The Great Pumpkin Chase - a Halloween reading resource

‘The Great Pumpkin Chase’ is an original fantasy story which I’ve turned into a fun Halloween reading resource for students aged 7-9. In the story, Tom and his friends have to catch six pumpkins which have escaped from Grandpa’s garden. They grow arms and legs because they’ve become too ripe, and this is how they run away.

As well as the story text, which is 4 x A4 pages long, the following activities are included in this resource:

· A set of comprehension questions with answer key

· A sequencing exercise with answer key

· A storyboard template to make a cartoon version of the story

· A worksheet for a reading/arts activity, in which students make a visual map of where the pumpkins were caught and of key locations mentioned in the story.

The resource can be used as an individual, pair, small group or whole class exercise.

As well as the activities above, students can also cut up copies of the printed story and create a booklet/display in which they can leave spaces to add their own illustrations. This is a fun art activity which also helps to check their understanding of what’s happening in the story.

I hope you have fun with this. I certainly enjoyed writing it!

Thanks, Maggie