Use Irish Folktales to Teach Reading Comprehension Skills

Posted by Renee Carver Feb 23, 2009

Around St. Patrick's Day (March 17th), or at any time of the year when teaching an Irish folktale unit or a theme unit on folk tales in general, parents and elementary teachers can use picture book versions of Irish folk tales to teach basic reading comprehension skills.

For example:

• Use Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka by Tomie dePaola to teach characterization and author's craft, analyzing both a character's personality and actions and the methods the author uses to create the character.
• Use Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola to teach cause and effect and how to identify cause and effect relationships.
• Use The Hungry Leprechaun by Mary Calhoun to teach how to identify and analyze genre, specifically looking at the text structure and characteristics of texts that belong to the genre of folktale.
• Use A Fine St. Patrick's Day by Susan Wojciechowski to teach how to identify and analyze a story's theme.
• Use St. Patrick's Day in the Morning byEve Bunting to teach how to compare and contrast the literary elements of plot, character, and setting.
• Use Harp o' Gold by Teresa Bateman and The Leprechaun's Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards to teach how to make text-to-text connections and compare and contrast two folktales.
• Use Leprechaun Gold by Teresa Bateman to teach how to make inferences.
• Use Too Many Leprechauns by Stephen Krensky to teach how to make and check predictions.

Parents and elementary teachers can also check out recommended leprechaun folktale picture books to use as fun St. Patrick's Day read-alouds or recommended St. Patrick's Day picture books that tell about the history of this Irish holiday and how people celebrate it.

For further learning, students can write a field guide to leprechauns as part of a St. Patrick's Day writing lesson plan or use shamrock manipulatives in elementary math activities.

Parents and teachers can also read articles about ideas for refreshments to serve at and suggestions for decorations and activities for a St. Patrick's Day party.