Ghosts, Ghouls and Creatures that Go Bump in the Night

  It's that spooky time of the year! Try some of these activities for frightening fun!!  

 Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble  Yummy Witches' Brew      

Witches create marvelous concoctions using creepy, crawly things. Have students write a recipe for a  Famous Homemade Witchy Brew.     For practice in converting measurements, students can double amounts of ingredients in their recipes, changing to equivalent measures if that simplifies the brew (ex.: 4 cups-- I qt.). Then they can halve the original amounts. Finally have students convert the recipe to metric measurements.    

Well-known Haunted Hangouts      

There are a number of places commonly believed to be haunted. Each student chooses a place such as a castle, a haunted house, an old hotel, or the White House. He writes a descriptive story about ways that he'd haunt it if he were a ghost, then adds an illustration to haunt readers.

   The Ghost Of A Famous Person      

Legend has it that some famous people came back to haunt people or places with which they were familiar. Each student chooses a famous, deceased person whose ghost he would like to meet. Who would it be? Where would they meet? The student writes the conversation that they might have and gives reasons for choosing that person.  

What The Best-Dressed Witches Will Be Wearing    

A witch's/warlock's wardrobe is versatile with robes and cloaks, brooms, hats, pants, shirts, and accessories suitable for flying, scaring people, and enduring for centuries.     Ask each student to open a boutique or mail-order catalog for witches. Students can design a poster, a radio,TV advertisement, a logo, and a sale flier. They need to create an order form and a price list. For math fun, have students write story problems to stump classmates, using their ads and price lists. They need to provide an answer key. Then have students calculate 1/4-off prices for a sale. They can set up work schedules for their stores, then determine hourly wages and how much each worker will earn. Finally, each student can make up a catchy phone number, such as 1-800-FLY-HERE.  

Salem Witch Trials    

In the 1600s, the North American colonies shared in the fanatical witch-hunts that started in Europe. Persons accused of practicing witchcraft were searched out for persecution. In Salem, Massachusetts, 20 persons were executed in 1692. Discuss charges made against persons accused of being witches. Have students prepare a defense for a Salem resident on trial for witchcraft. Then read about actual Salem witch-hunts.  

How To Haunt    

Ghosts, ghouls, and other spooky creatures haunt places in many ways. To make noise, they boo, wail, clank chains, rap walls, and moan. To startle humans, they flutter, appear, float, walk through walls, fly, and move furniture. Have students plan a haunting lesson for new creepy fiends. They can make a tape of spooky sounds. Remind them to illustrate and explain haunting actions. Each student can add terrifying ideas of his own.  

Ghost Towns    

Ghost towns, once flourishing communities, were usually abandoned for economic reasons. Research to find abandoned communities in your area Have students locate these places on a map. Other ghost towns were railroad connections, oil-well communities, and ship-building towns.Some ghost towns have been restored to their original appearance.Find out if there are any that have been restored in your area.Create a travel brochure for a ghost town, emphasizing the fact that there are ghosts there.  

Garbage Bag Ghost

large white garbage bag
permanent black marker
newspaper
strong string
Stuff one corner of a large white garbage bag with crumpled newspaper to form a head. Twist shut,folding other corner down and secure with string. Draw a face on the ghost with permanent markers. Let face dry. Cut bottom part of bag into 3-4" wide strips. Attach string to top of head with wide tape; knotting string so it doesn't pull out. Make lots and hang them indoors or out.*Please note: please be careful of plastic bags around small children. No one should ever put a plastic bag over their own or anyone else's head or use this craft as a "costume" .    

Look at That!

Look at that!
Ghost lined up at the Laundromat,
all around the block.
Each has bleach and some detergent.
Each one seems to think it urgent
to take a spin in a washing machine
before the clock strikes Halloween!  
Lilian Moore  

LITTLE GHOST

(Tune:Yankee Doodle)
I'm such a very little ghost
I've waited all the year through
For Halloween's my night to howl
Please let me frighten you, too!"  
*Author Unknown  

The Ghost
I saw a ghost   (fingers circle eyes)
He saw me too  (point to yourself)
I waved at him  (wave your hand)
But he said, "BOO!"  (try to scare person next to you)
*Author Unknown   

Q. Where do baby ghosts go during the day?
A. Day"scare" centers
   
Q. What do ghosts serve for dessert?
A. Ice Scream
 
Q. What do you get when you cross Bambi with a ghost?
A. Bamboo  
Q. What kind of mistakes do ghosts make?
A. Boo boos  

Q. What's the first thing ghosts do when they get into a car?
A. They boo-kle their seatbelts  

Q. How did the ghost patch his sheet?
A. With a pumpkin patch.  

Q: What did the little ghost have in his rock collection?
A: Tombstones  

Q: What does a ghost eat for lunch?
A: A BOO-logna sandwich.  

Q: What did the Mommy ghost say to the baby ghost?
A: Don't spook until your spooken to.