1-2-3 Come Make Some "Paper Love" With Me  

I really enjoy designing things that will get even my most reluctant writers excited about writing. 

With that in mind, I made this very versatile, quick, easy & super-fun writing prompt craftivity. The "envelope" unfolds to reveal a "secret message" or "love note" that can be used for:

* Valentine’s Day (Great for a party day activity.)
* Mother’s Day
* Father’s Day
* Grandparents Day

* Volunteer or Veteran’s Day “Thank You! We Appreciate You!” notes
* “Get Well” or sympathy notes for an ill or grieving classmate
* “Just a Note” to a friend OR… Whatever else you may think of.

If your kiddos are like mine, they will absolutely LOVE making these, so be prepared and run off extra copies for early finishers, and students who ask to “Please…” make another one.

Woo Hoo! They are that addicting & fun; plus “print & go” easy-peasy for you.
I think one of the reasons they are so popular, is that the envelope unfolds to be a heart-shaped message.

I added the 4, “Confidential”, “Top Secret!” & “For Your Eyes Only” labels, to add to the fun.
Nothing like writing a “secret” message to get students excited about writing.

Works for many age groups — from preschool (who can draw a picture and dictate a sentence, or simply write “I love you”) all the way to upper elementary, who can use the blank template.

Great for Daily 5 or your writing block, and simple as a generic lesson for your “Sub Tub” too.

There are 8 graphic options on the front of the “envelope”.  These templates come in a horizontal AND vertical pattern.

For PK kiddos, demonstrate how to fold the “envelope” with “monkey see - monkey do”, step-by-step directions. Even my 3-year-old grandson had fun making several.

Today's featured FREEBIE is also a sweet bit of "paper love".  Click on the link to grab your copy of the "I Love You To Pieces" craftivity

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping in. 

Much to do today, as one of our 8 grandchildren is celebrating their 1st birthday this weekend.  Wishing you an "ed-venture" - filled day.

"Let all that you do be done in love." -1 Corinthians 16:14

1-2-3 Come Do Some Valentine Activities With Me

Yesterday's "Let's Do Something With Those Valentines!"  Math & Literacy activities, were such a huge it, that I decided to make a few more worksheets where students use their valentines.  These have to do with measuring.     

Because my kiddos rip through their valentine cards and are done in about 5 minutes, when I really wanted that activity to last longer, I designed these quick, easy and fun worksheets to extend my sanity-time on party day.

There are 2 worksheets children complete using their valentine cards.  They are independent activities, as well as one where they partner up.

Choose just one worksheet, or print both back-to-back.

Children will enjoy playing with their valentines longer, as they practice a variety of non-standard units of measurement, while you grab a few stress-free moments to relax before the next activity.

Another "print & go" activity is the Valentines For Sale emergent reader, which practices a variety of standards.

Children read the simple sentences filled with 37 Dolch sight words, trace and write the color, number and coin words, color the valentine hearts the appropriate colors, then cut and glue the matching coins to the boxes.

This quick, easy and fun activity is perfect for party day. 

Today's featured FREEBIE is "Lovie".  She's a fish made from heart shapes.  This craft is a simple and fun way to show small-medium-large and explain symmetry.  

Use it as a valentine craft for party day and give children some Fishy crackers to "o-fish-cially" wish them a happy Valentine's Day. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.

February is so packed full of special celebrations and themes that my mind's on hyper-drive.  Wishing you a happy-go-lucky day.

"If you can believe it, Hollywood wanted to change my birthdate. I was born after Valentine's Day, so they wanted to change it to February 14. A Latin lover should be born on Valentine's Day. I said no." - Cesar Romero

 1-2-3 Come Do Some Candy Heart Activities With Me

One of the things I do during February, is use NECCO's candy conversation hearts in all sorts of fun activities.  NECCO stands for the New England Confectionary Company. I really enjoy doing research to find out the background of things I use in the classroom, and while working on this blog article, I found some truly interesting information on a candy that's been around since Lincoln's time, when it was popular during the Civil War!

Back then, they were a crisp candy with a paper note tucked inside a cockle shell, much like a fortune cookie.  In 1866 the candy evolved into a heart shape when Daniel Chase, the brother of NECCO’s founder, Oliver Chase, invented the process of printing words on the candies.  They were written in red dye and were an instant success, (particularly as a wedding party favor) becoming known as  "Motto Hearts".

Until I started doing research, I was not aware that each year the company makes up new messages. However, some sentiments like "Kiss Me" and "Be Mine" added in 1902, continue to be favorites. To keep things current, they've invited the public to join an online survey to decide what they want these sweet little messages to say. Recent favorites: "Tweet Me", Text Me", "Love Bug" and "You + Me".

I also learned that they have themes such as food, resulting in "Recipe 4 Love", "Table 4 Two" and “Yum-Yum” messages.  In 2003 they had a “school” theme with the messages: “Teach me” “Let’s read.” “Write me.” and “Whiz Kid” . To see an archive of the sayings from past years click on the link. 

According to the National Confectioners Association, “About 8 billion hearts will be produced this year!” The company has to produce 100,000 pounds of hearts a day to meet that demand, as they sell that amount in 6 weeks during their peak Valentine’s Day season.  So how do I use them in the classroom?

So we can do a variety of math activities, I give each student 10 hearts.  We count them forwards and backwards; sort them by color, do some patterning with them, and measure how many hearts tall and long different things are.  We also practice addition and subtraction skills.  I call out various equations, writing them on the board and have my kiddos make the "equations" on their desk, using the hearts as manipulatives.

We also graph their favorite color and flavor as a whole group. These graphs are in my first candy heart packet, which I made before I had all of the graphic programs I now use. I wish I had the time to revamp a few of these older packets.

It's 32-pages long and includes reading, writing and math activities, plus some candy heart puzzles.

More Fun With Candy Hearts is another older packet, which includes a variety of skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s activities.  There's patterning practice as well as "guess-timation" activities. 

This 33-page packet also includes 44 candy heart CVC word squares that you can use to play games or create sentences with.  

I designed these using the Acme Heart Maker site where you can type in 4-letter words on a candy heart template.  Even tho' they look exactly like real candy hearts, being a teacher, I'd rather have had them printed in lowercase letters.

A year later, I found a new site: cryptogram.com where you can type in up to 11 upper or lowercase letters! Woo hoo!  I had so much fun thinking of things to make. 

 Oh the possibilities! Type in your students' names to make them a bookmark or magnet; or set this up as an independent computer-center activity and allow them time to make a few of their own.  I even made one for my husband and tucked it in his lunch.

Some school's 100 Day lands on or close to Valentine's Day, so I made up a Happy 100 Day candy heart note for your kiddos.  To make this an extra special gift, attach a box of the conversation hearts. 

The Dollar sells them 4 in a pack.  There's also smaller candy heart cards in the packet.  Use them for Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" color games.  Click on the link to view/download the 100 Day With Candy Hearts activities.

Of course my brain was working over time trying to think of the zillion ways I could use this. I got out my Dolch word list and made a complete set of conversational hearts from all of the lists Pre-Primer through 3^rd grade.

You can do several things with these.  Simply use them as anchor charts, or print them off, laminate, and then cut them apart to make Memory Match games.

You can also put the posters up on your word wall for February; have students put the hearts in alphabetical order, or cut them up to make mini puzzles. Students can also choose several hearts and make sentences using those words.

Play a whole-group game and put the laminated hearts in a box, have students take one out identify the word(s). If they cannot they are out of the game.   Click on the link to view/print the Dolch Word Candy Hearts.  

Since we were also working on colors, I designed a set of candy heart color cards.  Print; laminate and trim the cards to make Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has" games.  I've also included a cover, if you want your students to make an Itty Bitty Candy Heart Color booklet. 

Finally, Contraction activities are often requested, so I thought I'd make a set of those, using 61 contractions.

Students match the word cards to their contraction cards.  You could also have children choose several cards and write sentences.  Click on the link to view/download the Conversation Heart Contraction Cards. 

Whew!  That's a lot of candy heart themed activities.  I hope you found a few to help round out your Valentine's Day activities, or use for the rest of February. 

Thanks for visiting.  It's a cold and overcast day here in Michigan' perfect for snuggling up with a cup of hot cocoa and make some valentines for those near and dear to my heart.  Wishing you a warm and cozy day.

"I believe we must give more than we get; and leave more than we take." - Foster G. McGaw

4 pages.

To save time, simply print and fill in your information. 

5 pages.

This is a simple, quick and easy valentine card that your students will enjoying making.  A black and white as well as full color template are included + directions of how to make a heart-shaped thumbprint paperweight or magnet.

4 pages.

Run off the heart pattern on a variety of pastel colors of construction paper, or for more pizzazz, print it off on patterned scrapbook paper that has a plain flip side.  Students cut out their heart and then fold it on the dashed lines, creating an envelope!  Encourage students to write something inside,  or give them a poem or writing prompt.   I've included a page of suggestions.

6 pages.

You can simply have children cut on the bold line of their folded paper (they will be amazed to see they have created a whole heart when they unfold it) or you can have children cut the heart and "scrap" paper in half and glue them to another sheet of paper to make a positive-negative reverse piece of art. 

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Valentine Activities With Me

I had a special request from Iesha, in Michigan, for some 10-frame cards with hearts on them.  Since this was also on my "to do" list, I got right to it.  

All of the new 10-frames packets include extra tiles, so that students can use them as manipulatives to make groups/sets to match the number on the cards, sort the tiles or pattern with them.  Click on the link to view/download the Valentine 10-Frames packet.

1-2-3 Count Valentines With Me compliments the cards, as this easy reader booklet is based on a 10-frame and covers all sorts of standards. 

Students read, trace and write the numbers and number words, circle the number in the sequence, dot that many spots on the 10-frame, then cut and glue the appropriate picture showing a group of that many. 

The new "Count With Me" booklets, also have students add end punctuation to the simple sentences.  Each packet also includes several worksheets. Click on the link to view/download the 1-2-3 Count Valentines With Me packet. 

When I'm diddling around designing, an idea sometimes happens because of the adorable graphics done by really creative artists, like Laura Strickland (mycutegraphics) and DJ Inkers. 

Why Do I Like You?  Let Me Count The Ways... was one of those ideas. D.J. Inkers clip art of a  little boy and girl holding a huge heart, simply begged to be filled with something. 

When I taught high school, my students enjoyed a variety of poetry that I shared with them.  How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning,  was a personal favorite. 

I thought this would make an interesting writing prompt for students. Just incase you'd like to share the original poem, I've included it in the packet.

Instead of love, I substituted the word like.  Students can choose to complete the prompt for someone they are close to, or to promote friendship and build self-esteem within your class, have students choose a classmate.  Students write things they like about that person, or things that person does that they like etc. 

To jumpstart your students' creative minds, make one about your best friend, sister, brother, husband or wife to share as an example.  I've also included a bookmark in color, that teachers can fill out for each student.  Write the child's name on the heart and then list a few things of why you enjoy having them in your class.  Click on the link to view/download the How Do I Like Thee? Valentine Writing Prompt packet. 

I didn't have much time to design more valentine crafts this year, but I did want to make a few valentines that your kiddos could make and take home to their families. 

Moms especially LOVE the cute "paper love" keepsakes that their child makes at school.  With that in mind, I designed the "Blow A Kiss!" keepsake card. 

The original idea came from "Life Is Sweet."  She painted her baby's hand and pressed it on some paper for grandma and grampa.  Here's my version:

Run off my template on white construction paper, or for more pizzazz, print it on regular copy paper and then have students trim and glue their card to their favorite color.

Students pick a partner and take turns tracing each other's hand.  For PK kids, have a room helper do the tracing and cutting.

Draw a little tab at the base of the palm, so that the hand has a "hinge" and then cut out.  Glue the hinge to the back, of the bottom of the card, so that it flips down, to reveal the sentiment. 

I made a page of lip tiles (kisses), so that students can glue their "kiss" to the middle of their flopped over hand.  For that finishing touch, add a school photo and some glitter.  Click on the link to view/download the "Blow A Kiss" Keepsake Valentine Card.

Another quick valentine craft is a simple positive-negative reverse picture.  My Y5's were always amazed when they folded the half-heart template, cut on the solid line and then unfolded a whole heart!

Most of them didn't even realize that they were cutting a heart out, and I didn't spoil the "surprise."   I loved their excited exclamations over this scissor "magic."  

Turn this into an interesting writing prompt for older students:  "Half of me enjoys _______ and half of me enjoys ____________."  I had a lot of fun writing a sample for you that will help to explain the lesson. 

For more pizzazz, I cut my photo in half and arranged it on my "heartwork."

To get in some keyboard practice, have students write their rough draft, and then type up their final copy and mount it on construction paper.  Completed projects make an awesome February bulletin board. 

Click on the link to view/download the Folded Heart Writing Prompt Packet.

Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN away.  I hope you have a simply spectacular Valentine's Day! 

"The educated differ from the uneducated, as much as the living from the dead." -Aristotle

12 pages.

Review a variety of math standards during February, with this 10-frames packet.  If you enjoy using 10 frames, be sure and check out the rest of our themes.  We have LOTS! I've included extra tiles to use as manipulatives for sorting, making groups/sets & patterning.

There are also number and math-symbol cards, to use for making equations + showing greater than and less than.

11 pages.

Here are 10 Valentine bookmarks that you can use as incentives.  Challenge your students to try and collect all 10 bookmarks throughout valentine's week for finishing various tasks, or use them as prizes on party day.