TeachersFirst: Resources for Halloween

Haloween TeachersFirst's Resources for Halloween/Fall

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Anoka - Halloween Capital of the World Grade 2 to 8 - Anoka Halloween, Inc.- 1663

This simple site provides historical information about Anoka, Minnesota. Do you know what makes Anoka so interesting? It has the unique nickname of the "Halloween Capital of the World." Do you want to know why it is the capital? Visit the site and read all about the history, celebrations, and more. Suddenly a community's claim to fame can become a way to introduce your students to the process of tracing local history.

In the Classroom:
Use this site when studying community and culture. There are many sites that offer Halloween games and printables, but this site offers some real history - check it out! Why not have students research the history of Halloween (or another holiday) in your hometown. Do they have a parade? If so, when did it begin? What year did trick-or-treating begin in your hometown?

Assign cooperative learning groups different cities throughout your state, and have students do "Halloween" (or holiday) research on that particular town. Have the groups create interactive presentations to share with the class. Try having students create videos to share using YouTube or TeacherTube (explained here).

Not Just Halloween: Festivals of the Dead from around the World Grade 4 to 12 - EDSITEment- 7891

This 2006 site (all about Halloween) offers a different perspective of the "festival of the dead" on October 31st. This site highlights celebrations from America, Japan, Mexico, Cambodia, and a few other locations. Although this site is text heavy, it would be very useful in upper elementary grades and beyond. The site includes background information, conclusion questions, and class activity suggestions. Very basic standards are included.

In the Classroom:
If you are looking for a new twist to Halloween? Use this site for research and more. Divide the students into cooperative learning groups and have each group research Halloween in various countries (maybe even some countries not included at this site). Have the groups create multi-media presentations to share with the class on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students write a blog entry about Halloween in the country they researched, or create a video (with costumes, even better). Share the videos using a resource such as TeacherTube (explained here).

History of Halloween Grade 5 to 8 - History Channel- 6198

Turn Halloween into a history lesson with this History Channel site that traces its origin from an ancient Celtic festival to the modern-day practices of trick-or-treating and Jack-o'-lantern carving. Includes some hauntingly intriguing video clips (some with specific ties to American history), ghost stories, and recipes.

In the Classroom:
This is a great site to show students how history can impact their everyday! One good project would be to use this site as an introduction to Halloween activities. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector. There are several different "histories" on the site, such as the history of the Jack o'Lantern, or the origins of Halloween, or the origins of several ghost stories. Have students look at the site in pairs, and create a poster of what they thought were the most interesting facts. We recommend a site such as Wallwisher, (reviewed here). Have students display their posters, and then use the free craft ideas offered to celebrate the holiday in your class!

Mrs. Cassidy's Web Page - Halloween Grade K to 3 - Mrs. Cassidy- 8844

Treat your students to a "howling" good time at this Halloween web page created by a teacher. Some examples of activities include: "Make a Pumpkin," "Monster Match," and "Haunted Alphabet." Educational topics include numbers, counting, problem solving, logic, and art. Many of these activities require JAVA and/or FLASH. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Use your interactive whiteboard to share the Halloween fun! Most of the links are educational and offer excellent enrichment. You may notice some spelling differences (since some of the links originate from British Columbia).

Share this link in your fall newsletter or on your class website or blog.

Halloween Lesson Plans Grade K to 8 - TeAchnology- 7952

This website offers a collection of Halloween lesson plans in various disciplines including math, science, language arts, creativity and others.

Halloween Grade 4 to 12 - Vocabulary University- 9902

Bring some educational value to Halloween using this site: word puzzles, historical information, wordbanks of vocabulary words, classroom activities, and discussion questions. Many of the activities are printable. This site does have some basic advertisements.

In the Classroom:
Use this site to introduce some "spooky" new vocabulary to your students. Use the wordbank to create a class activity learning the meanings of these new words. Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students work with a partner to try out the puzzles on their own. Have students try to create their own word puzzles and share them on a class wiki.

Literary Bash Grade 3 to 12 - Cara Bafile- 7960

This website provides a lesson plan that was designed to use around Halloween. There are objectives, assessments, and standards provided. This lesson is all about throwing a "literary bash" in honor of your class's favorite piece of literature (Harry Potter is used an example). This activity is an excellent alternative to a traditional Halloween party.

Halloween Mini-Unit Grade K to 3 - Jill Neitz- 7953

The history of Halloween and the Jack-O-Lantern are the focus of this holiday mini-unit. Though not very aesthetically appealing, this author offers many great ideas for activities. Some of the activities include sequencing, field trips, writing, making predictions, hands-on experiences and math.

In the Classroom:
Take advantage of the free lesson plan and activities offered on this site! The history is almost word for word what is offered by the History Channel, but the activities are original and creative, spanning multiple subjects.

Punny Costumes Grade 4 to 7 - Bonnie Neubauer- 6288

Who needs Halloween when you can have costumes based on word play? Think beyond October 31. At Punny Costumes, you will find a list of simple (no sewing required) Halloween costumes that are all based on word plays. The website claims that these idiom costumes will, "elicit moans and groans from bad puns." Some of the costume ideas include "All Thumbs," "Black Holes," and "Hip Chick".

In the Classroom:
You may want to list this link on your website for parents and students to use at home (to create some "unique" costumes). Challenge your students to create some additional "Word Play Costume" ideas. Plan a Punny Costume day as a culmination of your idioms unit! Be sure to share pictures (unidentifiable) on your class wiki or have students vote for their favorite costume picture using an embedded polling tool such as Poll Junkie (reviewed here).

Haunted House Treat Carrier Grade K to 5 - Cara Bafile- 7963

This website provides a lesson plan with detailed instructions, objectives, standards and more. Students are asked to make a haunted house carrier for their delicious Halloween candy. Treat your students to this "yummy" lesson.

In the Classroom:
Your students could also make these crafts as a service project for less-fortunate children and fill the carriers with small toys, stickers, and toiletry items to be shared with children in local homeless or domestic violence shelters. Consider making Halloween a time to share.

Guess Who's Coming To Our Classroom Grade 3 to 8 - Cara Bafile- 7959

This website provides a lesson plan, standards, reproducible worksheets and more. The lesson was designed to use around Halloween. The students are challenged to help Miss Terie (get it - mystery) research a new Halloween activity for her class. Everything is provided and excitement is guaranteed - kids love a mystery! This lesson integrates famous people from history, using technology, and solving a mystery.

In the Classroom:
Use this as an alternative to the candy-filled holiday party. Ask parent volunteers to help out.

Halloween Recipes Grade 1 to 8 - - 4668

This one’s just for fun. There’s a long list of recipes for foods with ghoulish names. Just the thing for a classroom Halloween party. Enterprising teachers or parents may want to suggest some of these to the school food service in late October.

Primary ICT - Whiteboard Literacy - Story Starts Grade 1 to 7 - Teachers.TV- 9866

Are you looking for a way to spice up your creative writing lessons? If so, check out this site! The site puts a new twist on story starters... video story starters. There is one video (approximately 15-minutes long) that provides seven creative writing scenarios. One scenario, for example, is a ghostly graveyard (perfect for a Halloween writing exercise). Use these 2-3 minute video topics to get your students excited about writing.

Tip: when first downloading, the clip pauses a bit. Watch it in full on the computer you plan to use in advance, so it is in your "cache" before using in class. The video require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Preview this video and figure out which clips work with your students. The graveyard one is a perfect motivator around Halloween. But all of the topics are highly creative and pique students' interest. Share these video prompts on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Brainstorm (as a class) possible conclusions to the story. Have students write their story and share it with the class. Have students use one of the prompts to make a class-contributed wiki or continuing story from the prompt.

The Moonlit Road Grade 6 to 9 - Craig Dominey- 6961

Just in time for Halloween, you can introduce your students to real ghost stories originating in the American South. Historical origin of the stories provided on the story pages makes the stories even more compelling. Stories can be read or listened to in streaming audio. If your students get interested, they can return to this site again and again since the stories change monthly. Message boards making comments about each story are available for further student participation. The audio fiules require Real Player. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Reading these stories is a great jump off for an oral story telling project! If you have started to try podcasting, use this as the start of a new story collection on podcasts.

Bat Watch Grade 1 to 5 - Scholastic- 5100

Bats, bats, and more bats "hang out" at this spooky site. But this site isn't a Halloween "fun" site, but rather an educational science site. Learn about various types of bats, people who research bats, where bats live, what they eat, "bat" vocabulary, view videos about bats, and lots of other science facts. This website has two difficulty levels which also present completely different information. At level one students are able to make a Bat Book and view an "investigation" that teaches a lot of basic Bat Facts. Then level two offers an interactive quiz-like challenge to identify what a bat eats based on their teeth, nose, face, and size. There is also a bat library, backyard science (with lots of additional information) and even a message board.

To post or comment on the message boards, you must register. Registration does NOT require an email address. They do ask for your first name and last initial, but students could create fictitious names. Or you could simply direct students to stay away from the message boards. At the time of this review, the message boards were all relevant and appropriate. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
This is a fantastic addition to your unit on food chains, animals in general, bats, or even Halloween or Fall fun! Have students work on investigate teams to read through the information at the website. Project the interactives with your interactive whiteboard or projector, if individual computers aren't available. Create a class wiki to discuss various types of bats, what each team learns about bats, and other research that is conducted.

Neil Gaiman's Mouse Circus Grade 4 to 10 - HarperCollins- 10047

Not only did Neil Gaiman’s book Coraline become a movie in 2009, but his book The Graveyard Book, won the Newbery Medal at the same time. Explore the world of Nobody Owens, the main character in The Graveyard Book. But, if you want to know more about Nobody’s creator, definitely explore this site. Listen to Neil read from his award-winning book. Read interviews to learn more about this fascinating man. Print posters, enjoy wallpapers, and play games based upon Gaiman’s work. Enjoy video and audio of his books by clicking on "Extras." This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
If you are doing an author study, this site is loaded with information about this award-winning author. Compare the movie version of Coraline with the book using Venn Diagrams. Why not try online Venn Diagrams, using a site such as “Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagrams” (reviewed here). Compare and contrast this Newbery book with other recent Newbery books. Print posters of his books for an eerie Gaiman bulletin board at Halloween. Use an online poster creator, such as Wallwisher, (reviewed here).

Bats: Fantastic Mammals of Flight Grade 2 to 6 - eFieldTrips- 8003

This virtual field trip is all about bats - and takes students to the Carlsbad Caverns National Park! There are four sections of the "field trip". Part one is the journal, which is presented to the students first (and requires Adobe). The journal provides numerous questions for students to search for the answers while they visit their destinations. Part two is the virtual journey itself (which requires FLASH). Part three is "ask the experts" which provides past questions and answers. However, students didn't have the option of posing new questions. Part four is a live chat with the experts (a specific time is predetermined for the chat). Unfortunately, this web chat occurred in January 2007, but they hope to schedule another live chat in the future. Some of the activities on this site require FLASH.

In the Classroom:
This is a perfect virtual field trip for Halloween - all about bats (while you teach about mammals)! Use an interactive whiteboard and take your class to the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Monster Mash Grade 3 to 12 - Cara Bafile- 7961

Students play inventor or entrepreneur and create a "monster mash" in this open-ended, creative activity. A detailed lesson plan, standards and an assessment are provided.

Environment, Culture and Chocolate Grade 4 to 8 - Field Museum- 4712

Suitable for Halloween or any chocolate-covered holiday, the educator’s portion of the Field Museum’s site about chocolate delves into the South American cultures and environments in which the cacao bean grows. Students can explore chocolate’s impact on the economies and environment of these countries, and can also examine chocolate’s ancient cultural connections. Sweet!

Autopsy Grade 8 to 12 - Australian Museum- 10423

This interactive site shows how parts of an actual autopsy are done. The site does have a disclaimer that the content may be too graphic for some viewers. However, the "person" is a computer drawn, faceless character. You can click through the site, screen by screen, following the onscreen instructions to complete the autopsy. This includes removing the organs and weighing them. The site also includes a short video about an actual forensic scientist. Average metric weight of some human organs is also included in the site.

In the Classroom:
This site could be used as an alternative to dissection, an enrichment activity, or as part of a unit that uses crime scene investigation as part of its delivery technique. Anatomy classes could use this practice and review for quizzes or tests on the human body organs and systems. Show the site using the interactive whiteboard or projector as an introduction to human anatomy or to dissection. If you teach high school biology, this would be a great site during Halloween season, as well: teach anatomy with a creepy feature!

Goosebumps: The Science of Fear Grade 3 to 10 - California Science Center- 10294

Explore the science of fear with this fun and interesting site. Click on “Explore Fear Online.” View "Fear and the Brain" to understand how the brain responds to fear. Learn animal responses in "Fear in the Wild." Other links include "Fear and the Media," "The Fun Side of Fear," and "Dealing with Fear." Each link includes several more specific topics. There is also a Parent’s Guide with some of the topics.

In the Classroom:
Brainstorm situations that cause fear and identify how the brain processes this information. Explore the similarities of fear responses with the feelings when riding thrill rides. Identify as a class how people respond to fear and ways fear can help you. Creative writing students can explore different ways that people show fear so their writing can describe what fear LOOKS like instead of simply saying, “he was afraid.” Why not include this site when studying Poe's tales of terror or as a curriculum-related activity during Halloween season? Check out the “Dealing with Fear” section to help students struggling with anxieties and worry. Emotional or autistic support teachers and school counselors may also find this site helpful in allowing students to understand their body’s reactions to fear. Health and psychology classes can use this site to explore the physiology of fear.

Fascinating Egyptian Mummies Grade 4 to 12 - Sun Life Financial- 10205

This well-designed and high tech site allows students and teachers to enter the world of the tombs of mummies. Featuring games and entrance to tombs and other exhibitions designed by the Musée de la Civilization in Québec, the site creates high interest. Take your students back in time to Ancient Egypt and learn about the process of mummification, the jars in which the mummies' parts reside, and get a rich background in ancient Egyptian beliefs.

In the Classroom:
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. What a creative addition to Halloween and fall festivities! Provide the link to the French department; it is also available in French. Encourage your students to use this tool for projects and research about Egypt. The activities would work as a class activity, individual research, or with cooperative learning groups. Have students create online posters or papers or do it together as a class using tools such as Project Poster (reviewed here or PicLits (reviewed here. Make an online poster about Egypt with this site as a jumping off spot; try Wallwisher, (reviewed here).

Language Arts Online Clips Grade 1 to 6 - Thinkport- 8757

This wonderful site has an extensive list of free video clips of favorite children's books, author interviews, and author documentaries. Users can open them with Windows Media or Real Player (the listings tell which one is needed). Some clips offer both options. Get the plug ins from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..This site MUST have a high speed connection! It can be slow to load during "peak" times (11 a.m. to 2 pm Eastern time in the U.S.). Be patient while clips download, even on a peppy network. While the videos are downloading, you may not think anything is happening. TURN OFF your pop-up blocker (including the ones built into the Google and Yahoo toolbars) so you can see the video pop-up windows.

In the Classroom:
Preview the video clips before recommending them to students or using in class, since the quality of video and audio varies significantly. None is designed for full screen projection, though some will project about half-screen. Share a partial video with the class or as a center to inspire children to read a book or allow them to watch videos after they have read books. (A Dark, Dark tale would be great for Halloween week). Remember to turn up speakers for group viewing or provide headphones at your center. If you are ready to try podcasting, use these dramatic readings as models for students to record some of their favorite selections as a podcast (and possibly illustrate with student artwork). Share this link with parents on your web page or in your newsletter to encourage reading at home. Most of the books will be in our school library, so students can follow along. School librarians should know about this site as well! ESL students and weaker readers always benefit from listening to different voices read the same story as they follow along.

The Search for Monsters of Mystery Grade 3 to 8 - National Geographic Kids- 8724

Terrifically "scary," this website thrills students with information about various monsters. Students learn the geographic location and numerous facts about several famous "monsters". The fascinating study includes Bigfoot, Nessie, Storsie, Yeti, Champ, and Mokele-Mbembe. Note: Some of the information on the monsters comes up in pop-ups. Turn off any pop-up blockers (this would include those that work as part of the Google or Yahoo toolbar).

In the Classroom:
Use this website as a starting point for researching the history of famous monsters. This is a great way to teach about fact vs fiction and the information literacy skill of evaluating web site reliability, using a topic that students will love. After they collect facts, have a monster "trial" in your classroom "courthouse" where two teams try to prove that each monster is FACT or FICTION, using "evidence" from this site and further research. Differentiate the tasks by assigning some of your brighter students to conduct the questioning (and perhaps challenge the web sources). Then have a the class-member "jury" reach a verdict: Fact or Fiction?

Ghost Blasters Grade 3 to 5 - - 8507

This unique (and addictive) game uses ghosts to build number sense and motivate students - perfect for Fall Fun! The website allows users to choose to play with multiples of 2-20. Once you have chosen what multiples you want to play, click the "play" button. Then you click on the ghosts that are the appropriate multiples. This activity requires Flash, get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Introduce this website on an interactive whiteboard and then allow students to explore independently. This website is perfect for learning centers - especially around October!

Making Science Fun: Screaming Balloon Grade 3 to 6 - Steve Spangler- 8263

This very simply written explanation of how to make a balloon "scream" is easy to follow for the teacher and appealing to all kids who enjoy experimenting with sound effects. Besides the "how-to" part, there's also a brief explanation of why the balloon starts emitting shrieks. There are also variations on the experiment. The page includes links to several other, related experiments.

In the Classroom:
Use this activity to teach scientific observation, centripetal force, or sound-- and have the bonus of a great spooky sound if it happens to be October!

eNature:FieldGuides - Mammal Grade K to 8 - eNature- 7000

This site provides research information for 283 different types of mammals including cats, bears, mice, bats and more! Highlights of the information include tracks of the animal's prints, very detailed pictures and descriptions of the habitat, location, breeding and more!

In the Classroom:
For some close-up fun, set-up a projector to show your students pictures and tracks of the animals. At Halloween you could focus on the 20+ types of bats!

Build a Scarecrow Grade 1 to 2 - PBS- 6192

Tap into basic reading and mouse skills with this computer lab activity that creates a virtual scarecrow based on individual student responses. To extend this activity into the math classroom, poll students as they progress through the questions, then use that data in a graphing lesson. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

Scribbler Grade 9 to 12 - Ze Frank- 5184

Use the mouse to create a simple line drawing. Click the "Done Drawing" button and watch it morph into a very different kind of masterpiece! Experiment with the settings to produce variations. Tour the gallery to see what others have created. A fun and unique alternative to tradition pen and ink sketches!

In the Classroom:
Save this site in your favorites on your class computers. Allow students to create their own designs in the "scribbler," and use those drawings as inspiration for an art project. Encourage recreating the scribble in other mediums, or even trying to sketch their own. In a language arts class, allow students to create poems or short rhymes in the scribbler. The graphic addition makes the poems a very interesting display, and is a different take on an old assignment! Due to the spider-web quality of the designs, scribbler poems would be perfect around Halloween.

The Interactive Raven Grade 6 to 12 - TeachersFirst- 168

Here's TeachersFirst's famous on-line presentation of Poe's classic poem, with notations explaining definitions and literary devices. Roll over words for definitions, literary devices, and more.

In the Classroom:
This is a great on-line independent study for students who need additional help with either vocabulary or poetic devices. Introduce the site on your projector (rollovers will not work on an interactive whiteboard), then have students work alone or with a partner to become acquainted with the full text of Poe's masterpiece, accessing definitions and literary devices on their own. Challenge students to create their own dramatic readings of the poem using a tool such as Podomatic (reviewed here)or accompany their reading with illustrations using Voicethread (reviewed here).