Give each small group of three to four students one of the following Scary Starters with which to begin a short story. Have groups share their stories, and then compile them into a class book.

As an alternative, have groups use Scary Starters to begin an oral tale. After groups practice their story, they can present them to the class.

1. It was a cold Halloween night when I saw the...
2. The mad scientist was creating a new monster that could...
3. The large cauldron of purple liquid started to boil when...
4. I got an eerie feeling when I heard...
5. The mysterious object started floating in the air and...
6. The Halloween pumpkin turned into a...
7. The black cat started to crouch and hiss when...
8. Something in the closet was making a strange noise, so I opened the door and...
9. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw...
10. As I carefully entered the haunted house, the door shut behind me and...
11. Make up your own Scary Starter.

Adapted from A Cauldron of Halloween Ideas