Boo! Creative Writing Banner

Scary, read-aloud stories and poems are such fun to share! Imagine unique characters for your own creative story. Bring them to life with a Boo! Banner.

• 1.

  Read aloud a few creepy stories and poems such as those found in "Halloween: Stories and Poems" by Caroline Feller Bauer, Bobbi Katz's "Ghosts and Goose Bumps", Jack Prelutsky's "It's Halloween", or "The Monster Mall and Other Spooky Poems" by David Steinberg. Describe the unique characters and discuss what makes them stand out.

• 2.

  Use your imagination to come up with original scary and/or funny characters. Write sentences about them using descriptive words and phrases. Develop an original short story or poem that incorporates your characters in the plot.

• 3.

  Create your imaginary characters with Crayola Model Magic®. For each one, flatten the modeling compound using your hand, rolling pin, or a marker. Use Crayola Scissors, a craft stick, or other modeling tool to cut out shapes such as a jack o’ lantern, monster skull, or witch head.

• 4.

  Decorate your characters with pieces of Model Magic. It sticks to itself when it’s fresh from the pack. Roll tubes and balls of various sizes to outline openings or facial features, make hair, or create spider webs. Cut ruffled edges or shapes to add scars, teeth, or slime. Marbleize Model Magic to make bloodshot eyes and mottled hair. Just knead two or three colors of Model Magic together. If pieces start to dry, attach them with Crayola School Glue.

• 5.

  Push a hole through the top of each piece with a plastic straw. Air-dry your characters overnight.

• 6.

  String raffia or ribbon through the holes. Tie knots at each piece to keep them evenly spaced. Hang up your garland and use it as a prop to tell your story or read your poem!

Benefits

• Students read literature aloud to each other.
• Students develop their own characters and write a poem or story about them.
• Students create a banner displaying imaginary Model Magic characters used in their writing. They present their work orally to the class.

Adaptations

• Write a paragraph describing an imaginary character. Draw a picture of it. Hang pictures on a bulletin board. Read descriptions orally. Classmates try to identify the picture by listening to the oral description.
• Display science, social studies, and math content--solar system, timelines, cultural symbols, equations--using similar banners.
• Some students with special needs may find it helpful to sketch their character on paper before creating it out of Model Magic.
• Research Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead to find out why and how it is celebrated in Mexico and other Latino countries.
• Keep a journal of interesting descriptive phrases or words that you come across in your reading.
• Assessment: Choose an object for students to describe with adjectives.