Maybe your classroom looks cool and calm this week before Halloween, but mine doesn’t! It’s the week that kids act like there’s a full moon, no matter what the lunar phase is. Using no prep Halloween science activities helps to contain the crazy and keeps it easy on you!

And when I say, “easy on you,” I mean it! None of these no prep Halloween science activities even require copies.

🎃 Are you ready to have some Halloween fun, but keep it science-y? Let’s go!

REVIEW THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

I’ll take any excuse to review the scientific method. It’s something that kids need to review… and review… and review. Halloween is the perfect time to “trick” kids into practicing the scientific method under the guise of a fun Halloween activity.

👻 One way to review the scientific method at Halloween is to read students a ghost story. Then, have pairs or groups brainstorm how they could use the steps of the scientific method to test it. A good place to start your search for ghost stories are ScaryforKids, KOA, and TinyBeans.  Of course, please be sure to preview these sites/stories yourself!

🔎 Another way to review the scientific method at Halloween is to give kids a Halloween-themed question and ask them to write a proper hypothesis for it. They can identify the independent and dependent variables and design experiments to test their hypotheses.

I have a worksheet that does exactly this, and I’m giving it away just for my readers! Grab it for FREE HERE. And guess what… you don’t even have to make copies of it. It includes a digital Google Slides version!

DIGITAL HALLOWEEN SCIENCE ARTICLES

While a lot of teachers say that it is hard to get their kids to read in science class, all of that changes when you give them something really interesting to read about. Enter: Halloween science articles.

Somehow, it doesn’t feel so much like reading when they are reading something holiday-themed!

We offer several Halloween-themed science articles, each with a different Halloween spin on a science topic. And each includes a digital Google Slides version… no copies necessary!

Each article is followed up by a worksheet with text-dependent questions.

🧙🏻‍♀️ Kids love to solve our Witch Hats in the Woods Mystery! They’ll read about witch hats appearing in the woods in October. They follow clues that lead them to discover that the witch hats are made by aphids on a witch hazel tree. Analysis questions follow the reading.

Or, if you’d like to put a physical science spin on Halloween, check out our How Mummies are Made article!

Students read about how a mummy is made with a focus on the chemicals used. The text highlights the steps involved and how the chemicals used in each step contribute to the mummification process. No prior knowledge is required – all the science is right there in the text.

PODCASTS

🎧 One of my favorite no prep Halloween activities might surprise you… podcasts.

During the crazy week of Halloween, have some quiet time while your class listens to a science-themed Halloween podcast. The Naked Scientists (middle school appropriate, I promise!) have episodes about bat myths, animals that trick or treat, and spiders.  Tune in to the Brains On podcast for an episode about bones or an episode about why we like to get scared.  Again, please be sure to preview these podcasts yourself to be sure they are appropriate for your students.       

Doubting your students will be quiet for it? Yeah – I did, too. But I tried it anyway, and you could hear a pin drop. Seriously, give it a try!      

MORE NO PREP HALLOWEEN SCIENCE

We offer lots more Halloween science resources in our TPT store!

Check out everything Halloween science HERE.

Ever wonder what other science teachers are using? The 3 resources below are the most popular this year!

🦇 Please click the images to be taken to the resource you’re interested in. 🦇

LOOKING AHEAD TO THANKSGIVING?

Not a fan of Halloween? Looking forward to November?

👀 I see you!

💕 If you’re not a fan of the creepy and spooky, you might like my Thanksgiving science “Science of Gratitude” activity better. I wrote a whole blog about it HERE.