St Patrick, the shamrock and the snakes of Ireland
I can retell some of the popular stories told about St. Patrick.
St Patrick, the shamrock and the snakes of Ireland
I can retell some of the popular stories told about St. Patrick.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Having returned to Britain, St. Patrick had a vision which convinced him to return to Ireland.
- When he reached Ireland, he travelled around teaching people about Christianity.
- One popular story about St. Patrick is how he used the shamrock to explain some important things about Christianity.
- The shamrock has since become one of the symbols of Ireland.
- Another popular story about St. Patrick was that he drove all of the snakes out of Ireland, chasing them into the sea.
Keywords
Vision - when people have an imagined experience it is known as a vision
Missionary - a missionary is someone who travels somewhere to convince other people to join their religion
Shamrock - a clover plant with three leaves is called a shamrock
Common misconception
That snakes used to live in Ireland.
Explain that snakes were unlikely to have ever lived in Ireland due to the geography and climate. It is thought that the snakes in the story of St. Patrick and the snakes of Ireland were a metaphor or symbol.
To help you plan your year 1 history lesson on: St Patrick, the shamrock and the snakes of Ireland, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 1 history lesson on: St Patrick, the shamrock and the snakes of Ireland, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 history lessons from the England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
- Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
a group of people from Italy who took over lots of land
someone who follows the Christian religion, believing in God and Jesus
someone who attacks people or places, often to steal
someone who herds and looks after sheep
Exit quiz
6 Questions
when people have an imagined experience
someone who travels to convince others to join their religion
a clover plant with three leaves