With a touch of spookiness and a lot of scientific curiosity, fourth graders brought their self-made haunted houses to science class, just in time for Halloween. Over the past few weeks, these young scientists had not only designed ghostly houses from shoeboxes but had also been hard at work exploring the topic of electricity. The challenge in this lesson: the haunted houses needed an energy-efficient lighting system, complete with a built-in switch.

With enthusiasm and scientific precision, the students set to work. In small teams, they planned their lighting systems, sketched detailed blueprints, and compiled shopping lists for the materials they would need. After their theoretical preparation came hands-on implementation: armed with wires, light bulbs, and switches, the young scientists transformed their haunted houses into glowing Halloween masterpieces.

Soon, excited exclamations erupted across the classroom: “It lights up!” and “It works!” could be heard at every station. The students were thrilled when, finally, each team could proudly present its illuminated haunted house to the class.

This Halloween-themed science lesson was not only a playful exploration of electricity but also a creative achievement for everyone involved. Once again, the fourth graders demonstrated that science and creativity can go hand in hand—and that learning is most effective when it's filled with fun and a touch of fright.

Steffi Colopy

(STEM Coordinator)