Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch Valentine’s Day Activity

One of the best Valentine’s Day read-aloud is Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli.

Summary

The story tells of a lonely and gentle person, Mr. Hatch, who receives a mysterious, giant candy heart with chocolate on Valentine’s Day. This treat is surprising because Mr. Hatch does not have close relationships with anyone. He doesn’t smile, eats lunch alone, and follows the same routine every day. The unexpected gift causes Mr. Hatch to change and becomes sociable.

Purchase this book

This book teaches students the importance of change. Mr. Hatch goes from being a lonely man to helping others and connecting with people in his community. I also liked how the love Mr. Hatch receives, in the end, is not romantic as there are different types of love we can have for people.

After reading the book, I ask students to write a friendly letter to someone in the class expressing their appreciation for them.

Valentine’s Day Writing Activity

First, we brainstorm ways that we show our love for our friends and community. Some responses were how we enjoyed playing with each other at recess or cheering someone up when sad.

Next, I randomly assign students to someone in the class (this ensures that everyone gets a letter) and avoid multiple students writing a note to the same student. Then, they write a message to that person. We then put it in our class mailbox. Last, our class mailman (a student you select or volunteers) delivers the mail to them at the end of the day.