Halloween Lesson Plan Ideas

No matter how old the student, chances are he or she'll feel cheated if you do nothing to recognize one of children's best loved holidays, Halloween. Hoping to make the holiday fun for you and your students, I've gathered activities and Internet links to celebrate Halloween across the curriculum.

Art

1. For directions for making different types of ghosts, check Ghost Crafts.
2. Directions for making a tiny witch doll and a pumpkin.
3. For a unique pumpkin, try a portrait pumpkin following directions at Jack O Lantern.com - Portraits.
   

Chorus

1. Do your warm up exercises making ghost sirens.
   
   

Classes with Computers

1. Make iron on graphics for tee shirts.
2. Spruce up your high school's web site with animated Halloween graphics from Halloween Clipart - Halloween Volume 2 and Spooky Fonts for Halloween.
3. Make Halloween signs, greeting cards, bookmarks, party invitation or posters.
4. Supplement your Halloween graphics with owls those found at Holiday Bird Clipart - Halloween and bats from Holiday Bird Clipart - Halloween - Volume 3.
5. More Halloween graphics may be found in a library of Halloween Internet links at Halloween Clipart.
6. Middle school students may enjoy a Halloween Hunt for facts.
   
   

Drama

1. Have improvisation exercises in which students randomly walk around the stage impersonating a ghost, bat, cat, pumpkin or Frankenstein.
2. Have groups present Halloween children's storybooks with one person reading and the others impersonating scenery and contributing sound effects.
3. Do the same as above with readings from The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe or with Excerpts from Ann Rices' novels.

Thanks to Steve Mulder.

English and Languages

1. Halloween Analogy Questions
2. Journal Topics
   • Describe your scariest childhood Halloween memory.
   • Describe the best Halloween costume made yourself or that you helped to make.
   • Describe the best way for children to celebrate Halloween.
   • How would you like to celebrate Halloween differently?
   • Describe Halloween from the viewpoint of a vampire bat.
   • Create a holiday you would like to substitute for Halloween.
   • Write an autobiography of a Jack O Lantern.
   • Write a poem about Halloween.
     
3. Essay Topics
   • Describe a neighborhood street on Halloween night.
   • Describe a memorable Halloween party.
   • Describe in detail an unusual Halloween costume.
   • Explain why Halloween is celebrated today in the United States.
   • Explain why you think trick-or-treating is (or is not) dangerous.
   • Explain the likely consequences of vandalizing property.
   • Persuade a local merchant to give children candy on Halloween.
   • Persuade your parents to let you have a Halloween party on a school night.
   • Persuade your best friend to be the rear section of your _______ costume. (You decide what the costume will be.)
   • Persuade your school principal to show __________ all afternoon to celebrate Halloween. (You name a movie)
     
     
4. Don't miss Haunted Houses and Witches Haunts for Halloween activities from Mexico To Salem featuring fascinating information about Halloween fun and Internet links for further investigation.

Home Economics

1. Try some of these yummy Halloween recipes at the Halloween Recipes Index.
2. Personalize the loot bags with Iron on Halloween graphics or use the same plan with prints appropriate for other occasions.
3. Create costumes using online directions for a tea bag, flower, clown, or robot .
4. Create costumes that incorporate your cane, crutches, or wheelchair.
   
   

Math

1. You and your students will enjoy the these challenging problems involving Halloween systems of measurement.
2. Here are a few easier Halloween math word problems.
   Thanks are extended to John Reh, About Management guide.
   
   

Science

1. You and your students will enjoy these challenging problems involving Halloween systems of measurement. The highly creative author will send you answers upon request.
2. Visit the site What's so bad about bats? This site will provide* the information needed for the written or oral reports by individuals or small groups on the following topics:
   1. Associations for protection of bats
   2. Bat houses
   3. Vampire bats
   4. Health hazard myths related to bats
   5. The importance of bats in the ecosystem
   6. The endangered species list and species that have been wiped out
   7. The physical features of bats
   8. The method used by bats to orient themselves

   Check About's Birding site feature, Bats for more information on each of these topics.
   
   

Social Studies

1. Learn about the history of Halloween.
2. Don't miss Haunted Houses and Witches Haunts for Halloween activities from Mexico To Salem featuring fascinating information about Halloween fun and Internet links for further investigation.

Written by Diane Walker
Updated by Melissa Kelly