Tommie dePaola’s Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato introduced students to Irish folklore as we explore Irish culture. In the story Jamie shared his large potato with the townsfolk. Students were asked to write about what they would do with a giant potato. Tying into math, students used their measuring skills exploring pounds, ounces, and cups to follow a recipe and make mashed potatoes. In the coming days, we will collect data to created pictographs, bar graphs, and tally charts of our favorite kind of potatoes.
In addition to learning about the potato famine, students have learned about the Irish flag, just as they did with Canada and Brazil. Through nonfiction selections and discovery streaming videos, we have looked at the geography of Ireland, everyday life, holidays, and traditions. As with former country studies, students are writing their findings and their questions in their journals.
