Teachers can make Valentine's Day bulletin board for middle school students. To make a bulletin board that promotes learning, teachers can focus on the Roman deity Cupid and the history of St. Valentine.
Students will need to complete research. In addition, they will need to think of creative ways to present learned information on the bulletin board.
Research History of Valentine's Day
Before making the Valentine's Day bulletin board, teachers will need to direct students to complete research. The teacher will need to pique the student's interest with some basic information about Cupid and the history of St. Valentine.
The websites Holidayinsights.com, Theholidayspot.com and History.com provide the middle school teacher with basic information. In addition, there are additional links and videos on the websites for both Cupid and St. Valentine.
Cupid and St. Valentine
Teachers can divide the students into two groups. One group will research Cupid and the other group will research St. Valentine.
The teacher will need to decide if students will write a short research paper or create a list of facts that are found through research. It is important that students cite their sources. This can take several days of class time, as students will need to complete research, and write the list or research paper.
Organizing Students and Materials
Once students have completed the research list or paper, the teacher can direct students to make the class bulletin board. Before beginning the process of making the bulletin board, the teacher needs to decide how to organize the process.
One way is to bring together the two groups. A group leader and secretary should be selected. Students can share all of their facts and make a large list. This will help with repetition of information on the bulletin board. Or, the teacher can just have students use their individual research information to complete the bulletin board activity.
Materials that will be needed are as follows: construction paper, scissors, markers and colored pencils. However, glitter, stickers, and scrapbooking materials can really make the bulletin board special.
Steps for Making Valentine's Day Bulletin Board
Step 1: The teacher will need to use the die cut machine to make the letters "History of Valentine's Day." The letters, border and background paper need to be attached to the bulletin board.
Step 2: Student need to present two to five interesting facts that they found in a creative way on the bulletin board. If the students are working in Cupid or St. Valentine groups, each group can divvy up the facts so that each student has at least two facts. If students are working individually, they will need to pick their most interesting facts.
Step 3: Students need to use construction paper and additional materials to make decorated shapes with the facts neatly written on them. Of course, students will want to use the heart shape. However, students can come up with interesting shape ideas from their research, such as cupid's head shape, a bow and arrow, roses, etc.
Step 4: Once the shape is made and the facts are written neatly, students can staple their shape to the bulletin board. Or, a small group of students who wants to attach the shapes neatly to the bulletin board can be chosen to complete the task.
The activity to make Valentine's Day bulletin board for middle school students can be a great cooperative learning activity or part of a research lesson. The end product will be an attractive Valentine's Day bulletin board that will decorate the classroom.
Kellie Hayden - She is a 19 year veteran teacher with a master's degree in education and NBCT, 2000. Kellie teaches 8th grade language arts, TAG and ...
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