Hallowe'en! Table of Contents Expectations... 2 Teacher Input Suggestions... 2 Hallowe'en Vocabulary... 3 List of Resources... 6 List of Skills... 7 Student Activity Check List... 9 Hallowe'en Reading Information Cards and Follow-Ups... 10 Hallowe'en Word Study Activities... 31 Hallowe'en Phonics Activities... 38 Hallowe'en Puzzles... 44 Hallowe'en Brainstorming... 55 Hallowe'en Creativity... 60 Hallowe'en Language... 70 Hallowe'en Research... 77 Answer Key... 80 Written by Ruth Solski (Revised) Illustrated by S & S Learning Materials 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) Permission is granted to the individual teacher who purchases one copy of the book called Halloween to reproduce the activities for use in his/her classroom only. Reproduction of these materials for an entire school or for a school system or for other colleagues, or for commercial sale is strictly prohibited. ISBN 092-151-1205 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) 1 C1-10
Hallowe'en! The students will: Expectations become familiar with the traditions celebrated during Hallowe'en and how they originated. learn about monsters found in legends and myths. develop their own creativity using the vocabulary derived from this theme. learn about the different symbols that are associated with Hallowe'en. Planning Ahead: Teacher Input Suggestions Since this is a popular celebration in October, it is wise to collect the necessary tools needed to make a Hallowe'en Theme complete. Collect the following materials: Hallowe'en photographs, commercial bulletin board displays and Hallowe'en Symbols, fiction and nonfiction books from the school resource centre (library) and the local public library, different types of Hallowe'en masks for displays, Hallowe'en costumes, pictures of animals and birds associated with Hallowe'en such as owls, cats, bats, toads, snakes, lizards, pictures of various monsters such as Dracula, werewolf, ghost, giant, dragon, Frankenstein, witch, mummy, videos and movies on ghosts and monsters, Hallowe'en poetry and songs, books with myths and legends, books with ghost stories, set of Hallowe'en novels, spooky music for listening activities Bulletin Board Displays: 1. Arrange pictures of monsters associated with Hallowe'en on a bulletin board such as a ghost, goblin, Dracula, a vampire, witch, mummy, Frankenstein, King Kong, giant, dragon, werewolf, beast, etc. The students may name them, research them and write information stories about them. 2. Print or write a variety of poems that have been written about the symbols of Hallowe'en such as witches, ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, owls, cats, snakes, lizards, newts, spiders, orange and black on chart paper. Display them in an interesting way on a bulletin board. Read and discuss one each day and have the students illustrate it. 3. Print a variety of Hallowe'en jokes or riddles on cards with answer cards. Display the joke and riddle cards on a bulletin board. The students may read the cards and locate the answers that goes with each one. Students may make up their own and place them on the bulletin board as well. 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) 2 C1-10
Hallowe'en! Introductions: You may wish to use any of the following for an introduction to the theme. 1. Read or tell a ghost story to your class. Discuss the elements that are needed to make a ghost story good. 2. Read a legend or myth about one of the monsters associated with Hallowe'en. 3. Share poetry written about any of the symbols that pertain to Hallowe'en. 4. Show a video or movie about a monster or ghost. For example Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Curse of the Mummy Hallowe'en Vocabulary Charts: 1. Brainstorm with your students vocabulary that pertains to the following headings on individual charts. Add words as they surface throughout the unit. Classify the Hallowe'en words given by your students on the charts. The vocabulary lists provided may be used to stimulate your students' thinking. a) Hallowe'en Creatures e) Hallowe'en Describing Words b) Hallowe'en Sounds f) Hallowe'en Verbs c) Witch Words g) Other Hallowe'en Words d) Haunted House Words 2. Classify the various words on charts under the headings nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. 3. List all the compound words on a chart. 4. Classify the words according to their syllables on charts under headings such as One Syllable Words, Two Syllable Words, Three Syllable Words, Four Syllables Words etc. 5. Classify words under the headings Hard and Soft "C". 6. List words that have double consonants. Underline each pair of double consonants. 7. Classify the words under long and short vowel sounds. 8. Classify words under the digraphs "sh, ch, wh, th" in the initial, middle and final position. 9. Classify words that begin with blends. Hallowe'en Vocabulary Hallowe'en Creatures Frankenstein, apeman, beast, demon, dragon, fiend, spirit, vampire, witch, lizards, newts, snakes, brownie, devil, ghost, Dracula, giant, gnome, goblin, ghoul, spook, bats, toads, banshee, pixie, apparition, dwarf, werewolf, imp, monster, ogre, phantom, savage, troll, cats, owls, bats, leprechaun, fairy 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) 3 C1-10
Hallowe'en Reading Information Card One Early Hallowe'en Two thousand years ago in France and Britain lived a group of people called the Celtic. They feared the evening of October 31 more than any other night. The Celtic believed that evil spirits were everywhere on this night. The Festival "Samhain", Lord of the Dead, was held on this evening. During the Festival of "Samhain", Celtic priests known as Druids burned prisoners, criminals or animals alive in cruel fire rites. The Druids claimed they could foretell the future by observing the ways the people and animals died. Samhain was also a harvest festival. The old year ended on this day and a new one began. The Celtic thanked the sun god "Baal" for giving them the grain that they had stored away. During the first century, Britain and France were invaded by Roman armies. The Romans celebrated a festival in October called "Feralia". The Roman and Druid Festivals were gradually blended together. During the fourth century after Christ, a new religion called Christianity was born. The Christian followers tried very hard to stamp out the pagan religions. The Celtic people did not want to give up their gods, rites and symbols. The Christian church decided to give them new names and meanings. The fire rites that the Celtic people had held for the dead on October 31 now protected them against the devil who was the enemy of the Christian church and God. "All Saints Day" was set aside as a day to remember the Christians who died for their beliefs. It was celebrated on November the 1st. In the church the festival for the pagan "Lord of the Dead" became the festival of Christian dead. Another name for "All Saints Day" was "All Hallows' Even which was later shortened to "Hallowe'en". Years later on October 31 the English, Irish and Scottish people gathered in groups and waited for the arrival of ghosts. They enjoyed eating nuts and apples, telling fortunes, dancing and playing games on this night. Hallowe'en customs were brought to North America in the nineteenth century by the Scottish and Irish people. 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) 10 C1-10
Skill: Recalling Facts Hallowe'en Reading Activity One Read Information Card One called "Early Hallowe'en". Answer each question with a complete sentence. 1. Who were the "Celtic" people? 2. Why did the Celtic people fear the evening of October 31? 3. What was "Samhain"? 4. Describe the ways in which the Celtic people celebrated "Samhain"? 5. Describe how Christianity changed the pagan beliefs of the Celtic people? 6. What were the early names for Hallowe'en? 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) 11 C1-10
Hallowe'en Reading Information Card Two The Little People "Goblins", "banshees", "leprechauns", "brownies" and "pixies" were known as the "Little People" or "fairy folk". These ugly, little creatures lived in underground homes or in dark places. They stood for evil spirits that the people thought emerged at Samhain or All Saints Day. Some scholars felt these "Little People" were real. They claimed that these small, dark-skinned, people lived in northern Europe and the British Isles. The Little People lived in the forests or hid near towns. They lived in low huts with turf roofs that looked like mounds. Their green clothing that they wore blended with their environment and protected them from enemies. The "Dwarf People" often stopped people on the road, kidnapped them and sometimes killed them. They shot arrows called elf bolts at people and cattle. Every seven years the "Fairy People" made a human sacrifice to their god. They often stole children for this purpose from Celtic people. The "Fairy People" hated the sound of their neighbours' church bells and their well made tools. Many legends and stories tell of mortals that married fairies so this could explain why there are no longer "Little People". These stories and legends also transformed the "Little People" into elves, goblins and fairy folk. In stories and legends their low, grassy-roofed house became fairy mounds, the green of their clothing the colour of fairy clothes and their custom of dancing in a circle became the fairy circle. In order to ward off the "Little People", the Celtic people hung iron horseshoes over their doorways because the "Little People" hated and feared iron. Today horseshoes are associated with good luck. On Hallowe'en night, church bells in villages rang loudly to keep the fairies away. Fairies and goblins became symbols of danger and evil and were greatly feared by the Celtic people. 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) 12 C1-10
Skill: Recalling Details Hallowe'en Reading Activity Two Years ago people believed evil, dwarf-like people existed. Read the Information Card Two called "The Little People". Complete the following activities. 1. List the names of the different types of "Little People". 2. In point form list the characteristics of the "Little People". 3. Pretend that you are a "Celtic" travelling on a lonely road. Suddenly before you stands an ugly, evil-looking, little creature. Use your imagination and draw an illustration of the creature. Write a brief description to accompany your illustration. 2000 Ruth Solski (Revised) 13 C1-10