Enhance classroom discussions, homework assignments, and even flipped lessons with this special, Halloween-inspired collection of PBS LearningMedia resources. Remember to sign up for a free account in PBS LearningMedia to search, save, and share your favorites.
The Zombie Autopsies for Educators
Grades 8-13+ | Collection | Science
The following lessons about neuroscience have been inspired by the book, The Zombie Autopsies, written by Dr. Steven C. Schlozman, and are intended to complement it. The Zombie Autopsies was inspired by George Romero’s 1968 cult-classic horror film Night of the Living Dead. These original lessons build upon each other, using the undead to teach the living about the brain. The lessons follow an accompanying plot line where the world is fighting a zombie apocalypse and the best and the brightest young people are being trained as medical students – with a specialty in neuroscience – with the hopes that they will be able to provide a cure to this terrible epidemic and save humanity. Although the materials are organized as a unit, lessons can be used as stand-alone or can be shaped to fit the needs of you and your students regarding time and content.
Supernatural Elements in Shakespeare
Grades 8-12 | Media Gallery | Literature
What role do ghosts and witches play in Shakespeare’s most notable works? Ask students to support their responses using evidence from these video segments. In this media collection, students explore the use of supernatural elements within William Shakespeare’s plays, focusing particularly on Macbeth, Hamlet, and The Tempest. Students examine supernatural beliefs during the 16th and 17th centuries, and they also identify how supernatural elements drive the plot of many of Shakespeare’s plays.
DIY: How to Make a Clown Face
Grades 5-8 | Video | Theater & Performance
Theater teachers: Show students how to create their own Halloween costume (or stage persona) using a little makeup! Use this one-on-one session with a professional clown to enhance your tutorial.
Cooking with Sugar
Grades 5-8 | Interactive | Chemistry
Candy plays a big role in the celebration of Halloween. Use this opportunity to teach students about the sugar molecule and illustrate how the application of heat influences the formation of candy. In this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium, explore how different ingredients and the application of heat influence how different types of candy are made. This activity presents a scientific definition of sugar, including an illustration of a sugar molecule; explains how candy makers prevent crystallization from ruining their creations; and addresses the question: Is sugar bad for your teeth?