Webquest: Halloween

This spooky webquest includes activities on popular Halloween traditions, global celebrations and
terrifying tales.

Warmer

What do you know about Halloween?

Activity 1: Halloween’s history

Visit www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g4607/history-of-halloween

Look for the answers to these 13 (unlucky for some) questions. Share your answers with your
classmates.

What was the name of the festival that started 2,000 years ago and on which Halloween is based?

 the Celtic celebration of Samhain.

What did people light to honour the dead?

 Big bonfires lit.

What was the name of the Roman celebration that was held in October?

 Feralia.

What was the purpose of this Roman festival?

 Commemorating the passing of the dead.

’All Souls’ Day’ came from which religion?

 ???

What was the name of the celebration that took place on 1 November?

 All Hallows.

Which English tradition was similar to trick-or-treating?

 Mumming.

What two things did people in Old England and Ireland do to please the spirits?

 Set out gifts of foods and dress in scary costumes.

In which part of America did the first Halloween-like celebrations take place?

 in the southern colonies

What were fall festivals originally known as in America?

  Feralia

When did Halloween start to become popular in America?

 19th century.

By the end of the 1800s, what were the main features of Halloween parties in America?

 Games, fall food, and costumes over witchcraft and troublemaking.

When did trick-or-treating become popular in America?

 By the 1950s.

Discussion

Are you surprised by the history of Halloween?

o Not really.

Do you know any other stories about its origins?

o No, I don’t.

Are there any celebrations in your country that have a strange and uncertain history?

o Probably.

Do you agree with this type of celebration?

o Yes, I do.

Do you believe in ghosts and the supernatural?

o I don’t know.