Spooky Classroom Fun: Halloween Activities for Upper Elementary

As the air gets cooler and the autumn breeze rolls through, colorful leaves and pumpkins decorate the classrooms. October brings a different kind of excitement between costumes, candy, and spooky stories. Upper elementary students begin counting down the days to trick-or-treating as teachers are busy crafting festive lessons to fit the month’s vibe! Honestly, keeping students focused on academics during this busy month is tough. Luckily, there are ready-to-go Halloween activities to keep students learning and bring in the spooky fun!

Halloween Activities for Upper Elementary

Halloween Activities for the Classroom

There is so much going on around the beginning of fall. Many classrooms embrace the fall spirit with festive parties! Others paint pumpkins, read spooky Halloween books, or have fun costume days. However, Halloween isn’t just about costumes and celebrations; it has a history that teachers can weave into their lessons. Embracing the spirit of Halloween and fall and incorporating fun elements into your lessons will ensure students are engaged. Teachers can use details like pumpkins, bats, and candy corn to create excitement about learning!

Writing and Math Halloween Activities 

October is filled with so many fun activities. Truly, it can be hard for teachers to find time to squeeze in everything that has to be taught. Thankfully, this Halloween resource includes one writing and one math activity with a fun, festive theme! Specifically, it includes a trick-or-treat roll and write and spooky Halloween word problems

Halloween Fun

During the roll and write, students will do just that! Students roll a die, and the number they land on determines the story element they write about. This is a fantastic way for students to practice writing, learn story elements, and let their creativity loose. Thankfully, the roll and write is sure to engage even your most reluctant writers! 

The Halloween word problems challenge students with fun math questions about haunted houses, gourds, cupcakes, and candy! This is such a fun resource to use near the end of October. Students will love solving these multi-step word problems as Halloween draws closer. Teachers can make this even more fun by handing out small pieces of candy for each answer students get correct! For even more Halloween no-prep activities, check out the full version of the Halloween Activity Worksheets!

Halloween No-Prep Activities for Upper Elementary

Honestly, students will have so much fun writing and working on Halloween math, that they will forget they are learning. The best part is this resource is completely FREE! To save your sanity and minimize chaos for the entire year, check out the Math and Reading Skills Review Bundle!

October Book Reviews 

By October, teachers have survived the back-to-school chaos and have a classroom routine down. This means teachers have more time to dedicate to promoting reading. Fall is the perfect season to dim your classroom lights, turn on some calming music, and let students dive into reading a book. As students finish their fall reads, why not have them share how they liked the book? October Book Reviews are the best way to do this! 

This Halloween activity will encourage students to reflect on their favorite or not-so-favorite books while providing a framework for writing. Specifically, students will fill in information about the book, choose the correct literature genre, and provide a well-written summary. Additionally, students can even rate the book to show their peers how well they enjoyed it. Students will enhance their reading comprehension and practice writing skills as they learn the book review process. 

October Book Review Template

How to Write a Good Book Review 

The October Book Reviews are an excellent way to teach students each step when writing a book review. Here are the steps I use to guide students through the writing process:

Step 1: Name the title of the book and the main characters.

Step 2: Write a strong summary using (somebody, wanted, but, so, then) without spoiling the ending.

Step 3: Give your opinion of the book and provide reasons you feel the way you do.

Step 4: Use text evidence to support your reasons. Include direct quotes, events, and page numbers. 

Step 5: Describe your favorite thing about the book and why it’s your favorite! 

Step 6: Add in a way you connect to the book personally. 

Step 7: Recommend what reader would like this book and why. 

Step 8: Double-check for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. 

Teaching upper elementary students how to correctly write a book review early in the year will give them time to perfect the reviews they write throughout the year. Practice all year means better writers and better readers! 

Book Review Contents

This FREE Halloween resource includes many engaging elements to ensure students succeed in their writing. There are student bookmarks with a checklist reminding students of the steps to write a book review. 

Also, there is a poster to display in the classroom so students can visually see what a strong summary should contain. There are ready-to-go book review planning sheets, book review forms, and a book review rubric for easy grading! 

October Book Review Template

Halloween Bulletin Board Display

Of course, a book review’s purpose is for others to read it and get recommendations. The best way to do this is to display the book reviews! Luckily, the October Book Reviews come with everything you need to create a Halloween bulletin board, fall classroom door decor, or even a spooky hallway display! 

There are ready-to-go bulletin board letters and printable book review toppers. You can set the scene for Halloween and feature student book reviews!

October is full of exciting festivities, and independent reading can be just what students need to calm the chaos. Of course, book reviews are great year-round, too! Check out the Bulletin Board Book Review Bundle to showcase reviews each month. 

Don’t let Halloween come and go without incorporating these incredible Halloween activities for upper elementary. These no-prep activities will save you planning time and bring the spirit of the Halloween season into your classroom! Your students will have a blast celebrating October while they learn and review essential skills. 

Save these October ideas!

Save this post to your favorite Halloween board on Pinterest. When you are ready to use fun and festive lessons, you will be able to come back to this blog and snag some free resources!

Halloween Activities for Upper Elementary

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