Lift your with this great Activity Book. History

Halloween is one of the oldest traditions in the world and it has changed so much through history. Over 2000 years ago, the tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of , when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off .

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as a time to honour all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.

Over time, Halloween evolved into what it is today, a day of activities, such as trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, donning costumes and eating treats.

Find Your Way Through This Pumpkin Maze Trick or Treat?

Trick or Treating can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It was believed that loved ones who had passed away would walk the earth on the night of Samhain. People dressed up in costumes in an effort to repel the spirits and left out their favourite foods. This is Sweet Popularity where the tradition of trick or treating originated. Statistics show that chocolate is the most popular Halloween treat by a landslide, then followed 90 Million by lollipops and gummy Pounds sweets! of chocolate are sold during Halloween week alone

Trick or Treat Myths

Sweets make children hyper. Studies have found no link between sweets and Hyperactivity! Instead, researchers encourage parents to look at the environment and events surrounding the sweets.

Eating lots of sweets in one sitting will cause cavities. Cavities are caused by bacteria in the mouth. Eating a large amount of sweets in one sitting will not cause cavities. However, frequent indulging is what causes the cavities. Halloween Tricks Trick time with these fantastic Halloween riddles & jokes!

2. How do you 1. The person spell candy in who built it sold 2 letters? it. The person 3. Why don’t who bought it skeletons like never used it. The parties? person who used it never saw it. What is it?

5. I am wrapped but I am not a gift. I remain in a chamber and I am 6. What do great treasure to you call a 4. I have no those who find me. skeleton that feet to dance, What am I? makes you I have no laugh and eyes to see, I giggle when have no life you’re sad? to live or die but yet I do all three.

What am I?

Both come out at night! at out come Both 7.

A funny bone funny A 6. A mummy A

7. How are 5. Fire 4.

They have no body to go with! go to body no have They vampires like false 3.

C and Y and C

teeth? 2.

Coffin 1. Answers A Spot Of Colouring

Pumpkins with ghoulish faces and that are illuminated by candles are a sign that it is Halloween! Did you know that the practice of decorating ‘Jack-o'-lanterns’ originated in Ireland? The Irish carved faces into large turnips because of the folktale about a man named ‘Stingy Jack.’ This is where the name Jack- o'-lanterns comes from! The Tale of Stingy Jack

Stingy Jack invited the Devil in to have a drink with him and didn’t want to pay for his drink. He convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin in order to buy the drinks. Once the Devil turned himself into a coin, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket. He placed the coin next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Later on, Jack agreed to free the Devil but under a couple of conditions. The devil would not be able to bother Jack for one year and, should Jack die, he would not be able to claim his soul.

The next year, Jack tricked the Devil again. He convinced the Devil to climb a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While the Devil was climbing the tree, Jack carved the sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down. The Devil wasn’t able to come down until he promised Jack that he would not bother him for another ten years.

When Jack died, God would not allow him into heaven. The Devil, who was upset by Jack’s tricks and unable to claim his soul, would not let him into hell. The Devil sent Jack off into the night with burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming Earth with it ever since.

The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack Lantern.” In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips and placing them into windows to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. True or False?

1. During World 2. Samhainophobia War 2, giving out is the fear of apples on Halloween. Halloween was banned because they were in such short supply. 3. The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, 5. Black cats are meaning “wise adopted less than woman.” other cats due to 4. In the Czech the superstition Republic, the surrounding the country's president felines. addresses the nation every Halloween wearing a costume. 8. The name 'Halloween' is not pagan but actually comes from the 7. The owl is a Catholic church. popular Halloween image. In Medieval 6. In Italy, Europe, owls were priests are not thought to be

allowed to witches, and to hear True 8.

perform an owl's call meant True 7.

weddings on

someone was about False 6. Halloween. True 5.

to die.

4. False 4.

3. True 3.

2. True 2.

1. False 1. Answers Halloween Wordsearch Halloween Quiz

1. The first Jack O’ Lanterns were made out of what?

A) Turnips B) Watermelons C) Pumpkins

2. How many witches were burned at the stake in the Salem witch trials?

A) 13 B) 20 C) 33

3. What does the word Hallow mean?

A) Spirit B) Spook C) Saint

4. What is a group of witches called?

A) Coven B) Witchlet C) Blackhole

5. Count Dracula is based on a real person from history—what was his name?

A) Vlad the Impaler B) Vlad the Spiner C) Vlad the Pincher

6. Who wrote the novel “Frankenstein”?

A) Bram Stoker B) Robert Louis Stevenson C) Mary Shelley

7. What is the other, traditional name for a broomstick?

A) Besom B) Broom C) A Fork

8. Which country celebrates The instead of Halloween, which includes the tradition of passing a live person

in a coffin through streets?

A 10.

A

A) Russia B) Mexico C) Germany 9.

B 8.

A

9. What is the traditional Scottish name for Halloween, which 7.

C

derives from the name of Celtic god Samana? 6. A 5. A

A) Samhain B) Samletin C) Samlupen 4. C 3.

B 2.

A 10. What is the day after Halloween called? 1. A) All Saints B) Christmas Day C) Day of the Dead Answers: Stories Treasurer’s House, York

The most renowned associated with York is that of the Roman Legion marching through the Cellar of Treasurer's House. In 1953, a plumber working in the house saw a band of Roman soldiers, visible only from the knees up, marching through the cellar dressed in rough green tunics and plumed helmets, carrying short swords and spears. After scrambling up the cellar steps to safety he was met by the house's curator who on seeing his face exclaimed, "You've seen the Roman soldiers, haven't you?“

Talbot Hotel, Northamptonshire

The stonework of the hotel is said to come from the ruins of nearby Fotheringhay castle, Oundle, where Mary, Queen of Scots was executed in 1587. The staircase at the hotel is thought to have come from the castle and it's said that Mary walked to her execution down those stairs, leaving her mark by gripping onto the staircase to keep her balance. Mary's ghost has apparently been seen on several occasions walking down the staircase and a picture of her execution has allegedly been known to suddenly jump off the wall where it hangs. Ghost Stories

The Vampire Rabbit of Newcastle

Newcastle's 'vampire rabbit' sits menacingly above the ornate arched doorway of a 20th century commercial building. Found beside St Nicholas's Churchyard in Newcastle, the presence of this fanged, wild- eyed, blood-sucking beast is something of a mystery. Local legend has it that the fanged beastie once attacked grave-robbers and sucked their blood. Others say it was meant to be a hare (possibly symbolising Spring and the coming of Easter) whose ears were put on backwards.

Black Shuck

Tales of the monstrous black dog known as the Black Shuck have long been part of local folklore in the towns of Bungay and Blythburgh. He is said to roam the coast and countryside of East Anglia. The legendary beast first made his mark on 4th August 1577, during Sunday service. He was said to have burst through the doors of Holy Trinity Church to a clap of thunder, taking the lives of a man and a boy. As he left, he scratched the surfaces of the north door, and strange burn- marks can still be seen there today. Writing a Ghost Story

Why not get creative and write your own ghost story? Follow this simple step by step process - we have provided all the templates you will need over the next few pages!

Step 1: Get inspired by reading some other ghost stories. Some great classics are ‘The Woman in Black’ by Susan Hill or ‘The Turn of the Screw’ by Henry James.

Step 2: The next step is to start thinking about what scares you and why? Or, what you find unsettling about the concept of ghosts. Begin using your imagination, maybe think about what it would be like to meet a ghost and then note down the thoughts or feelings you have. What would the most scary thing be?

Step 3: It’s important to have a good setting in your story. Take time to think about where your story could be set and the atmosphere of your overall plot. Think about some scary locations, or unsettling or creepy places you have been to.

Step 4: It’s time to begin crafting your main characters! Start with the protagonist and antagonist, then move on to other supporting characters. Ask yourself what relationship each character will have with the main characters in your ghost story.

Continued on the next page Writing a Ghost Story

Step 5: Start constructing the story’s obstacles. The obstacles will help move the plot of your story along. The protagonist will have to overcome each obstacle and this will help lead to the climax of your piece. An obstacle can be big or small, for example, a character could get stuck at a railroad crossing and end up late for an interview, costing them the job.

Step 6: It is fundamental to have an idea about the climax of your story. Think about multiple endings the story could have and see which one you enjoy the most!

Step 7: Now that you have the shape of your story you will want to begin building a clear outline. By having an outline you will be able to visualise the stories journey, from beginning to end. This process will help you examine any parts that you may want to change.

The best way to build a clear outline of your story is to write everything down in a chronological order of events.

Top Tip: Make sure you do not leave any gaps in your narrative.

Continued on the next page Creating Your Story Arc

Step 8: You can now begin to plan your story arc! Every story has some basic elements which relate to the story arc. The eight-stage story arc is regularly used when writing fiction and will help you build a good structure.

• Status Quo: This is the introduction to your story and it demonstrates the normal life of your characters.

• Inciting Incident: This event is something that pushes your character out of their normal life.

• Rising Action: This is where your character is given a goal or something they must do.

• Crisis: This will take up the middle section of your story and will be the events and obstacles along the way towards your heroes goal.

• Climax: This is the moment your story was building up to and the most dramatic moment of the story.

• Resolution: This point is where your characters return to everyday life but are changed from the ordeal.

Use the templates on the following pages to build your own story! What Scares You?

What are three things that scare you?

1.______

2.______

3.______

How could these ideas be used in your story?

Imagine you get to meet a Ghost!

What was it like?

How did you feel?

What questions did you ask? My Ghost Story: Setting

Have you ever been anywhere with a scary location? Could this location be used in your story?

What time period is your story set in?

Use the circles below to describe the setting for your story

Sights Smells

Sounds My Ghost Story: Character Profile

Characters Name:______

Appearance:______

Personality:______

Actions: What does your Character do in the story?

Change: Does your Character go through any significant changes?

My Character hates:______

My Character loves:______

Write down five adjectives which best describe your Character 1. ______2. ______3. ______4. ______5. ______My Ghost Story: Obstacles

Take a look at the examples of obstacles which can be used in your story below. Then come up with ideas for the obstacles you can use in your story using the lines below.

Person vs Person Person vs Society Person vs

Character Conflict: A character is The source of This could be between victimised by conflict is heroes and villains or people in society. supernatural. sparring lovers.

1. ______2. ______3. ______4. ______5. ______6. ______7. ______8. ______9. ______10. ______My Ghost Story: Climax

Use the space to come up with different options for the ending of your story.

The Happy Ending The hero achieves their goal. ______

The Unhappy Ending The hero does not achieve their goal. ______

Tragic Ending The hero achieves their goal at a great cost. ______

Twist Ending There is a major plot twist. ______

Cliff Hanger Ending The hero neither achieves or fails to reach their goal. Characters fates are left in question. ______My Ghost Story Outline ______My Ghost Story Arc

Create your story arc using the sections below:

Status Quo:

Inciting Incident:

Rising Action:

Crisis:

Climax:

Resolution: