February ELA Activities and Valentine's Day Projects for Middle School Students

Valentine's Day in secondary ELA is a wonderful opportunity to incorporate meaningful, creative activities into your class. Here are a few of my favorite middle school activities for February English classes: 

Go on a blind date with a book 

1. Decorate the room with battery operated "candles," red table cloths, and flowers. Place bowls of small chocolates on desks. 
2. Give your students a surprise book. If you have time, cover the book in wrapping paper or place it in a gift bag to conceal the title. 
3. Ask students to quietly read the first chapter of the book. 
4. Have students fill in this review worksheet template. 

Read a Valentine's Day short story or poem 

Short story options: 

• The Chaser by John Collier 
• The Lady or the Tiger by Frank Stockton
• The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst
• The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

Poem options: 

• Annabel Lee by Edgar Alan Poe
• Valentine for Ernest Mann by Naomi Shihab Nye

Have students discuss Valentine's Day prompts in pairs

Give your students time to chat about the holiday with pairs or small groups. Distribute this set of questions to each group. 

Example questions: 

• Which traditional gift is better? Options: chocolate, flowers, and cards
• What is the best romantic comedy?
• What is the best romantic song?
• What color is love?

Research how Valentine's Day is celebrated around the globe

Celebrate Valentine's Day by having your students research how the holiday is celebrated around the world. Students will research the dates of celebrations and traditions in Egypt, Argentina, Ghana, South Korea, China, and Finland. This printable template guides students through a series of research prompts. 

Review parts of speech with this grammar fill-in-the-blank breakup letter 

Celebrate Valentine's Day with this fun fill-in-the-blank grammar activity. Students will add verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns to this fictional breakup letter, creating a hilarious story. This activity is perfect for an English party, Valentine's Day event, or grammar class.

Draw a love-themed comic 

Celebrate Valentine's Day with this comic art and writing project. Students will create colorful illustrations, write captions that summarize their artwork, and fill the speech bubbles with dialogue. This activity is perfect for an art class, ELA class, Valentine's Day party, or February early finisher challenge.

How do you celebrate Valentine's Day in your class? Leave a comment below to share your favorite activities.