Valentine's Day Mailboxes

Last week, Heidi from HeidiSongs, posted a question on her Facebook page asking for suggestions to use the small mailboxes found in the Target Dollar Bin.  I read many great ideas there and came up with this.

I purchased 5 mailboxes at Target.  Each mailbox flag is labeled with a vowel.  Students are looking at valentines and sorting the pictures by the middle sound (vowel sound).  This was a huge hit today!  Where did I get the valentines you ask?  Our local Walmart donated many boxes (100s) of Valentines after Valentine's Day last year.  Prior to giving them to students, I pulled out one set of each kind.  You could also ask students to donate unused valentines.  My students are LOVING sorting things like the Disney princesses, Spongebob and sports equipment.  To make it clear to students what they need to sort, I circled the picture I wanted them to sort with a black Sharpie.  I then laminated the valentines so they would last.

Do you have other ideas for using extra valentines in your classroom?