Boo! Creative Writing Banner
Scary, read-aloud stories and poems are such fun to share! Imagine unique characters for your own creative story. Bring them to life with a Boo! Banner.
1. Read aloud a few creepy stories and poems such as those found in "Halloween: Stories and Poems" by Caroline Feller Bauer, Bobbi Katz's "Ghosts and Goose Bumps", Jack Prelutsky's "It's Halloween", or "The Monster Mall and Other Spooky Poems" by David Steinberg. Describe the unique characters and discuss what makes them stand out.
2. Use your imagination to come up with original scary and/or funny characters. Write sentences about them using descriptive words and phrases. Develop an original short story or poem that incorporates your characters in the plot.
3. Create your imaginary characters with Crayola Model Magic®. For each one, flatten the modeling compound using your hand, rolling pin, or a marker. Use Crayola Scissors, a craft stick, or other modeling tool to cut out shapes such as a jack o’ lantern, monster skull, or witch head.
4. Decorate your characters with pieces of Model Magic. It sticks to itself when it’s fresh from the pack. Roll tubes and balls of various sizes to outline openings or facial features, make hair, or create spider webs. Cut ruffled edges or shapes to add scars, teeth, or slime. Marbleize Model Magic to make bloodshot eyes and mottled hair. Just knead two or three colors of Model Magic together. If pieces start to dry, attach them with Crayola School Glue.
5. Push a hole through the top of each piece with a plastic straw. Air-dry your characters overnight.
6. String raffia or ribbon through the holes. Tie knots at each piece to keep them evenly spaced. Hang up your garland and use it as a prop to tell your story or read your poem!
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.
Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—
- Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
- Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
- Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
- The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
- Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
- Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
- Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.
String-Like Materials—Includes string, raffia, lacing, yarn, ribbon, and other similar material. Children 3 years and younger should not be given any string-like material that is longer than 12 inches. Close adult supervision is essential whenever children use string-like material. When crafts are to be worn around the necks of children 8 years and younger, attach the ends of the “string-like material” with clear adhesive tape, which allows easy release of the bond if the craft becomes entangled or caught on equipment. For children older than 8 years, the ends of the “string-like material” may be tied and knotted.
- Write a paragraph describing an imaginary character. Draw a picture of it. Hang pictures on a bulletin board. Read descriptions orally. Classmates try to identify the picture by listening to the oral description.
- Display science, social studies, and math content--solar system, timelines, cultural symbols, equations--using similar banners.
- Some students with special needs may find it helpful to sketch their character on paper before creating it out of Model Magic.
- Research Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead to find out why and how it is celebrated in Mexico and other Latino countries.
- Keep a journal of interesting descriptive phrases or words that you come across in your reading.
- Assessment: Choose an object for students to describe with adjectives.
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