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It's officially Spooky Season! In teacher world that often means blowing the dust off Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" and hoping the candy bar sugar rush stays in check. But why not leverage the thrills and chills of October into a mini-gory goth unit and spine-tingling writing assignment that kids will love?
All suspense stories should express an element of the gothic genre, such as the supernatural; an eerie, mysterious setting; emotion over passion; or distinctive characters who are lonely, isolated, and/or oppressed. Throw in a tyrannical villain, a vendetta, or an illicit love affair — you’ve got Goth gold! Why Gothicism? It explores the tragic themes of life and the darker side of human nature. What’s more, kids innately are attracted to it, so...score!
Assign A Gothic Story Writing Activity that includes neat-o writing tools such as Freytag's Gothic Plot Pyramid, a Gothicism Word Bank for a brooding setting, weather, feelings, objects, and sounds; and a Gothicism Check-Off List and Scoring Guide that can also serve as a rubric. Specifically, students will self score or peer edit their goth street cred with the following guidelines:
22-26 Attributes = Next-Level Gothicism beyond the laws of nature
17-21 Attributes = Solid Gothicism capable of shock and horror
12-16 Attributes = Mediocre Gothicism with layers of gloom and doom
7-11 Attributes = Low-key Gothicism with whispers of melancholy 6 or Fewer Attributes = Insufficient Gothicism; barely creepy!
Students need Spooky Story Starters? Here are (32) Six-Word Scary Story Starters to keep the spooky in their writing.
2) Babysitter needs job. Loves kids. Kinda.
3) Looks in the mirror. No mouth.
4) Beautiful house. Backyard cemetery. For sale.
5) App downloads virus - in its users.
6) Mechanical pencil erases mistakes. And memory.
7) Neighborhood has party. Hosts are vampires.
8) Creepy basement. Rickety staircase. No escape.
9) Circus clowns revolt. No one laughs.
10) Wife wakes up. Husband does not.
11) Adorable puppy turns into demonic dog.
12) Selfie pics sent by unknown user.
13) Found: Mason jar with unknown species
14) Girl keeps swinging. She’s not alive.
15) Grieving scientist clones deceased wife. Oops.
16) They entered the elevator. That’s all.
17) Purchased antique painting. Haunted. Buyer’s remorse.
18) Couple has nightmares. They come true.
19) Museum coffin won’t open. Pounding inside.
20) Peaceful ocean swim. Dorsal fin. Ouch!
21) Clock runs backwards. Time does too.
22) Tour guide loses group. On purpose.
23) Locked doors and windows. Forgot one.
24) Perfect suburban neighborhood. Until freak accidents.
25) Doorbell rings. Gift. Worst present ever!
26) New boyfriend. Neither boy or friend.
27) Office coffee maker brews deadly decaf.
28) Children’s voices fill park. No kids.
29) Vacationers open their suitcase. It bites.
30) Quiet road. Abandoned car. Open door.
31) Feeling the creepy crawlies. Spiders everywhere!
32) Voices heard upstairs. Everyone is downstairs.
Stay spooky, y'all!
