| Consider hosting a Summer Writing Institute
at your school |
| The staff from The Write Tools will help you design a customized week of training that will send teachers back to school prepared to implement successful writing instruction beginning the first day of school.
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| Greetings!
With Valentine's Day approaching, we're sharing a couple of tips for holiday writing activities. |
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 Valentine Card Activity (Levels 1, 2, 3)
Students will be making a valentine card for a special person in their life. They will need 8 identical heart shaped pieces of paper, 2 green, 3 yellow, and 3 pink. All should be precut to the same size heart because they will eventually be stapled together.
Brainstorm with your students on a list of positive character traits that describe the people for whom they are making the card. The following lists come from the more complete lists on pages 50-52 of our Narrative Writing Module:
Level 1: brave, cheerful, friendly, funny, helpful, kind, smart, happy, wise
Level 2: fun-loving, hard-working, humorous, loving, responsible, tireless, caring, honest, patient, thoughtful, generous
Level 3: cooperative, mischievous, optimistic, trustworthy, compassionate, energetic, enthusiastic, appreciative, personable
Once students have cut out the heart shapes, selected the recipient for their card, and helped to brainstorm on a list of character traits, they are ready to begin the project. |
Planning
Use a T-Chart Plan or Number Notes plan. Identify a recipient, select three traits that describe that recipient for the "Big Ideas," and give an example of how that person exhibits that specific trait for the "Tell Me Mores."
T = My Teacher
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Responsible |
Always has challenging lessons planned for literacy class |
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Humorous |
Teases us in a loving way |
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Patient |
Shows us how to do things more than once, if necessary |
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Drafting:
Use the plan to write one sentence for each heart. Do it on a piece of paper first.
Example:
Green Heart: Mrs. Torres, I hope you will be my valentine.
Yellow Heart: I like you because you are responsible.
Pink Heart: You always plan new and challenging lessons to help us learn to be better writers.
Yellow Heart: I like you because you are humorous.
Pink Heart: You make our whole class laugh when you tease us in your loving way.
Yellow Heart: I appreciate how patient you are with us.
Pink Heart: Even when we don't listen well, you explain directions again if we need help.
Green Heart: Mrs. Torres, please be my valentine.
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Revise and Edit
Do some revision and editing, to make sure you have eliminated all mistakes.
Publishing
Rewrite the fiinal copy on actual hearts with your best handwriting. Staple all eight hearts together for a special Valentine's Day gift! |
 Candy Heart Activity
Buy each student in your class an individual box of small candied valentine hearts with messages on them. Have them write sentences, using the words on the heart as part of the sentences they write. Sentences must still have correct conventions!
Example:
My baby brother is a 
I hope on my birthday 
that the new
Xbox game will | |
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This activity is a lot of fun, and a good excuse to eat candy!
Happy Valentines Day from,
The Write Tools, LLC
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Try these fun Valentines writing activities