Assign students a list of Halloween-themed vocabulary words. Use random words, such as "apparition," "talisman," "otherworldly," "superstition" and "portentous." Instruct students to learn the definitions of these words and then to write a short story incorporating these words. Once finished, students must read their stories aloud so that classmates can hear the vocabulary words in context.
For a fun, Halloween-themed writing assignment, ask students to write a short news story about a spooky event or mysterious activity. Provide example scenarios, such as a haunted house whose owner is finally identified or a mysterious case of disappearing trees. Encourage students to be creative, but also to follow the guidelines for syntax and structure. If desired, assemble the stories into a newspaper and distribute a copy to each student. Use a fun title, such as "Terrifying Times" or "Ghoul's Gazette."
Instruct students to read a spooky story or Halloween tale and present a book report to the class. Ideally, require students to provide the book title in advance for your approval. Instruct students to give a synopsis of the book (without spoiling the ending), to read a favorite or funny paragraph aloud and to evaluate the narrative, sharing likes and dislikes.
Make copies of a short story about haunting, such as "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde or "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe. Distribute a copy to each student. Provide students with a worksheet of grammatical concepts to identify in the text. For instance, instruct students to identify a sentence that uses passive voice, past perfect tense or an instance of direct speech. Adapt this assignment to practice whatever grammatical concepts you are teaching.