Wait Till Helen Comes

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

“Your Own Scary Story to Tell in the Dark: Pick Your Narrative”

1. Write a 2-sentence horror story. Try to convey atmosphere, suspense, and the idea of a plot in just 2 sentences. To share, write your mini story on an index card, and post on a class horror story bulletin board.

2. Write a horror personal narrative. Think of a memory in which you clearly recall a strong feeling of fear. What made the experience so frightening? Write a 3–5-paragraph narrative about this experience. Utilizing the same literary devices Mary Downing Hahn used to create her scary story, describe the setting, build suspense, and establish mood with details and imagery. After revising and editing your narrative, consider recording your story on Audacity, GarageBand, or Anchor; post to Google Drive to share. 

3. Write a 2–3-page scary story of your own. Take time to develop all the elements of a successful story: characters, setting, plot, theme, point-of-view, conflict, and resolution. Create a scary atmosphere in your story through mood, suspense, and foreshadowing. When the first draft of your story is finished, exchange your story with a classmate to edit.