Write and Read (Laura)
- Sep 26, 2020
- 2 min read

5 Eerie, Engaging Halloween Activities for Secondary ELA

Updated: Sep 11

Why should elementary classes have all the fun on Halloween? Middle and high school students deserve some fun Halloween activities, too. Try these five ideas for engaging Halloween lessons that your secondary students will love.

A long man walks through a foggy forest. The trees are bare and dense. Bold text says, "Halloween Ideas for Secondary ELA."

Pop Culture Clips

If your class is reading a creepy piece of classic literature, check out some pop culture pairings. When I taught seventh grade, my go-to Halloween lesson was teaching “The Raven” and watching The Simpsons version of the poem. Many TV shows and cartoons have versions of creepy classics, and students love them. YouTube is also full of short videos of everything from “The Cask of Amontillado” to Dracula. There are even some anime versions available.

A Trip to the Basement

In high school, my American Lit teacher took us to the school basement. We sat in the dark in front of stacks of old furniture reading scary stories by candlelight. I will never forget that day in class, and you can create a memorable event yourself. Think about the dark, creepy areas around your school, and take a field trip.

Monster Voice

For a standards based lesson, Monster Voice is a favorite. This lesson teaches students how to use diction, imagery, and syntax to create voice. It’s a great writing assignment to get students thinking about the choices they make when writing. It also has a fun, creative task that requires students to create a monster.

Two pages of the scary story editing activity are laid out on a desk. On top of the pages, there is a Halloween pencil, eyeball eraser, and plastic spider.

Descriptive Writing: Scary Story Edition

If your students struggle to elaborate and use figurative language, Descriptive Writing: Scary Story Edition is the perfect Halloween lesson. This lesson teaches students to ditch the cliches, use sensory detail, and show rather than tell. Students first walk through the revision process with a prewritten story to transform. Then they get a chance to show off what they learned.

Scary Story Units

Teaching scary stories is another great way to keep your Halloween activities standards based. Personally, I love stories that have twist endings. They are always the most popular with students. Here are my favorites:

“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe

“The Landlady” by Roald Dahl

“The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

“Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl

No matter what Halloween activity you choose, have fun and enjoy the day with your students. Happy Halloween!

Laura