Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time for middle schoolers to dive into their creative side with some Halloween-themed journal prompts. Whether it’s reflecting on past Halloween experiences or imagining their ultimate costume, these prompts offer a fun and engaging way for students to practice their writing skills while also getting into the spooky spirit of the season.
From writing about their favorite Halloween candy to creating a short story about a haunted house, these journal prompts allow students to explore their imagination and bring their ideas to life on paper. So much can be learned from journaling, whether it be processing emotions or just having a moment of creative expression.
It’s never too early to start practicing writing skills, and Halloween is the perfect opportunity to make it fun and exciting for middle schoolers. With these journal prompts, students can let their creativity soar and take their writing to the next level while also indulging in some holiday fun. So get those Halloween costumes ready and let the writing begin!
Halloween Traditions Around the World
Halloween is a holiday that is celebrated not only in North America but also in other parts of the world. Different countries have their unique way of observing this spooky holiday. Here are some Halloween traditions that are practiced in different parts of the world:
- Mexico: In Mexico, they celebrate Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, which is a three-day festival starting on October 31st. They believe that the departed loved ones return to the land of the living to celebrate with them.
- China: In China, they celebrate Teng Chieh, where they place food and water in front of pictures of deceased relatives to honor the departed souls. Chinese people also light lanterns and carry them to temples to help guide the way of the spirits.
- Ireland: The country believed to have started Halloween, celebrates the festival called Samhain. It’s a Gaelic festival that is celebrated on October 31st. People believed that during this time, the veil between the living and the dead lifted, and it was easier to communicate with our loved ones who have gone before us.
- Japan: The Japanese celebrate the Obon festival, a three-day event where they pay respect to their ancestors’ spirits and enjoy traditional food and games.
- Sweden: In Sweden, they celebrate Alla Helgons Dag, which is a time to remember and honor deceased loved ones whose memories live with us.
- Brazil: Brazilians celebrate Finados, the day of the dead, where they set flowers and candles at the cemeteries and have a solemn day remembering the departed.
- Czech Republic: In the Czech Republic, they celebrate Dusicky. People visit cemeteries to light up the graves with candles and flowers.
- Spain: All Saints’ Day or Dia de Todos Santos is a national holiday in Spain. People gather to celebrate mass and visit cemeteries to make offerings and decorate graves.
- Austria: In Austria, they celebrate Seleenwoche, which is a week-long celebration where people remember with love those that have passed away.
- Scotland: In Scotland, they celebrate Hop-tu-Naa, where they go around to people’s homes and ask for a treat or a “sweet” in exchange for a song or recitation of a poem.
- Afghanistan: The residents of Afghanistan celebrate a holiday called Nasrati, where they light candles and pray for their dead loved ones.
- Nigeria: In Nigeria, people celebrate the Egungun festival during Halloween, where they believe that the spirits of their ancestors return to spend a few days with their living relatives.
- Korea: In Korea, they celebrate Chuseok, which is similar to a Thanksgiving festival, where families get together and prepare food to give thanks to their ancestors for their abundant harvest.
- Canada: In Canada, just like in the US, they celebrate Halloween with great enthusiasm. People dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating.
- England: In England, children carve turnip lanterns instead of pumpkins, as they represent old Halloween traditions. They go around to people’s homes and ask for “coins for the lantern,” singing chants in exchange for the pocket change.
These are only a few examples of how Halloween is celebrated around the world. There are many more traditions, and each country has its unique way of remembering the departed and honoring their ancestors. Halloween is indeed a universal holiday to celebrate the spirits of our loved ones who have gone before us.
Thank you for reading this article! We hope it gave you some insight into how Halloween is celebrated worldwide.
Halloween Movies and TV Shows to Watch
There’s no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by watching creepy movies and TV shows that are perfect for the season. Here are 15 top picks that will keep you entertained during this spooky holiday:
- Hocus Pocus: This classic movie follows the story of three witches who are accidentally resurrected on Halloween night.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas: This quirky Tim Burton movie features a crossover between Halloween and Christmas.
- Coraline: This chilling animated movie follows a young girl who discovers a secret door in her new house that leads to an alternate universe.
- The Addams Family: This dark comedy follows the strange and quirky Addams family as they deal with family drama and spooky events.
- Young Frankenstein: This Mel Brooks film is a hilarious tribute to Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel.
- Beetlejuice: This wacky and fun movie follows a couple who die in a car accident and hire a ghost to help them scare away the new owners of their home.
- Ghostbusters: This classic movie follows a group of paranormal investigators who try to save New York City from a wave of supernatural attacks.
- American Horror Story: This anthology series features a new scary story each season, making it the perfect binge-watch for Halloween.
- The Walking Dead: This zombie apocalypse series has been going strong for over a decade and is perfect for those looking for a Halloween marathon.
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer: This cult classic TV show follows a teenage girl who is also a vampire slayer, and her adventures with her friends and enemies in Sunnydale.
- Stranger Things: This retro sci-fi series features creepy occurrences in a small town and a group of kids who try to uncover the mysteries.
- The Haunting of Bly Manor: This Netflix series is a spooky ghost story that takes place in a haunted mansion in England.
- Get Out: This psychological thriller follows a young black man who visits his white girlfriend’s family for the weekend and discovers a disturbing secret.
- The Conjuring: This horror movie follows real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they attempt to help a family dealing with a demonic presence in their home.
- Scream: This classic slasher movie satirizes horror movie tropes while still offering plenty of scares.
- It: This movie adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novel features a shape-shifting entity that terrorizes a group of kids in a small town.
These Halloween movies and TV shows are perfect for middle school students, but as a teacher or a parent, it’s a good idea to preview the content and make sure that it’s appropriate for your child’s age and maturity level. Don’t forget the popcorn!
Happy Halloween!
Creative Halloween Costume Ideas
Halloween is a fun and exciting time for many middle school students. One of the most enjoyable parts of Halloween is choosing a costume. Encourage your students to get creative and have fun with their costume ideas! Here are 15 examples of creative Halloween costume ideas that your students can try:
- Homemade robot costume made from cardboard boxes
- Spooky scarecrow with a burlap mask and straw hat
- Giant Rubik’s Cube costume made from colored boxes
- Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf couples costume
- Classic Dracula costume with a cape and fake fangs
- Waldo from “Where’s Waldo?” with a striped shirt and red hat
- DIY duct tape superhero costume
- Mime costume with black and white striped clothing and white face paint
- Mad Hatter costume with a top hat and colorful outfit
- Scary clown with face paint and a bright costume
- Mermaid costume with a seashell bra and iridescent tail skirt
- Carrot costume made from orange fabric and green felt for the leaves
- Glow-in-the-dark skeleton costume with painted bones and black clothing
- Piñata costume with colorful fringed tissue paper
- Bubble wrap costume made from a roll of bubble wrap and colored markers
Encourage your students to add their own personal touch to these costume ideas, and to have fun with the Halloween spirit. Don’t forget to remind them to stay safe and have a responsible adult nearby when trick-or-treating.
Also, remind them that Halloween can be culturally sensitive. Encourage them to avoid costumes that may unfairly represent and disrespect cultural and religious traditions. In addition, students should avoid wearing costumes that may promote racist or offensive content.
History of Halloween
Halloween is celebrated every year on October 31st. It is believed to have originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the night of October 31st. The Celts lived 2,000 years ago in what is now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. They celebrated their new year on November 1st, marking the end of summer and beginning of winter.
- The Celts believed that on the night of Samhain, the boundary between the worlds of the living and dead became blurred.
- They believed that the ghosts of the dead would return to the earth, causing trouble and damaging crops.
- The Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to scare away the ghosts.
- The name Halloween comes from its original name, All Hallows’ Eve, which means the evening before All Saints’ Day.
- All Saints’ Day is a Christian holiday celebrated on November 1st to honor all saints and martyrs.
- All Souls’ Day is celebrated on November 2nd in some Christian traditions to honor the deceased.
- Halloween was brought to America by Irish immigrants in the 19th century.
- Trick-or-treating is believed to have originated from the medieval practice of “souling,” where poor people would go door to door asking for food in exchange for prayers for the dead.
- Black cats became associated with Halloween because they were believed to be witches’ companions.
- Jack-o’-lanterns originated from the Irish tradition of carving turnips, but were later replaced with pumpkins in America.
- The first recorded Halloween celebration in America was in 1921 in Anoka, Minnesota.
- The colors black and orange are associated with Halloween because black represents death and orange represents harvest and autumn.
- The Halloween movie franchise, starring Michael Myers, is one of the most successful horror film series of all time.
- The Disney Channel original movie Halloweentown, released in 1998, has become a Halloween classic for many families.
- The Halloween theme song, composed by John Carpenter, is instantly recognizable and a staple of the holiday
- Many Halloween traditions, such as haunted houses and corn mazes, have become popular tourist attractions and profitable businesses.
Overall, Halloween has a fascinating history that has evolved from ancient Celtic traditions to a popular and widely celebrated holiday in modern times.
As a middle school student, exploring the history of Halloween can provide an interesting and educational perspective on the holiday. Consider incorporating some of the above facts and examples into Halloween journal prompts to encourage your students to reflect on the past and the present of this holiday.
Halloween snacks and treats to make
Halloween is the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen and make delicious snacks and treats that are both spooky and festive. Here are 15 ideas that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth:
- Witch’s broomsticks made from pretzel rods and string cheese
- Ghostly meringue cookies
- Spiderweb cupcakes with black licorice legs
- Candy corn-inspired popcorn mix
- Bloody red velvet whoopie pies
- Pumpkin-shaped cheese balls
- Apple cider donut holes with cinnamon sugar
- Candy-coated pretzel rods in Halloween colors
- Frankenstein rice krispy treats
- Jack-O’-Lantern fruit cups with mandarin oranges
- Pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup and whipped cream
- Bat-shaped chocolate chip cookies
- S’mores with Halloween-themed marshmallows
- Bloodshot eyeball cake pops
- Caramel apple nachos with chopped nuts and chocolate drizzle
With these festive and fun Halloween snacks and treats, you can impress your friends and family and get into the spirit of the holiday. So put on your apron and get cooking!
Remember: always supervise children when cooking or using sharp objects and heat sources. Safety comes first!
Halloween Decorating Ideas
Nothing sets the mood for Halloween quite like spooky and creative decorations. Here are 15 Halloween decorating ideas for middle schoolers to try:
- Spider webs: Using fake spider webs, drape them over tables, chairs, and doorways to instantly give the room a haunted feel.
- Glow-in-the-dark bulbs: Replace regular bulbs in lamps and light fixtures with glow-in-the-dark ones to create an eerie environment.
- Pumpkin carving: Carve pumpkins with scary faces and place them in front of the house or in the classroom. You can also paint pumpkins to add some color to the decor.
- Flying bats: Cut out bat shapes from black construction paper and hang them with clear fishing line from the ceiling for a spooky effect.
- Grim reaper cutout: Cut out a life-size grim reaper from cardboard and place it at the entrance of the classroom for a creepy welcome.
- Haunted house silhouette: Create a haunted house silhouette with black paper or cardboard and place it over a white sheet to make it stand out.
- Candy corn garland: Use orange, yellow, and white construction paper to cut out candy corn shapes and string them together to create a festive garland.
- Bloody handprints: Use washable red paint to create bloody handprints on walls and windows.
- Mummy jars: Wrap empty glass jars with white gauze and add googly eyes to create mummy jars.
- Ghostly curtains: Cover windows with sheer white curtains and cut out ghost shapes from white paper and stick them on the curtains.
- Bloody footsteps: Use red paint to create bloody footsteps leading up to the front door or around the classroom.
- Spider egg sacks: Using white balloons and black yarn, create spider egg sacks and hang them from the ceiling.
- Spooky lanterns: Paint mason jars black and add spooky designs with white paint. Place a tea light candle inside for an eerie glow.
- Witch hat centerpiece: Top off a black candlestick with a witch hat for a fun and festive centerpiece idea.
- Bloody tablecloth: Use a white tablecloth and splatter red paint on it to create a bloody effect.
These Halloween decorating ideas will help middle schoolers get into the spooky spirit and make their classroom or home come to life.
Remember, safety is the key. Make sure that all the decorating materials used are safe and non-flammable. Make Halloween safe and memorable for everyone.
Spooky Halloween stories to write about
One of the best ways to get students excited about writing during the Halloween season is to encourage them to write spooky stories. Middle school students have vivid imaginations, and Halloween is the perfect time to let those imaginations run wild. Here are 15 spooky Halloween story prompts that are sure to inspire your students:
- Write a story about a haunted house that appears only on Halloween
- Write a story about a group of teenagers who dare each other to enter a creepy abandoned building on Halloween night
- Write a story about a young girl who discovers a mysterious book in the library and must solve a riddle to unlock its secrets
- Write a story about a ghost who haunts a school’s drama department and only appears during plays
- Write a story about a vengeful witch who curses a small town on Halloween night
- Write a story about a mysterious figure who appears in a middle school classroom and grants three wishes to the students
- Write a story about a scientist who creates a potion that brings the dead back to life on Halloween night
- Write a story about a group of friends who accidentally awaken a monster that has been buried for centuries
- Write a story about a person who wakes up on Halloween to discover that they have transformed into a vampire
- Write a story about a girl who discovers she has the power to see ghosts and must solve a mystery to help them move on
- Write a story about a boy who is pursued by a monster through a haunted forest on Halloween night
- Write a story about a family who moves into a house in a small town and discovers that their new home is haunted by a ghost who wants revenge
- Write a story about a cursed painting that comes to life on Halloween night
- Write a story about a group of friends who stumble upon a secret laboratory and must fight off zombies to escape
- Write a story about a werewolf who is hunted by a group of vampire hunters on Halloween night
Encourage your students to use descriptive language and vivid imagery to create a spooky atmosphere in their stories. The goal is to make the reader feel like they are experiencing the story firsthand. With these prompts, your students will have a blast writing spooky Halloween stories that are sure to keep them engaged and excited about writing!
Remember to provide plenty of feedback and encouragement to your students as they write. This will help them feel confident in their writing and excited to share their spooky stories with the class.
Frequently Asked Questions about Middle School Halloween Journal Prompts
1. Why are Halloween journal prompts important for middle schoolers?
Halloween journal prompts help middle schoolers engage their creativity and writing skills while tapping into the spooky holiday spirit.
2. What kind of prompts can I expect?
Middle school Halloween journal prompts can include writing spooky stories, describing haunted houses, brainstorming costume ideas, and reflecting on personal experiences with ghosts or paranormal activity.
3. Are these prompts appropriate for all middle schoolers?
It is important to consider the individual needs and sensitivities of each student. Teachers should gauge the appropriateness of each prompt and adjust as needed.
4. Can Halloween journal prompts be integrated into different subject areas?
Yes, Halloween journal prompts can be used in English Language Arts, Writing, Social Studies, and Art classes.
5. Will these prompts align with state standards?
Yes, most Halloween journal prompts can easily align with state standards for writing, language arts, and critical thinking.
6. What is the best way to introduce Halloween journal prompts in my class?
It is recommended to introduce the concept of Halloween journal prompts by first discussing Halloween traditions and legends. Teachers can then model how to respond to a prompt before having students do it themselves.
7. What are some potential benefits of using Halloween journal prompts in the classroom?
Benefits include improved creative writing skills, increased critical thinking, engagement with the holiday spirit, and opportunities for self-reflection.
Closing Thoughts: Thanks for Tuning In!
We hope this FAQ on middle school Halloween journal prompts has helped provide some insight into integrating holiday-themed writing into your classroom. Remember to always customize prompts to meet the individual needs of your students. Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you again soon for more helpful resources!