Resources and materials for ESL Kids teachers
This lesson has two different songs to choose from, one being for younger students and the other for older.
This lesson will start quite differently than your usual lessons as we want to get the atmosphere of Halloween started right from the beginning of class.
NOTE: Not too scary! Some of the activities in this lesson can be made quite scary for older students but make sure this is toned right down for younger students.
1. Setting the atmosphere
Before class think about how you can make the room and lesson come to life. This all depends on your resources, but some ideas can be:
2. Enter the room and play "Feel in the Boxes"
Before class, prepare some cardboard boxes. These are going to hide things that the students have to feel and guess what they are. Of course, being Halloween, the objects inside the boxes are going to be creepy! Prepare the boxes by cutting a hole in one side, just large enough to put your arm through. You can even put on a flap material to cover the hole to stop prying eyes. Inside the boxes place some "Halloween" type objects which you can pick up in discount stores, party stores and supermarkets, such as:
IDEA: Hand in the box!
If you can get someone to help you, put another hole in the back of the box and have someone hide behind the box (covered under a blanket) and put their hand through the hole. When the students put their hands they will get a big surprise when their hand is grabbed!
Have everyone wait outside the classroom until it is time to go in. Stand at the door and as each student enters say "Happy Halloween!" and have them reply "Happy Halloween".
Then allow the students to walk around the classroom feeling inside the boxes and trying to guess what each object is. This is bound to cause a lot a screams and laughter but everyone will thoroughly enjoy it and it will be well worth the effort of setting it up.
Finally, have everyone sit down and ask what they think is in each box (e.g. "I think it's worms!") and then take out each item to show everyone what it really is.
Before continuing, get everyone to help you clear everything to the sides of the classroom so there is a large space in the middle and get everyone to sit down on the floor.
1. Teach new vocab and play "Flashcard Ghost Chase"
Before class print out the flashcards for the Halloween characters you are going to teach (monster, witch, black cat, wizard, mummy, bat, zombie) and then on 2 or 3 backs of these cards print the ghost picture.
Explain you are going to play "ghost chase!". Show one flashcard and teach / elicit the word. Then quickly turn over the card - if the back is blank everyone is safe ("phew!"). If the back of the card has the ghost image, shout "Ghost!" and get everyone to quickly get up and run to keep out of your way. You have to run after everyone and tag them (they have to sit down). You can even have one of the students act as the ghost. Return everyone back to the middle of the floor to continue with the flashcards.
2. Do "Halloween paper plate mask craft"
Before class prepare enough paper plates for each student. They are going to make masks and wear them so you will also need elastic to keep the masks on. Also prepare things for making the masks - colored pens, glitter, felt, wool, stickers, colored card, tape, glue, etc.
Put the class into 8 groups and each group sits together. Give each group one of the flashcards (e.g. the witch) and have them make a mask for that character. Finally, have everyone wear their masks - you can even have a competition with prizes!
3. Play "Halloween Walk"
Now everyone is going to play a game wearing their masks. First get the "ghosts" to stand up and show you how ghosts move around (saying "Whooooooo!"). Next get the monsters to stumble around going "Rhaaaaa!", and so on. You are introducing the sounds from the song you are going to sing a bit later (see point 4 below). Finally, get everyone to stand up and shout out instructions (e.g. "Move like a zombie!") and get everyone to move around making the sound. Here are the sounds for each character:
4. Sing a Halloween Song
We have two songs which you can choose from - just download and play in class:
Song Option 1: "Happy Halloween":
Get everybody to stand up and tell them they are going to sing a Halloween song (download song MP3 at the end of this page). Use the following lyrics with the song:
First play the song and show everyone the gestures and actions - have them all try and follow along with you as you do the actions. Then play again and get everyone to join in. It may help to place the flashcards on the board in the correct order of the song, or pin up the song poster.
Lyrics for "Happy Halloween"
Happy Halloween! Happy Halloween!
Happy, Happy Halloween!
Happy, Happy Halloween!
Happy, Happy Halloween!
Happy, Happy Halloween!
Chorus:
Look out of the window tonight,
What will we see on Halloween night?
Go outside in the street tonight,
Who will we meet on Halloween night?
Verse 1:
Look there's a ghost (Whooooooooo!)
Look there's a monster (Rhhaaaaaa!)
Look there's a witch (Cackle cackle!)
Look there's a black cat (Meoooowwww!)
But don't worry - they're just kids! Wearing costumes!
Happy, Happy, Happy Halloween!
Happy, Happy, Happy Halloween!
Chorus
Verse 2:
Look there's a wizard (Ho ho hoooo!)
Look there's a mummy (Grrrrrrrrrr!)
Look there's a bat (Eeekk! Eeekk!)
Look there's a zombie (Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!)
But don't worry - they're just kids! Wearing costumes!
Happy, Happy Halloween!
Happy, Happy Halloween!
Happy, Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
We also have a video that you can stream in class to sing along with (Internet connection required):
Gestures for "Happy Halloween"
Song Option 2: "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Witches":
Get everybody to stand up and tell them they are going to sing a Halloween song (download song MP3 at the end of this page). Use the following lyrics with the song:
First play the song and show everyone the finger actions - have them all try and follow along with you as you do the actions. Then play again and get everyone to join in.
Lyrics for "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Witches"
Verse 1:
1 little, 2 little, 3 little witches
4 little, 5 little, 6 little witches
7 little, 8 little, 9 little witches
10 little witches in a row.
Verse 2:
10 little, 9 little, 8 little witches
7 little, 6 little, 5 little witches
4 little, 3 little, 2 little witches
1 little witch on her own.
We also have a video that you can stream in class to sing along with (Internet connection required):
Gestures for "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Witches"
5. Read classroom reader "Happy Halloween!"
This reader follows on from the "Happy Halloween" song as it contains the same characters as in the song. Before class, download and print off the reader "Happy Halloween!". As you go through each page, point to the key vocab in each picture and elicit the Halloween characters and the sounds that each one makes. Encourage your students to get up and act out each of the characters that come up in the story, for example:
Teacher: (pointing at the ghost on page 2) What's this?
Students: Ghost!
Teacher: Yes, that's right ... (reading) ... "Suddenly, a ghost appeared!". And what sound does a ghost make?
Students: Whooooooo!
Teacher: Oh yes, very scary! Emi, can you show us your ghost? ...(Emi gets up and starts doing her ghost impression)... Brilliant! Now, everyone show me your ghost! ... (everyone get up and does their ghost impressions)
etc.
Continue through the story, asking what all the characters are. Get the students really involved in the story by asking lots of questions (e.g. about the colors, clothes and other objects in the pictures) and even ask yes/no questions about what each character is, for example:
Teacher: (pointing at the monster on page 3) Is this a mummy?
Students: No! It's a monster!
Teacher: Oh Yes, that's right! And does it go "Meoowwww!"?
Students: No! "Rhaaaa!"
etc.
After reading the story, give out a reader worksheet to each student and have everyone identify the Halloween characters that were in the story. Then go through the answers as a class.
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Alternatively, watch our video version of the reader (Internet connection required):
6. End with some fun Halloween activities
End the class with some fun Halloween games and actives - choose from the list below:
1. Assign Homework: We have a number of worksheets (see below) - select the worksheet which you think best suits the age / level of your class.
2. Do your usual end of class routine (tidy up, put away things in their bags, sing "Goodbye song", etc).
3. As each S goes to the door to leave the classroom show them a flashcard and elicit the word (e.g. zombie) and ask the student to do the sound and action. If they get the word right, they can leave. If wrong, they have to go to the back of the line and try again.
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