St Andrew's Day is celebrated every year on 30th November and is a special day to remember the patron saint of Scotland. Use the activities in this pack to explore history and traditions, while practising reading and comprehension skills.
We also have a similar pack aimed at KS2.
St Andrew's Day activities
The St Andrew’s Cross
To begin the lesson, introduce pupils to the St Andrew’s Cross. Display an image of the Scottish flag on PowerPoint slide 2 and ask pupils which country it represents.
Explain that the flag is called the St Andrew’s Cross, or Saltire. Give pupils time to discuss the image, such as where they might have seen the flag before, and which country it represents. This helps pupils make connections to what they already know.
Learning about the patron saint
The main part of the lesson uses PowerPoint slides 3–8 to share simple information about St Andrew and the history of St Andrew’s Day.
Pupils can read along with the text on the slides, listen to the teacher or follow a PDF version of the text independently or in groups. We've include comprehension questions to check understanding.
How to use this St Andrew's Day activities pack
This activity is very flexible. Do it as a whole-class reading session, with the teacher guiding discussion and asking questions aloud.
Alternatively, more fluent readers can work independently or in small groups during guided reading sessions. Encourage pupils to talk about what they have learned, answer simple questions and explore new vocabulary.
What pupils will learn
By the end of the lesson, pupils will have learned who St Andrew was, why he is Scotland’s patron saint, and how the country celebrates his special day.
They will also practise reading for meaning, discussing information and answering questions based on what they have read or listened to.
This resource pack includes the St Andrew’s Day PowerPoint, PDF version of the text and comprehension questions. It's linked to Year 1 and Year 2 National Curriculum reading objectives.
We also have KS1 packs about St George's Day, St David's Day and St Patrick's Day.