Getting kids excited about classic literature is no easy task. Even the most popular stories can feel daunting and old fashioned. But we’ve got a solution! Classroom Plays are a great way to breathe life into classic stories, and we’ve come up with FIVE FUN WAYS for you to use them this Halloween.    

Start by Downloading These FREE Halloween Plays

We’re giving away two of our favorite classic literature plays from Scope and Storyworks magazines. These spooky adaptations of Halloween stories are sure to get your students excited about classic authors and themes.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
For Grades 4–6
Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones and the Headless Horseman come to life in this fun adaptation from Storyworks classroom magazine.

The Tell-Tale Heart
For Grades 6–8
This creepy but super fun play is based on Edgar Allen Poe’s classic tale of murder and madness. It’s been carefully adapted by the team at Scope classroom magazine.

5 Fun Ways to Use Your Halloween Plays:           

1.  Have Your Students Direct the Play  

Divide your class into small groups and assign a different scene to each one. Let students select their own roles and come up with their own staging. Then have each group perform their scene in front of the class. It’s the best way to get every student involved!

2.  Write a Classic Literature Parody

Writing a parody is a great way to flex your students’ creative muscles and assess their comprehension. Have your students write a page-long parody of one of the plays above and then perform it in front of the class. It’s guaranteed to be a laugh-out-loud activity for everyone (including you).

3.  Create Themed Decorations

In the spirit of Halloween, have your students create class décor based on these classic horror tales. Students can draw their own renditions of Ichabod Crane or write down their favorite lines from The Tell-Tale Heart and decorate them with imagery from the story.

4.  Have a Discussion About Mood

Ask your students to describe the mood of the play. Have them identify words and details that create the story’s spooky mood. After reading, ask them if they found the play SCARY and why or why not. You can also complete our mood skills sheet for The Tell-Tale Heart.

5.  Tap Into Your Students’ Creativity

Your students are a creative bunch—use that creativity to make your play even more exciting. Have your students provide sound effects, encourage them to create costumes or ask them to film a 30-second movie trailer for the story. The possibilities are endless!

Try Scope or Storyworks for Free

Making classic literature accessible and fun is just a small part of what Storyworks and Scope magazines do. All year long, these ELA resources provide teachers with short, high-interest texts across the genres, along with powerful digital resources and flexible teaching tools.

Right now, you can try Storyworks (grades 4–6) or Scope (grades 6–8) FREE for 30 days.

If you aren't completely satisfied, simply cancel and owe nothing. But if you’re anything like the tens of thousands of teachers already using them, we’re sure you’ll fall in love from the very first page!

Standards Connections

Every issue of Scope and Storyworks meets your state standards. Here are the correlations for your Halloween plays.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Anchor Standards R.1, R.3, R.4, R.5, R.9, W.3, SL.1, SL.2, L.4, L.5, L.6

The Tell-Tale Heart
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Anchor Standards
 R.1, R.3, R.4, R.5, W.2, SL.1, SL.2, L.4, L.5, L.6

Grade 6 RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, RL.6.5, W.6.2, SL.6.1, SL.6.2, L.6.4, L.6.5, L.6.6

Grade 7
 RL.7.1, RL.7.3, RL.7.4, RL.7.5, W.7.2, SL.7.1, SL.7.2, L.7.4, L.7.5, L.7.6

Grade 8 RL.8.1, RL.8.3, RL.8.4, W.8.2, SL.8.1, SL.8.2, L.8.4, L.8.5, L.8.6


TEKS
Grade 6 
6.1; 6.2a,b, e; 6.3; 6.5; 6.17a, c; 6.19; 6.26; 6.27; 6.28

Grade 7 
7.2a, b, e; 7.3, 7.5; 7.17a,c; 7.19; 7.26; 7.27; 7.2

Grade 8 8.1; 8.2a, b, e; 8.3; 8.5; 8.17a, c; 8.19; 8.26; 8.27; 8.28