It’s almost Valentine’s Day! When you teach teens, it can be hard to fight the candy and hormones…. so how about embracing the holiday instead of fighting it? I’ve compiled a list of Valentine themed activities you can do this year.
MIDDLE SCHOOL VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS
1. Make borax crystal hearts! Borax and pipe cleaners are super cheap and students love watching the crystals grow. You can find directions on Steve Spangler’s site here.
2. This fun “secret message” demo uses a pH indicator to reveal whatever secret message you want your students to see. Have a hidden note revealed from their secret valentine! It’s available free from Nitty Gritty Science and can be downloaded here.
3. What is the most genuine present you can give your Valentine? Your own DNA of course! Do a DNA extraction of cheek cells, put the DNA into a microcentrifuge tube, and allow students to take their DNA home or give it to their Valentine. Need directions? Check here.
4. If you teach about plants, make some red and pink color changing flowers! This experiment takes a few days, but students enjoy coming in each day to watch the petals change color. You can find directions for this lab here. A few tips: Don’t spend a lot of money- look for discounted carnations that are a week old. Also, I’ve found that leaving the flowers out of water overnight so the stems are nice and dry helps, because when you put them in the colored water they will be nice and thirsty and absorb the water faster.
5. Oh no! Cupid’s bow snapped, and he needs a new way shoot his arrows. Students will build a simple catapult out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and a spoon and learn about precision and accuracy. You can find it here.
HIGH SCHOOL VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS
6. If you are teaching genetics, this speed dating activity is a blast! I put up lights around my classroom and moved the desks in long rows so students face each other. Each student gets assigned a different monster and they rotate around the room on different dates, completing punnett squares with each date. At the end of the 3 dates they pick a monster they would like to go on a second date with. Its a valentine’s day they won’t forget! You can find the lesson here. Don’t teach genetics? Check out this blog post with other versions here.
7. Teaching evolution? In this gameshow themed lesson, students will learn about the difference between natural and sexual selection. Teams will be presented with males of various species, and have to choose which “bachelor male” they think the female would select based on courtship behaviors. You can find it here.
8. Check out this “Vanishing Valentine” activity from Flinn Scientific. It is a great demo if you have covered oxidation-reduction reactions.
9. No matter which grade you teach, these anatomy valentines from Suburban Science are adorable! They have phrases like “I want tibia your valentine” and “urine my heart.” Tape a piece of candy on them and your students will definitely feel loved. You can download them for free in her TpT store by clicking here.
10. If you teach anatomy, be sure to check out this “chemistry of love” lesson. Students will read about the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin and build a model of the molecules. Don’t have model kits? Don’t worry- a coloring page is included as well.
I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day! Rock on,
