Aim

To listen to a story and cut out shapes to make a surprise Halloween object.

Materials
As many scissors as children in the class, A4 sheets of orange paper (If you can't get orange, then normal white paper will do, although the end result will not be so effective). 1012 years version: one copy of the Halloween Shapes Worksheet per pupil.

Tip
In the 68 and 810 years version, the children have to listen to you telling the story and cut the shapes in the paper when you make the appropriate pauses. It is important that you practise reading the story with the pauses before presenting it to the class! Use your own judgement as to whether it is safe for younger children to be using scissors.

Instructions (68 and 810 years version)

Present or revise the following vocabulary by building up a simple line drawing of a house on the board: house, roof, door, windows. Pre-teachwitch, pointed hat, ghost, also using simple drawings. Before telling the story, it would be a good idea to ask the children to do the shapes worksheet, which will present and revise the vocabulary needed to carry out the

instructions.

Make sure the children are sitting comfortably with their paper and scissors ready. Tell the story, using mime and your voice to demonstrate the meaning of what you are saying. The words in bold should be emphasized as these are the instructions for the children for making the Little Orange House. Instructions for the teacher are shown in italics and the number refers to the instruction on the picture worksheet. Pause after each instruction, demonstrate with your own paper and allow the children enough time to cut their own paper correctly. Be prepared to help them when necessary! As an alternative, this activity can be used as a simple story telling exercise. The children listen to the teacher telling the story and watch as the Little Orange House is made. After the story has been told and the instructions re-read, the children can all be given A4 paper and scissors, and they can have a go at making Little Orange Houses themselves. The children can then decorate the pumpkins and make a wall display with them.

Instructions (1012 years version)

Follow instructions for step 1 as above.

Follow instructions for step 2 as above. Give each child a copy of the Little Orange House story (1012 years version) and make sure they have A4 paper and scissors. The children will use the story as a reading comprehension. Tell the children that all the instructions are in bold.

THE LITTLE ORANGE HOUSE (68 and 810 years)

A small witch is walking in the woods. The cold wind is blowing leaves all around her. The witch is looking for a house for the winter. She can't find one. Suddenly she sees a piece of orange paper. She picks it up. The little witch looks at the paper and says, 'I shall make a little house from this piece of orange paper'. She folds the paper in half. (1 Fold the piece of paper in half) Then she takes her scissors (witches always have a pair in their pockets), and cuts off the two corners to make a roof.(2 Cut off the two corners of the piece of paper) 'This is very good', she says as she looks at her new house, 'but I need a door. It needs to be a special door as witches always wear pointed hats'. (Demonstrate) With her scissors she cuts a rectangle with a triangle at the top for a door. (3 Cut a rectangle with a triangle at the top) The witch walks through the door into the little orange house. (Point with finger) It is very dark inside. She quickly runs out. 'I need to make windows for light', says the little witch. She cuts a square front and back window. (4 Cut a square shape to one side of the door. Cut through both sides of the paper) 'Oh, now it is a fantastic house!' she says. The witch has her own little house with a roof, (Point) a door, (Point) and windows! (Point) But when the witch starts to go inside for the winter, she sees a very small ghost floating down the path. The ghost stops at the witch's house. The witch sees that she is crying. 'Why are you crying?' asks the little witch. The ghost stops crying and answers, 'It's cold and dark. And I have no house to live in for the winter'. 'You can live with me in my new house', says the kind witch. 'Oh, thank you', the happy ghost says as she looks through the window, 'this is a very nice house'. 'But first', says the witch, 'I need to make you a little door'. She takes her scissors and begins to cut. She cuts a small triangle. It's a very tiny door. (5 Cut a small triangle between the big door and the window) The two happy friends go inside, the tiny ghost through her very little door, ( Point) and the witch through her special door. (Point) All winter they live happily together in their little orange house. If you want to see inside their little orange house, just open your paper, and SURPRISE!