Got students who doodle haunted houses in margins or jump at the chance to tell a spooky campfire tale? A Ghost Story Writing and Performing Club lets them channel that eerie energy into creativity, critical thinking, and (controlled) chaos. Think Goosebumps meets drama class - where creaky floorboards and shadow puppets become teaching tools. Here’s how to haunt your school with literary chills.
Equipment you’ll need
Keep it simple, but set the mood:
- Writing supplies: Notebooks, laptops, or tablets. For old-school vibes, grab parchment paper and pens that glow under UV blacklights.
- Atmosphere enhancers: Battery-operated tea lights, a Bluetooth speaker for ambient sounds (try MyNoise for free rainstorm or creaky ship tracks).
- Prop box: White sheets for ghosts, flashlights for shadow plays, and dollar-store cobwebs.
- Story prompts: Print prompts from Reedsy’s generator or creepy images from Unsplash’s dark collection.
Optional upgrades: A voice recorder for podcast-style stories, or a green screen app like Do Ink for digital backdrops. Pro tip: Stockpile thrift-store frames - instant “haunted portraits” when students draw characters inside.
Suitable locations
Embrace the eerie:
- Dimly lit classrooms: Use curtains or cardboard to cover windows. String fairy lights for a “haunted library” vibe.
- Auditoriums or drama rooms: For performances with stage fog (check fire codes first!).
- Outdoor spaces: Host around a fire pit (real or faux) for campfire storytelling.
No budget? A regular classroom with desks pushed into circles works. Just kill the overhead lights and cue the sound of a distant wolf howl.
Age range
Spooky stories span grades, but tailor the terror:
- Grades 3–5: Focus on funny-scary tales (think Coraline lite) and group storytelling.
- Grades 6–8: Dive into suspense-building and performative tricks (voice modulation, jump scares).
- Grades 9–12: Explore gothic literature parallels, psychological horror, or podcast production.
Teens might scoff at “kid stuff” until you assign them to rewrite The Tell-Tale Heart as a TikTok script.
Who will enjoy this?
Not just future Stephen Kings. Watch these students thrive:
- Drama enthusiasts: The ones who live for Halloween and drama club auditions.
- Quiet writers: Kids who scribble poetry but hate sharing - until it’s delivered in a ghostly whisper.
- Problem solvers: Plotting a mystery? They’ll dissect clues like Sherlock with a flashlight.
- Class clowns: Channel their antics into playing comic-relief zombies or sound effect masters.
Even skeptics get hooked once they realize horror = power to control the scare.
Things to consider
Content boundaries: Set rules - no gore, real-world violence, or targeting peers in stories. Use the MPAA’s PG-13 guidelines as a template.
Group dynamics: Pair overenthusiastic scarers with calm collaborators to balance the vibe.
Time management: Writing and performing? Split sessions: 30 minutes drafting, 30 minutes rehearsing.
Sensitivity checks: Some kids hate jump scares. Poll the group: “Raise your hand if you want the lights flickering during performances.”
Budget hack: Use Canva for free “haunted” poster templates to advertise the club’s final showcase.
Further pathways
Beyond the grave (or classroom):
- Competitions: Submit to The Horror Tree’s youth contests or local library spooky story events.
- Podcasting: Upload student stories to Anchor or the school’s website.
- Community spooktaculars: Partner with retirement homes for intergenerational storytelling nights.
- Publishing: Compile stories into a zine using Staples’ booklet printing.
How it works in practice
- Set the scene: Lower lights, play ambient sounds, pass around a “cursed artifact” (a rubber rat works) for inspiration.
- Writing sprints: Use prompts like “You inherit a mansion… but the previous owner never left” or “The carnival comes to town once every 50 years.”
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Rehearsal stations:
- Voice actors: Practice eerie narration in corners.
- Foley artists: Crinkle cellophane for fire, shake a cookie sheet for thunder.
- Set designers: Craft shadow puppets or mini haunted dioramas.
- Perform: Host a “Haunted Open Mic” for classes or parents. Serve “witches’ brew” (green punch) in cauldrons.
Mix in genre studies: Compare Poe’s pacing to Stranger Things cold opens, or dissect how soundtracks build tension.
Final Boo
A Ghost Story Club isn’t about cheap scares - it’s about teaching suspense, empathy (what frightens us? why?), and the guts to share vulnerable work. You’ll trip over extension cords and confiscate whoopee cushions, but when a shy kid nails a villain’s monologue? Chills. Now, cue the creaky door sound effect… and let the haunting begin. 👻