12 February Ideas for Literacy Centers

Do you want cute ideas for February to use in your literacy centers? Keep reading for 12 February Ideas for Literacy Centers!

Although I have all of these items in my store, I am going to explain how to do each of them without a purchase! If you would rather have the work done for you, there will be links below, but you are welcome to use these ideas in your classroom without a purchase!

1. Groundhog’s Day

Create Your Own Animal Legend Writing- After talking to your class about groundhog’s day, tell them they are now going to create their own legend about another animal! Use a thinking graphic organizer to help them gather thoughts! Students should think about where, when, why, what and how. For examples:

The Legend of the Polar Bear

Where: Fairbanks, Alaska

When: January 12

What: A polar bear can smell a seal a half-mile away!

Why: Wherever the bear turns first has the best food in town!

How: Place a seal a half-mile away in all directions.

Legend may tell that everyone gathers in the restaurant in that direction.

2. Valentine’s Persuasion Writing

Give the students several prompts to choose from and let them start persuading! Provide the friendly letter format to guide them in their writing! Here are some ideas for Valentine’s Persuasion Writing:

Convince your teacher or parent to choose you for a special Valentine.
Persuade your teacher or parent to allow you to eat candy any time of the day.
Convince your friends to exercise or eat healthy for strong hearts.
Persuade your parents to open a candy store.

3. Chocolate Opinion Writing:

This is one of my favorites! Read an article with both sides of the opinion. Is Chocolate Healthy? Then have your students decide whether or not it is a healthy choice and write an opinion paper.

4. A Healthy Heart- Informative Writing

Go to the Heart Association’s web page and have students read about what food and fitness to keep their hearts healthy. Have students create a newspaper article highlighting the article they choose.

5. Chocolate Web Quest

Create some questions about the history of chocolate and how chocolate is made. Create a WebQuest with links to answer the questions.

Here are some of the questions I used and don’t forget to give them a chocolate treat afterward!
What are the main ingredients in chocolate?
What is a nib?
How many beans in a pod?
What happens while beans are roasted?
Name the 2 tribes that used chocolate as a drink.
Who first made chocolate into a solid form?
Name who was the first European to come in contact with the cacao bean.
Who tried to keep chocolate to themselves?
How did chocolate help win the war?

6. February Quatrain

Use examples from the anchor chart to teach quatrains. Then give students a February word bank and have them create quatrains with different rhyming patterns. If you have rhyming dictionaries, place them in the center as well!

7. Black History Biopoem

Go to the Black History website. Students choose someone to read about and then fill in the Biopoem template.

First Name

Who is/was known for…

Who is/was ___, ___, and ___. (adjectives)

Who wants/wanted…

Who loves/loved to ___ and ___.

Who believes/believed in …

Who was quoted saying, “…”

Last Name

If I was in his/her shoes, I would …

8. Duke Ellington

This is the perfect time of year to learn about Duke Ellington. You can read the beautifully written picture book, read a biography on PBSKids.org/jazz. Then, go on to read this FREE article with questions (available in my freebie album) and compare texts! I like to play his music in the center too!

9. Sweet Parts of Speech

Make cards with Valentine’s words. Have students sort them into the different parts of speech and then write them out in their category. Sweet Parts of Speech is a great center activity.

10. The Day I Was President- Narrative Writing

Students write about a day they were president. Start with walking into the Oval Office! This is a great one to have a craft to go along with it!

11. Chocolate Grouping

This is a freebie is available in my Freebie Album!

12. Cereal Box Biography- Book Report

Students choose a person to read about. I like them to read a biography chapter book and take notes. Then they decorate a cereal box with the information.

Front: Name and illustrate the cereal and person
Back: Advertise their combination of cereal and person
Side: Nutritional Facts: Use bullets and list important dates and events in that person’s life
Side: Ingredients: What are your similarities and differences to this person. What would you change if you were in their shoes?

Have them dress up as their person for this book report!

Here is an example:

I hope you got some great ideas for February!