Read a Great Valentine's Book!

The Teddy Bears Picnic / Foreman, New Columbian Brass Band

- Play this CD while you complete the Activities in the book.
After Reading
After sharing the book with your class, ask students to list the food gifts Mr. and Mrs. Bear gave each other for Valentine's Day, such as chocolate-covered ants and Crispy Critters. Next ask your students to think of other food gifts that a bear may enjoy. Record all responses.
Purchase a bear or perhaps you have a stuffed bear laying around. Use the bear for different activities. Maybe Mrs. Bear will sit on a neat desk every AM when the children arrive. Also, you may encourage the children to read to the bear. See picture here of one class reading to their bear.

Mr. bear enjoyed many great surprises that Mrs. Bear made for him. Have student volunteers describe how they would surprise others. Who would they surprise? How might the recipients react? How would your students feel if someone surprised them?

Compare and Contrast how real bears vs. the pretend bears in the story might get ready for winter.

Find a graphic of a bear. Cut out the bear and make many copies of it on card stock. Two bears per student in your class. Also give each student two cutouts of red hearts. On one heart write the word yes and on another heart write the work no. Have them cut out the bears and glue one heart to each bear. Then give them two crafts sticks to glue each bear. Now they are ready to answer some yes and no questions about the story. They can all respond at the same time using their bear puppets!

In the story, Mrs. Bear made a sign and wrote a special Valentine thought, then hung it on the wall for Mr. Bear to see. Have your class do the same. To make a sign, provide each student with a large piece of construction paper or poster board. Have each student write or dictate his own special Valentine thought or message on the sign. Have each student decorate his sign with markers, glitter, and curling ribbon. Hang the signs for all to admirer!

Looking for more Valentine's Day Stories to read your child? Try here for great suggestions from a teacher!
http://www.teachingheart.net/valentinebooks.html