April Fool's Day Classroom Fun!


I have been thinking about this April Fool's prank for about two years - no joke! I heard the idea for this somewhere and I really have no idea if it was a blog or conversation or friends of mine. If it was your original idea, let me know!

All I remember is that you have the kids go outside and try to call out for the lirpaloof bird, a special bird that can only be found on April 1st. {get it yet?} Of course, no such bird is ever found and after the kids spend a while calling for it, you let them in on the joke.  Lirpaloof is actually april fool spelled backwards! Ha, ha little kiddies - joke's on you! Then everyone laughs for just a few minutes at the appropriate volume and hysteria-level and quickly files into the perfect line and we return to the classroom for some very rigorous, hands-on, common-core, project-based learning activity where no one tries to get me back for the rest of the day. <--That last part may or may not be a complete pipe dream...

But  regardless of the outcome, I'm going to go on a lirpaloof hunt this year! If you want to join me, I've made a handout to legitimize my little prank. I made up all the stuff in the handout, like what the bird looks like and the whole carrot bit.
My plan is to read the passage together, then hand out a carrot to each of my little nuggets.


We're going to go outside, wave our carrots high and sing to the lirpaloof! Then after I snap some good pictures, I'll gather them around while I do some very drama-queen googling to see if I can find some helpful hints. And the helpful hint, of course, will be to try to say its name backwards! I'm not sure if they'll get it right away, so I'm going to bring some sidewalk chalk with me in case we have to have a volunteer write it down for us.

So if you're in school on April Fool's Day and you saw this in time, grab the freebie by clicking here. If not, you can always pin it to remember for next year!


Can't wait to blog about our bird finding adventure :)




38 comments

  1. What a very clever idea! Can't wait to see your pictures of this acted out!

    Laurie
    Chickadee Jubilee

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  2. Totally hilarious! Cannot WAIT to do this with my kids!
    Rowdy in First Grade

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  3. This is AWESOME! Can't wait to try it out. I'll take lots of pictures.

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  5. I wish we were going to be in school for April Fools this year, but we're not. So I'll have to save this for next year! Hilarious!

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  6. What a great idea! I am sure the students have a blast!

    Shelly

    Smiling and Shining in Second Grade

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  7. Denise, this is hilarious!! I'm going to do it!! Remember that other April Fools joke you pulled on the kids years back? I tell everyone about that! FUN!
    Gina
    Beach Sand and Lesson Plans

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  8. I love this!!!!! You have to keep us posted!!! Too funny!

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  9. This is so cute! I can't wait to use it tomorrow! Thank you!

    œKaryn
    A is for Apple B is for Blog
    Kideducator@comcast.net

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  10. That is HILARIOUS. I can't wait to read how this turns out. . .PINNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ✰ Stacy

    Simpson Superstars

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  11. I am trying this tomorrow with my kiddos! I'm wondering how many of my kids will catch a glimpse of the lipraloof before I reveal the trick.

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  12. I wish we had school here today! I would totally have done this. Such a cute idea. We have the day off today though.

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  13. I cannot wait to use this! Very creative idea!

    Ashley

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  14. Just did it with my class at recess! Perfect! It was so cute hearing them singing and calling to the bird with their carrots up high. Absolutely perfect April Fools prank. They are going to try it out on their parents when they get home. Thanks!

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  15. That's some good stuff!! Too bad we are on spring break! Or not! Let us know!
    Rachel

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  16. Baha! If I was in school {break this week!} I would totally do this!
    ❤Teri
    A Cupcake for the Teacher

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  17. Denise:
    I have a funny feeling even a few of my SIXTH graders would go for this one. I would schedule this "lesson" (wink) during science and say it was an endangered species recently spotted in the area... I'm loving the thought! Next year we won't be on Break on April 1st... but we WILL be looking for the Lirpaloof!

    Thanks for the great idea,

    Kim
    Finding JOY in 6th Grade

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  18. Oh my Gosh, this is SO cute! I wish I had school today. I'm trying to think of a good prank to pull on them when we get back, April 1st or not! Maybe I'll try this one!

    Ashley
    Primary Teacherhood

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  19. Denise you are a genius. We loved searching for lirpaloofs today thanks to you! I posted pictures and linked your awesome sheet. I hope you don't mind. :)
    THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

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  20. Love love LOVING this, Denise! Brilliant!!!
    And...what huge ROCK have I been under to have just found your amazing blog? Cereally....must have been a biiiigggg rock.
    Smiles - Lisa
    Growing Firsties

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  21. Really inspired . . . Thanks for sharing

    April Fool SMS
    http://www.funnyjokessms.net/category/april-fool-sms/

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  22. Hilarious! Thanks for sharing!

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  23. I cannot wait to do this!

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  24. I love this Denise! My kids will totally fall for it!
    Linda

    AroundtheKampfire

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  25. This is totally my sense of humor! I cannot wait to try this with my class tomorrow!!

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  26. This is AWESOME!!! I have it ready to go for my kiddos! Cannot wait! :) Thanks!

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  27. OMGoodness I can not wait to do this with my kids!!! This is hilarious! They will love it!!! Thanks!

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  28. This is AMAZING!!! I'm soooo looking forward to watching them wave their carrots around while they sing for the lirpaloof bird!! Got my camera ready! THANK YOU!!!!! :)

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  29. Thanks so much! Perfect for second graders! You are so creative!

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  30. Totally doing this when we get back! hahaha Can't wait! Thanks for sharing, and for making it be early April....so it doesn't have to be April 1st.

    Terri Izatt
    KinderKapers

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  31. SO excited to do this tomorrow!! Thank you!

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  32. Oh My gosh--this couldn't have gone better with my kids. We did the article on Thursday, and before I had a chance to say anything about a "follow-up" on Friday, they were planning to bring binoculars and carrots to school. So of course I volunteered to bring carrots. I gave some other teachers orange feathers to "casually" share with them during the day. There were other classes at recess when we went out who ended up following us around on our search, all buying into my second graders eagerness to find the lirpaloof. When we finally wrote out lirpaloof backward on the sidewalk, one kid said, "Check it out! It says April Foll and today is April Fools' Day." Then they all went back to searching for the bird. It was a good five minutes more before anyone caught on, and I'm not sure that one boy ever did. We took a great pic at the end that is now the desktop background on my computer. They were such good sports, but stunned that I "would do such a thing!" Thanks for a wonderful start to our spring break! I'm still grinning!

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