{"product_id":"valentine-s-day-unit-writing-amp-literacy-center-activities-a2917","title":"Valentine’s Day Unit: Writing \u0026amp; Literacy Center Activities","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf you don't have a writing center in your classroom, get one! Independent writing activities and writing centers offer great opportunities for you kindergartners to practice handwriting, build their vocabulary, and gain confidence as storytellers and writers. Here are some great activities to include in this year's Valentine's Day unit!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eJournaling\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreate special Valentine's Day journals by re-purposing old valentines from years past.\u003c\/p\u003e\nSelect valentines for the journal cover - laminating them for durability.\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"caption\"\u003e\n\t \u003cimg alt=\"valentine journal cover\" src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo2.jpg\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e*Valentines courtesy of \u003ca onclick=\"javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http:\/\/www.kate.net']);\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kate.net\/holidays\/valentine\/cards.php\" data-ad-id=\"post-content-link\"\u003eKate.net\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c\/figure\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreate several journaling page options - we chose to include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlank drawing paper.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGraph paper.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLined writing paper.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe created plain paper cutouts, but you might consider gluing the pages to recycled valentine cards for extra stability and durability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"valentine journal page options\" src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo.jpg\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave students choose a cover and a packet of pages (include several sheets of each type of journaling page and paper clip them together to make the process easier).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"unassembled homemade valentine journal\" src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo3.jpg\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"homemade playing card notebook\" src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/Playing-Card-Notebook.jpg\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo assemble, use a paper punch to create holes in the upper left corner of the booklet and secure with a binder ring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[NOTE: This example journal was made from recycled playing cards - a valentine journal would work the same!]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDuring your Valentine's unit, have students use the journals to draw the people they love, complete writing prompts (i.e. \"I love ____________ because ____________.\", \"What do you love to do?\", etc.), and design special valentine cards for friends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo4.jpg\" alt=\"heart shaped sight word flash cards\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eConversation Heart Sentences\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreate heart cutouts with common sight words and classroom vocabulary words. Invite your kiddos to use these words to create simple sentences. Because the concept of sentences may be a bit overwhelming, provide illustrations and pictures for inspiration. You might also consider providing specific word sets for each image as a way to guide students in sentence writing. For example:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet up a scenario similar to this - one side of the board displays part of a generic sentence with interchangeable noun cards (in this instance we've used a car) and the other side of the board offers students three conversation hearts with describing words that can be used to make sentences. Students must decide whether the words on the heart make a true or false statement based on the noun card presented.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo5.jpg\" alt=\"dry erase and corkboard valentines day writing activity\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\nInvite students to move the first conversation heart to the end of the sentence. In this case, the completed sentence reads, \"The car is red\". Based on the noun picture card, this statement is true.\n\u003ctd class=\"column-2\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo6.jpg\" alt=\"Valentine's Day Conversation Heart Literacy Activity\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-423\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRemove the first heart and repeat the process with the next heart. Here the sentence reads, \"The car is brown\". Checking back to the noun picture card, this is an untrue statement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo7.jpg\" alt=\"Valentine's Day Conversation Heart Literacy Activity\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInvite students to try the last conversation heart, making the sentence read, \"This car is fast\". Once again (based on the noun picture card presented -- a sports car), this is a true\/reasonable statement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo8.jpg\" alt=\"Valentine's Day Conversation Heart Literacy Activity\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\nAs they complete the activity, have laminated writing paper and a dry erase crayon for students to use in copying the sentences. For every \"false\" statement, have students revise the sentence to read, \"The ______ is \u003cstrong\u003enot\u003c\/strong\u003e _______\". For the example above, students would have penned, \"The car is not brown\".\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"column-2\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/photo9.jpg\" alt=\"Valentine's Day Conversation Heart Literacy Activity\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-426\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eValentine Image\/Message Matching\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere's another great way to use recycled valentines (or free printable valentines like these from Kate.net). Gather several pairs (i.e. matching sets) of valentines - on one card cover up the graphic or image and on the other cover up the message. Using the message clues, invite students to match the right message to the right illustration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure class=\"caption\"\u003e\n\t \u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/katevalcards2009a2.jpg\" alt=\"valentine cards\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003eMessage only cards\u003c\/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c\/figure\u003e\n\u003cfigure class=\"caption\"\u003e\n\t \u003cimg src=\"\/\/supplyme-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/post\/katevalcards2009a-no-messag.jpg\" alt=\"valentines cards\" data-pin-hover=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003eGraphics only cards\u003c\/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c\/figure\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour students are sure to be kept busy with these fun Valentine's Day writing activities!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e","brand":"SupplyMe","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":1734102056985,"sku":"A2917","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1418\/0968\/products\/photo2.jpg?v=1522781682","url":"https:\/\/www.supplyme.com\/products\/valentine-s-day-unit-writing-amp-literacy-center-activities-a2917","provider":"SupplyMe","version":"1.0","type":"link"}