STRATEGY #1:

Valentine-ify a Few of Your Lessons

A lot of times, the easiest way to keep students working and on task during weeks like Valentine’s Day is to not fight it, but instead embrace it.

One simple way to do this is to take the skills you’re already teaching and give them a Valentine’s Day context.

That might look like:

• using reading passages or stories with Valentine’s Day topics or plots
  
• solving word problems or math tasks with a Valentine’s theme
  
• choosing a science activity or experiment involving Valentine’s candy
  
  

You’re still following your pacing guide.

You’re still teaching the same skills.

You’re just adding a little holiday spice to help keep students focused.

You don’t have to do a lot. You could even just Valentine-ify one subject.

Reading is often the easiest place to start because it’s simple to find passages that match the skills you’re teaching. Math is another great option for this too.

STRATEGY #2:

Put the Fun Where It Belongs

There are so many cute and fun Valentine’s Day activities out there, and you’ll find plenty of them on this page.

The hard part isn’t finding them.

It’s deciding if you should use them and, if so, when.

You don’t want fun activities taking the place of your academics, and you don’t want them creating chaos. That’s why placement matters.

Some of the best places to fit in light, fun Valentine’s Day activities are:

• early finishers
  
• morning work, especially on Valentine’s Day
  
• fun, low-pressure homework
  
• positive reinforcement at the end of the day
  
• small extras students can work toward throughout the week
  
  

When the fun is placed intentionally, it supports your instruction instead of competing with it.

The fun is still there.

It just has a purpose.

STRATEGY #3:

Use Valentine’s Day as a Review Day

Now let’s talk about the actual day of Valentine’s Day, which is often the most stressful.

Whether you’re having a party or not, I highly recommend running stations, centers, or activities around the room that day. Call them whatever you want.

This is a great time to:

• mix in review skills
  
• reinforce skills you’re already teaching
  
• include a few light and fun Valentine’s activities
  
  

You can set it up as must-do and may-do.

You can adjust based on your students.

Do what works for you.

Just make sure you have clear directions, clear expectations, and clear structure.

When the structure is in place, the day runs smoother. And if you want, you can always end with a small party or celebration once the work is done.