Teacher’s Resource Guide
This reference guide may be reproduced.
Wri en by Mary Cubello
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HALLOWEEN: IT’S MORE THAN TRICKS AND TREATS
COMPLETE SCRIPT
Do you believe in ghosts?
Goblins?
Zombies?
Witches?
Monsters?
Although these things don’t really exists outside of our imagina on, for one day every year they are allowed to
roam the streets. That day is October 31st – Halloween.
On October 31st, neighbourhoods all over North America are decorated with spooky objects, ghosts floa ng
in trees and carved orange pumpkins lit from inside. Kids dressed in costumes, walk from house to house
laughing and knocking on doors. Each me, you’ll hear them shout out: “Trick or treat!”. Today a house with
lights shining on Halloween is usually prepared to hand out treats to the costumed creatures who come to the
door. But did you know that this tradi on actually started a long me ago in Scotland and Ireland?
The people who lived in Scotland and Ireland, the Celts, celebrated their New Year on November 1st. , and
their fes val was called Samhain (pronounced Sow-en). It signaled the end of the harvest season and the
beginning of the cold, dark winter months when people some mes died. They believed that for two days,
beginning October 31st spirits of the dead could walk the streets among the living. They lit bonfires and
torches to drive away these unwanted night- me ghosts.
Several hundred years later, other beliefs and religions spread to the Cel c lands. The new religion, Chris anity,
believed that November 1st was a day to honor people who died for their religion. Cel c people understood
how November 1st was a good day to honor good spirits-they had been doing it for centuries. The day became
known as “All Saint’s Day” or “All-hallows Day.” The night before the fes val day, October 31st, became known
as “All-hallows Eve” or “Hallowe’en.”
There are lots of common symbols used at Halloween me in store windows, as decora ons on people’s lawns
or doors and in classrooms. When you see things such as witches, bats, cats, owls and pumpkins, you think of
Halloween . How did these come to be Halloween symbols?
BATS
Let’s start with bats. Bonfires were o en lit during the old Samhein
fes vals in Scotland and Ireland. Mosquitos would be a racted to the
warmth of the fire, and bats – who love mosquitos - would come out to
feed on these insects.
SCIENCE FACTS: Did you know that bats can eat thousands of
mosquitos in one night? They are also the only mammals that can fly.
“Flying Squirrels” really just glide when they jump with their webbed
legs spread out. Bats hang out in caves during the day and they are
nocturnal animals meaning they come out at night. Because they are
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hun ng in the dark, they use sound (or echoloca on) to find the insects and moths they need for food.
Bats fly at night, and live in dark places, so they were naturally thought of as evil. The vampire bat is the only
mammal that feeds on blood, so it is no wonder they are linked to death; but vampire bats are not found north
of Mexico, so you don’t need to worry about vampire bats where you live. In fact people may hang bat houses
in their yards to try to a ract these mosquito ea ng machines!
OWLS
So how did Owls come to be associated with
Halloween? In many cultures, owls were symbols of
magic and were associated with witches. In ancient
Greece, the owl was sacred. But in Ancient Rome,
owls were a sign of evil. Europeans in the middle ages
feared the owl’s stare and its eerie call. The Screech
Owl, with its witch-like scream was the most feared.
In fact, at that me it was believed that witches could
turn into owls that would trick the unsuspec ng
traveler. Today, some cultures and supers ous people
believe that the call of a screech owl signals death or a
disaster. So that is why owls have become part of our
Halloween decora ons and par es.
Science Fact: Owls are also mostly nocturnal creatures – they hunt at night. The call of some owls might
sound a bit eerie in the night forest, but they are an important part of the forest ecosystem. Owls are great
pest controllers. They eat mice, rats, voles, moles and other small creatures. There were a lot of supers ons
about owls, but today we try to protect them and their habitat.
SPIDERS
Halloween occurs in the fall season, a me when the
weather starts to cool. Summer is over and the cool
air signals the end of a long season of growing and
reproducing for many spiders. Look around, and you’ll
find spiders everywhere, many quite large. Spiders
usually are born or hatched from eggs in the spring,
then grow all summer. Right around Halloween, spiders
can be quite large and scary for some people. A fear of
spiders is called arachnophobia.
FACT: Spiders work relessly to spin their webs each
night in hope of capturing some insect prey, but
these webs and their makers have become associated with haunted houses and graveyard crypts. Also, the
poisonous Black Widow spider, with it’s black and red colours just looks evil and her bite can be deadly. Most
gardeners welcome spiders because they eat a lot of insects.
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WITCHES
Witches have been subjects for story tellers for many
thousands of years, and they were o en described as ugly, evil
characters. But did you know that in ancient mes they were
thought of as healers or wise women? That’s right.
HISTORICAL FACT: Witches (or wise women) in earlier centuries
used plants and herbs to cure diseases. They o en cooked
their healing mixtures in cauldrons, or large ke les over a
fire. There were no doctors or drug stores then like we have
today, so they were some mes the best source of help for sick
people. But over me, supers ous people saw them as evil
magicians using supernatural powers. The Witch’s brews and
po ons were believed to have magical powers because only the witch knew how they were made. Actually, the
word “Witch” means “wise one” in the Wicca religion.
BLACK CATS
Black cats were also o en believed to be witch’s helpers, and
to have special powers. It was even believed that cats helped
witches cast their evil magical spells.
FACT: In some countries like the United Kingdom and Asia a
black cat is considered to be lucky. But in North America it is
considered bad luck to have a black cat walk across your path.
What do you think? Would you want to own a black cat?
So how did Halloween tradi ons get to us here in North
America? Would you believe that the potato had a lot to do with that? The great potato famine in the 1800s
brought many Irish and Sco sh immigrants from the United Kingdom to the United States and Canada. These
immigrants also brought their tradi ons, supers ons and symbols with them. So, along with St. Patrick’s Day
on March 17th, we also got Halloween on October 31st.
Today, most of us don’t really believe in evil witches and spooky cats, but it’s certainly a lot of fun to get into
the Halloween spirit.
Every October, children and their families go to a local pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin. Kids race through
the fields looking for that perfect, round, orange pumpkin to use for carving spooky or ar s c designs – the
perfect Jack-O-Lantern. Hold on a second! Did you ever stop to think about why it’s called a Jack-o-Lantern?
Let’s go back in me and across the ocean to hear a legend from Ireland…
“Jack” was a bit of a bad man. He was a miser, meaning he kept all his money to himself. He wouldn’t help
anyone throughout his whole life. When Jack died, he wasn’t allowed into Heaven because he was such a
miser, so Jack was forced to walk the earth, holding a lantern made of a burning coal inside a carved-out
turnip.
On All Saints Eve, Irish people carved turnip lanterns, some mes with faces in them called “Jack-of-thelantern” to remind them of what happened to people who were misers.
Today we use pumpkins, because in the fall, they are much easier to find than turnips, and are much easier to
hollow out and to carve.
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Carving pumpkins is a job for adults because sharp knives have to be used, but kids can draw fun or scary
shapes on the giant fruit. And yes, a pumpkin is actually a fruit, not a vegetable as many people think.
TRICK OR TREATING
A long, me ago people believed that evil spirits caused destruc on and misfortune. One legend says that near
the fall when people are celebra ng the Samhain fes val, people o en wore masks or disguising costumes if
they went out a er dark to keep from being recognized by the mischievous ghosts. Trick or Trea ng also has
its roots in Irish history, when children went from home to home, asking for money and food in the name of
an evil Cel c God named Macallah. If a person didn’t give enough, Macallah, it was believed, would destroy
that person’s home. Today, children all around North America dress up as ghosts and goblins to scare or amuse
their neighbours, who happily give out candy to children on Halloween in exchange for promises of no naughty
tricks or mischief.
So now you know something about the history of Halloween, and you’ve also learned some facts about bats,
owls, cats and spiders. Enjoy your next “trick or treat” night, and be safe!
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Jack-o-Lantern Colouring Page
Draw a fun or scary face on this pumpkin and then colour it.
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Bats are amazing creatures.
Can you make a list of words using only the le ers in the sentence above? Write the words on
the lines below. If you need to, turn over the page and write on the back.
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InteresƟng Bat FACTS
1. Bats are flying mammals. While others can glide, bats are the only mammals capable of con nued flight.
2. There are over 1000 different bat species.
3. Bats are nocturnal (ac ve at night).
4. Bats ‘see’ in the dark using a special skill called echoloca on. Bats make noises and wait for the sound
waves to bounce back off objects (an echo), if it doesn’t bounce back then they can safely fly forward. They
can tell the distance of various objects by how quickly the sound waves bounce back to them.
5. Vampire bats have small and extremely sharp teeth which are capable of piercing an animal’s skin (humans
included) without them even no cing.
6. Vampire bats can carry rabies, making their bites poten ally dangerous.
7. Some bats live by themselves while others live in caves with thousands of other bats.
8. Bats can live for over 20 years.
9. Pteropus bats (also known as flying foxes or fruit bats) are the largest in the world.
10. A single brown bat can catch around 1,200 mosquito-size insects in one hour.
Using your computer or library, find two more BAT FACTS and write them down
on the lines below:
11.
12.
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SPIDER MATH
Count the spiders, then write the total in the space
provided. The first one is done for you.
+
3
+
= 9
6
+
=
+
-
=
=
+
+
-
=
+
=
+
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Spooky Spider FACTS
1. Spiders are arachnids, not insects.
2. Other members of the arachnid family include scorpions, mites, cks and harvestmen.
3. Spiders have 8 legs while insects have 6.
4. Spiders don’t have antennae while insects do.
5. Spiders are found on every con nent of the world except Antarc ca.
6. There are around 40 000 different species of spider.
7. Most spiders make silk which they use to create spider webs and capture prey.
8. Abandoned spider webs are called cobwebs.
9. Most spiders are harmless to humans but a few spider species, such as the black widow, can bite humans
and inject venom. Deaths from spider bites are rare however.
10. A fear of spiders is called ‘arachnophobia’.
11. Giant Huntsman spiders have leg-spans of around 30 cm (12 in)
Using your computer or library, find two more SPIDER FACTS and write them
down on the lines below:
12.
13.
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Colour the haunted house.
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For Parents:
Discourage the use of masks on your children. Masks make it hard for children to see what’s around them,
including cars. Make-up is a be er alterna ve.
Costumes should fit properly to prevent trips and falls. Avoid oversized shoes, high heels, long dresses
or capes. Select costumes with bright colours to increase your child’s visibility. Add on reflec ve tape to
costumes if possible.
Children under 10 should be accompanied by an adult. By the age of 10, some children are ready to go trick or
trea ng with a group of friends.
Provide your child with a flashlight or glow s ck. A cell phone is a good idea if you have one.
Draw a map outlining the route they should follow and set a curfew.
Tell your children not to eat anything un l they get home.
Let your children draw the faces on pumpkins with a marker and leave the carving to parents.
Start trick or trea ng early before it gets too dark.
For Children and Youth:
Carry a white bag or pillowcase for your candy, or add some reflec ve tape.
Bring a cell phone in case you need to make an emergency phone call.
Always travel in groups. Be sure there are at least 3 of you at all mes.
Don’t visit houses that are not well lit. Never go inside a stranger’s house.
Walk on the sidewalk whenever possible. If there’s no sidewalk, walk on the side of the road facing traffic.
Don’t criss-cross back and forth across the street. Never cross between parked cars, always at crosswalks,
street corners or intersec ons.
Don’t eat your treats before you get home. When home, ask your parents to look through your treats with you
to make sure everything is okay.
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For Homeowners:
Turn on outdoor lights and replace burnt-out bulbs.
Remove items from your yard or porch that might trip a child.
Sweep wet leaves from your steps and sidewalk.
Use alterna ves to candles in your pumpkins such as a flashlight or ba ery-operated candle. If you do use a
candle, never leave it una ended.
For Drivers:
Drive slowly in residen al areas where children are more likely to be trick or trea ng.
Watch out for children, many of whom may be wearing costumes with masks that make it difficult for them to
see. Children are excited; they may dart out in traffic.
Remember that costumes can limit a child’s vision and they may not be able to see your vehicle.
Reduce your distrac ons and stay alert.
Remember to enter and exit driveways slowly and carefully. Proceed with cau on.
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