1. THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN
Date: October 31
Focus: past tense, questions words, new vocabulary
Level: pre-intermediate
Time: 90 minutes
Keys:
Warming up: depending on students’ knowledge.
Reading:
1. Where does the name Halloween come from?
2. What does All Hallows Eve mean?
3. Who celebrated the last day of the year on October 31st?
4. What was their (the druids’) god called?
5. Why did he (Samhain) free the spirits of the dead?
6. What did they (the druids) leave for their ancestors?
7. What did they wear?
8. What did the Pagan ritual become?
9. Who disappeared (along with the origins of the festival)?
10. Who said witches were unfit to live?
11. What were witches accused of?
12. What is seen as a bit of light-hearted fun?
Listening:
1. True (T);
2. T;
3. False (F);
4. F;
5. F;
6. F;
7. T
Writing: written interaction, optional end (although the real end is this:
“He flew to a nearby forest until he came to a big, tall tree in the centre. Then he
turned and asked his friends, quot;Do you see this tree?quot; and they all shook their
heads excitedly.
quot;Well, I didn't,quot; he replied...... “

2. Describe and comment on this picture.
Where did Halloween originally start?
Do you celebrate this festivity?

3. Hallowe’en (A)
Complete the questions at the bottom of the page. Then ask your partner
the questions and complete the text.
The name Hallowe’en comes from 1) _______________, which means ‘Holy
Evening’. This is the original Christian name for the evening of October 31st.
Two thousand years ago, in Europe, the 3) _______________ celebrated the
last day of the year on October 31st. They believed that their god, who was
called Samhain, freed the spirits of the dead on this day to
5) _______________. The druids left offerings for their ancestors and other
good spirits, and prayed for their safe return.
To scare away the evil spirits, on the other hand, they lit huge fires and wore
7) _______________.
The Pagan ritual became a Christian tradition, but the Christians accepted only
one God, and 9) _______________ disappeared along with the origins of the
festival. However, the large fires and scary costumes remained.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, there was a huge increase in witch-
hunts after Christian priests said that witches were ‘unfit to live’. Witches were
accused of 11) _______________, killing animals and making people ill. The
image of evil witches and devils became associated with Hallowe’en and has
continued until now.
These days, Hallowe’en is seen as a bit of light-hearted fun but, next time you
see a pumpkin lantern or witch’s costume, remember how different things used
to be.
1) Where
_____________________________________________________________?
3) Who
_____________________________________________________________?
5) Why
_____________________________________________________________?
7) What
_____________________________________________________________?
9) Who
_____________________________________________________________?
11) What
_____________________________________________________________?

4. Hallowe’en (B)
Complete the questions at the bottom of the page. Then ask your partner
the questions and complete the text.
The name Hallowe’en comes from ‘All Hallows Eve’, which means
2) ‘_____________’. This is the original Christian name for the evening of
October 31st.
Two thousand years ago, in Europe, the Celtic druids celebrated the last day of
the year on October 31st. They believed that their god, who was called
4) _______________ freed the spirits of the dead on this day to revisit their
homes. The druids left 6) _______________ for their ancestors and other good
spirits, and prayed for their safe return. To scare away the evil spirits, on the
other hand, they lit huge fires and wore frightening costumes.
The Pagan ritual became 8) _______________, but the Christians accepted
only one God, and Samhain disappeared along with the origins of the festival.
However, the large fires and scary costumes remained.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, there was a huge increase in witch-
hunts after 10) _______________ said that witches were ‘unfit to live’. Witches
were accused of worshipping the devil, killing animals and making people ill.
The image of evil witches and devils became associated with Hallowe’en and
has continued until now.
These days, 12) _______________ is seen as a bit of light-hearted fun but,
next time you see a pumpkin lantern or witch’s costume, remember how
different things used to be.
2) What
______________________________________________________________?
4) What
______________________________________________________________?
6) What
______________________________________________________________?
8) What
______________________________________________________________?
10) Who
______________________________________________________________?
12) What
______________________________________________________________?

5. More about Halloween
halloween-article.mp3
Listen and decide if the following statements are True or False.
1. Hallowe'en is liked by many people.
2. The Celts celebrated Samhain at the end of autumn.
3. The Church thought pagan feasts were holy days.
4. Only poor people play quot;Trick or Treat'.
5. Witches are a modern invention.
6. Jack O'Lantern was another name for the devil.
7. Animals that live at night are popular symbols of Hallowe'en.
The Bloody Bat
Read and complete the following story.
One night a vampire bat flew into his cave all covered in blood. His friends
all gathered around him and said, quot;Wow! Where did you get all that blood?
We want some, we want some tooquot; they all said. Then he flew out the cave
door with his friends curiously following behind...