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 Actvities With Me

Here’s a quick, easy and fun little heart craftivity that can be used in a variety of ways!  
Run the pattern off on an assortment of colors, then for a bucket-filling, writing prompt activity, write children’s names on slips of paper and have your kiddos choose one.

This will be the person they write a “secret” heart message to. Remind them to include a compliment as well.

I’ve also included a “Whooo loves you?” owl valentine template that students can make for their family.

The folded heart pattern can also be used to practice upper and lowercase letters.  

Great for Daily 5 word work and practicing contractions too.  I’ve included an alphabetical list of 69 contractions for you to choose from. The same thing works for compound words. 

Assign each student 1-2. They write the words on the outside of the heart, with the contraction/compound word inside. After they’ve shared their hearts, collect for an instant center activity.

The pattern also works as a creative way to practice math facts. 
Students can solve the equation on the inside, or exchange their hearts with 3 other students and have them solve the problem.

Another super-fun activity is a Valentine Venn Friend. Venn diagrams are a visual way to practice comparison-contrast writing and an interesting way for students to get to know each other better.

I've included a list of 40 questions that they can choose from to discuss with their partner. 
Each student does their own "different" portion of the "heart", and then together, using the middle “same” section, they take turns recording the similarities that they have with their Venn Friend.

Completed projects make an awesome February bulletin board.  I’ve included 4, “Venn Friends” poster options for your display.

Another simple literacy activity, is a set of 30, valentine-themed, "Fix the sentence" cards, which are an interesting way to review capitalization and end punctuation at the same time practicing a lot of Dolch sight words too.

Choose a student to come up and using a dry erase marker, circle letters that should be capitalized and then add end punctuation. (period, question mark & exclamation point). 

I've also included a set of mini cards.  Children choose X number of cards, then write the corrected sentences on a sheet of paper.      

Finally, mix math and literacy with a Valentine Number Puzzle.   Some are horizontal, others vertical. 

They help practice sequencing numbers from 1-10, counting backwards from 10-1, plus skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s, & 10s.   

Use the colorful ones as an independent math center, or to play a "Speed" game against a partner.  Use the black & white ones as a whole-group activity.  

I've also included 17, writing prompt valentine puzzles as well.   Children pick a classmate's name out of a container and write a "secret" message to them on the puzzle, then color & trim.  

On party day, kiddos put their puzzles together.   

For an inexpensive gift for your kiddos, I designed 6 mini puzzles (4-on-a-page), along with 3 "header" options to attach to a Snack Baggie. 

Add a heart-shaped lollipop for that finishing touch.  I bought a bag of 20 at The Dollar Store.

Today's FREEBIE is a set of valentine bookmarks, which could also go in your little treat bag.

Well that's it for today. I hope you found something to make February extra special for your kiddos. 

The sun is shining brightly and making the snow especially sparkly.  Wishing you a love-filled day. 

"All you need is love.  But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." - Charles M. Shultz

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.

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

To help build vocabulary, each month I added themed words to our word wall.  There are a ton of words that are associated with love and  Valentine's Day, so I decided to make an alphabetical list and came up with 240. 

There are 2 covers for a Valentine Dictionary, so that students can think up their own word list, and then look up and record any new words from mine that you want your students to know. 

This makes a wonderful Daily 5 word work activity.  Click on the link to view/download the Valentine Vocabulary packet.

Another interesting way to practice words and letters is with my tri-hearts.   You can use the template in a variety of ways. 

The photo shows: upper and lowercase letters (Put one on each side and then flip open to reveal a picture of a word that starts with those letters.); compound words, contractions, as well as equations.  

I've also included an owl valentine your students can make. Click on the link to view/download the Folded Heart packet.

For more writing practice, have students pick a holiday and compare it with Valentine's Day.  I've designed 12 holiday Venn diagrams for your students to choose from, plus a blank one for them to add something different. 

When they are done with their Venn diagram, have students complete the writing prompt: My favorite holiday is ... because ...  Click on the link to view/download the Valentine Venn Diagram Writing Prompt packet.

Finally, I had a few special requests.  Kara, from Florida, needed some valentine themed puzzles for her young kinders to do on party day.  Laura Strickland's clip art is so adorable, that I designed 20 different puzzles, that will help students count forwards and backwards, as well as skip count by 10's to 100. 

I've included 3 black and white puzzles for your kiddos to color, cut and take home; or they can glue their puzzle pieces to a sheet of construction paper, leaving a small space inbetween each piece.  The results are an interesting mosaic work of art and make a cool bulletin board. 

Besides using the puzzles for a center, have students choose a partner and play "Speed" to see who can complete their puzzle first.  You can also make puzzle flip books.  Choose 3 puzzles, mix them up and then staple the top section to the numbered puzzle grid. 

Students decide which puzzle they want to search for, and flip each strip 'til they find the correct one that will complete their choice. Click on the link to view/download the Twenty Valentine's Day Puzzle packet.

Theresa, from Kansas, requested some heart-themed clock cards. This was also on my "to do" list, so I got busy.  The cards include digital as well as analog times to the hour and half hour.  (Common Core State Standard: 1.MD.3)

Use the cards for whole group assessing, flashcard reviews, or a bulletin board.  Make extra sets; cut them up and use for puzzles and games such as Memory Match and "I Have; Who Has?"  

I've included blank clocks so students can fill them in, as well as a clockless set for you to program with whatever. Click on the link to view/download the Heart-Themed Clock Cards.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away. 

"Education is the key to unlocking the world; a passport to freedom." -Oprah Winfrey