A great way to bring Halloween into a classroom of young ESL learners is to introduce monsters. In this lesson, students have the freedom to get creative, but also must correctly identify body parts by drawing them, and later speak about their monster.
Simple Preparation and Materials
Preparation time for this lesson is simple and mainly involves getting materials ready.
Have enough sheets of paper (8.5 x 11” or A4) on which students will draw monsters. Paper should be big enough so that they can be displayed on the wall. If students are very young, the teacher can draw an outline of a monster’s head and body in order to get the class started.
Prepare a model monster drawing or have one ready from another class in case students do not understand what is expected. But, keep it hidden while students are drawing their own so that they do not copy from it directly.
Markers or colored pencils are also needed for body parts, unless students have their own sets.
Monster Body Procedure
First, students should stand up in order to review body parts. Students can either point to their own body parts (head, ears, nose, mouth, nose, arms, legs, etc.) or the teacher can point to body parts and students will respond. If students are doing well, the class can play a game of body part Simon Says (Simon Says, point to your ears, Simon Says, point to your nose).
Pass out papers with or without monster outlines to each student and have them write their names on the back. Make sure that they do not start drawing.
Tell students that they have 30 seconds to draw eyes and only eyes on their monster. There is no number limit for body parts, so students can draw one eye or five. If needed, say, “eyes only, no ears, no nose, no mouth.” Make sure that each student has succeeded, then tell students to stop after 30 seconds. Next, students should pass their papers to the right. If they don’t understand, do it for them.
Now they have their neighbor’s monster. Next, students have 30 seconds to draw a nose. After time is up, they pass their paper to the right again, until it has made a full circle and gets back to the owner. The idea is to create a group of monsters that everyone in the class helped to create. The finished products are usually hilarious.
When the monsters are completed, depending on their level of English, students can write down how many arms, wings, legs, noses, ears, and eyes its monster has got. Alternatively, students can tell the class about their monsters, what they like to eat, where they live, their favorite sport, their name.
For practice with superlatives, the class can have a contest to decide which is the scariest monster, the least scary monster, the funniest monster, or the friendliest monster.
Lesson Length
Allow at least forty-five minutes to review body parts, create monsters, and show them off. It’s easy to lengthen or shorten this lesson once the students have completed the monsters. If possible, allow two days so that students have enough time to present their class created monsters.
This fun and laughs-guaranteed ESL lesson is a great way to introduce Halloween to a younger class. While students are enjoying creating monsters, they are also reviewing body parts, numbers, and grammar.
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