Solar System V-Day Cards

Simple Straw Rocket
You're out of this world! cards

Cupid's Arrow

This fun Valentine's day science activity comes from Smmart Ideas! All you need are straws and q-tips! To add math, have students estimate the distance they think they can shoot their "arrow." Then, have them measure the actual distance. To incorporate geometry, have students try holding their straw at different angles. What angle shot the arrow the farthest distance? Visit Smmart Ideas for the science behind this experiment!

After students experiment with this S.T.E.A.M. project, then have them go on the hunt to find Cupid's Missing Arrows! Free download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TJqN5n8v2v85fr4Sv18_Qgw4dqLVxyAo/view?usp=sharing

Warm Fuzzy Color Combos

This Valentine's Day lesson is all about color combinations and probability. First, have students create their very own warm fuzzy pet! All you need are cotton pom pom balls, paper cut out hearts, googly eyes, and glue. (To go along with the probability activity, you will need red, pink, and purple pom pom balls, as well as red, pink, and purple cut out hearts.) First, have kids glue the colored puff ball on top of the paper heart. Then, they glue the googly eyes. After they construct their pet, have students fill out a warm fuzzy birth certificate! (Kids get a kick out of this!)

After students have officially adopted their pet, tell them to take a look around the room at all the different combinations! Have them make a prediction about how many different color combinations of warm fuzzies there can be using the colors red, pink, and purple.

After they have made a prediction, pass out red, pink, and purple crayons to each student. Give them each the sheet to the right to help them figure out the different color combos. Was their prediction correct?! 

Point out that they just made a multiplication array! Have them count the rows and columns of warm fuzzies they colored in. They should have 3 rows and 3 columns of warm fuzzies colored, giving them the answer of 9! There are 9 different color combinations!

Candy Heart Love

It's never too early for love! ;) 

Valentine's Day (math, science, literacy, social studies):

Candy Heart Math

Above are classic candy heart math activities:

1. Place Value: Students scoop candy hearts into a cup. Next, they create groups of tens. The rest of the hearts left over belong in the ones group. Then, they write how many tens and ones they have and figure out the total.

2. Tally / Fractions: Students take the hearts they scooped out and tally how many of each color they have. Then, they write the fraction for each color.

3. Graphing: Students make a graph to represent the colors they have.

4. Estimating: Make a large heart and have students estimate how many candy hearts they think will fit inside of it. Once they make a guess, have them figure out how many will actually fit in it.

5. Standard Measuring: Have students make different stacks of candy hearts and record their measurements.

6. Nonstandard Measuring: Make different paper hearts of various sizes. Have kids use hearts to find the length and width. How many candy hearts long and wide is each paper heart?

7. Patterning: Have students create different patterns with their candy hearts.

8. Division: Explore groups of with candy hearts. For example, give students 4 hearts and have them make groups of 2 (4/2=2)

9. Multiplication: Construct arrays!

Candy Heart Science

1. Dissolving: What will a candy heart dissolve fastest in: ice, room temperature, or hot water?

2. Classification idea via ehow:

Classify candy hearts by number of letters on the heart. Organize them into groups. You can also classify by the message. Is it friendly or mushy?

Candy Heart Literacy

1. Have kids write original letters or stories with candy hearts! 

2. Encourage students to come up with their own unique sayings. What would you say on a candy heart?! Click here to see how candy hearts have changed over time. To integrate Social Studies, look up the history of the candy heart.

3. Identify the parts of speech on various candy hearts.

Feelings

The Classic Bully Demonstration done around the world: Have kids take a cut out heart: crumple it and stomp on it. Next, have them unfold it and smooth it out. Ask the kids what the heart looks like. Then, have them tell it, "they're sorry." Did saying they're sorry bring the heart back to it's original state? The heart can't be fixed. "That's what happens when a child bullies another child. They may say they’re sorry; however, the "scars" don't fade away." via NY teacher (anonymous)