Maybe it’s just me but I think this time of year can be rough in the classroom. The back to school buzz is long over and the excitement of the holidays has passed. It’s easy to get frustrated with the kids who don’t want to participate or turn in homework! So, what can we do? I’ve come to grips with what February looks like in my classroom (only took me 20 plus years!). So I try to bring as much positivity to this “meh” time of year.
Honestly, I used feel like we had to keep plugging along and not stop to celebrate holidays in middle school. I’ve completely changed my perspective after seeing the social and emotional impacts of 2020-2022. Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to take a short break from the curriculum (or find a way to connect with it) and have some fun! Kids appreciate it. No seriously they do- even though 99% of them won’t show or say it! #teenagers!
Here are some of my GO-TO Valentine’s Day activities.
Student Valentines (Free download)
Here’s how I do this with my students.
- Print and allow kids to pick one they like
- Give class time (I can hear you sighing..but seriously it’s 10 minutes) to decorate and address
- Give candy to attach to the back with a piece of tape
Print, copy and trim these valentines and allow students to pick ONE that they like. Give them 10 minutes of class time to color the Valentine. I always encourage kids to address them to a family member (mom, dad, aunt..etc) because it is HARD WORK to be a parent of a teenager. The Valentine might just make someone’s day! We talk about fun ways to share these like leaving them inside the keyboard of the recipient’s computer or on their pillow.
Candy motivates. (Coming from a health nut that is a hard thing to type.) So, I give kids ONE piece to attach to the valentine and one for them to eat as a treat in class! I tell them this at the start and only kids who get it done in 10 minutes will get the candy treat to eat.
Valentine Chromatography Experiment
Here’s what you need to do this SUPER easy Valentine’s Day experiment with your students.
- Paper Towels
- Pencils (kids can use their own)
- Plastic Cups
- Black Water Soluble Markers (Crayola (or similar) or those old overhead projector markers teachers used a million years ago)
- Candy Hearts- this just makes it a little more fun!
Have students pick a heart (or drop one at each desk randomly). This will be the phrase they write on the paper towel during the experiment.
I have each student do this experiment since the materials are so cheap. They work at lab tables and share the graduated cylinders, cups etc. Here’s the procedure that I use:
This is great for procedure practice because if they mess up, the materials are easy to replace and it gives an opportunity to review the importance of following the steps carefully!
What connections can I make to what I’m teaching?
Real world uses for Chromatography:
Drug Testing
Vaccine Development
Food Testing
Forensics
So, you could do your “NORMAL” lesson this 2/14…..OR….you could do something DIFFERENT. Remember, your students will always remember how you made them FEEL! Make them feel special this Valentine’s Day!
Thanks for stopping by Captivate Science. Now go spread some Science LOVE!
