Today I have some great spooky story activities for you to incorporate into your secondary ELA classroom. Whether you prefer to work with classics or want to introduce contemporary examples to your students, these activities are sure to be a scream.
1. Spooky Short Stories
Utilizing short stories opens up a lot of activity options for your class. You can put together a series of stories to study together or in small groups. Or you can have groups recreate a chosen spooky tale. You can pair students together to study a story and then share with the class. My personal favorite is having a “campfire experience.” Turn off the lights and close the blinds and keep one flashlight for the storyteller. Even stories they have heard before take on a new life when they don’t feel like they are studying.
If you need a quick set up for a spooky short story activity, I have this resource for Ray Bradbury’s “The Pedestrian.” It includes ten tasks for students to complete. The tasks are split into before, during, and after reading. This suspenseful story is always a hit with my students!
Some of my other go-to stories are Alvin Schwart’s collection Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Poe’s “The Raven,” “The Tell Tale Heart,” and “The Black Cat,” and (kind of a new fave) Neil Gaiman’s “Click-Clack the Rattlebag”.
2. Podcast Episodes
Another creative option you might consider is playing a podcast. You can still set up a “campfire” with stories you planned on reading anyway. Also consider (appropriate) true crime stories, or episodes that center around urban legends or local haunts. Consider something like Criminal’s podcast episode on Sarah Winchester. Another is Lore’s episode “Half-Hanged” that would pair great with the poem “Half-hanged Mary” by Margaret Atwood.
3. Informational Close Reading Passages
How about getting your students engaged and practicing close-reading skills? When students are engaged, they often forget they’re learning. Find informational texts centered on “real life” spooks. You can study peculiar authors, haunted houses, ghost stories based on real people, or study where popular urban legends originate.
For a plethora of truly mysterious stories, check out my The Most Haunted Places in America bundle. This resource contains spooky, high-interest informational passages that highlight the most haunted places in America (Amityville, Winchester Mystery House, Eastern State, Lemp Mansion and LaLaurie Mansion). There are digital and printable options that include original reading passages with four comprehension activities for each.
4. Spooky Young Adult Options
If you have time to dedicate to longer works or if you are looking to incorporate choice reading into your lessons, find some young adult reads with great reviews. Compare works to classics, trace common themes (what makes a story universally “spooky”), and show students that there’s still space to spook in the common era. Some top suggestions include White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson, The Project by Courtney Summers, and Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett.
5. Have Your Students Write Their Own
I love when students showcase their learning by applying their knowledge creatively. Instead of testing on themes or assigning a paper over authors you’ve studied, consider having students write their own suspenseful story. My Roll a Suspenseful Story writing activity helps students gather the pieces for their main story elements before they get to writing – and it even works for those teaching digitally. Students can then share their work or you can set up a “gallery read” where everyone has a chance to read samples from their peers.
There you have it! I hope some of these ideas give you some sparks of inspiration. I’d love to hear from you if you’ve tried some of these ideas, or if you have other great titles and works you’d think others would enjoy. Comment here or continue the conversation on Facebook or Instagram.
Happy teaching!
