You might be wondering if it’s worth it to incorporate St. Patrick’s Day literacy activities in your secondary ELA classroom, but let me assure you—it absolutely is! Celebrating this festive holiday can be a great way to engage students with themed lessons that reinforce reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills. St. Patrick’s Day has been recognized as a holiday since the Middle Ages, but its traditions have evolved significantly, especially in America. Why not use the opportunity to blend cultural exploration with your curriculum through fun and meaningful learning activities?
To make planning easier, I’ve rounded up seven “lucky” St. Patrick’s Day literacy activities perfect for secondary classrooms. From creative writing prompts and close reading tasks to thematic vocabulary games and poetry lessons, these ideas will add a touch of holiday fun while still meeting your educational goals. Whether you need a quick bell-ringer or a full class activity, there’s something here to spark engagement and make the month of March memorable for your students!
1. Roll a St. Patrick’s Day Story
Get your students’ creativity flowing with a bit of luck and a whole lot of fun! Roll-a-Story activities are an engaging way to inspire creative writing in your ELA classroom. The concept is simple but effective—students roll dice to determine their main story elements, such as the setting, character, and conflict. From there, they brainstorm and dive into crafting their own unique stories based on the prompts they rolled. This format not only encourages creativity but also helps reluctant writers get started by providing structured yet imaginative inspiration.
For an extra festive touch, have students write or print their stories on themed paper and add illustrations to bring their narratives to life. These pieces can then be showcased on a St. Patrick’s Day-themed bulletin board, turning your classroom into a gallery of storytelling talent. Whether you’re looking for a full class activity, a writing station, or a fun sub-plan, my St. Patrick’s Day Roll-a-Story resource is prepped and ready to go in both printable and digital formats. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the holiday while sharpening your students’ storytelling skills!
2. Practice Parts of Speech with St. Patrick’s Day Mad Libs
Mad Libs are an engaging and interactive way to help students practice parts of speech while having a blast! Whether you’re looking for a quick activity for fast finishers, a no-prep sub plan, or a whole-class review for grammar, Mad Libs provide a fun and effective way to reinforce concepts like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The element of surprise as students fill in the blanks with random words makes learning both memorable and hilarious.
For an extra layer of excitement, try themed Mad Libs to match the season or your current lesson. For example, St. Patrick’s Day-themed stories can include lucky charms, leprechauns, and pots of gold for an ELA twist on the holiday. You can also take it a step further by challenging students to create their own Mad Libs. Ask them to write short stories, remove key parts of speech, and swap with classmates to fill in the blanks—it’s a great way to strengthen their grammar knowledge and foster creativity.
If you’re looking for something pre-made, there’s a print-and-go resource available in my shop with five silly, ready-to-use stories that will save you time while keeping your students entertained and engaged. Whether you’re working on individual practice or collaborative storytelling, Mad Libs are a guaranteed way to bring some laughter and learning to your ELA classroom.
3. Play Themed Word Games
I absolutely love incorporating word games into the classroom—they’re fun, educational, and versatile! Creating word puzzles (or using my premade ones here) is an easy way to keep early finishers engaged, provide meaningful sub plans, or foster class community through collaborative activities. Word games offer students a chance to build vocabulary and strengthen problem-solving skills while having fun.
For a St. Patrick’s Day twist, consider using holiday-inspired facts and history for crossword clues to blend literacy with cultural learning. You can also create themed word scrambles and word searches featuring festive words and phrases like “shamrock,” “lucky,” and “rainbow.” These quick-to-implement St. Patrick’s Day literacy activities are a great way to bring some holiday cheer into your secondary ELA classroom while reinforcing key language skills!
4. Write Limericks
If the word “limerick” makes you immediately think of “a man from Nantucket,” you’re not alone! Limericks are often associated with humorous—and sometimes inappropriate—verses, but they can also be a clever and fun way to teach students about rhyme schemes, syllable patterns, and poetic creativity. The beauty of a limerick is in its structure: a five-line poem with an AABBA rhyme scheme and a specific rhythm that makes it instantly recognizable and engaging for students.
To get your class started, provide an overview of the rhyme and syllable pattern needed, and share a few (carefully vetted) examples to inspire them. You can use resources like this helpful article from Master Class for additional guidance or create your own limerick examples tied to classroom themes or holidays, like St. Patrick’s Day. Once your students have the basics down, challenge them to write their own limericks—whether humorous, thematic, or tied to their current reading. This makes for a fantastic poetry mini-lesson and can even be turned into a classroom contest or a fun bulletin board display. Your students will be surprised at how much they enjoy crafting their own witty and whimsical verses.
5. Create a St. Patrick’s Day Banner
Decorating your classroom while fostering a sense of community doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. A creative, interactive way to build class culture is by involving your students in making meaningful décor that reflects their voices. For St. Patrick’s Day, consider creating a “WE ARE LUCKY” banner to display in your room. This activity not only adds a festive touch to your space but also gives students a chance to reflect on what they feel fortunate to have—whether it’s friendships, achievements, or personal growth.
The best part? It’s an easy, low-prep activity! With a print-and-go template, you can have everything ready in minutes. Whether you want to keep things simple with colored pencils or go all out with glitter, shamrocks, and creative cut-outs, you can tailor this to fit your available time and supplies. My pre-made and blank banner templates offer flexibility—students can follow a prompt or come up with their own unique designs to personalize their banner pieces. Hang them up in your classroom, hallway, or bulletin board to create a visually appealing and meaningful display that celebrates both the holiday and your class community. It’s a fun, cost-effective way to brighten your classroom and make the season special!
6. Study Irish Proverbs
Irish proverbs are a wonderful addition to your St. Patrick’s Day ELA lesson plans, as they offer a unique way to combine cultural exploration with critical thinking and creative writing. Proverbs are short sayings that convey wisdom or advice, often reflecting a culture’s values and traditions. Irish proverbs, in particular, are rich with vivid imagery and meaningful life lessons, making them an engaging and thought-provoking resource for classroom discussions.
Start by introducing your students to a selection of Irish proverbs, such as “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have” or “You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.” Encourage students to interpret the meaning behind each saying and connect it to their own lives or the themes of a book you’re studying. This activity not only strengthens their analytical skills but also sparks meaningful conversations about resilience, friendship, and determination.
Once your students are comfortable with analyzing proverbs, challenge them to write their own! This creative exercise allows them to reflect on lessons they’ve learned, either from personal experience or literature, and distill those lessons into a memorable, meaningful phrase. You can even turn their original proverbs into a classroom display by having them decorate their sayings on themed paper to create a festive St. Patrick’s Day bulletin board. This simple yet powerful activity blends culture, language, and creativity, making it a memorable way to celebrate the holiday while reinforcing key ELA skills.
7. Go on a St. Paddy’s WebQuest
If you’re looking for a technology infused activity, put together a WebQuest. Create a list of questions for students to find the answers to questions related to St. Patrick’s Day. You might have students research where St. Patrick originated from, who he was, and legends surrounding him. Research why it is a day celebrated in March, and why green is significant. They can look at the American versions of celebrations like the famous parades or the stories of Irish immigrants. A WebQuest is a great way to utilize technology and practice research skills.
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Looking for a set of pre-made activities to help you celebrate the season all month long? Grab my St. Patrick’s Day Activities Bundle for four great done-for-you activities your students are sure to love!
I hope that you have a great list of options to use this St. Patrick’s Day with your secondary ELA students. I personally love adding these creative and engaging lessons when the opportunity arises to break up class monotony, build up the culture in our classroom, and practice creative writing, research, and other ELA elements.
Let me know what you’ve loved incorporating into your classroom and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more tips, tricks, and teacher know-how.
Happy teaching!
