February brings a bouquet of festivities and cultural celebrations to explore with your young learners! From love-filled occasions to historical commemorations, this month offers a diverse tapestry of learning experiences. Let’s journey through the wonders of February together!
Explore February’s Treasures
Engaging Activities
Love and Friendship: Explore Valentine's Day traditions and the importance of friendship. Create cards, exchange kind messages, and discuss the meaning of love.
Black History Month: Delve into the rich heritage and contributions of African American history. Highlight influential figures and key moments in history.
Creative Expression: Encourage creativity! Engage in art projects or performances showcasing themes of love, diversity, and historical events.
Interactive Learning: Organize quizzes, storytelling sessions, or debates related to historical figures or events in February.
These are some suggestions:
- Talk about each special day
- Have students do a blog about it
- Organise a writing competition
- Get students to write a song or rap about it
- Do a role-play about it
- Have students design a poster about it
- Watch a video about it
- Display a quiz about it
- Go to a museum about it
- Create a reading list about it
- Research more about it online
- Every day is a special day in the ESL classroom – but these are our favorite!
February is…
(click to read more)
*February is Black History Month
*February is Dental Health Month
Special Days
(click to read more)
1- National Freedom Day
1- Eat icecream for Breakfast Day
2- Groundhog Day
2- Superbowl Sunday
4- Thank a Mailman Day
5- National Weatherman’s Day
7- Bubblegum Day
8- Boy Scout Day
8- Kite flying Day
9- Carnival Day
9- National pizza Day
10- Umbrella Day
11- National Inventors Day
12- Abraham Lincoln's Birthday
14- St. Valentine’s Day
17- President’s Day
17- Random Act of Kindness
20- Cherry Pie Day
20- Love Your Pet Day
22- George Washington's Birthday
23- Oscar Night
25- Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday
26- Ash Wednesday - date varies
26- Carnival Day
26- Tell a Fairy Tale Day
27- Polar Bear Day
28- National Tooth Fairy Day
29- Leap Day
How to use this printable set:
•Follow instructions:
Point to the pink heart
Find Cupid
•Answer questions:
Who is St. Valentine?
Can you see the Groundhog?
•With older kids:
When is St. Valentine's Day celebrated?
Where? Why? How?
Here's a list of read-aloud books that are great for young learners in February:
"Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle: A sweet story exploring love and friendship.
"The Day It Rained Hearts" by Felicia Bond: A charming tale about a girl who catches hearts falling from the sky and uses them to make Valentine's Day cards.
"Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney: A heartwarming story about expressing love between a parent and child.
"The Biggest Valentine Ever" by Steven Kroll: A story about teamwork and friendship as two mice work together to create a giant Valentine's Day card.
"Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch" by Eileen Spinelli: A touching story about kindness and the impact of caring gestures from others.
"Snowy Valentine" by David Petersen: Follow Jasper the bunny as he searches for the perfect gift for his wife on Valentine's Day.
"Love Monster" by Rachel Bright: A tale about a slightly unconventional monster searching for someone who will love him just the way he is.
"Pete the Cat: Valentine's Day Is Cool" by Kimberly and James Dean: Pete discovers that Valentine's Day can be cool even without receiving a Valentine.
These books offer themes of love, friendship, kindness, and the spirit of Valentine's Day, making them great choices for read-alouds in February with young learners. Enjoy sharing these heartwarming stories with your students!
Themes to teach during February
February provides a range of thematic opportunities for ESL classes. Here are some engaging themes that could be relevant and interesting for ESL learners during this month:
Valentine's Day: Exploring love and friendship, discussing traditions, making cards, and discussing expressions of affection in different cultures. Grab some ideas here
Celebrations Around the World: Learning about various cultural celebrations that occur in February, such as Lunar New Year, Carnival, or Mardi Gras, and comparing traditions. Grab some ideas here
Black History Month: Discussing and learning about significant figures, events, and contributions to history made by African Americans.Grab some ideas here
Winter Sports and Activities: Continuing discussions about winter-related activities, sports, and how people spend their time during the colder months.
Expressing Emotions: Exploring vocabulary related to feelings and emotions, discussing how to express emotions in different situations. Grab some ideas here
Presidents' Day: Learning about American presidents, discussing leadership qualities, and exploring historical events related to Presidents' Day.
Weather and Seasons: Discussing changes in weather, seasons, and how they affect daily life and activities.
Healthy Eating: Focusing on nutritious foods, discussing healthy eating habits, and the importance of a balanced diet.
These themes offer a rich landscape for vocabulary expansion, cultural exploration, historical discussions, and opportunities for language practice within an ESL classroom. Tailor these themes to suit the language proficiency level and interests of your students for a more engaging learning experience.
Presidents' Day: Learning about American presidents, discussing leadership qualities, and exploring historical events related to Presidents' Day.
Weather and Seasons: Discussing changes in weather, seasons, and how they affect daily life and activities.
Healthy Eating: Focusing on nutritious foods, discussing healthy eating habits, and the importance of a balanced diet.
These themes offer a rich landscape for vocabulary expansion, cultural exploration, historical discussions, and opportunities for language practice within an ESL classroom. Tailor these themes to suit the language proficiency level and interests of your students for a more engaging learning experience.
February hosts several cultural celebrations and observances worldwide:
Lunar New Year (Various Asian countries): Celebrated based on the lunar calendar, the date varies but usually falls in February. This vibrant festival involves dragon and lion dances, lantern displays, family reunions, feasting, and various cultural performances.
Carnival (Various countries, notably Brazil, Venice, and New Orleans): Festivities before Lent involve parades, masquerade balls, elaborate costumes, music, and dancing. The celebrations differ by region but share lively and colorful traditions.
Mardi Gras (Global, but notably celebrated in New Orleans, USA): Also part of Carnival, Mardi Gras occurs on Fat Tuesday, featuring parades, masquerade balls, street parties, and indulgence before the start of Lent.
Valentine's Day (Global): Celebrated on February 14th, this day honors love and affection. It involves exchanging cards, gifts, flowers, and expressing romantic sentiments.
Chinese Lantern Festival (China and other Asian communities): Marking the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations, this festival involves lantern displays, solving riddles on lanterns, dragon dances, and enjoying sweet rice balls.
Hinamatsuri (Japan): Also known as Doll's Day or Girls' Day, celebrated on March 3rd, it involves displaying dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, and court musicians on tiers, wishing for the well-being of girls.
Independence Days (Various countries): Some nations celebrate their independence in February, such as Sri Lanka (February 4th), Kosovo (February 17th), and Estonia (February 24th), with parades, cultural events, and patriotic ceremonies.
Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day: Preceding Lent, it involves consuming pancakes as a way to use up rich, fatty foods before fasting.
These celebrations in February showcase a wide array of cultural traditions, religious observances, and festive customs celebrated across different regions and communities worldwide. Each celebration carries its unique significance and offers insights into the values and customs of diverse cultures.
Lunar New Year (Various Asian countries): Celebrated based on the lunar calendar, the date varies but usually falls in February. This vibrant festival involves dragon and lion dances, lantern displays, family reunions, feasting, and various cultural performances.
Carnival (Various countries, notably Brazil, Venice, and New Orleans): Festivities before Lent involve parades, masquerade balls, elaborate costumes, music, and dancing. The celebrations differ by region but share lively and colorful traditions.
Mardi Gras (Global, but notably celebrated in New Orleans, USA): Also part of Carnival, Mardi Gras occurs on Fat Tuesday, featuring parades, masquerade balls, street parties, and indulgence before the start of Lent.
Valentine's Day (Global): Celebrated on February 14th, this day honors love and affection. It involves exchanging cards, gifts, flowers, and expressing romantic sentiments.
Chinese Lantern Festival (China and other Asian communities): Marking the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations, this festival involves lantern displays, solving riddles on lanterns, dragon dances, and enjoying sweet rice balls.
Hinamatsuri (Japan): Also known as Doll's Day or Girls' Day, celebrated on March 3rd, it involves displaying dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, and court musicians on tiers, wishing for the well-being of girls.
Independence Days (Various countries): Some nations celebrate their independence in February, such as Sri Lanka (February 4th), Kosovo (February 17th), and Estonia (February 24th), with parades, cultural events, and patriotic ceremonies.
Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day: Preceding Lent, it involves consuming pancakes as a way to use up rich, fatty foods before fasting.
These celebrations in February showcase a wide array of cultural traditions, religious observances, and festive customs celebrated across different regions and communities worldwide. Each celebration carries its unique significance and offers insights into the values and customs of diverse cultures.
Let's make this February a month of discovery, appreciation, and celebration in our ESL classroom! Embrace diversity, honor history, and celebrate the spirit of love and friendship.
Grab a free copy here!
How do you plan to celebrate these significant days in your classroom? Share your ideas below and let's create a vibrant learning community together!
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