that each leprechaun possesses a pot of gilded, which makes the creatures valuable to capture. Leprechauns are, nevertheless, granted magical abilities when caught and tin can use them to facilitate their escape.

Although probably less well known to students, the legend of the Pooka too is associated with the holiday. A Pooka, one of the nearly feared of the Irish goblins, appears just at night. It is a shape-shifter, which means it can take whatever grade it chooses. While the Pooka is seen in the form of a canis familiaris, rabbit, goat, goblin or onetime man, its near common form is a dark, sleek equus caballus with a flowing mane and glowing aureate eyes. Pookas are known for having the ability to speak, and will use that ability to lie and cause general mischief.

Data about additional Celtic mythical beings can exist found here. Teachers are encouraged to preview content before allowing students to admission this site directly.

Irish gaelic history (recommended for older students)

The history of Ireland has been marked by challenges including famine, a struggle for independence from the United kingdom, decades of civil war that divided the country, and economic troubles.

Begin by asking students what they know about the history of Republic of ireland. Then explore the history of conflict in the state with this timeline. Start in the early 20th century, the nationalist movement began leading the entrada for Ireland'due south independence from United kingdom, and the Irish Republican Army (IRA) began using guerilla tactics confronting opponents of the movement. The conflict existed not only between Republic of ireland and Britain, but also inside Ireland itself, centering on the civil rights of nationalists, too as disagreement over Ireland'due south national and religious identities.

Xx-six counties in Ireland gained independence, and in 1973 the Democracy of Ireland joined the European Union. Half-dozen counties in the northern region of Ireland remain a office of the United kingdom, and as of 1998, a political settlement for the region was accepted by Irish gaelic voters. Sinn Fein (pronounced Shin-FAYN and translated equally "nosotros ourselves"), the political party that advocates for a united Republic of ireland, helped develop peace strategies. Violence does, however, proceed to erupt periodically in Republic of ireland.

"Take a Shilling/Leave a Shilling" Activity

Later on sufficient class discussion of the points above, the teacher tin can brainstorm the following classroom activeness, which allows students to move effectually and interact in order to exchange ideas.

Explain to students that the silver shilling (used in Republic of ireland and some other countries, but no longer produced) is considered a lucky money. (For example, run into the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Silvery Shilling.") Enquire if students have e'er seen a sign at a cash register encouraging customers to "take a penny or get out a penny," and discuss the purpose of penny sharing at a cash register (i.e., the practice connects people who accept something to give with people who need that aforementioned thing). The following activity is therefore a St. Patrick'south Day-themed twist on that concept of sharing.

1. Inquire a serial of questions about St. Patrick's Day and Ireland. (You'll probably be able to encompass about iii questions during a form menstruum; encounterSuggested Questions below. Students may be able to answer more questions if they are assigned equally homework rather than class piece of work).
2. For older students, provide access to newspaper or viscous notes, and for younger students, provide access to "Take a Shilling/Leave a Shilling" sheets.The printable (see right) tin be cut in one-half to form two sheets. Remind kids toinclude their names on their answers and to write legibly, since other students will be reading their work. If desired, offer Internet access then that students tin do a bit of research before finalizing their answers. Subsequently all answers have been written, collect them and go along them filed past question.
3. Inquire students to stand. Read the first question, perhaps writing it on a chalkboard or white board.Optional: Cue upwardly some traditional or contemporary Irish music (run across below for suggestedMusical Selections, and make sure you have an easy method of stopping and starting the music).
4. Have each student pick up an answer from the outset question file then mingle and talk about it with one or more than classmates. Give them a few minutes to work the room, so inquire students to plow to the nearest person and merchandise answers. (If you're using music, play it during the mingling and and then cease it, at which point students trade answers. Start and stop the music a few more times to let for more mingling and more trading.) When discussion is consummate on a particular question, let each pupil identify the answer s/he is property on his/her desk.
5. Accept students accept an reply from the next question file and repeat the process with the remaining questions. Ultimately each student should have on his/her desk a pile of answers to diverse questions.
6. Wrap up by asking to students to share details nearly the answers they ended upwardly with, likewise as some things they learned during the mingling procedure. What was the most interesting or surprising affair learned?

Musical Selections

"Attractive Portmore" by Loreena McKennitt

"The Voice" by Celtic Woman

"The Warrior's Code" by The Dropkick Murphys

Younger or older students

1. What was the first thing that came to heed when y'all thought of St. Patrick's Twenty-four hour period? Was your assumption correct regarding that thing, or did you learn something new near it that changed your mind?
2. What is something about St. Patrick that surprised you?
3. Is information technology true that St. Patrick collection the snakes out of Republic of ireland?
4. Why is the shamrock continued to St. Patrick?
5. Is the four-leaf clover existent?
6. What are some ways in which we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the United states?
7. How did the American celebration of St. Patrick'southward Day start?
8. Share what you know about ancient Celtic religious behavior and practices.
9. Share what you know about leprechauns.
10. How would it be useful to have a Pooka as a friend?
11. Share what yous know well-nigh an interesting Celtic mythical beingness.

Older students only

1. What are your thoughts on missionary work, which involves religious conversion of large numbers of people?
2. How practise you think Patrick'due south enslavement impacted his later pick to get a priest and missionary?
3. Correct a usually believed, just inaccurate, aspect of St. Patrick'south story and/or St. Patrick's 24-hour interval.
4. Why do y'all call up St. Patrick's Twenty-four hours was initially celebrated more than in America than in Ireland?
5. How much does the mod American celebration of St. Patrick'southward Day really have to do with the existent St. Patrick?
6. Why is the celebration of St. Patrick's Day controversial for some people?
7. Describe in a nutshell the disharmonize that has plagued Ireland. How did it start? What were some primal events in the timeline? Where do things stand today?
8. Depict how Sinn Fein has worked to reach peace in Republic of ireland.

Assessment

• Assess accuracy and writing quality of students' written answers to questions.
• Appraise participation in the Take a Shilling/Leave a Shilling action and related class discussion.

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld

Submitted By

Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor

National Standards

Social Sciences
World History
Grades five-12

NSS-WH.5-12.2 Era 2: Early Civilizations and the Emergence of Pastoral Peoples 4000-1000 BCE
NSS-WH.5-12.3 Era three: Classical Traditions, Major Religions, and Giant Empires m BCE-300 CE
NSS-WH.v-12.viii Era 8: A One-half-Century of Crisis and Achievement, 1900-1945
NSS-WH.5-12.9 Era 9: The 20th Century Since 1945: Promises and Paradoxes

Related resource

St. Patrick's Day Lesson Ideas

Commodity by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Acquaintance Editor
Pedagogy Globe®
Copyright © 2013 Education World

Updated: 02/17/2015

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Source: https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/st-patricks-day-ireland.shtml

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