by Bryan Ridenour

Created on: May 22, 2009   Last Updated: February 04, 2010

A Valentine's Day bulletin board can be a creative means of teaching an educational lesson and be appealing to the kids as they traipse up and down the halls. This display can be accomplished by utilizing supplies readily available in the classroom. Construction paper, scissors, and Internet access are all that's needed to make a bulletin board masterpiece. In this article, we will focus on a bulletin board that will be suitable for the junior high age range. Let's focus on three classes that can incorporate creative learning and eye catching appeal.

All three classes can begin with the same foundation. Cover the bulletin board in red, pink or white and if you want to make a small investment, purchase a "heart" border.

Now, let's take a look at the classes. First, we will focus on English. Many kids struggle learning the rules of grammar and others have a difficult time with spelling. These struggles can cause kids to consider English a nightmare. However, a Valentine's Day bulletin board for the English class can be quite fun. Lay the foundation colors and then you are off. At the top of the bulletin board put the words "Happy Valentine's Day". Assign your students to create as many three letter words as possible from the word Valentine. (No letter in the words can be used more than once unless it already appears more than once in the word valentine, i.e., the letter "e"). Encourage your students to write legibly and emphasize that spelling must be correct. Hand out a heart-shaped piece of paper for the students to write their answers. Post the top five heart-shaped papers from each class, the top being the students who have made the most words and met the criteria of neatness and correct spelling. In addition, give every student a heart and have them write the words "My favorite book is__________" and then fill in the blank. Kids will be interested to see what their peers are reading and it may encourage students to branch out and read titles in which they are not otherwise familiar.

A Valentine's Day bulletin board for Social Studies can be quite fun and informative as well. Once again set up your background color and staple up your border. Then, title your bulletin board "Famous Love Stories from History." Before students see your bulletin board creation, get on-line and Google the title of your bulletin board. Several websites share information about famous historical couples and their stories of love. On one side of your bulletin board, hang hearts with men's names on them. On the other side, hang hearts of their famous female counterparts. Make several. Thirty or forty famous couples should keep the kids busy. How? Their assignment is to match the famous men to their famous women. When all couples have been revealed, they must then choose one couple to write about.

This last Valentine's Day bulletin board would be appropriate for Science or Physical Education. First things first. Set your background and border. Title your board "My Heart Loves Science" or "My Heart Loves P.E." Display a picture of an actual heart and present information about how the human heart works. Have students cut out hearts and on each heart list ways to keep a heart healthy or list heart healthy foods. Most junior high students will be enthralled with the picture of the real heart and will enjoy reading heart healthy prescriptions written by their classmates.

Valentine's Day celebrates love. A Valentine's Day bulletin board can celebrate not only love but the love of learning. Use a Valentine's board to not only entertain, but to inspire and teach.

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