Objective:
The students will write a list of people, places or things they like.

Materials

• Pieces of paper cut out in heart shapes

• Writing Utensils

• A Book about liking/loving someone or something.  Suggestions are I Like Me by Nancy Carlson, I'll Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, or Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney.

Procedure

1. Read the chosen book.  Have a discussion on liking/loving someone or something.

2. Have the students write about people, places, or things they love/like.  The students should do their writing on the heart shaped paper.  (The writing may also be done on regular paper and then mounted on to heart shaped paper.)

3. The writings will depend on the age level of the students.  Younger students may simply draw pictures of their favorite things and if appropriate, label their pictures.  Older students may write a more detailed account about their likes.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. As a variation on the above lesson, have the students place their likes in to categories of people, places, and things.

2. Share books about having a passion for something, such as True Heart by Marissa Moss or The Music in Derrick's Heart by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert.  Follow up by having the students write about a special passion or dream of their own, entitling the writing "My Heart's Desire".

3. The students may write a valentine greeting to a friend or relative.  Expand the lesson to include addressing envelopes.

4. Think of phrases that involve the word heart, "Follow your heart", "change of heart", "heart of gold", etc.