Valentine’s Day - R.I.C. Publications · 2019-02-13 · R.I.C. Publications® – Early years themes—Special days and celebrations—Valentine’s Day 83 Valentine’s Day Science

R.I.C. Publications® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Special days and celebrations—Valentine’s Day 81

Valentine’sDay

82 Early years themes—Special days and celebrations—Valentine’s Day www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications®

Cross-curricular activitiesEnglish

• Introduce or reinforce the sound for the letter ‘v’. Listor draw things with names beginning with the sound,especiallythenamesofchildrenintheclasswhichmaybegin with ‘v’. Identify names, such as ‘David’, whichhavea‘v’soundinthem.Clapthenumberofsyllablesintheword‘valentine’.(Refertopage85.)(Language)

• Collectandlookatavarietyofcards,includingValentine’sDaycards,anddiscusshowmanycardsincluderhymingverse. Read some of the verses and ask the childrento identify the rhyming words. (Literature, Language,Literacy)

• Provideeachchildwithalargeblankletter‘v’shape.Askthemtodraw,writeorcutandpastewordsorpicturesofthingsbeginningwiththesound‘v’.(Language)

• Provideavarietyoftoolssuchascrayons;glitterpens;paint,craftsticks,cottonbudsandpaintbrushes;sandorglitterandglueinsqueezebottlesforthechildrentowritev–v–v–v–vpatternsoncolouredcardorpaper.Encouragethe children to put a double–curved topon each ‘v’ tocreateaheartfromeachinthepattern.(Literacy)

• Giveeachchildasmallshoeboxtolabelwiththeirnameanddecorate.Cutasmallslit inthetoptocreateasapostalboxforalltheirValentine’slettersandcards.Provideheart-shapedsheetsofpaperinthewritingcornerforchildrentowriteValentine’sDaylettersordrawpicturesforfriendsintheclass.(Language,Literacy)

Mathematics

• Cut out many different-sized hearts, in many differentcolours, from card. Laminate or cover each with clearcontact.Useto:sortfromsmallesttolargestorlargesttosmallest;placegroupsofheartsinnumericalorder;sortbycolour;countthenumberineachgroup;decidewhichcolourgrouphasthemostorleasthearts;createpatternsofheartsbycolourandsizeetc.(NumberandAlgebra,StatisticsandProbability)

• Ask the children to place thecorrect number (1 to 10) ofheart-shapedcandiesonaheart-shaped number card. The cardscanthenbeplacedinthecorrectsequence.(NumberandAlgebra)

• Use a variety of sizes and colours ofheart shapes to create simple animalshapes.(MeasurementandGeometry)

• Createfoldprintsfrompre-cutsymmetricalheartshapes.(MeasurementandGeometry)

• Removealltheheartscardsfromadeckofplayingcards.Cuteachinhalfandhavethechildrenmatchthehalves.(NumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry)

Society and environment

• Spendtimefindingoutandtellingthechildrentheiraddressesandphonenumbers.Havethempractisesayingthemaloud.Makeacopyforthechildrentoaccessintheroomsotheyareabletosendacardtoorcalltheirfavourite‘classroomvalentine’.(Obtainparentalpermissionfirst.)

• After writing andaddressingcardsorletters,visitthepostofficetobuystampsandpostthem.

• Use a digital camera to take apicture of each child’s mouth ashe/sheblowsakiss.Printoutanddisplayintheclassroom.Havetheparentsand/orchildrenguesswhoisblowingkissesatthem.

Technology (and design)

• Provide materials for the childrento plan, design and make aValentine’sDaycard.

• Visit<http://www.abcya.com/kindergarten_computers.htm>foronlinegames.

4


Valentine’s DayScience

• Investigatethejobtheheartdoesinthebody.Feeltheheartbeating, counting the beats, before and after exercise.Demonstratehowtheheartpumpsbloodbyputtingred-colouredwaterinsideaclearballoon.Putastrawintheopeningandtieoffloosely.Squeezetheballoongentlysothatcolouredwaterpumpsout,showinghow theheartworksinourbodies.

• Childrenusetheirsensestolearnaboutdifferenttextures.Cut out different sizes of hearts from sandpaper. Tapethemsecurelytoatableandlayasheetofwhitepaperoverthem.Usethesidesofdifferentcolouredcrayonstomakeapatternofrubbingsonpaper.

Visual arts• Createabeautifulflowerusinghandprintsor

handcut-outstogiveasaspecial‘valentine’.

• Providewool or ribbon; red,white and pinkheart-shapedbeadsorsmallheartshapescutfromconstructionpaper(withaholepunchedatthetop);orpastashapesdyedred,whiteorpink.Havethechildrenthreadheartnecklacestogiveasagift.

• Cuttwoidenticalheartshapesfromredfeltforeachchild.Sewtogetherusinggoldthread,leavinganopeningatthetop.Letthechilddecoratethemusingpuffypaint,glitter,bows,fakejewelsetc.Whendry,fillwithsweetstogiveasagift.

• Haveeachchildcutouttwoheartshapes.Onthefrontofone,write‘DoyouknowhowmuchIloveyou?’Onthesecondheartwrite‘Thismuch!”.Cutalong10centimetre-widestripoflightcardorpaper.Usethestriptomeasurethelengthfromthechild’sleft-handfingertiptoright-handfingertipwith arms outstretched. Fanfold the strip, thenglueonehearttoeachend.Closeup.

• MixtogetherPVAglue,shavingcreamandredtemperapainttofingerpaintasheetofpaper.Cutoutheartshapesfromthepuffycreations.

• Place small tissue paper heart shapes on a sheet ofpaperpaintedwithvinegar.Letitdry,thenpeeloffheartstorevealabeautifulheartdesign.Cutaheartshapeandmountoncolouredcard.

Health and physical education

• Create cake batter as directed on thepacketandpourintocupcakepanliners.Placeintocupcakepan.Placeamarbleat the top of each cupcake between theliner and the side of each cupcake indent. Whencooked,decoratewith icingandheart candies. (Heart-shapedcakepanscouldbeusedifavailable.)

• Use cookie cutters to cut heart shapes from slices ofapple, pear,melon and other fruits to create a healthyand ‘hearty’ fruit salad. Use large cutters to createheart-shaped bread, cheese and cold meat slices forsandwiches,too.

• Talktothechildrenaboutbeingkindtoothers,thenmakedecorative ‘kindness coupons’ for a special friend orparent.

• Cut out hearts of different sizes and colours. Write adifferent number, shape or word on each, place themonthefloorandhavethechildrentossbeanbagsontheheartsandtellwhatitlandson.

• Select children to role-play being a mail person deliveringcardsandletterstoothers.

• Cutoutandstapletogethertwoheartshapes.Addfanfoldedarmsandlegsandsmallheartsforhandsandfeettomakeasimplepuppettousetorelatehowtheheartworksandwhatitdoes.Alternatively,askthechildrentousethemtotellwhatmakesthemhappy.

Drama Music• Use two strong paper plates taped together;

decorated with red or pink markers, glitter andheart shapes; and filled with beans as shakers,to accompany favourite Valentine’s Day or othersongs.

• Placeacardboardheart inabasketandsingthesong ‘A-tisket, a-tasket’, dropping the heart andselectingachild.


Teacher background informationValentine’sDay(ashortenedformofSaintValentine’sDay)isayearlycelebrationheldon14February.Itcommemoratesloveandaffection.ItisbelievedthatValentine’sDayisnamedafterone,oranumberof,earlyChristianmartyrsandestablishedcirca500CE.

SomesourcesbelievethatSaintValentine’sDayisofRomanorigin.OnelegendtellsofValentine,apriestwhocontinuedtoperformChristianmarriagesforRomansoldiersagainstthewishesofEmperorClaudiusII.Claudiusbelievedthatsinglemenwerebettersoldiersthanthosewithwivesandfamilies.Eventually,ClaudiusorderedthatValentinebeexecuted.

OthersourcessuggestthatValentinemayhavebeenexecutedbecausehehelpedChristiansescapefromRomanprisonswheretheywerecruellytortured.

LegendalsotellsofanotherValentinewhomayhavesenttheveryfirstvalentinecardortoken.Asaprisoner,possiblyaChristian,heisbelievedtohavefalleninlovewiththeRomanjailer’sdaughter,whowasaconstantvisitor.Beforehedied,hesentheralettersigned‘FromyourValentine’.

Valentine’sDaybecameapopularcelebrationaroundthe17thcentury,andbytheendofthe18thcenturyprintedcardsbegantoreplacehandwrittentokens.

Valentine’sDayistraditionallyadaywhentokensofaffectionsuchasflowers,confectionery,giftsandgreetingcards(knownas‘valentines’)areexchangedorpresented.ItisestimatedthataroundonebillionValentine’sDaycardsaresenteachyear,withmostofthesepurchasedbywomen.

ModernsymbolsofValentine’sDayincludetheheart-shapedoutline,doves,andthewingedCupid.

Concepts to be developed• ManypeoplearoundtheworldcelebrateValentine’sDay.

• Valentine’sDayisadayduringwhichtotellpeoplethatyoucareaboutthem.

• Peopleoftengivecards,flowers,chocolateandcandiesasgiftsonValentine’sDay.

• TheheartisasymbolofValentine’sDay.


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Recipes

Display ideasHappy hearts

• Cutoutalargecolouredcardboardheartforeachchild.Havethembringinpictures,drawingsorexamplesofthingsthatmakethemhappy(suchassmallplastictoys),toattachtotheheart.Displaygroupedwithalabelwhichsays‘Happyheartsmakeahappyclassroom’.

We’re sweethearts

• Constructaclassrewardchartwiththenameofeachchilddisplayedinatableformat.Whenachildis‘caught’beinggoodordoingsomethingnice,theyreceiveaheartstickertoplacenexttohis/hernameonthechart.Afteragivennumberofhearts,thechildrenmayreceiveaspecialrewardsuchasaheart-shapedsweet.

Heart wreaths

• CreateValentine’sDaydecorationsbyarrangingandgluingapatternofheartsinacircletocreateawreathofhearts.

Heart art

• Provideavarietyofheartsofdifferentsizesandcoloursforthechildrentocreatetheirownheart-shapedart.Theymayliketocreateanimals,peopleordesignsfromtheshapes.Displaytogetheronaboard.

Symmetrical number hearts

• Cutout10heartsfromthreeorfourdifferentcoloursofcardboard.Foreachshape,writeanumberononehalfanddrawthecorrespondingnumberofsmallheartsontheother.Cuteachinhalfusingadifferentstyleofline(zigzag,curved,straight,jaggedetc.).Backeachhalfwithanadhesivespot,mixupandstickontoonabulletinboard.Thechildrenmatchthehalves.

Dyed pasta shapes (Non-edible)Ingredients

• hollowpastasuchaspenneorrigatoni

• foodcolouring

• water

Instructions

• Dilutefoodcolouringwithwaterinacontainer.Placeuncookedpastaincontainerandletstandforseveralminutes(oruptohalfanhour).Choosingdarkercoloursandalongertimespentintheliquidwillresultindarker-colouredpasta.(Longerthanhalfanhourwillresultinsoggypasta.)Removefromcontainerandallowtodry.Usetothreadnecklacesonwoolorthinribbon.

‘Hearty’ pizzasIngredients

• preparedpizzabase • boughtpizzatomatosauce

• slicedham • gratedmozzarellacheese

Instructions

• Preheatovento180–190ºC.Havethechildrencutheartshapesfromthepizzabaseusingheart-shapedcookiecutters.Spreadpizzasauceoverbaseandtopwithhamandcheese.Bakeuntilcheeseismelted.NOTE:Flatbreadorpizzadoughcanbeusedasalternativebases.

Queen of hearts tartsIngredients

• preparedfrozenpiepastry

• jam

Instructions

• Preheatovento180–190ºC.Havethechildrencutheartshapesfromthefrozenpastryusingcookiecutters.Folduptheedgesandspoonasmallquantityofjaminside.Cookforabout10minutesoruntilgoldenbrown.


Literature resourcesStories

• WhatisValentine’sDay?:Alift-the-flapholidaystorybyHarrietZiefert

• Clifford’sfirstValentine’sDaybyNormanBridwell

• AcircleisnotavalentinebyHWernerZimmerman

• Rosesarepink,yourfeetreallystinkbyDianedeGroat

Notes:

Roses are redRosesarered,Violetsareblue,Sugarissweet,Andsoareyou.

H-E-A-R-T(SungtothetuneofB-I-N-G-O)Toshowyoulikeyourspecialfriend,Justgivethemeachaheart:H-E-A-R-T!H-E-A-R-T!H-E-A-R-T!Eachheartsays‘Ilikeyou’.

Make a heart(Performactionstosuitwords.)Iputmyhandstogether.ThisishowIstart.IcurvemyfingersrightaroundAndIcanmakeaheart.

I love youToeveryspecialfriendofmineI’llsendalovelyvalentine.Mum,Dad,sisterandbrother,too.Willreceiveaheartthatsays,‘Iloveyou’.

Ten little valentines(Sungtothetuneof‘TenlittleIndians’)Onelittle,twolittle,threelittlevalentines.Fourlittle,fivelittle,sixlittlevalentines.Sevenlittle,eightlittle,ninelittlevalentines.Tenvalentinesinarow!

Songs, action rhymes, fingerplays and poems

Valentine’s Day - R.I.C. Publications · 2019-02-13 · R.I.C. Publications® – Early years themes—Special days and celebrations—Valentine’s Day 83 Valentine’s Day Science

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