Ah, February. Deep in the winter months, when you and your students know each other well... perhaps a little too well. Teenage hormones are raging and spring break isn't close enough yet to start the count down. What's a teacher to do?
Embrace the crazy. The approach of Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to get a little cheesy and have some (language-arts-related) fun! Here are some of our favorite activities to add a little love to any lesson.
1. Have students create a valentine related to the unit they're studying
Any subject matter can be transformed into a valentine, giving students a chance to showcase what they've learned! In our classrooms, we've had students create valentines that show their knowledge of vocabulary words and literary periods (inspired by College Board's hilarious Puritan valentines when we read The Crucible). Students can make valentines by hand or on the computer. Click here for a FREE copy of our Dark Romantic Valentine assignment, which you can edit to focus on any subject matter you'd like!
2. Use these Love Languages Task Cards to spark reflection over any novel
This adorable set of three separate activities leads students to reflect over the love languages that apply to characters the novel they're reading. Words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, gifts, or acts of service: which best describes the way a character might show or receive love? You can use these for any book with the whole class, small groups, or individually. They also works perfectly as an emergency sub plan!
3. Celebrate bad love poetry with this activity
Embrace the cheesiness of Valentine's Day by exploring what makes bad love poetry so awfully good. Students then apply these techniques to write the worst love poem possible. Results are hilarious! Get a copy of this FREE activity here!
4. Host a book "speed dating" event
Set the mood as your students check out the options for their next independent reading book! Miss G. has some amazing tips for giving your students the full date experience as they explore your classroom library.
5. Set students up with a "blind date" book
It's as simple as wrapping up a book in butcher paper to create a little mystery, and then writing a few key words on the front as a teaser. You've never seen students race so quickly to borrow books! Check out some tips from Miss P. here!
6. Match students with a book they love by using this survey
Discover each student's reading tastes with this adorable FREE resource that will help you point the way toward a book that's perfect for them. Perfect for any time of the year, but especially cute around Valentine's Day.
7. Give students novel-related valentines
Every year, we just can't stop ourselves. Our students may roll their eyes at our terrible book-related puns, but it's a moment to show them that we *really* love them, and have a little fun. Here are the valentines we made while reading Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. Feel free to use the template and replace with your own images and punny Valentine's Day lines!
We hope these ideas inspire you to make the most of February this year! Our goal is always to share the love and make life easier for our teacher friends.
If you want more ideas, resources, or inspiration, subscribe to our email list below! We'd love to have you in our teacher tribe!
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