FEBRUARY HAPPIES

February is a great time to focus on kindness and friendship! You'll find ideas for morning meeting, transitions, math, reading, science, and social studies in FEBRUARY HAPPIES. 

Here's your link for a FREE download:

06-February 

https://bit.ly/drJFreeFeb

PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU TODAY

I am jealous of you today. I really am! Of all my classroom memories one of my favorites was watching the children open up their little valentines. "Look, I got a Minnie Mouse!" "See what Jamie gave me!" They were so thrilled. It's a reminder of what I always say about children being happy with plain vanilla. They don't need the world's fair or another toy or video game.

Peace and Love to YOU!
You can do this for your students and tell them to pass it on.
Peace (Make sign for peace.)
Love (Make sign for love.)
You (Point to someone.)

Love It Cheer

Make a heart with your hands (index fingers touching at the top and thumbs at the bottom) and extend from your heart.


Air Hug (Jane McPartland)
Say, “Give me an air hug.” Students open arms and pretend to squeeze.

Air Kisses (Beth Jenkins)
Kiss your fingertips numerous times as you scan the class. Blow kisses to all the children. Cross your arms across your chest and rub your arms as you say, “Feel the love.”

Thumbs Up Statements
Have students repeat positive comments as they stick up their thumbs.

I am a kind friend.
I am caring.
I am responsible.
I am polite.
I am a hard worker.
I am a helper.

"LOVE"LY JOKES AND KNOCK KNOCKS

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Atlas

Atlas who?

Atlas, it's Valentine’s Day!

Well, it’s not quite Valentine’s Day yet, but I’ve got some jokes and riddles just perfect to share with your class this week.

Note! If anyone accuses you of "joking around" with "instructional time" you can remind them that you are teaching homonyms, double meanings of words, and phonological awareness!!!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Olive
Olive who?
Olive you!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Sherwood
Sherwood who?
Sherwood like to be your Valentine!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Pooch
Pooch who?
Pooch your arms around me!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Emma
Emma who?
Emma hoping you have a happy Valentine’s Day!

What do you call two birds in love?
Tweethearts!

What do you call a very small valentine?
A valentiny!

What did one pickle say to the other?
"You mean a great dill to me."

What did the elephant say to his girlfriend?
"I love you a ton!"

What do farmers give their wives on Valentine's Day?
Hogs and kisses!

What did the pencil say to the paper?
"I dot my i's on you!"

What is a vampire's sweetheart called?
His ghoul-friend.

What did the boy cat say to the girl cat on Valentine's Day?
You're purrr-fect for me!

What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus?
Can I hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand?

What did the boy owl say to the girl owl on Valentine's Day?
Owl be yours!

What did the girl squirrel say to the boy squirrel on Valentine’s Day?
I’m nuts about you!

What did the drum say to the other drum on Valentine’s Day?
My heart beats for you!

What did the boy bee say to the girl bee on Valentine’s Day?
You are bee-utiful!

What did the whale say to his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day?
Whale you be mine!

What did the boy bear say to the girl bear on Valentine’s Day?
I love you beary much!

What did the rabbit say to his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day?
Somebunny loves you!

AND THAT SOMEBUNNY IS ME!!!

I hope these FREE Valentine jokes and cards that my 
webmaster made will make you smile!

http://bit.ly/drjeanValCards

http://bit.ly/drjeanValentinesJokes

LOVE GIFTS

Pointer
Children will be thrilled with a little heart pointer. Let them choose a sticker and attach it to the end of a craft stick. They can use it to read, identify letters, shapes, and so forth.

A Little Gift

This is a simple Valentine gift that parents will treasure. Let children wrap a small box or a piece of Styrofoam with wrapping paper and a ribbon. (It would be extra special if the children designed their own wrapping paper.) Add this note:

Here is a little gift

That you can never see.

The reason it’s so special,

It’s just for you from me.

Whenever you are lonely,

Or even feeling blue,

You only have to hold this box

And know I think of you.

Please never unwrap it,

And leave the ribbon tied.

Just hold the box close to your heart,

It’s filled with love inside.

Mouse Bookmark
Cut a heart about the size of a child’s hand from red construction paper. Fold in half. Open. Tape a 6” piece of string in the middle. Glue closed. Draw a nose, whiskers, and ears on the heart as shown to make it look like a mouse. Use for a bookmark.


Valentine for Parents 

Let each child take off one shoe and trace around her foot on white paper. Cut it out. Give each child 5 small pieces of red tissue paper to wad up and glue at the end of each toe for toenails. Write “I love you from my head down to my toes” on the foot.

*You can also make thumbprint cards or handprint cards for parents.


Check out my video to watch me demonstrate activities for February:
https://youtu.be/U-xYM_vp-N0

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

Will You Be My Valentine?
(Tune: “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”)
Will you be my Valentine, (Point to various friends.)
Valentine, Valentine?
Will you be my Valentine?
I’ll be yours if you’ll be mine! (Point to self and then a friend.)

Some are red, some are blue, (Hold up fingers.)
Some have lace and ribbons, too.
Some are funny, some are not. (Smile and then shake head “no.”)
I like the candy ones a lot.
*Download this book at drjean.org.

Chocolate Play Dough
Make play dough using your favorite recipe. Omit the food coloring and let the children knead the dough in cocoa. It will look and smell like chocolate. Purchase a box of valentine candies and remove/eat the candies. Children can roll up the dough and put them in the paper containers.

Valentine Sandwich
You will need a heart shaped cookie cutter, bread, cream cheese, and red food coloring to make this sandwich. Mix the cream cheese with red food coloring until it is pink. Cut a heart out of the bread with the cookie cutter. Spread on the cream cheese.

Love Is…
Do a language experience chart where each child completes the sentence, “Love is…” You could also make a class book where each child completes the sentence “Love is…” and draws things that she loves.

Predictable Books
Have children make blank books using one of these titles: Love is… I love… Happiness is… A friend is… My favorite things to love… Things I love from A to Z.

Heart Critters
Give children several choices of hearts in different colors. Children glue them on a sheet of paper and add details with markers to make imaginary critters. Ask them to think of a name for their critter.

King Kong (The more dramatic you are, the better the kids will like it and get engaged! Say “King Kong” in a loud deep voice & “teeny tiny monkey” in a squeaky little voice.)
KING KONG (Flex arms.)
Was just a teeny tiny monkey (Hold up pinky.)
Compared to my love for you. (Cross arms over chest and then extend.)
KING KONG (Flex arms.)
Was just a teeny tiny monkey (Hold up pinky.)
Compared to my love for you. (Cross arms over chest and then extend.)
I love you day (Make circle with arms.)
And night. (Lay head on hands.)
My love is out of sight. (Hands in air.)
KING KONG (Flex arms.)
Was just a teeny
Tiny monkey (Hold up pinky.)

Compared to my love for you! (Softly say this line as you point to children.)

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Note: If you are at a school that doesn’t observe holidays, you can easily adapt these ideas for writing or math standards.

Special Delivery
You will need a gift bag or cloth bag for this game. Write "Special Delivery" on the bag. Write each child’s name on an envelope and place it in the mailbag. One child is “it” and skips around the room as you sing the song below. At the end of the song, “it” reaches in the bag and chooses an envelope. “It” delivers the envelope to that child and they exchange places. The game continues until each child has had a turn and received an envelope. 

The Mail Is on the Way (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The mail is on the way.
The mail is on the way.
There will be lots of Valentines,
I hope one comes my way.

Hint! Just use first names for younger children. Write first and last names for older students.

Five Little Cookies
(Hold up 5 fingers to begin.)
Down around the corner at the bakery shop
Five little cookies with sprinkles on top.
Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought one cookie and ate it right away!
4…3…2…1…

*Make cookies out of felt or fun foam. Pass out pennies to five children have them exchange their penny for a cookie when their name is called.
(I used puff fabric paint to make my sprinkles.)

Heart Puzzle
Cut 4" circles out of red paper. Cut 4" squares out of red paper. Give each child a circle and a square. Demonstrate how to fold the circle in half and cut on the crease to make two half circles (aka semi-circles). Can the children make a heart from the two halves and the square?

Valentine Concentration
Cut 4” squares out of red poster board. Take duplicates of valentine stickers and place them on the squares. Mix up the squares and place them face down on the carpeting. Play a memory game where children turn over two squares at a time and try to match up like stickers.

Here's the youtube link where you can watch me demonstrate these projects:
https://youtu.be/d4om_IAcVmw

FINNY'S DREAM!
Here's a new story video that my webmaster (Alex May) created.

https://bit.ly/drJFinnyNarrated

WE ALL NEED A LITTLE LOVE

You gotta LOVE February and Valentine's Day if you are a teacher! And I'll help you with your February lesson plans over the next few days with ideas that you will LOVE!

Text Talk
Conversation hearts were the beginning of text talk. According to a little research on the web, “Sweetheart” candies have been around since 1901. In the past decade the sayings have been updated with phrases such as “TEXT Me” and “LOL.” Although over 100 years old, it’s good to see these little candies alive and well. Here are some adaptations for using them as a springboard for learning.

Sweetheart Math 

Conversation hearts are good to sort, count, read, pattern, add, subtract, and eat!
*Estimate how many will be in a bag. Count. Graph the ones that are the same.



Matching Game
Make a game by cutting paper hearts out of construction paper. Write like phrases found on candy hearts (such as “Kiss Me, “Cool One,” “WOW!” “Cutie Pie”) on two of the hearts. Glue one to a file folder and then have children match and read the ones that go together.

Heart Necklace
Let children make their own paper hearts, hole punch them, and then string them to make a necklace. Encourage them to think of their own phrases they would put on candies. (WOW! Trace, write, hole punch, and string - lots of small motor skills!)

Bringing Home a Valentine
(Tune: “Baby Bumblebee”)
I’m bringing home a valentine for you, (Cup hands and move them to
One that says, “I love you.” the beat in front of your body.)
I’m bringing home a valentine for you
With a great big hug, and a (kiss) (kiss), too! (Hug self and then kiss
in the air.)
Softer….hum

*Download this book to go with the song at drjean.org.


Here's a video where you can watch me demonstrate these activities:

https://youtu.be/d4om_IAcVmw

SWEETHEART GIFTS

CHECK OUT THESE "SWEET" GIFTS!

Here's a little gift and card that will be treasured for years to come.

Let children wrap a small box or a piece of Styrofoam with wrapping paper and a ribbon. (It would be extra special if the children designed their own wrapping paper.) Add this note:

Here is a little gift
That you can never see.
The reason it’s so special,
It’s just for you from me.
Whenever you are lonely,
Or even feeling blue,
You only have to hold this box
And know I think of you.
Please never unwrap it,
And leave the ribbon tied.
Just hold the box close to your heart,
It’s filled with love inside.


Valentine Card
Let each child take off one shoe and trace around her foot on white paper. Cut it out. Give each child 5 small pieces of red tissue paper to wad up and glue at the end of each toe for toenails. Write “I love you from my head down to my toes” on the foot.




Mouse Bookmark



Here's a bookmark children can make for themselves or they can give it to a friend.Cut a heart about the size of a child’s hand from red construction paper. Fold in half. Open. Tape a 6” piece of string in the middle. Glue closed. Draw a nose, whiskers, and ears on the heart as shown to make it look like a mouse. Use for a bookmark.

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

Share the LOVE this month with these songs. You can download the books on drjean.org.

Will You Be My Valentine?
(Tune: “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”)
Will you be my Valentine, (Point to various friends.)
Valentine, Valentine?
Will you be my Valentine?
I’ll be yours if you’ll be mine! (Point to self and then a friend.)

Some are red, some are blue, (Hold up fingers.)
Some have lace and ribbons, too.
Some are funny, some are not. (Smile and then shake head “no.”)
I like the candy ones a lot.
*Download this book at drjean.org.


Bringing Home a Valentine
(Tune: “Baby Bumblebee”)
I’m bringing home a valentine for you, (Cup hands and move them to
One that says, “I love you.” the beat in front of your body.)
I’m bringing home a valentine for you
With a great big hug, and a (kiss) (kiss), too! (Hug self and then kiss
in the air.)
Softer….hum

The Broken Heart


Here’s a story just right for this month to help children think about how words can hurt. Cut a large heart out of red construction paper and hold it in your lap as you begin to tell the story below:

This is a story about a special friend named (imaginary name). He always came to school with a smile on his face and a big heart full of love for his classmates. (Hold up the big heart.) (Name) listened to his teacher, did his best work, and helped his friends. However, some of his friends weren’t always so kind. Joe made fun of his shoes and broke a little of his heart. (Tear off a piece of the heart and let it drop to the floor.) Ann said, “I’m saving this seat and you can’t sit here” at story time and broke a little more of his heart. Sammy wouldn’t share his crayons (tear off a little of the heart) and Sara called him a mean name. What are some other things that might break his heart? (Let the children name other things that cause hurt feelings as you let the pieces fall to the floor.) By the end of the day his heart was all in pieces and it was so sad.

Who can tell me how to put his heart back together? What are some kind things you can do for your friends? As children name different acts of kindness pick the pieces of the heart off the floor. Glue the pieces together on a poster as a reminder to have a kind heart. Encourage children to write friends’ names on the poster when they are kind and helpful to them!

Run off "Kindness Tickets" and distribute them to your students. Children can thank friends for a kindness shown by writing their name on a ticket.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljaHRsT05ZYmxPZlE/view?usp=sharing

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Special Delivery
This is an activity I did over 50 years ago in my classroom, and I bet your class will enjoy it just like my children did.

You will need a gift bag or cloth bag for this game. Write "Special Delivery" on the bag. Each child writes his or her name on an envelope and places it in the mailbag. One child is “it” (aka mail carrier) and skips around the room as you sing the song below. At the end of the song, “it” reaches in the bag and chooses an envelope. “It” delivers the envelope to that child and they exchange places. The game continues until each child has had a turn and received an envelope.

The Mail Carrier (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The mail carrier is on the way.
The mail carrier is on the way.
Bringing lots of Valentines,
I hope they comes my way.

*You could use photos and first names for younger children.





Chocolate Play Dough (Not edible)
Make play dough using your favorite recipe. Omit the food coloring and let the children knead the dough in cocoa. It will look and smell like chocolate. Purchase a box of valentine candies and remove/eat the candies. Children can roll up the dough and put them in the paper containers.


Valentine Sandwich (Edible)
You will need a heart shaped cookie cutter, bread, cream cheese, and red food coloring to make this sandwich. Mix the cream cheese with red food coloring until it is pink. Cut a heart out of the bread with the cookie cutter. Spread on the cream cheese.

Five Little Cookies
(Hold up 5 fingers to begin.)
Down around the corner at the bakery shop
Five little cookies with sprinkles on top.
Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought one cookie and ate it right away!
4…3…2…1…



*Make cookies out of felt or fun foam. Pass out pennies to five children have them exchange their penny for a cookie when their name is called.
(I used puff fabric paint to make my sprinkles.)


Heart Puzzle
Cut 4" circles out of red paper. Cut 4" squares out of red paper. Give each child a circle and a square. Demonstrate how to fold the circle in half and cut on the crease to make two half circles (semi-circles). Can the children make a heart from the two halves and the square? 

CONVERSATION HEARTS FOREVER!

Some things never go out of style, such as conversation hearts. According to a little research on the web, “Sweetheart” candies have been around since 1901. In the past decade the sayings have been updated with phrases such as “TEXT Me” and “LOL.” Although over 100 years old, it’s good to see these little candies alive and well. Here are some adaptations for using them as a springboard for learning.

Conversation Hearts
Conversation hearts are good to sort, count, read, pattern, add, subtract, and eat!

*Estimate how many will be in a bag. Count. Graph the ones that are the same.


Matching Game
Make a game by cutting paper hearts out of construction paper. Write like phrases found on candy hearts (such as “Kiss Me, “Cool One,” “WOW!” “Cutie Pie”) on two of the hearts. Glue one to a file folder and then have children match and read the ones that go together.




Heart Necklace
Let children make their own paper hearts, hole punch them, and then string them to make a necklace. Encourage them to think of their own phrases they would put on candies. (WOW! Trace, write, hole punch, and string - lots of small motor skills!)

Here's a video where you can watch me demonstrate some of these Valentine activities.
https://youtu.be/d4om_IAcVmw

"LOVING" SKILLS

Are you working on your February lesson plans this weekend? Here are some "lovely" ways to tie the holiday in with skills and standards.

I LOVE YOU! 

How many ways can you say, “I love you”? Teach children sign language for the term, and then challenge them to demonstrate other ways to say “I love you.” (For example, curl in your fingers and then touch your thumbs to make a heart shape. Hug yourself and then point to someone. Explain that people put “X O” at the end of a letter to represent a kiss and a hug.)

*Make a list of all the school helpers that you appreciate and make cards for them using thumbprints or hand print flowers with sign language for “love.”


LOVE IS…
Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple. Ask children to write predictable books starting each page with “Love is…” Younger children could draw pictures and older students could write detailed sentences.





LOVE WEB
Draw a heart in the middle of a sheet of paper and write the word “love” in the middle. Younger students could draw pictures of things they love, while older students could write synonyms for the word.

*This would be a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the use of a thesaurus.

ROOTS OF LOVE
Take the word “love” and use it for teaching tenses, comparisons, prefixes, etc.
“He love me.” What would sound better?
Love – unloved
Love - loving


STICKER POEMS
Put a heart sticker in the middle of a sheet of paper. Challenge children to write a poem about the sticker and around the sticker. They could also write an acrostic poem with the word “valentine” or “heart.”

POSITIONAL WORDS
You can use a paper heart or three-dimensional heart for this activity. Have children close their eyes while you hide the heart somewhere in the room in plain sight. When they open their eyes, they can stick up their thumb when they spy the heart. If they are called on, they have to describe where the heart is using positional words. For example, “The heart is under the clock beside the calendar.” That child then gets a turn to hide the heart.


POINTERS
Make pointers by attaching heart stickers to craft sticks. Children can use these for reading and also for demonstrating positional words. “Put your heart over your head. Put your heart under your chin. Put your heart behind your back…”