Listen to a Halloween story, and identify its holiday theme.
Create a Halloween trick-or-treat bag.

","materials","

For each child:

1 medium or large paper bag with handles, such as a paper bag from a grocery store or department store

For the whole group:

Halloween-themed picture book (See Preparation section.)
Various craft supplies:

Construction paper
Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
Glue or tape
Scissors

","preparation","

Read through and familiarize yourself with the entire activity.

Select a Halloween-themed book to read aloud to children. Consider age-appropriate options, such as:

Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Clifford’s Halloween, by Norman Bridwell
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, by Charles M. Schultz
Arthur’s Halloween, by Marc Brown

(Optional) Create your own Halloween trick-or-treat bag as a model for the activity.

","worksheets","multimedia","steps","

Introduce the activity by briefly discussing Halloween. Ask:
- When is Halloween? Why do you think we celebrate it at this time of year? (Possible answer: Halloween occurs at the end of October. The fall weather and upcoming change to winter can be frightening, so we recognize that fear with a fun holiday.)
- What costume would you like to wear on Halloween?
- Have you ever gone trick-or-treating? What did you do?
- How else can you celebrate or enjoy Halloween? (Answers include parties, crafts, and parades.)
Gather children around you in a semicircle. Read aloud the title of the book and point to the cover. Then, ask children to predict the story or theme of the book.
Read aloud the story. Pause after every few pages and ask children to make predictions, summarize what they just heard, or confirm details about the story. Keep them engaged by reading dynamically and making eye contact.
When you finish reading, announce that the group will next make bags for trick-or-treating. Review ideas from the book or general Halloween concepts, such as scary mythical creatures (goblins, witches, ghosts), spooky plants and animals (bats, jack-o-lanterns), and favorite characters from books, movies, or television shows. Explain that children can apply any of these ideas to their trick-or-treat bags.
(Optional) Show your model trick-or-treat bag. Point out its function (to hold candy) and the decorations you made.
Review the craft supplies you have available. Then distribute the paper bags, one per child. Finally, invite children to decorate the bags.
Circulate and monitor while children make their bags. Encourage children to share ideas and help one another. Offer assistance as needed, such as cutting out paper shapes, writing text, or suggesting ways to enact a design.
Ask a few volunteers to talk about their bags or their Halloween plans. Encourage children to say what they like about the bags that others made or say what they like best about Halloween.

","examples","versions","variations","

Children may also make other Halloween-themed crafts, such as paper cut-outs for window decorations, costume accessories (crowns, wings), and paper-plate masks.

You may wish to adapt this activity for other holidays.

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Students read and analyze books together in groups, practicing literary analysis skills.

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Halloween

Halloween

Halloween

Overview