Do you have a Crankenstein valentine in your classroom? If you’re like us, you probably have at least one or two or ten. They’re the kids who think Valentine’s Day is a gross, disgusting waste of time. They hate it all… the hearts, the flowers, the syrupy sentimentality of dumb valentines… it’s torture. They hate when the day starts and they can’t wait for it to end.
Or can they??
Take on your I-Hate-Valentine’s-Day-Kids head on with Samantha Berger’s picture book, A Crankenstein Valentine, and these yuck-proof activities. Who knows? You may even get one or two converts out of the deal.
We like to work on a few literacy standards after reading the story. The book lends itself well to discussing characters and sharing opinions, plus there are some notable key words we can leverage for both vocabulary and phonics work.
But, mostly, we just want to have fun with it, so we save time for a Crankenstein valentine craft and a drawing challenge that’s harder than it looks. (Actually, we also think it looks hard.) The kids love it though and laugh when they see the wonky results.
If you don’t yet have a go-to book for Valentine’s Day, we think A Crankenstein Valentine is a good one to have on deck for the day. Even if you don’t have time to follow it up with related work or a craft, it’s a fun read-aloud some of your die-hard holiday haters will be able to relate to.
You can see more of the resource HERE to see if it’s right for your students. It includes several worksheets tied to first and second grade standards, as well as the patterns needed for the Crankenstein craft.
RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
February is loaded with special days on the calendar. As soon as Valentine’s Day is over, Presidents’ Day isn’t far behind. Be ready with a few low-prep resources that are ready to pop into your lesson plans.
Until next time, happy teaching!
