HalloweenTeacher’s handout

Target group: KB 2 or TL2

Purpose of these exercises? American culture and being creative with a language, thinking in images instead of thinking in words and letters. This lesson is designed to learn more about the American culture as well as visualising a poem so pupils remember difficult words better.

1. Homework students: to be handed out lesson or week before Halloween!

- Bring a magazine or words and letters that you think are scary- Bring a pair of scissors, glue, colouring pencils etc to make something scary

2. Homework teacher: - Copy and cut out the group divider on page 7 X times (you should have 7 groups)- Bring at least 7 A3 papers in different Halloween colours; orange, purple, red etc.- Make sure you have a classroom with a digiboard- Bring a flashlight, candles and a lighter for extra effect

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Timetable

Time Material What Learning goal 3 min digi-board Introduce theme by

showing short film.

Engage children, make them curious

5 min

schoolboard Write words on board that the kids think of when thinking about Halloween

To learn (possible) new words from each other. To get kids involved with the theme and the coming poem

3 min

poem digi-board

Introduce poem *on the digi-board there will be a scary background. The poem will be read with dimmed lights and a flashlight underneath the face to get a spooky effect

To introduce poetry to children and to show them that poetry can be interesting

3 min

digi-board powerpoint

Show pictures on the digi-bord that represent the difficult words in the poem. Ask kids what they think the words are.

Understanding of vocabulary poem

3 min

Tell the kids where Halloween comes from (culture America)

To learn about the history of Halloween. To understand the meaning of Halloween

5 min

cards Divide pupils into groups through handing out cards with pictures on them. Kids who have the same picture will be in one group.

To learn and work together with people they normally don’t do projects with

15 min A3 paper and material from pupils themselves

Visualise vocabulary and theme and put it on paper. They can make a moodboard or a poster.

To learn and visualise the language and the poem. Also to work as a team

5 min digi-bord Show Halloween bloopers

To give all the kids a good feeling at the end of the lesson so that now one goes home being scared

Introduction

To raise interest in the topic we will start by showing a youtube film. This film gives pupils an idea of the theme. The film is short, funny and exciting so they will be curious what is to be followed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yairnVWjPd8

After showing the film ask which words the kids think of when thinking about Halloween

Read the 2 poems below. You can show the poems on the digiboard using the presentation p. 3, 4& 5, there is a link to soundeffects you can use. Turn off the lights and light a candle or hold a torch under your chin for extra effect.

Children can also be given the handout so they can read along with the text and underline the unfamiliar words.

Halloween3

(Harry Behn)

Tonight is the nightWhen dead leaves flyLike witches on switchesAcross the sky,When elf and spriteFlit through the nightOn a moony sheen.

Tonight is the nightWhen leaves make a soundLike a gnome in his homeUnder the ground,When spooks and trollsCreep out of holesMossy and green.

Tonight is the nightWhen pumpkins stareThrough sheaves and leavesEverywhere,When ghoul and ghostAnd goblin hostDance round their queen.It's Halloween

Difficult words Halloween

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SpriteSheave

Ghoul

It’s Halloween

(Jack Prelutsky)

It's Halloween! It's Halloween!The moon is full and brightAnd we shall see what can't be seenOn any other night.

Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,Grinning goblins fighting duels,Werewolves rising from their tombs,Witches on their magic brooms.

In masks and gownsWe haunt the street

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And knock on doorsFor trick or treat.

Tonight we areThe king and queen,For oh tonight

Difficult words It’s Halloween

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Skeleton Goblin Magic broom

While-readingAfter going through the vocabulary we will tell the pupils what Halloween actually means:

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Halloween was originally called All Hallows’ Eve. On this day most religious people respected important saints from the past. Halloween is a very old tradition starting somewhere between the 5th and 15th century, also known as the Middle Ages. A tradition brought over to America by the Scottish and Irish.

They said that the 31st of October was the end of Summers’ season and that the supernatural and psychical word, the world we life in, was at his closest and that “magic could happen and the dead would rise again!”.

The 1st of November was the day to praise the souls of the death.

Nowadays Halloween is a worldwide children’s festival but the influence of the past is still present. The costumes for example are as scary as possible and these are influenced by the day when the souls of the

death were praised.Children go trick or treating past houses, people make their homes creepy and buy candy to give to the

children.Learning goal: To learn about part of the American culture. To know the meaning behind the Halloween

festival

Dividing into groups: copy x times

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Every student receives a picture. Students should go and sit with the students with the same picture.

Each group gets a verse. A verse consists of 4 sentences, some of them rhyme, some of them do not.

- There are seven groups: Witch It’s Halloween verse 1 Dracula it’s Halloween verse 2 Ghost It’s Halloween verse 3 Pumpkins It’s Halloween verse 4 Skeleton Halloween verse 1 Frankenstein Halloween verse 2 Cat Halloween verse 3

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Assignment for the students

Discus the following with your group.- Look at your verse, what does it mean? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________- Which words stick out? Why? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________- Are there words you can draw? Which ones?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________- Can you see images in front of you?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Every group has to make a poster of their verse. Each group consists of 3, 4 or 5 students. The poster, mood board or artwork should say something about what the verse is about. Groups should make their own project, everyone has a different task so you can grade each student separately on creativity and also in how good they can work in a group.

- 1 person is in charge of the letters of the verse. Make a title of your verse; make it scary!- 1 or 2 persons are in charge of drawing the things mentioned in the verse.- 1 person is in charge of filling the empty spaces on the page.- 1 person is the spokesperson and should give the presentation.

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Homework for next lesson: Finish your poster and present (about 3 minutes per group) your poster in the classroom. Why have you made this poster?

Pupils who have already finished their poster can make a puzzle or find Halloween bloopers on the internet.

Or watch a funny Halloween animation on youtube.com (example: comedy of horrors)

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