Halloween Short Story Writing Lesson Plan
This lesson plan is designed to help students write short stories while incorporating fun, engaging activities inspired by Halloween themes.
Lesson Outline
1. Warm-Up Activity: Get Students Moving
- Place letters A, B, C, D around the classroom.
- Ask the students a series of questions, and have them stand near the letter corresponding to their answer.
- Note: This activity may feel a little strange. The original draft utilized this section better, but adjustments were made for simplicity. I liked the idea and thought I'd still test it out and it works well.
2. Video Activity: "Scary Movie" Clip
- Show a clip from the movie "Scary Movie".
- Note: Despite its name, this is not a scary film; it’s a parody of the Halloween movie Scream.
- This scene is appropriate: no gore, swearing, provocative imagery, or frightening elements.
- Added Subtitles: Subtitles have been added to help students understand the dialogue.
3. Discussion Questions
- Ask students the general questions to guide comprehension, styled kind of like a short story summary:
- "The woman gets a call. She's scared."
- "The killer hides behind the sofa. The woman throws things at him."
- "The woman gets a call. She's scared."
4. Short Story Writing Activity
- Pair Up Students: Divide students into pairs.
- Hand Out Materials:
- Hand out the worksheet, I print it two pages per page so it gives it a reflection illusion, one sheet between two.
- Circle 5 Words: Students circle any five words from their half of the worksheet.
- Example Story: Show an example story from the presentation:
- Note: I know the example has 7 sentences and isn't the best translation, hence the Google sensei animation.
- Start Writing: Students begin creating their stories.
5. Optional Activity: Extra Stand-Up Questions
- If students finish early or you need to fill time, include additional stand-up questions from the presentation:
- Examples:
- "Do you believe in ghosts?"
- Student: "Yes, I do."
- Teacher: "Have you seen a ghost before?"
- Student: "No, I have not."
- Teacher: "Do you want to?"
- Student (shocked): ":o No!"
- Student: "Yes, I do."
Canva Presentation
The full presentation is available below:
[Canva Link](https://www.canva.com/design/DAGWN1v9gx4/Ilnfm75dKRIj-vmEZa0DEA/view?utm_content=DAGWN1v9gx4&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor)
Note: This is my first time sharing a Canva presentation. Let me know if any settings need adjustment.
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