Lesson length : 40 to 50 minutes

Class size : Small Group class

Preparation time : 30 – 60 minutes to prepare the “Search for it” game (Depending on the level of detail), 20 – 30 minutes to prepare the “Halloween Can Stacking”, 10 minutes per pocket (Because this craft requires glue to dry, prepare atleast a day before) to prepare “Magic Pockets papercraft”, and 20+ minutes (depending on how much detail goes into the maze) to prepare the “Spooky magnet maze” game, and flashcards.

Materials :

• For “Search for it” : A picture with lots of Halloween images in for each team (Search for "Halloween I spy" in any search engine and you should find any numer of images to use). Lots of cards with square sections from the picture on them. A square frame with the centre cut out for each team.

• For “Halloween Can Stacking” : Empty tuna cans; large Halloween images that can be cut and glued around the sides of the tuna cans; a tool to pick up each can, made from pieces of string tied equidistant around the edges of an elastic band

• For the “Magic Pockets papercraft” : A sheet of transparent plastic; a printed copy of the appendices; stick glue; scissors; colour pens, pencils, or crayons; permanent markers

• For “Spooky magnet maze” : At the very least, a maze drawn on poster paper; two magnets

Instructions

1. Teachers show the flashcards to the class, and have students repeat the new Halloween vocabulary after the teacher. If students have come in costume, and any students are wearing the same costumes as the flashcards, match those to the students.

2. Play “Search for it” : Teachers show one of the cards with sections of the picture in them to the class and students must rcae to find that section of their own picture sheets with their frames. A clip of the game being played can be seen in the Halloween game compilation video at the bottom of the page.

3. Play the “Halloween Can Stacking” in teams with the elastic band : Instructions can be accessed by left-clicking the button below.

4. Students in their early years of elementary school should still get a kick out colouring and decorating the "Magic Pocket craft". It is a simple, cheap and easy craft to explain, that still retains the wow-factor.

5. If there is still time at the end of class, its nice to end with a little wild excitement. Though it may require a little extra work, having children complete a "Spooky magnet maze" in teams is great fun. Teachers with plentiful time on their hands can get creative, and really develop their mazes. In the past, we have made Pacman mazes, and Mario mazes, as well as mazes for Easter. Two magnets are attached on either side of the start of the maze. One student stands behind the maze, where he/she cannot see the route to the finish line. His/Her classmates must follow the instructions of their clasmates to move the magnet on their side, which will also move the magnet on the front, to reach the goal within the time limit. We played the Mario game in Halloween online classes, as seen in the Halloween game compilation video below.

* Rather than spending too much time on asthetics, as we often do, teachers with less time may wish to simplify the game and just draw a maze with a pen or pencil on poster paper, and play the game as above.