Teacher’s Guide Ghosts in the House

For book Ghosts in the House, Level S

Script Level: Grade 3 (Middle)
Word Count: 1,522
Script Summary:
In the American North of the 1830s, a young girl
named Virginia hears strange noises coming from
her attic at night. Suspense builds as Virginia
gets the idea that her parents know something
about this but are keeping it from her.

Objectives and Assessment

Monitor students to determine if they can:
• consistently read their lines with appropriate rate and accuracy
• consistently read their lines with appropriate expression, including pause, inflection,
and intonation
• follow along silently and listen for spoken cues

Using the Scripts:

• Each role is assigned a reading level according to the syntactic and semantic difficulty
encountered. Feel free to divide roles further to include more readers in a group.
• Discuss vocabulary and encourage readers to practice their lines to promote fluent delivery
of the script.
• Have readers highlight their lines on the scripts, and encourage them to follow along as
everyone reads.

Vocabulary:
Story words: annoyed, devise, escapee, haunted, lullaby, Underground Railroad

Cast of Characters:
Grade 3 (Middle)
Mother Father Virginia

Caleb Narrator

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Script Ghosts in the House

Cast of Characters:
Parts
Mother Father Virginia

Caleb Narrator

Narrator
In the 1830s, life for Virginia Blake in rural New Hampshire
was very different than it is today. Because there were no
cars or buses, Virginia walked or rode in horse-drawn
carriages. There was no electricity, television, or Internet,
either. Life in the countryside was very quiet, so Virginia
was especially excited when her favorite cousin, Caleb,
came to visit for a few weeks.

Virginia
Caleb, I’m so glad you’re here! I don’t remember the last
time anything interesting happened in this house since
my baby sister was born. It’s as quiet as a church all
day long!

Caleb
I like quiet, peaceful churches, Virginia. I couldn’t wait
to get here and not hear a thing!

Virginia
What are you talking about? What’s wrong?
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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Caleb
I don’t want to tell you because you’ll think I’m a nutty
old loon.

Virginia
I already think that. It's why you’re my favorite cousin!

Caleb
Well . . . will you pinky-swear that you won’t tell anyone?

Virginia
I solemnly pinky-swear.

Caleb
Okay, here it is: my house has ghosts!

Virginia
Ghosts?

Caleb
Shh! I told you you’d think I was nutty. But every night,
loud noises in the attic above my bedroom wake me up, and
I can hear the ghosts walking back and forth across the floor.
Sometimes, they even speak!

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Virginia
First of all, Caleb, you’ve always been a very light sleeper.
You sleep like a restless wolf pup during a full moon.
The noises could be anything.

Caleb
How would you know about noises in the middle
of the night? You sleep like a log.

Virginia
Well, what did your parents say when you told them about
it? Do they hear the noises, too?

Caleb
They say they don’t, but they don’t sleep under the attic.
Virginia, I’m telling you that my house is haunted, and
it’s haunted by real ghosts!

Narrator
Just then, Virginia’s mother and father came outside the
house to welcome Caleb. Virginia’s cat, Bandit, also ventured
outside. When the cat saw Caleb, she meowed, ran over, and
leaped into his arms.

Caleb
Hello, Bandit. I missed you, too!

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Father
Caleb, my boy, welcome back to our humble home!
You’ve grown quite a bit since we saw you last year.
I reckon you’ll be just as tall as your father in no time!

Mother
Caleb, Virginia’s father and I are so glad you came to visit.
And we can’t wait for you to meet Virginia’s baby sister.
I trust that your parents are doing well back at the farm?

Caleb
They’re doing very well. We had an excellent harvest this
year, and the farm animals are thriving. Thank you both
for inviting me to stay in your home.

Mother
Please stay as long as you’d like. Virginia gets bored here in
the country, but I love it. She’s been looking forward to your
visit for weeks!

Father
Now, what’s this I hear about ghosts?

Caleb and Virginia

Nothing!

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Virginia
Um, uh, um . . . Caleb was just telling me about a new ghost
story he heard. Isn’t that right, Caleb?

Caleb
Yes . . . um . . . it’s a really scary ghost story, too.
In fact, it’s so scary it could even be real!

Mother
Well, it’s almost time for supper, so let’s all go inside and
wash up. We’re having roast turkey, corn on the cob, and
mashed potatoes. Plus, I baked a peach pie for dessert!

Father
We’re going to have a feast! And I made my special
spiced hot apple cider. It’s the best apple cider in all
of New Hampshire!

Narrator
During supper, Virginia and her parents eagerly listened
to Caleb’s stories about his family’s farm. After he finished
his pie, Caleb let out a huge, gaping yawn.

Father
Caleb, why don’t you tell us that ghost story now? I’m sure
we’d all love to hear it.

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Narrator
Virginia and Caleb glanced at each other with alarm.

Caleb
Oh, um . . . I don’t know if I can remember it right now.

Mother
Father, Caleb must be very tired after his trip. Caleb,
maybe it’s time to go to bed.

Caleb
Yes, that’s a good idea. I can barely keep my eyes open.

Father
Your bedroom is the one next to Virginia’s room.
Sleep well, Caleb.

Narrator
Caleb said goodnight to everyone and headed upstairs.
A short time later, Virginia headed upstairs, too. She quickly
settled into a deep sleep but was awakened to someone
prodding her on the shoulder. It was Caleb!

Virginia
What are you doing? It’s the middle of the night!

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Caleb
Don’t you hear it? The noises are here, too, and they’re
coming from the attic, just like in my house!

Virginia
Shh, let me listen. All I can hear is your loud whispering.

Narrator
Caleb and Virginia fell silent and listened carefully, but all
they could hear was silence.

Caleb
Virginia, I swear I heard noises. You’ve got to believe me!

Virginia
I believe you heard something, but maybe it was Bandit.
Sometimes she wanders around the house at night.

Caleb
Bandit’s sleeping in her basket, right over there in the corner
of your room. See?

Virginia
Well, maybe it was a gust of wind.

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Caleb
Look outside your window. All the trees are standing
perfectly still. There’s no wind blowing at all!

Virginia
You must have had a nightmare. Now go back to sleep!

Narrator
The next morning, Virginia and Caleb came downstairs
for breakfast. Virginia went to get a jar of peaches from
the pantry. The pantry shelves were filled with baskets
of vegetables and bags of dry goods. There was even a
delicious ham—but the peach jars were nowhere in sight.

Virginia
Mother, what happened to the peaches? I thought there
was one jar left after you baked last night’s peach pie.

Mother
Oh, uh . . . I used up the last jar of peaches for the pie.

Narrator
Virginia’s mother glanced nervously at her father,
who nodded quickly and turned to face Virginia.

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Father
You’re mistaken, Virginia. Mother used the last jar
of peaches early yesterday morning.

Mother
Caleb, are you all right? You look like you hardly got
a wink of sleep.

Virginia
Caleb kept hearing noises in the attic, but I didn’t
hear anything.

Narrator
Virginia’s mother and father exchanged another
nervous glance.

Father
Maybe a couple squirrels climbed into the attic from
the chimney. I’ll check it out later today.

Caleb
I doubt it. Not when this house has gho—

Virginia
Caleb, let’s eat breakfast. Mother made blueberry pancakes!

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Narrator
After breakfast, Virginia and Caleb played all day in
the fields. That night, the family ate a supper of mashed
potatoes, carrots, and peas.

Virginia
Mother, why are we only having vegetables for supper?
I thought we were going to eat the ham that was in the pantry.

Mother
What ham are you talking about, Virginia?

Father
There’s no ham in the pantry.

Virginia
Maybe I was wrong about the jar of peaches, but I know
I saw that ham!

Mother
Virginia, stop shouting.

Virginia
I’m not shouting!

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Father
That’s no way to behave at the supper table, especially
with a guest in the house. Go upstairs to your room.

Virginia
But—

Father
I said go upstairs. Now!

Narrator
Virginia stomped up the stairs. Before she went to her room,
she stopped by the steps that led to the attic. She leaned in
close and listened at the door.

Virginia
I don’t hear a thing!

Narrator
Later that night, Caleb ran into Virginia’s room and woke
her up again.

Virginia
Now what is wrong?

Caleb
Listen! Can you hear it?
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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Narrator
Tip tap . . . tip tap . . . tip tap . . .

Virginia
I hear it, but it’s probably just some squirrels, like Father said.

Narrator (singing a lullaby)

Tra la la . . . tra la la . . . tra la la . . .

Caleb
Can squirrels sing?

Narrator
Virginia’s eyes grew wide, and she bolted up in bed.
Bandit bolted up, too. She gave a loud meow and jumped
into Virginia’s arms.

Caleb
They’re ghosts, Virginia. I’m telling you, they’re ghosts!

Virginia
Hmm . . . first the jar of peaches disappeared, then the ham
disappeared, and now there are strange noises in the attic.
But ghosts are just in stories, Caleb, so let’s find out what
these noises really are!

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Narrator
Virginia and Caleb crept out of her room and tiptoed to the
attic steps. Bandit followed right behind them. Caleb pointed
to the door and whispered.

Caleb
Look at the light coming from under the door. What do you
suppose it is?

Narrator
Virginia looked through the keyhole and gasped.

Virginia (whispering)
It’s candlelight. Intruders are in the attic!

Caleb
You mean ghosts, right?

Virginia
No, silly. A mother, a father, and a little girl are in the attic,
and they’re as real as the whiskers on Bandit’s face!

Narrator
Suddenly, the attic door inched open. A little girl poked her
head into the hallway and stared at Caleb and Virginia. The
girl’s eyes fell on Bandit, and she smiled shyly. Then someone
pulled the girl back into the attic and tugged the door closed.
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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Virginia
Come on. We’d better tell my parents!

Narrator
Virginia and Caleb ran into her parents’ bedroom and told
them about the intruders. Mother and Father looked at each
other and sighed.

Father
Sweetheart, Mother and I probably should have told
you about this sooner, but we’ll tell you about it now.

Mother
Those people in the attic are escapees.

Father
We’re helping them escape slavery and find freedom in
the North.

Mother
You see, our house is a station on the Underground Railroad.

Father
Families like ours hide and feed escapees in our homes.
The escapees secretly travel farther north from one station
on the Railroad to the next one.

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Script (continued) Ghosts in the House

Mother
When they make it to Canada, they’re finally free.

Virginia
I’ve heard about the Underground Railroad!

Caleb
So I guess there were no ghosts at my house, after all!
My house must be a station for escapees on the
Underground Railroad, too.

Virginia
Then I want to help make this family’s stay at our station
as pleasant as possible!

Caleb
Me, too!

Narrator
Virginia and Caleb joined the little girl in the attic, where
they quietly played with Bandit all day long. The next day,
however, the family was gone. Virginia couldn’t wait for
more families to arrive, so she could help them on their
journeys, too.

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