Lesson Title: A Halloween Goosechase Scavenger Hunt

Treat your class to a tricky Halloween scavenger hunt! 

This interactive and engaging lesson combines the thrill of Halloween with educational challenges. Students will work in teams to complete missions that can range from solving spooky riddles and performing spine-tingling tasks to exploring Halloween history, literature, and more.

As they race against the clock, your students will develop critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills—all while having a hauntingly good time. Whether they're crafting creative costumes, solving tricky math problems (how much candy is too much candy? The limit does not exist), or learning the science behind spooky creatures, this activity ensures learning is wrapped in Halloween fun. 

By the end of the hunt, students will have explored a variety of subjects through an unforgettable interactive experience.

Grade: 4 - 10

Subject: Interdisciplinary - Science, Literacy, Math, History

Objective:

• By the end of this lesson, students will: 
  • engage in a digital scavenger hunt using Goosechase, solving clues and completing tasks related to Halloween.
  • strengthen comprehension by interpreting digital clues.
  • engage in physical activity and creative challenges.
  • enhance knowledge of Halloween traditions, literature, or history
  • develop critical thinking skills, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

Materials:

• Mobile devices or tablets with the Goosechase app installed.
• Halloween-themed tasks (created within the Goosechase platform).
• Optional: Prizes for the winning team.

Preparation:

• Create an Experience on the Goosechase app with a series of Halloween focussed Missions
• Develop Missions that require students to demonstrate their understanding of the traditions, literature or history of Halloween.  Example Missions:
  • Find the Ghost: “Find the hidden ghost decoration in your classroom, snap a pic, and explain one spooky Halloween tradition in your video.”
  • Spooky Science: “Locate a picture of a skeleton, then explain the name and function of one bone to earn points.”
  • Pumpkin Puzzle: “Solve this riddle: ‘What’s orange, round, and has a scary face? Find it and take a selfie with it!’”
  • Costume Challenge: “Dress one team member as a Halloween character using only items found in the classroom. Take a group photo with your creation!”
  • Edgar Allen Poe’s Raven: Recite the first line of Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’ and explain its mood. Record it as dramatically as possible for bonus points!”
• Find example Missions in the Goosechase Templates below. 

• Run your Experience during one class period or for the entire week.
• Adapt the difficulty of the Missions based on the proficiency levels of your students to keep the activity inclusive and engaging for everyone.
• Prepare hints or resources that might help students solve the Missions if needed.
• Divide students into teams and assign each team a mobile device with the app, or have students complete the scavenger hunt individually.
• App Set-Up 
  • Dedicate time to ensuring all students have the Goosechase app downloaded and joined to the Experience to avoid any tech issues.

Lesson Plan Outline:

• Introduction
  • Inform students they will be participating in a fun and interactive activity. 
  • Briefly demonstrate how to use the Goosechase app.
  • Go over the rules and expectations for the scavenger hunt, including safety guidelines and respect for school property.
• Halloween Goosechase Scavenger Hunt
  • Read through Missions with students, emphasizing the importance of evidence and analysis in their responses.
  • Monitor progress and provide assistance as necessary.
  • If working in teams, encourage them to strategize and collaborate to solve the Missions.
  • Sit back and enjoy watching your students collaborate and demonstrate their learning. 
• Debrief and Reflection
  • Review the activity, discussing which missions were the most challenging or fun.
  • Discuss how teams collaborated and solved problems together.
  • Review any educational content covered through the Goosechase missions.
  • Optionally, award prizes to the team(s) with the highest score.

Assessment

• Observe students’ engagement, teamwork, and participation during the scavenger hunt.
• Use Goosechase’s platform to evaluate each team’s completed tasks and creativity.
• Optionally, have students write a brief reflection on what they learned from the activity.

Ready Made Experience Templates to Try

Want a copy of this lesson plan to use with your class?

What is Goosechase EDU?

Goosechase is an online platform that helps educators create and run interactive learning experiences in their classrooms and beyond. Sign up and try creating an Experience, or contact us to learn more about our school and district-wide solutions!