Here’s just one book of many features when you follow the link below:
http://www.teachingheart.net/halloweenbook.html
A Dark Dark Tale (Click to Purchase)
Before Reading
Look at the cover and title and have the students predict what the story is going to be about.
Turn off the lights in the classroom and brainstorm some places that are dark most of the time. (basement, cave, woods…)
On the cover is a picture of a house. Have the students come up with ideas of who they think may live there. What do they think the people are like based on the picture of the house?
Have A Dark, Dark Search
Plan a series of hiding places so that a toy mouse will be found in the last one. Then, on index cards write short descriptive phrases (modeled after those in the story) to lead in order from one hiding place to the other. One phrase clue may be, On a white, white board. Help the students in reading the cards and following the trail to locate the mouse.
A Mystery House of Their Own
Make four house patterns all the same size for each student. Put each one on a different color of construction paper. Draw a door on each house and have the students cut out each door on their four house. Then glue the houses together so that the students can open the many doors.
My Dark House
Give each student some art paper and have them creat their own dark house with a dark background. When the drawing is done, have the students write a description of their house. The younger ones may choose to use this sentence; “This is ______ ‘s mystery house. It looks ____________. It has ______________________. ________ likes it because it is ______.” After the descriptions and artwork are complete, place them on a bulletin board with a moon and several star cutouts.
