Green Celebration - The Saint Patrick's Issue

Elementary - reading activity

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17. It is not a public holiday (we have work and school). It's just a fun day.

Many Irish people have emigrated from Ireland to the United States and other countries over the last few centuries. They took St. Patrick's Day with them.

Today in America people enjoy St. Patrick's Day by wearing something green. In fact, if you don't wear at least one small green item, school children may pinch you.

Probably the most common symbol for this holiday is the shamrock. Many people wear a shamrock design on St. Patrick's Day because it is supposed to bring good luck.

On this day many also enjoy going to a pub and drinking beer. They tell jokes and have a good time. Some cities hold parades or marathons, like the famous Saint Patrick’s Parade in New York City. It's not a very big holiday, but it can be fun for the people who want to enjoy it.

Vocabulary

A-emigrate	1-bar/ tavern, a place to drink beer or other alcohol
B-century	2-a green plant with 3 leaves
C-pinch	3-a long running race (like a 10K run)
D-shamrock	4-to squeeze something, to hurt someone by squeezing their skin with your finger and thumb
E-pub	5-leave from a country to move to another
F-parades	6-100 years
G-marathon	7-march in the street, usually with a band and people in costumes or special dresses.

True or False?

1. St. Patrick's Day is an official holiday.

2. People go to work and school on St. Patrick's Day.

3. St. Patrick's Day comes from Europe.

4. People wear a special color on St. Patrick's Day.

5. A shamrock brings good luck.

6. Some people meet to drink whisky.

ANSWERS HERE!

Dublin: Vibrant City - The Saint Patrick's Issue

Video Activity
Length: 1 minute

Watch the video and complete the script with the missing words.





The vibrant city of Dublin. And it's not just the _______ lights of Temple Bar that _______ dazzle you, it's the _______ of castle market. Real, friendly lot of _______ here. Honest! They sell jewelry, _______ and fresh produce too.There are the cafes and the little _______ boutiques. They are all within _______ distance. But that doesn't mean you won't want to _______ your feet.
Because _______ amongst the hassle and bustle you can _______ into a real oasis of calm.
If you are _______, you'll find the tranquil gardens hidden _______ Dublin Castle and the Chester Beatty Library. And in case you _______ know, Dublin is by the sea.
Out of the _______ village of Howth, you'll find even more _______ food and more friendly Dubliners waiting to meet you.
And after all that you could probably _______ with something nice to eat, and a drink _______ ? Did we mention there's this place called Temple Bar?
Come on. Jump into Ireland.

Answers here!!

10 Reasons to visit Ireland - The Saint Patrick's Issue

Video Activity

Superlatives

Complete the sentences with the following words:
highest - best - friendliest - fastest - biggest most spectacular - biggest - best

Then watch the VIDEO (2.34 minutes) and check your answers.

a.Bars are the _____ in the world.
b.One of the _______ countries.
c.In Belfast the Titanic is one of the _____ stars.
d.The ______ sea cliffs in Europe.
e.The _______ surfing waves.
f.The ______ walks in the world.
g.The _______ field sport.
h.The ______ landscapes in the world.

www.discoverireland.com

Answers Here!

Irish Blessings - The Saint Patrick's Issue

Culture & Language

The Irish are famous for their "Irish blessings".
They're short phrases used in toasts, when meeting people, before a trip, or generally to wish someone good luck at any time. Many of these are lines taken from poems, and repeated generation after generation, but always given with a genuine affection.

GRAMMAR NOTE: Expressing good wishes in a formal manner Use the formula MAY + subject + verb + other words e.g. May you have a good trip! May all your wishes come true!

Here are a few traditional ones:

“May you always have walls for the winds, tea beside the fire, and all your heart might desire!”
“May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night,”
“May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.”


PUZZLE: Can you untangle this one?

hold / be /all / home /always /your / to/ friends /too / may / your / small


Answer here!

In Short... - The Saint Patrick's Issue

Complete the summary text for Saint Patrick's Day with the words given :

(If necessary, use the Babylon DICTIONARY Box on the top right.)

March 17th

RIBBONS - PARADES - DYE - SHAMROCKS - PINCHED - CELEBRATION

St. Patrick’s Day is a 1. _______________ honoring Saint Patrick. People wear green colored clothing and some women wear green 2. ____________ in their hair. People who don’t wear green clothing get 3. _______________ as a punishment. People also wear 4. ______________, which are a symbol of Ireland. As well, there are 5.____________ on the streets and sometimes people 6.______________ food and drinks in green.

The Man Who Vanished Snakes!

CAPTURED - MIRACLES - IRELAND - MONASTERY - SLAVE- ANGEL - SNAKES - LEGEND

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of 7.______________. According to 8._____________, Saint Patrick was born in Britain and then 9. _______________ by pirates and sold as a 10._______________ in Ireland, where he worked as a sheppard. He escaped with the help of an 11._____________ and then lived in a 12.____________ for twelve years before going back to Ireland. When he returned to Ireland he performed many 13.______________. According to one myth, Saint Patrick got rid of all of the 14.________________ in Ireland.

Leprechauns

MISCHIEF - POT OF GOLD - FAIRY - TRICKY - VANISH - EYE

A leprechaun is an Irish 15.____________ or magical being. They are very 16.____________ and like to make 17.______________. If you catch a leprechaun, they can tell you where a 18.___________________ is. But be careful, If you take your 19.____________ off of them for an instant, they 20._________________.

activity adapted from lanternfish

ANSWERS HERE!

Saint Patty's Crossword - The Saint Patrick's Issue

Vocabulary
Check how much you know about Saint Patrick's now! Many of the words have appeared in the previous exercises this issue.



Across
2. People who lived in ancient Ireland.
4. St. Patrick's place of birth.
6. St. Patrick's job when he was a slave.
7. Color to wear on St. Patrick's Day.
8. Irish clover.
10. Ireland's nickname: The _________ Isle.
12. You might see one of these on the street on St. Patrick's Day.

Down
1. Ireland's capital.
3. A small fairy in Ireland.
5. The country where St. Patrick's Day originated.
7. If you are lucky, a leprechaun will show you a pot of this.
8. In stories, St. Patrick banished these reptiles from Ireland.
9. The pot of gold is hidden at the end of this.
11. The month of St. Patrick's Day.

(activity developed by Chris Gunn)

ANSWERS HERE!

ANSWERS - The Saint Patrick's Issue

ANSWERS: Green Celebration

Vocabulary
emigrate- leave from a country to move to another
century- 100 years
pinch- to squeeze something, to hurt someone by squeezing their skin with your finger and thumb
shamrock- a plant with 3 leaves
pub- bar/ tavern, a place to drink beer or other alcohol
parades – march in the street, usually with a band and people in costumes or special dresses.
marathon- a long running race (like a 10K run)

True or False
1.F 2.T 3.T 4.T 5.T 6.F


ANSWERS:Dublin: Vibrant City
bright - will - liveliness - people - accesories - fashion - walking -
rest - right - jump - lucky - between - didn't - fishing - fresh -
do - perhaps


ANSWERS: 10 Reasons to visit Ireland
a.best / b.friendliest / c.biggest /d.highest
e.biggest /f.best / g.fastest /h.most spectacular


ANSWERS: Irish Blessings

“May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.”


ANSWERS: In Short...

1.celebration/ 2.ribbons / 3.pinched / 4.shamrocks /5.parades / 6.dye

7.Ireland / 8.legend / 9.captured / 10.slave / 11.angel / 12.monastery / 13.miracles / 14.snakes

15.fairy / 16.tricky / 17.mischief / 18.pot of gold / 19.eye / 20.vanish


ANSWERS: Saint Patty's Crossword

ACROSS: 2.Celts 4.Britain 6.Sheppard 7.green 8.shamrock 10.emerald 12.parade
DOWN: 1.Dublin 3.leprechaun 5.Ireland 7.gold 8.snakes 9.rainbow 11.March