I don’t know about you, but I freakin’ love Halloween! It’s my favorite time of the year. But Halloween can be a tricky holiday to celebrate in a high school English class.

You have curriculum to cover, school policies to follow, and maybe even parents who aren’t thrilled about Halloween activities in the classroom.

But that doesn’t mean you have to skip spooky season entirely!

There are plenty of Halloween activities for high school students that are actually connected to what you’re already teaching. You can analyze horror stories, practice figurative language, write creepy short stories, study suspense, or simply add a Halloween twist to your regular English lessons.

Below, you’ll find Halloween activities for high school English class ranging from completely academic to just-for-fun. I’ve included ideas for literature, writing, grammar, and creative activities so you can choose something that works for your classroom—and your school’s Halloween policies.

And don’t worry: you don’t need to throw a Halloween party to make October 31st a little more fun.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful.

Halloween Activities for High School English Overview

Want to quickly jump to an activity? Here are the 10 ideas you can use during spooky season that I’ll be covering in depth:

1. Read creepy stories
2. Watch horror short films
3. Write horror stories
4. Use Halloween-themed grammar activities
5. Practice figurative language with candy
6. Study the horror genre
7. Use Halloween-themed printables
8. Decorate your classroom
9. Have a Halloween-themed movie day
10. Try a Halloween-themed enrichment activity
11. Ready-to-Use Halloween Resources for High School English

Whether you want something academic, creative, or just a little different for October, there’s an idea here that you can adapt to your English classroom.

Halloween Activities for High School Students: Know Your School’s Policies First!

Before you dive too deeply into any of these Halloween classroom ideas, it might be wise to evaluate your teaching scenario.

I think we’ve all encountered a student in our careers whose parents are against Halloween and don’t want their children involved in any Halloween celebrations. If you have one of these students in your class, you do need to respect those wishes and steer far away from any Halloween-specific activities.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t read creepy stories, study the horror genre, or embark on some creative writing!

Some schools are also stricter about classroom parties. In my experience, parties are generally frowned upon in class, unless they’re tied directly to behavior rewards or curriculum content.

I highly encourage you to add in Halloween fun without having a party–there are plenty of fun ways to incorporate the October spirit while still teaching your students!

The end of this post will talk about some Halloween classroom ideas that are more fun than academic. If you want to do these, have your students write a reflection or use them as enrichment or rewards for students who are doing well!

Halloween Classroom Idea #1: Read Creepy Stories

What’s Halloween without a few creepy stories?

October is the perfect time to bring horror and suspense into your English classroom. And if you’re worried about fitting Halloween activities into an already-packed curriculum, this is one of the easiest options: you’re still teaching literature!

If a horror unit is already part of your curriculum, October is a great time to schedule it. But you don’t need an entire horror unit to enjoy some spooky reading.

Here are a few of my favorite creepy short stories for high school students:

• “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl — This is a great choice for secondary students. There’s plenty of foreshadowing to analyze, it’s a relatively easy read, and there aren’t graphic scenes or excessive language.
• “Popsy” by Stephen King — If your students are ready for something creepier, this short story has a great twist ending and gives students plenty of opportunities to practice making inferences.
• “Out of Skin” by E. M. Carroll — Want to try something different? This horror webcomic is a great option for practicing inference and analyzing how images contribute to a story.

You could read one of these spooky stories aloud, have students read independently or in groups, or use the story as a jumping-off point for a discussion about foreshadowing, suspense, characterization, setting, or inference.

(And yes, you should absolutely dim the lights while you read!)

This is one of my favorite ways to make Halloween feel special without sacrificing instructional time.

Halloween Classroom Idea #2: Watch Horror Short Films

Horror short films are another easy way to bring Halloween into your English classroom without sacrificing instructional time.

Instead of simply watching a movie for fun, have students watch a short horror film and analyze how the filmmaker creates suspense. Because the films are short, you can often fit the activity into a single class period—or even use several different films for comparison.

As students watch, have them look for things like:

• Foreshadowing
• Suspense
• Setting
• Sound and music
• Pacing
• Characterization
• Visual details
• The use of surprise or a twist ending

You can also pause the film at key moments and ask students to predict what will happen next. Then, after the ending, have them discuss which clues the filmmaker gave them along the way.

This is especially useful if you’re already teaching a horror or suspense unit because students are practicing the same literary analysis skills they would use with a short story.

And you don’t need a full-length movie. Short horror films are perfect for high school English because you can watch, analyze, and discuss one in a single class period.

If you’d like a list of horror shorts and a done-for-you worksheet, just check them out here. Even if you already have solid Halloween lesson plans, this will make a great addition to your syllabus.

Otherwise, you can search for “horror shorts” all over YouTube.

This is one of those Halloween activities for high school students that feels like a break from regular class—but students are still analyzing how a text creates a specific effect.

Halloween Classroom Idea #3: Write Original Horror Stories

Two-sentence horror stories are a perfect Halloween writing activity because they’re quick, creepy, and surprisingly challenging.

Give students the basic premise: Tell a complete horror story in only two sentences.

The short format forces students to think carefully about every word they use. They have to establish a situation, create tension, and deliver some kind of unsettling ending without wasting space.

You can start by showing students a few examples and asking them what makes each one effective. Then have students write their own.

As students work, encourage them to focus on:

• Specific details
• Strong verbs
• Suspense
• Word choice
• Showing rather than telling
• An unexpected ending

You can also turn this into a mini-lesson on showing vs. telling. Give students a basic horror scenario and challenge them to make it creepy through concrete details rather than simply telling the reader that something is scary.

The activity works especially well as a quick Halloween writing assignment, but you can also use it as a warm-up, bell ringer, or creative-writing challenge.

It’s not a new concept or lesson. I discuss them in-depth in this blog post. Netflix even has a whole series now of horror shorts based on these 2-sentence horror stories. 

And if your students get really into it, you can have them read their stories aloud and let the class vote on which ones created the most suspense.

For a more substantial writing project, have students write their own horror narratives. After studying the conventions of the horror genre, students can apply what they’ve learned by writing about a scary moment from their own lives.

These Personal Horror Narratives are great for reluctant writers because they don’t have to brainstorm a whole story. They can just pick one scary moment and then focus on applying skills like using foreshadowing or building suspense.

This also gives you a nice opportunity to connect your horror genre study directly to narrative writing. Students aren’t just identifying the techniques that horror writers use—they’re actually experimenting with those techniques themselves.

You can get my Personal Horror Narrative Project here. It includes the assignment, planning worksheets, an example, and more to help you and your students.

Halloween Classroom Idea #4: Use Halloween-Themed Grammar Activities

Who says grammar can’t be spooky?

Halloween is a great excuse to give your regular grammar practice a seasonal twist. You don’t have to create an entirely new lesson—just use Halloween-themed sentences, examples, and texts to make the skills you’re already teaching feel a little more fun.

For example, you could use Halloween-themed examples to practice:

• Grammar and punctuation
• Sentence structure
• Parts of speech
• Commonly confused words
• Editing and proofreading

You could also use a short Halloween- or fall-themed nonfiction article for students to practice identifying grammar concepts in context.

If you’re looking for something that requires even less prep, seasonal grammar worksheets can give students some Halloween-themed practice while still reinforcing the skills you’re already working on.

You can get some done-for-you Fall-themed (including a few Halloween) Grammar Review Worksheets here.

Look, it’s still grammar, not a Halloween party. But adding a Halloween twist is the perfect way to give a nod to the season without derailing your lesson plans.

(Want more Halloween grammar ideas? Check out this post!)

Halloween Classroom Idea #5: Practice Figurative Language with Candy

If you want a Halloween activity that involves candy and has a clear academic purpose, try a figurative language tasting!

Give each student a small piece of Halloween candy and have them use figurative language to describe what they’re experiencing. You can use different types of candy with different tastes and textures, or keep it simple with whatever you have available.

For example, students might describe a sour candy using:

• Simile: The candy was as sour as a lemon.
• Metaphor: The candy was a tiny explosion in my mouth.
• Personification: The sourness attacked my tongue.
• Sensory details: The candy made my mouth pucker and my eyes water.

The key is to have students move beyond simply saying that the candy is “good” or “bad.” They’re practicing how writers use specific language and figurative language to create a more vivid experience for the reader.

And you don’t need a huge variety of candy to make this work. A few inexpensive treats can be enough for an entire class, and you can even adapt the activity if food isn’t allowed in your classroom.

You can get the full lesson plan and free worksheet for the Figurative Language Tasting right here!

This is a particularly nice Halloween activity for high school English because the candy is just the hook. The actual lesson is about helping students make their writing more specific, descriptive, and engaging.

Halloween Classroom Idea #6: Study the Horror Genre

Halloween is also a great time to introduce students to the horror genre itself.

Rather than focusing on one particular spooky story, have students explore what makes something a horror story in the first place. What conventions do horror writers use to scare, unsettle, or surprise their readers?

You could introduce students to common elements of horror, such as:

• Suspense and tension
• Foreshadowing
• An unsettling setting
• The unknown
• Isolation
• A threat or danger
• Unexpected twists
• Fear of the supernatural
• Psychological fear

Alternatively, you could use a done-for-you Horror Introduction Lesson like this one.

Then, have students look for these elements in different horror texts. You could use short stories, excerpts from novels, short films, or even horror comics and compare how different creators use the conventions of the genre.

You could also have students consider what makes something frightening. Is it the monster? The setting? What the reader doesn’t know? The anticipation of something happening?

This can lead to some really interesting discussions about how horror works—and why different readers find different things scary.

If you already teach a horror genre unit, October is an especially natural time to bring it into your curriculum. Students can spend several days exploring horror conventions before applying what they’ve learned to their own reading or writing.

Grab my two-week Horror Genre Study Unit right here!

This is also a great opportunity to connect reading and writing: after studying the conventions of horror, have students try using those conventions in their own creepy stories.

Halloween Classroom Idea #7: Use Halloween-Themed Printables

If you want something simple that you can plug into your regular class, Halloween-themed printables are an easy option.

You can use seasonal worksheets for grammar review, reading comprehension, vocabulary, or writing practice without having to completely change your lesson plans.

For example, you could give students a Halloween-themed passage and have them practice the grammar skill you’re currently teaching. Or, use a nonfiction article about Halloween as a quick reading and analysis activity.

This works especially well during those awkward days around Halloween when you want to acknowledge the holiday but still need to keep students focused on your curriculum.

If grammar is on your October lesson plan calendar, you can grab my Fall Seasonal Grammar Review Worksheets here or check out my blog post on Halloween grammar activities right here!)

The trick is to use the Halloween theme as the context for the practice—not the entire lesson. That way, you’re still reinforcing the skills your students need while giving your classroom a little seasonal personality.

Halloween Classroom Idea #8: Decorate Your Classroom for Halloween

The ambiance is so important for getting your students into the Halloween spirit! 

If your school allows it, a little Halloween décor can go a long way toward making your classroom feel different in October.

You don’t have to turn your room into a haunted house, either. A few simple touches can create a spooky atmosphere without making your high school classroom feel like an elementary school party.

Try things like:

• Cotton spider webs around your bulletin boards
• Mini pumpkins
• Fall-colored decorations
• A spooky literary bulletin board
• Halloween or horror-themed book displays
• Printable decorations featuring creepy settings or literary quotes

If your school has strict rules about Halloween, you can lean more heavily into fall or literary themes instead. A display featuring famous settings from horror literature, for example, can feel seasonal while still connecting directly to your English curriculum.

If you really want to keep it cheap, just have students color Halloween coloring pages if they finish their work early. Then, you can hang these up around the room, on your door, or behind your desk. 

You don’t need much. Even a few small decorations can make students walk into the room and immediately realize, Oh, it’s Halloween season.

This is one of the easiest Halloween classroom ideas because it doesn’t require you to give up instructional time at all.

Halloween Classroom Idea #9: Have a Halloween-themed Movie Day

Years and years ago, you could just put on a holiday movie all day, and no one would care. Today, it’s a little harder to get away with.

If your school allows it, use a class period to watch a Halloween or horror movie, short film, or even selected scenes. The key is to give students an academic purpose for watching rather than simply putting on a movie and calling it a day.

There are classics, of course, like The Nightmare Before Christmas, but lots of other more recent films that work well: Coraline, The Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, Paranorman, etc.

If you need to have students do something while watching to make admin happy, give them a simple viewing guide. Ask students to watch and then discuss how the filmmaker creates a particular mood or emotional response.

If you don’t have enough time for a full movie, showing a few carefully chosen scenes can work just as well. Students can analyze how the director creates tension and compare those techniques with the techniques they’ve seen in written horror.

Alternatively, you could even play a movie in the background while having students complete missing work or continue work on an ongoing project.

This way, a Halloween movie day can still be a secondary ELA lesson—just with a little extra fun.

Halloween Classroom Idea #10: Try a Halloween-themed Enrichment Activity

In high school, there’s not a lot of time for “just-for-fun” activities, so these may or may not be possible for you. But these Halloween activities for high school students are so much fun that I hope you find the time.

In my school, we have a flex-time where students can be pulled for remediation. If they don’t need help in a class, however, they can choose a study hall or a fun activity. These classroom Halloween enrichment ideas are ones that I’ve offered during this rewarding flex time before. If you have time for fun Halloween activities, try these!

(Don’t forget, while you do these activities with your students, put on a great Halloween party mix or spooky music on in the background! Learning is definitely more fun when listening to the Monster Mash.)

Halloween Gingerbread Houses

The all-time favorite Halloween activity for students is to create a Halloween haunted gingerbread house. (I do the same activity in December, but without the Halloween spin.)

You need to provide students with graham crackers, frosting, and a variety of candy (or ask them to bring these things in). Then, students can use the sweet treats to assemble their own haunted house.

(HOT TIP: Find the chocolate graham crackers for instantly spooky haunted houses!)

This activity can be a little pricey if you’re paying out of pocket. If I do this, I will try to collaborate with another teacher so we can split costs. Any extra gets saved so we can create regular gingerbread houses again in the winter. 

It might sound a little juvenile, but I’ve never heard a high school student complain about being able to play with frosting. Plus, it’s awesome to see how proud they are of their haunted houses at the end. 

Need to add a literary or academic slant? After construction, have each student write a story using their own haunted house as the setting for a scary story!

Paint Pumpkins

Earlier, I mentioned that you can buy mini-pumpkins cheaply from local grocery stores or farmers’ markets. I wait until it’s like 5 for a dollar and then buy a ton. Then, I let students paint their own jack-o’-lanterns.

You’ll need to provide paper plates (for palettes), acrylic paint, and paintbrushes, in addition to the pumpkins. (Of course, if you have a handy PTA or students who will bring in supplies, then you can do that too!)

Then, let students get creative with how they decorate their pumpkins. Students can go the traditional jack-o’-lantern route, but there’s also no reason to limit their creativity!

No way to use real pumpkins? Grab some blank pumpkin coloring pages. Then, hang up the results around your room!

Ready-to-Use Halloween Resources for High School English

If you don’t want to create your own Halloween activities from scratch, I have several ready-to-use resources designed specifically for high school English.

Horror Genre Study Unit: A complete horror genre study that includes an introduction to the horror genre, questions and activities for three scary stories, a horror shorts suspense analysis activity, a 2-sentence horror stories writing activity, and a horror narrative writing project.

Personal Horror Narrative Writing: A shorter writing project in which students use the conventions of horror to write their own scary narratives. (Included in the Horror Genre Study Unit above.)

Two-Sentence Horror Stories: A quick, low-prep creative writing activity that challenges students to create suspense in only two sentences. This activity is free when you sign up for my email list and is also included in the Horror Genre Study Unit above.

Fall-themed Grammar Review Worksheets: Seasonal grammar practice you can use without sacrificing your regular curriculum. These worksheets can be used from the start of school, through Halloween, and until Thanksgiving.

Make Halloween Fun in Your High School English Class

Halloween can be tricky to incorporate into a high school English classroom. But you don’t have to choose between having a little fun and sticking to your curriculum.

Whether you spend October reading creepy stories, studying the horror genre, writing two-sentence horror stories, or simply adding a Halloween twist to your regular grammar practice, there are plenty of ways to bring some spooky-season fun into your classroom.

And remember, you don’t have to do something elaborate. Even a short horror film, a seasonal writing activity, or a little Halloween décor can make your classroom feel special.

If students are reading, writing, and thinking, then they’re learning. If skeletons, vampires, and spiders are too much, just stick to fall themes–pumpkins, leaves, and corn stalks. Your students will appreciate the break from routine, and you just might have some fun yourself!

So pick an activity (or two!) that works for your students, your curriculum, and your school’s policies—and enjoy a little spooky season with your English students! Happy Halloween!