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Spooky Stories: What Scares Us?

Lesson Plan

Spooky Stories: What Scares Us? Lesson Plan

Students will be able to identify literary elements used to create suspense and horror in short fictional excerpts and discuss how these elements evoke emotional responses.

Understanding how authors craft suspense and horror helps students appreciate literature more deeply and recognize rhetorical techniques in other forms of media. It also allows them to explore universal themes of fear in a safe, engaging way.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Through guided reading, analysis, and discussion of spooky excerpts.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Scares You?

5 minutes

  • Begin with a quick Warm Up activity to get students thinking about fear.
  • Project or write the prompt: "What is something that genuinely scares you (real or fictional)? Why does it scare you?" Allow students a minute to think or jot down a quick answer.
  • Briefly share a few student responses (1-2 minutes).

Step 2

Introduction to Suspense & Horror

5 minutes

  • Use the Spooky Stories Slide Deck (Slides 1-3) to introduce the concepts of suspense and horror in literature.
  • Discuss the difference between the two and provide examples if time permits.
  • Explain that authors use specific techniques to build these feelings in readers.

Step 3

Analyzing a Spooky Excerpt

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Suspense & Horror Activity.
  • Project the spooky excerpt from the Spooky Stories Slide Deck (Slide 4) or have students read it from their activity sheet.
  • Guide students to identify specific words, phrases, or situations that create suspense or horror. Encourage them to highlight or underline these elements.
  • Facilitate a brief class discussion, asking students to share what they found and why those elements were effective.

Step 4

Independent Practice/Reflection

5 minutes

  • Have students work independently or in pairs on the reflection questions provided in the Suspense & Horror Activity.
  • Circulate to provide support and encourage deeper thinking about how the literary elements connect to their own feelings of fear.

Step 5

Cool Down: One Word Fear

5 minutes

  • Conclude the lesson with the Cool Down Ticket.
  • Ask students to write one word that describes how the author made them feel after reading the excerpt, and briefly explain why. Collect these as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

What Scares Us?

Exploring Suspense and Horror in Literature

Warm-Up:

What is something that genuinely scares you (real or fictional)? Why does it scare you?



(Think for 1 minute, then we'll share!)








Welcome students and get them ready for a spooky lesson. Start with the warm-up question.

What is Suspense?

Suspense is a feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

  • It's the feeling you get right before the jump scare.
  • It's the slow build-up of tension.
  • Authors use hints, pacing, and setting to create it.

Introduce the concept of suspense. Ask students for examples from movies or books they know.

What is Horror?

Horror is an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.

  • It's the actual jump scare.
  • It's the terrifying creature or disturbing scene.
  • Authors use vivid descriptions, disturbing imagery, and psychological elements to create it.

Introduce the concept of horror. Discuss how it differs from suspense (suspense is the build-up, horror is the feeling once something scary happens or is revealed).

Let's Analyze: A Spooky Excerpt

Read the following passage. As you read, think about:

  • What makes this passage scary?
  • What specific words or phrases create a feeling of suspense or horror?

"The old house stood silhouetted against the bruised, twilight sky, its windows like vacant eyes staring into nothing. A chill wind whispered through the skeletal trees, rattling bare branches against the sagging roof. Inside, a single floorboard groaned under an unseen weight, a slow, deliberate sound that echoed through the dust-filled silence. Sarah gripped the flashlight, its beam a tiny, trembling circle against the vast, encroaching darkness. She knew she wasn't alone."

Present the excerpt. Ask students to read along silently or aloud. Then, guide them to identify elements of suspense and horror.

Discussing the Spooks

What did you find? How did the author make you feel?

This slide can be used for the class discussion and to review what they've identified in the excerpt. Transition to the cool-down.

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Warm Up

What Scares You? Warm Up

Instructions: Take a moment to think about something that genuinely scares you. It could be real (like spiders or public speaking) or fictional (like a monster from a movie or a ghost story).

Then, briefly answer the question below. We will share a few answers as a class.

What is something that genuinely scares you (real or fictional)? Why does it scare you?













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Activity

Suspense & Horror Activity: Unpacking the Spooks

Part 1: Read and Analyze

Instructions: Read the following passage carefully. As you read, highlight or underline any words, phrases, or descriptions that make you feel suspenseful, scared, or uneasy. Pay attention to how the author builds the atmosphere.

"The old house stood silhouetted against the bruised, twilight sky, its windows like vacant eyes staring into nothing. A chill wind whispered through the skeletal trees, rattling bare branches against the sagging roof. Inside, a single floorboard groaned under an unseen weight, a slow, deliberate sound that echoed through the dust-filled silence. Sarah gripped the flashlight, its beam a tiny, trembling circle against the vast, encroaching darkness. She knew she wasn't alone."

Part 2: Reflection Questions

Instructions: Answer the following questions based on the passage you just read. Use complete sentences.

  1. What specific details in the setting (the house, the sky, the trees, the wind) contribute to a spooky or unsettling mood?











  2. Find at least two examples of suspense in the passage. How do these examples make you feel uncertain or anxious about what will happen next?











  3. Find at least two examples of horror (or elements that contribute to a feeling of horror) in the passage. How do these examples evoke fear, shock, or disgust?











  4. How does Sarah's reaction or actions in the passage contribute to the overall feeling of suspense or horror?











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Cool Down

Cool Down Ticket: One Word Fear

Instructions: After reading and analyzing the spooky excerpt, think about how the author made you feel. On the lines below, write ONE WORD that best describes that feeling. Then, briefly explain why you chose that word, referencing something specific from the passage or our discussion.

My one word:



Explanation:






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Lesson Plan

Spooky Statistics: Halloween Edition

Students will be able to define and calculate basic probabilities using Halloween-themed scenarios and apply simple statistical analysis to data sets.

Understanding probability helps students make informed decisions, analyze real-world events, and provides a fun context for critical thinking through engaging Halloween examples.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive presentation, group discussion, and a quick individual activity.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What are the Chances?

5 minutes

  • Display the first slide of the Spooky Statistics Slide Deck.
    - Engage students with a warm-up question: "If you reach into a bag of Halloween candy with 5 chocolates and 3 lollipops, what are the chances you'll pick a chocolate?"
    - Introduce the concept of probability as the likelihood of an event occurring. Briefly discuss how we use probability every day (weather, games, etc.).

Step 2

Exploring Probability & Statistics

10 minutes

  • Go through the Spooky Statistics Slide Deck, explaining key terms like 'outcome,' 'event,' 'sample space,' and 'favorable outcome.'
    - Use the Halloween examples provided on the slides (e.g., haunted house choices, monster sightings) to illustrate calculations.
    - Encourage questions and interactive responses. Facilitate a brief class discussion about the probability examples.

Step 3

Halloween Probability Challenge

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Halloween Probability Worksheet to each student.
    - Explain the instructions clearly, ensuring students understand they need to calculate probabilities for various spooky scenarios.
    - Circulate the room to offer support and answer questions. Encourage students to work independently or in pairs if time allows.

Step 4

Wrap-Up & Cool Down

5 minutes

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Slide Deck

Welcome to Spooky Statistics!

Warm-Up: Candy Conundrum!

If you reach into a bag with:

  • 5 Chocolate Bars
  • 3 Lollipops

What are the chances you'll pick a chocolate bar first?



Let's explore the world of probability!

Greet students and start with the warm-up question. Encourage participation and a quick show of hands for their guesses. Connect this to the idea of 'chances.'

What is Probability?

Probability is the likelihood or chance that a specific event will occur.

  • Outcome: A possible result of an experiment or event (e.g., rolling a 3 on a die).
  • Event: A single result or a group of results from an experiment (e.g., rolling an even number).
  • Sample Space: All possible outcomes of an experiment (e.g., {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} for a die).
  • Favorable Outcome: The outcome(s) you are looking for (e.g., rolling a 4).

**Think: How often do spooky things happen?

Define probability simply. Use real-world examples beyond Halloween if students seem confused. Emphasize that it's a way to measure uncertainty.

Calculating Simple Probability

Formula:

P(Event) = (Number of Favorable Outcomes) / (Total Number of Possible Outcomes)


Spooky Example 1: Ghostly Encounters

In a haunted house, there are:

  • 3 Friendly Ghosts
  • 7 Scary Ghosts

What is the probability of encountering a Friendly Ghost?

P(Friendly Ghost) = ?

Introduce the formula. Work through the ghost example step-by-step on the board. Ask students for other simple examples.

Ghostly Encounters (Answer) & Zombie Shuffle

Ghostly Encounters Answer:

Total ghosts = 3 + 7 = 10
Friendly ghosts = 3

P(Friendly Ghost) = 3/10 or 30%


Spooky Example 2: Zombie Shuffle

At a Halloween party, 12 guests are dressed as zombies and 8 are dressed as vampires. If you randomly pick a guest for a game, what is the probability they are a vampire?

P(Vampire) = ?

Provide the answer to the first example. Then present the second example and have students try to calculate it mentally or on scratch paper before revealing the answer or discussing.

Time for Your Spooky Challenge!

Zombie Shuffle Answer:

Total guests = 12 + 8 = 20
Vampire guests = 8

P(Vampire) = 8/20 = 2/5 or 40%


Now it's your turn!

Complete the Halloween Probability Worksheet individually. Use what we've learned to calculate the probabilities of various spooky events!

Confirm the zombie example answer. Transition to the worksheet. Explain that they will apply these skills independently.

Reflect & Connect

What did you learn today?

  • What was the most interesting probability scenario?
  • How might you use probability outside of math class?

Probability helps us understand the chances of things happening, from candy choices to scary movie plots!

Facilitate a quick discussion. Ask a few students to share their answers for specific questions from the worksheet (if time permits) or their biggest takeaway. Emphasize that probability is a useful life skill.

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