FEBRUARY: Happy Valentine's Day

And so, yes, there is a history to this occasion where our students give gifts, receive gifts, and create crafty gifts all in the name of St. Valentine. But, as tradition holds, February 14th is the day of celebration.

Here are a few crafts and ideas I found online that can be celebrated in the classroom.

Language Arts:
Take some ideas to discuss poetic devices in poetry from ReadWriteThink's Lesson plans.

With Middle, Junior, and Senior High School students you may want to discuss idioms from the story I found online titled Valentine's Day Date where the idioms are underlined and connected to a link that helps describe those idioms.

Get crafty!
The Kid's Fun Review links you to 9 Homemade Valentine Ideas For Kids

This is a fun idea for teachers! Maybe find a way to get your students in a group picture (example below) and have you be the one up close to the camera handing out your hand for the lollipop or a Valentine pencil. It's a fun classroom gift. It will take some camera skill, but it can be done.



The Sweet Tooth suggests Felt Fortune Cookies and Rolo Wraps as a an additional sweet treat.

Art Class:
Students can learn how to draw a rose, maybe create a mosaic of roses (example below).

FEBRUARY: Saint Valentine DID exist

As I child I celebrated February 14th (or sometime around there depending on whether the 14th landed on a weekend) giving out small pieces of candy and a card that came with a box of similar cards I bought at the local neighborhood store. The card would have a message that was grammatically incorrect, or had a pun like "Hogs and Kisses from your favorite Hogger," or an image of my favorite Saturday morning cartoon hugging another Saturday morning cartoon.

And I remember I had to make sure every student in my class, whether or not I liked him or her, got a card because that was the right thing to do.

As an adult it has become the occasion of when dark chocolates go on sale, my favorite color red becomes a fashion staple, and I get all sorts of goodies.

But, I never really understood WHY we actually celebrated St. Valentine's Day.

Many stories and legends go back and forth from Christian and Roman time periods, but leave it to the good ol' History Channel and its website to provide more insight into St. Valentine.

Happy birthday, Mr. Dickens

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) website introduces resources that connects students to a biographical animation, a game, and an additional link to read more about the novelist who brought us the story of Mr. Scrooge.

Here's the website that connects you to this helpful resource: Bleak House's Charles John Huffam Dickens 1812-1870

FEBRUARY: Groundhog Day

Apparently, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania Groundhog Day is a BIG deal. You see, in this town the residents rely on Punxsutawney Phil, the weather forecasting groundhog. According to their town folklore, when Punxsutawney Phil "sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring."

Not all states may rely this legend, but to this small town in Pennsylvania has a fun and festive way of honoring it.

Here is a link of lesson plans from the state's Groundhog Day website: Groundhog Day Lesson Plans



Also, consider Fun with Punxsutawney Phil ideas from Technology Rocks Seriously.

FEBRUARY: National Snack Month

As National Snack Month continues, consider activities that encourage product awareness and the reasons why they purchase the snacks that they do.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a website called Choose My Plate which includes links about nutrition and health.

Here's a link to Health and Nutrition Information. It includes lesson plans for 6- 11 year olds.

FEBRUARY: National Snack Month

It's National Snack Month! Yum! Yum! Yum! Nom! Nom! Nom!

How do you commemorate such an occasion?

NOTE: Before you serve ANY food in the classroom, be sure to check with your school administration AND your head custodian.

1. You can always serve your students a snack which, for convenience but more expensive, can be anything bite-size and pre-packaged. Older students, like Middle School and High School students, get a kick out of anything worth eating. If you feel like you can spare some money, buy those pre-packaged snacks.

2. Healthier options: Slice apples, oranges, and bananas. Serve raisins, grapes, peanuts (be careful of food allergies), etc. This works better for classes that do not change every hours. You can purchase pre-packed apples, carrots, and celery as well, but that also can get expensive.

3. Crackers. Buy crackers by the bulk and these can easily be shared among students. If you want to get extra crafty, head to lunch tables or outside under a tree and have the students share cheese spread. Cracker recipes can also find healthy recipes.

4. Blogger It's Taylor Made made fruit kabobs for her Yo-Gabba-Gabba children party


5. Buy some bread, peanut butter, jelly, and wah-lah. Use cookie cutters to make their own fun shapes.

Lastly, consider making a classroom consensus. Divide students into the four major food groups: Fruits, Proteins, Dairy, Vegetables, Grains and having each group create a questionnaire that would help create a consensus of popular snacks for each group. Then offer the students an opportunity to vote on one snack that you can serve.



Of course, I imagine doing this lesson if you have an unlimited budget.