Around Halloween, all sorts of “scary” stories pop up. Let students create their own scary story with Storyboard That! Use Scary Stories, More Scary Stories, and Scary Stories 3 for a few ideas of kid-friendly scary tales. Stick with eight cells or less to avoid long and complicated stories. A fun, but challenging, alternative would be to have one student or one group complete one cell of the storyboard. Similar to passing a story stick or writing a class story, this will challenge students to make sense of the previous cells and then let their creativity go wild!
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a scary story to celebrate Halloween!
Invite students to share their finished scary stories with the class in a special showcase. Display storyboards around the room or project them on a screen to let everyone appreciate each other's creativity. Encourage students to give positive feedback and discuss what made each story spooky and fun!
Explain the format and rules for sharing stories, such as time limits or respectful listening. Prepare students by reviewing what good audience behavior looks like and how to offer kind, constructive comments. This ensures a supportive environment for everyone to participate.
Decorate your classroom with Halloween-themed items or dim the lights to set the mood. Play quiet, eerie background music to enhance the storytelling experience. This makes the showcase memorable and fun for your students!
Have students talk or write about what they enjoyed most about the activity. Ask what they learned about storytelling and how they might change their approach next time. Reflection helps deepen learning and builds confidence in creative writing.
An easy scary story activity for students during Halloween is to let them create their own scary stories using a storyboard tool like Storyboard That. Students can write and illustrate their stories in eight cells or fewer, making the activity fun, manageable, and engaging.
To use Storyboard That for a Halloween scary story lesson, have students select 'Start Assignment,' write their story in text boxes, and illustrate each part using available scenes, characters, and items. Students can work individually or in groups, sharing their creations at the end.
Some kid-friendly scary story ideas include using themes from 'Scary Stories,' 'More Scary Stories,' and 'Scary Stories 3.' Focus on spooky but age-appropriate tales with elements like mysterious noises, friendly ghosts, or quirky monsters.
The best way to keep a scary story activity simple is to limit the storyboard to eight cells or fewer and provide clear instructions. Encourage creativity but avoid overly long or complex plots for better engagement and easy classroom management.
Group scary story activities boost collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. When students take turns adding to a story cell by cell, they must build on each other's ideas, making the experience both challenging and rewarding.