Short stories are a typical go-to for English and Reading Teachers alike during Halloween time! We want our students to engage with what they are reading. And what better method of doing so than to spend that time in a bit of spookiness and suspense! That’s where Short Stories Halloween Activities come in!
Keep reading for 9 Suspenseful Short Stories Halloween Activities and Teaching Ideas to make this time of year FUN and MEMORABLE!
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9 Suspenseful Short Stories Halloween Activities and Teaching Ideas
1. “The Vendetta”
If you have never read “The Vendetta” by Guy de Maupassant, you are in for a treat. This dark tale of revenge is perfect for the month of October! A mother enacts a plan after her son is killed by training her dog to kill without mercy. Your students will love this short story with its morbid description and exciting plot!
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Compare/contrast this story of revenge with the poem “A Poison Tree” by William Blake. They boast similar themes connected to revenge!
- Summarize the chunks of the story. Because this story has some older language and vocabulary, your students may struggle a bit. Having students summarize a chunk or paragraph in 1 sentence will help with comprehension!
- Visualize the story. Now, make sure to emphasize the use of textual evidence. If they come up with an image, they should be able to directly connect to the specific details, phrases, words, and sentences in the story!
2. “The Tell-Tale Heart”
“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe absolutely personifies the spirit of Halloween. It challenges the notion that we can self-evaluate our own mental state! A young man plans the death of an older man because of the man’s physical attributes. Who does this? Afterward, he cannot escape the fear of discovery.
If your students have not read this story yet, it will fascinate and mortify them at the same time!
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Examine the characterization of the protagonist. Right from the start, students can look at what the character says and does. Then, compare his words/actions to those in the middle and near the end of the story!
- Analyze the use of imagery throughout the story. Imagery is the description that appeals to the five senses. There are many examples of imagery throughout this story! You could have students identify the imagery, label the type, and draw out each!
- Create a Comic Strip of the major events. To bring some levity to this horrific story, why not have students depict the scenes in a comic strip? When they finish, definitely give students time to share their masterpieces with the class!
3. “The Masque of the Red Death”
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” captures the fear of widespread disease we all experience. No one wants to suffer from sickness and die a horrible death! Even with students who have higher-level reading skills, you may want to read this story with your students because of the vocabulary and overall difficult language.
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Depict each room. In groups or pairs, students can work together to draw each room based on the textual evidence. You could also assign a different room to each group or pair! Make sure to emphasize the evidence in their creations!
- Write out the theme or themes of the story. Give students these topics to choose from: Fear, Death, Disease, Wealth, and Pride. Each concept can be developed into a 1-Sentence thematic statement!
- Illustrate the protagonist and antagonist. The visuals don’t have to be perfect, but they should be driven by the evidence. Placing them side by side will help in comparing and contrasting the two!
4. “The Lottery”
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is clearly etched in my mind from my high school days. Because the story’s title belies its meaning, students are captivated from beginning to end!!
They might have the following questions: What is really going on? Why is everyone but Tessie nervous? Why is the box black?
There are so many questions that simply don’t get answered until the very end of the story in a shocking and morbid resolution!
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Survey titles of movies and compare them with “The Lottery.” There are so many movies with ironic titles, and with a little research, students can have fun finding these little ironies!
- Question the text. Ask questions for each chunk or paragraph. If students write down their own questions, you could have groups trade questions and answer them in an informal quiz.
- Participate in Socratic Seminar. This short story is PERFECT for an impromptu seminar. If students create the questions ahead of time, they can ask the questions in small groups or a whole group seminar.
5. “The Veldt”
I am a huge fan of Ray Bradbury. His stories are timeless, and we can see their prophetic elements today in a world consumed by technology! “The Veldt” tells the story of two children who become so focused on their surreal world built by technology that their obsession leads to the deaths of their parents. I have never had a student dislike this story! In the midst of fall short stories Halloween clearly has a special place!
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Compare and contrast the children with the animals in the story. This activity will take little time but reap great rewards!
- Extend the story into a descriptive ending. We can infer what will happen, but maybe students can use their creative juices to extend the story a bit more!
- Provide an exit slip focused on a single question. In what ways is technology detrimental to society?
6. “The Most Dangerous Game”
Definitely don’t forget this classic as you include short stories Halloween activities in your curriculum. What seems to be a simple hunting trip turns into a character’s fight for his own life! The ending is crucial and quite unexpected, and your students will love reading about the exploits of Rainsford.
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Diagram the plot of the story. Help students in identifying the following: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
- Chart the island. By drawing the island and its important locations, students can work to better understand the meaning of the story.
- Respond to the plot in a paragraph. Choose 1 plot element from “The Most Dangerous Game.” In what ways is this element important in the text? How does it contribute to the text’s meaning/theme? You can differentiate by having students complete the short response for 1 plot element or 2 plot elements. This short stories Halloween activity can really be applied to any story!
7. “Click Clack the Rattle Bag”
This short story by Neil Gaiman is engaging and creepy in the best ways possible! The narrator is taking care of his girlfriend’s little brother and walking him to bed when the child asks for a story. Instead of the narrator sharing a story, the boy shares about the Click Clacks who drink their prey and leave behind rattling bodies.
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Finish the story. We might be able to infer the resolution of the story, BUT it is by no means definitive. Let students finish the story in 3-5 sentences!
- Answer standards-based questions. Although this story is quite easy to read, you might want to spend a bit of time on some test prep questions. This tale is quite engaging, so answering five quiz questions would not be too difficult, and students are more likely to be successful.
- Do a character study. What someone says versus what someone does can vary greatly. Your students could take notes on what the boy does and says throughout. What do these details reveal about the boy?
8. “Lamb to the Slaughter”
This classic story with a killer plot twist is about a woman who kills her husband and gets away with murder thanks to cooking a leg of lamb! The Alfred Hitchcock rendition of this tale complements this short story perfectly, and your students will absolutely LOVE reading and then watching the various versions! Combined, they make successful short stories Halloween activities!
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Compare/contrast the story with the television version. You can encourage students to see the similarities and/or differences, write them down, and discuss the details.
- Write about Character Development. Mary seems to change throughout the story. To get your students to the next level of critical thinking, you could encourage your students to examine how Mary changes from start to finish!
- Analyze character traits of the 3 “main” characters. It can be tough for students to identify traits, but through this activity, your students should be able to identify the traits of various characters and provide evidence for each trait!
Want more ideas for short stories Halloween activities? Click below!
9. “The Cask of Amontillado”
This classic piece of American Literature was the first Edgar Allan Poe short story I ever taught to my ninth-grade English students. It tells the tale of a man, Montresor, bent on revenge. We don’t know why he wants revenge specifically, yet we most eagerly join him on his journey to achieve vengeance against a man named Fortunato. Any short stories Halloween activities that focus on this story will be a hit, but reading with your students might be necessary. The meaning of the language may need clarification throughout the lesson!
ACTIVITY IDEAS-
- Summarize the entire story. Now, this task seems simple, but you can teach this standard in so many ways! You could focus on the beginning, middle, or end, a specific chunk, or the entire story!
- Teach the three types of irony. Verbal, situational, and dramatic irony are all found within this classic story. After defining each, let students take the time and find examples for each type.
- Picture the characters. Each character is vital to the telling of this story, so quick pics may be just the thing to help your students comprehend the story’s meaning!
Why teach Short Stories Halloween – Focused?
When you want to really engage your students during the long fall stretch, searching for Short Stories Halloween Activities makes perfect sense. Students really enjoy reading spooky, death-related stories that are short and quick! Additionally, it makes the process a bit easier when a short stories Halloween – related can be completed in a day or two.
Look no further than this list as an easy start on your short stories Halloween journey!
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