Valentine, Christian Martyr and Saint — Resources for the Middle and High School Humanities and English Language Arts Classroom

Hey, y'all. I feel like Valentine's Day is such an ingrained part of American school life; however, few of us know the actual, legendary story. So—let's rectify that with a true-to-the-source resource on Valentine, a Christian martyr from Rome in the Third Century. Let's go!

You'll love this historically-based resource detailing the mystery surrounding Valentine the Saint and Valentine's Day. Download it here from my TpT store.

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm thrilled to share my latest educational adventure with you! We're diving into the mysterious world of Saint Valentine, a figure whose story is as fascinating as it is enigmatic. In 1969, the Catholic Church made the intriguing decision to remove Saint Valentine from its liturgical calendar, citing doubts about his true identity. Was there one Valentine, or several figures merging into this legendary name? This captivating question is the cornerstone of our new resource, designed to spark curiosity and critical thinking among students.

What's Inside This Resource?

• Print and Digital Access: Get your hands on both PDF and Google Workspace formats, plus Easel integration.
• Three-Day Lesson Plan: Complete with insightful teacher's notes.
• Key Characters and Places Anchor Chart: Situate Valentine in his ancient Roman milieu of the 3rd century.
• Reading Cards: Dive into the 'Lives of the Saints' and a detailed dictionary entry on Saint Valentine, each enriched with art and literary connections.
• Note-taking Template & 16-Question Bank: Tailored for both teachers and students.
• Exit Ticket: A crucial tool for assessing student understanding and a foundation for research and writing assignments.
• Frayer Model Vocabulary Template: Engage students visually and creatively in understanding vocabulary.
• Research Paper Prompt: Encourage students to explore the historical depths of Saint Valentine's life and legends.
• Further Reading List: Far from just a bibliography, this is a treasure trove for deeper exploration and student projects.

Designed for middle and high schoolers, this resource fits seamlessly into thematic lessons around Saint Valentine's Day in English Language Arts and Humanities classes.

Even More Love for Your Lessons:

1. Three Myths of Lovers
2. Tales of Love and Discord
3. Pygmalion and Galatea

Find teacher-related resources

on the Stones of Erasmus TpT Store.

For full access to this resource and more, navigate to my website, Stones of Erasmus. Let's explore the heart of history together!

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Celebrating the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit: On an Outing to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

In this post, I write about how I celebrated Lunar New Year and saw a rabbit, listened to a Mandarin-speaking docent talk about silver sculptures of the Buddha and watched an interactive dragon dance performance in the Great Hall.

A dragon dancer joins the line in the Great Hall at the Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Dragon Dancers
from Long Island

As we said goodbye to one year and welcomed another, I celebrated Lunar New Year with @juky_chen. From stunning works of art depicting classic examples of the rabbit to drums and a dragon 🐲 dance, it was a truly unique experience that I’ll never forget.

My journey began with exploring some incredible pieces on display of porcelain and jade works depicting the rabbit. In galleries 208 and 211, a Mandarin-speaking docent spoke about different sculptures of the Buddha carved out of silver. Only sixteen examples of this Buddha exist, and the museum owns two. The highlight for me was seeing firsthand how much detail went into each item — something that can get lost in photographs or videos. It made me appreciate more just how much work went into creating them!

A museum docent talks about a
16th-century Buddha sculpture from China.

Next up were several interactive exhibits focusing on different aspects of Lunar New Year celebrations, including the dragon dance in the Great Hall, kids dressed traditionally, music performances, and much more. It felt like being part of something special as the museum filled with festive joy while everyone got involved in what they saw before them — all while learning more about this important holiday’s cultural background.

Finally, I ended my day by visiting the gift shop, where I found many items related to Lunar New Year festivities, such as fans, banners for decoration, and all sorts of memorabilia perfect for taking home as souvenirs or decorations for future years' celebrations!

Overall it had been an unforgettable day full of discoveries that will stay with me forever — it reminded me why museums are so important: without their presence, these precious memories would disappear over time, leaving us none wiser than when we arrived!

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That Weekend I Stayed in a Small Mountain Town in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (along the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State)

In this post, I write about why fantasy for the rustic life is really a sham. I'm not made for the mountains. But I liked my visit to Skykomish, Washington.

"Sheeeeeeshhhhh!"

The Empire Builder 
passes through
Skykomish

I found a rock to sit on to do some writing. When you arrive in Skykomish, Washington — you're in the middle of the Cascades Mountains. Because a railroad tycoon by the name of Stevens, built a railroad from Spokane to the Puget Sound — the place is smack dab in the middle of train history U.S.A.

Fishbowl

By the 1890s, the United States had already built a few transcontinental railroads — thanks to the unsung contribution of cheap Chinese labor — which the government tried to put a stop to with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Even though Washington D.C. put a smackdown on immigration from Asia, the economy begged to open more portals to the West. A direct train route to Puget Sound. Open more trans-Pacific trade. But a train through the Cascades would prove to be a more difficult challenge. The mountains are a formidable presence — up to about 4,000 feet above sea level, which for a Louisiana boy, is a lot. I'm breathing air at high altitudes, refilling my bottle with water from the Foss River. 

Shoes Made for Walking?

Loving being outdoors — but dang, it's uncharacteristically hot today — the high is 90 ° F. Even the people who live here say that’s hot. Sitting by the river — I don't jump in, but I feel the coolness of the rock, and the water is ice cold to the touch. 

What’s your favorite picture that I took?

Click Here to Read Part III

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That Time My Mother Mailed Me a Mardi Gras King Cake from New Orleans

Fedex delivered a king cake in a box

from Gambino's Bakery in New Orleans.

King Cake Before Its Frosted
With Green, Purple, and Gold

Today, Mom sent a king 👑 cake to me from @gambinosbakery in New Orleans. @ceiacrema helped me to open and decorate! Who’s ready for a king cake party? And who’s gonna get the baby? As a kid, we used to have Mardi Gras classroom parties. Think a colossal sheet cake from @winndixie covered in purple, green, and gold, and your entire first-grade class goes into a diabetic coma. Thankfully teachers knew to save the cake as a Friday thing (at the end of the day). Otherwise, nobody was learning anything. I know it’s a crazy year to celebrate 🎉 , but it’s Mardi Gras season y’all. Be safe, stay masked, and do your part to stop the spread of Covid-19. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a slice, honey.

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January 18th is a National Holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr. On Poverty

In this post, I talk about how Martin Luther King, Jr. is known as a civil rights activist. Still, his legacy is more about human rights—especially the state of poverty that he believed could be eradicated if humans only have the will to do so.

"Martin Luther King press conference / [MST]." Original black and white negative by Marion S. Trikosko. Taken August 26th, 1964, Washington, D.C, United States (@libraryofcongress). Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Source

Today I listened to a brief speech given by Martin Luther King, Jr.'s son, Martin Luther King, III. In the video, he talks about his father's legacy but points out that one message King repeatedly gave was often not emphasized in the praise we often give the slain civil rights leader. It's about poverty. When King was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968, he protested against the poverty wages sanitation workers were given who worked in the city. Workers worked long hours and subsisted on low wages, and many were also on welfare. King espouses the merits of having a stable job and receiving an equitable income as something elusive for Americans. Whenever I talk about living wages today or about the need to reduce poverty, I often run up against tin ears. It's easy to shush away poverty as one of those problems Miss America pageant contestants say they want to defeat (along with world peace). But King was right when he said the problem won't go away unless we have the will to fight it. When I look at the problems beset by the Covid-19 virus, I see a public health crisis, but I also see a crisis that has torn open the inequalities caused by poverty. In the United States, forty-five million (maybe more) live in poverty, which by some estimates is more than were poor during Martin Luther King's time.

So, if you are celebrating the Martin Luther King holiday today in the United States, it is appropriate to sing praise for what he did to secure civil rights, but the road to equitable human rights is still not won.

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