Love, Splat!

For the past few years I have done a Love, Splat writing activity the week before Valentine's Day. I read aloud the book Love, Splat by Rob Scotton. We discuss what love means to them and do a class brainstorm about the different things that make us feel love, and the things we do to show others love. Afterwards, they write a paragraph on what love is, following this simple template for each sentence:

• I feel loved when ...
• I like it when ...
• To show others I care, I ...
• To me, love means/is ...

Then they use craft paper to cut out hearts and a cat head, paws, tail, eyes, nose and the insides of the ears. (I have them crinkle the tails with an accordion fold to make it look spazzy like the real Splat's.) It is a quick writing assignment that helps students think about love on several levels, and it creates a very cute Valentine-themed bulletin board.