Halloween Fun Facts

1. Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.(Yikes-try pronouncing both words!) Did you know that many hotels don't have a 13th floor?(Well, actually there IS a 13th floor but it isn't named 13th). Some airplanes don't have a row named 13 and many hospitals don't have a room 13. There WAS an Apollo 13, a space mission that blasted into space on April 11, 1970.(It was launched at 13:13!) On April 13(not a Friday), there was an explosion. Fortunately, the crew was able to come home safely.

2. Black cats are thought to bring bad luck in the USA but it is a WHITE cat that is thought to bring bad luck in Great Britain.

3. Ireland is thought to be the birthplace of Halloween.

4. The colors orange and black are associated with Halloween. In recent years, purple has also become popular at Halloween.

5. If you have samhainophobia, you have a fear of the holiday- Halloween! Do you have any fears? What is it?___________________

6. Snickers are the most popular candy treat at Halloween. What is your favorite candy? Why?_____________________________

7. Over 35 million pounds of candy corn are made each year! (or 9 billion pieces of the candy). Some estimated that if you laid the kernels sold every year, end to end, the candy corn could circle the earth 4.25 times.

8. Seeing a spider on Halloween is considered good luck. It is believed to be the spirit of someone close coming to watch over you on Halloween. Name 3 creatures associated with Halloween:____________________________________

9. There is a Pumpkin Bend, AR, a Tombstone, AZ, a Transylvania County, NC, and a Cape Fear, NC!

10. Turnips were used before pumpkins as Jack O' Lanterns! Have you ever eaten a turnip? Do You like them?_________________

11. Halloween dates back about 6,000 years!

12. Did you know there is actually a National Candy Corn Day? It's October 30th.
Activities:

1. Illustrate one of the Halloween Fun Facts.(Use the back of this paper or another sheet of paper)
2. Draw/color a Halloween creature such as a scarecrow or witch. Write 4 adjectives to describe your drawing. Write a paragraph describing your drawing.(Use the back of this paper or another piece of paper)
3. Find all the nouns you can find in FACT 1. Write all the action verbs you can spot inFACTS 1 and 2.(Use the back of this paper.

4.Create 5three or more letter words using the letters found in the word, "Halloween".

5. Use a world map and find the country of Ireland. Write 3 facts you know about the country of Ireland.

6.Write an acrostic poem using each of the letters in Halloween.

7. Find SIX words that have 4 or more syllables in the Halloween Fun Fact.

TEACHER PAGES:

1. Review Nouns, action verbs and syllables with students before giving the activity to the students.

2. Distribute the Halloween Fun Facts and have students do several of the activities. Regroup and discuss what they have learned about Halloween with the rest of the class.

Related Resources:

1. With 12 informational web questions, this resource is just the thing to use as a learning tool about the holiday of Halloween. Bats, Owls, pumpkins, the human skeleton, the origin of Halloween, superstitions, and famous stories in literature, are covered. There are comprehension questions, lots of fun facts, extension activities(including writing in the content area), and additional links for teachers.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-All-Things-Halloween-Webquest-1360175

2. Mummies aren't just found in ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies have been found all over the world! In fact, the oldest man-made mummies are found in the country of Chile! Mummies can be naturally created or man-made. This web quest includes the different types of mummies and has 12 web questions including information on Bog Mummies such as Tollund Man, the Inca Mummies,the Taklamakan Desert Mummies of China, Otzi, the frozen mummy, the Chinchorro Mummies of Chile, the Egyptian mummies... and more. There are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a teacher section with extension activities, additional links and the key. Great for a Friday activity, at Halloween time, or if you are studying ancient Egypt.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MUMMIES-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1915946

3. Candy is on Kids' minds with Halloween.Over 35 million pounds of candy corn is made each year! Show your students that even candy has a history!Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. Several additional resources and extension activities,too. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-History-of-Candy-Webquest-516787