Short Stories for Valentine’s Day
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Nov 30, 2023
Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to spread some extra love and kindness in the classroom. Reading stories that celebrate this special day can help create an atmosphere of fun and excitement in your middle school classroom. These classic tales of friendship, love, and kindness helps to remind us of what really matters during this special holiday. Read on for some of my very favorite short stories for Valentine’s Day!
Looking for some Valentine’s Day themed short story units that you can print and use right away with your learners? Click on the image or button below to see all of the Valentine’s Day short story resources available in my TPT shop!
The Chaser By John Collier
This comedic yet dark take on romance is possibly my favorite on the list. It follows an elderly bachelor who goes to extraordinary lengths to purchase a love potion. His goal is to win over his unrequited love interest. Through its amusing plot twists, this romantic comedy will provide equal parts laughter and horror for your students. Through reading, they will explore themes such as loyalty, trustworthiness, and integrity within relationships.
You can read this story online here.
Looking for some resources to use alongside this short story? Check out my COMPLETE unit by clicking here or on the image below.
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
This classic short story revolves around a young couple who sacrifice their most prized possessions to buy each other gifts. It’s an excellent example of true love and selflessness, perfect for teaching your students about the power of giving! While it is traditionally a story read around the Christmas holidays, its strong themes of love and sacrifice make it a great addition to your list of short stories for Valentine’s Day.
Check out my COMPLETE unit to use alongside the story by clicking here or on the image below! This resource contains a full text version of the story.
The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst
This story offers an emotional look at brotherly love and family bonds. After his little brother Doodle is born with physical disabilities, Brother strives to make him “normal” despite all odds. This moving story will help students reflect on the importance of accepting others as they are and seeing beyond physical differences.
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
Madame Loisel dreams of having a luxurious life filled with expensive jewelry and fancy dresses. When she gets invited to a high-class party, she borrows an expensive necklace—only to discover it was fake after she loses it. This moral tale teaches us the importance of being content with what we have instead of constantly chasing after material wealth. While not a traditional Valentine’s Day focused story, it makes an excellent addition to your list of short stories for Valentine’s Day.
Snag a complete unit to go along with this short story by clicking here or on the image below!
The Myth of Cupid and Psyche
This classic Greco-Roman tale is one of love and redemption. In this story, Cupid falls in love with an earthly woman named Psyche but is forbidden by his mother Venus from marrying her. After being betrayed by her jealous sisters, Psyche embarks on a quest to prove her worthiness as Cupid’s bride-to-be. Along the way, she faces many obstacles including monsters, gods, and goddesses before finally being reunited with her beloved Cupid in the end. This timeless story will not only help your children learn about Greek mythology but also about how true love conquers all.
Check out a COMPLETE Unit to use along with this short story by clicking here or on the image below.
For more information on teaching about Greek Mythology, check out of post on Greek Mythology Activities for Interactive Notebooks.
MaMmom and the Archer by O. Henry
In this tongue-in-cheek story, a self made millionaire teaches his son a valuable lesson about the power of love (and money). This story is an excellent conversation starter that is much loved by this age group.
Looking for resources to use with this short story in your classroom? Click here or on the image below!
Whether you’re looking for something lighthearted or thought-provoking, these short stories are sure to bring a little Valentine magic to your middle school classroom. I hope you have fun reading these heartwarming tales with your middle schoolers this Valentine’s Day! They’re sure to bring smiles all around 🙂
Looking for some FREE Resources to use alongside these short stories for Valentine’s Day?
Check out this blog post to snag 3 FREE ELA resources! These activities work great to use along with any of these short stories for Valentine’s Day!
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