Hallowe'en

Art based on the Pagan festival of Hallowe'en:

Witches:

After spending time in Uganda, I am very aware of mentioning witches in the classroom, of course this depends on your school's ethos. Witches are very much alive and practicing in Uganda. Locals fear a missing child may be taken by a witch, as their bones are used in spells. Underware is dried indoors for fear of the witches casting spells on you. It's just something worth being mindful of if there is a child in your class from a country like this.

They are a much more fun, festive being in our culture.

Winnie the Witch can be used as a friendly stimulus for the lesson

This book is one of my favourite for discussing colours

Using wax crayons, the children could colour a very colourful background. Remind them to lean heavy.

When the page is totally covered with bright colours, they then colour over with black crayon. Lean heavy again.

Using their nails, they can 'scratch' out their pictures.

The first class edition of "The Right Note" has a song called "Winnie the Witch", this may be handy for integration ;) 

Spiders

I recommend having a variety of books in the library that can be used as a stimulus for art. I bought this one "Animals" from The Book People years ago, it's beginning to fall apart, but the children love it.

Spiders made from egg cartons, pipe cleaners and string-

Paint- make holes in the side for the legs (pipecleaners) and a hole in the top for the string.

Using an old CD, wind an odd number of strings around and tie at the back. I'd recommend 7 or 9.

Then weave wool over and under until you get to the edge. 

Hanging spiders on webs, Tah Dah! 

Ghosts

Not my idea- but I saw this in a local childminders, and will totally be using it! 

Found on: http://thepajamamama.net/halloween-diy-roundup/

Skeletons

I loved "FunnyBones" as a child!

This is another idea I found online- I've seen this in my school before and it is so effective! 

Found on: http://www.crafts-for-all-seasons.com/Q-tip-skeleton.html

Pumpkin Carving

I love carving a pumpkin in the class, the children get so much from it. We had a great conversation about what they thought might be inside it before we carved it last year.
I cut open the top and the children use their hands to pull out the 'insides'! They love the messiness!!

The seeds can be put aside and used for fabric and fibre later. Just wash and leave them to dry.

They can design faces- great linkage with 2-D and 3-D shapes.

The children can be picked by raffle to draw the face on the pumpkin and the teacher can carve it.

I like to raffle the pumpkin at the end of the day and send it home.

Responding to Famous Artists

Edvard Munch's "The Scream" can be discussed during Hallowe'en. 

Munch's art tended to show a lot of angst. 

The class may discuss the feelings they might see in this. 

The story of how one of the versions of the painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo a few years ago may be interesting for the children. This may be integrated to other subjects like Drama and SPHE.

I personally love Halloween games:

-putting a jelly on top of a mound of flour- hands behind back and pick the jelly up without getting a face full of powder.

-blindfolded fortune telling game, 3 plates- a ring on one(marriage), coins on another (Wealth) and water on the last (Travel). The child picks a plate- this is their fortune!

- Trick or Treat chants, great to know some for Hallowe'en night! 

If the school does a dress up day, I like to keep a (good quality- Snazaroo) face paint in the class. If any child forgets to dress up- I ring home and ask to paint their face. This helps the day go smoothly for everyone.