Subject: ELA (English Language Arts)
Lesson Length: 45 mins - 1 hour
Topic: Narrative Writing
Grade Level: 3, 4, 5
Standards / Framework:
Brief Description: Get students familiarized with Pixton by asking them to imagine a spooky story about being alone in a house on a dark and stormy night.
Know Before You Start: This lesson can be used to introduce students to the genre of horror stories.
Hook:
- Read an age-appropriate scary story. Engage students in a discussion about the text.
- What type of story is this?
- What are some of the characteristics of scary stories?
- Responses might include suspenseful, surprise endings, spooky setting, etc.
Activity:
- Have students create a three-to-five panel comic telling a creepy story with monsters, real or imagined.
- How did the main character find themselves in this situation? What is the danger? What did they do, think, or feel?
- What type of monster is it--a mummy, zombie, creature from space, or other type of monster?
- Describe the monster. How does it look, act, and smell?
- How does the main character resolve the problem?
- What is the surprise ending?
Closure:
- Showcase finished comics in a gallery walk.
Differentiation:
- Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
- Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
- Provide a short scary story that students can retell.
Resources:
- Comic to print or display: Comic.
- Music: Spooky and Creepy Music Mix #2
Suggested Content Packs:
Make a comic about Spooky Stories
Suggested Story Starters:
