Free 7th Grade 31 Days of Halloween Reading

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Origins of Halloween

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about the origins of Halloween
Explain why the Celts lit bonfires and wore costumes during Samhain
Find where the name "Halloween" comes from and what its old words mean
Describe how the passage is organized in time order

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Halloween Store That Pops Up Every Fall

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about the history of pop-up Halloween stores
Explain why the company rents empty stores for only about two months
Find details about how workers set up and take down a store
Determine the meaning of the phrase pop-up using context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Halloween Capital of the World

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about the history of Halloween in Anoka, Minnesota.
Explain why the town started its Halloween celebration and how it grew.
Find specific dates and details that show the order of events.
Determine the meaning of vocabulary words using context.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of the Jack-o'-Lantern

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a chronological passage about the history of the jack-o'-lantern
Explain why Irish immigrants switched from turnips to pumpkins in America
Find details in the text that describe how early lanterns were made and used
Determine the meaning of words like "legend" using context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Great Halloween Blizzard

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about the 1991 Halloween blizzard in Minnesota
Explain how cold air and warm air work together to make snow
Find details that show how families coped with the storm
Explain why people still tell stories about this Halloween

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Bats: Halloween's Misunderstood Mammals

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a passage about bats and explain what makes them the only flying mammals.
Find details showing how echolocation helps bats hunt in the dark.
Explain how bats help farmers and forests.
Describe how the author organizes the passage from description to helpful facts.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Black Cats and Superstition

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about the beliefs and science surrounding black cats
Find details that explain why the same cat was seen as lucky in some places and unlucky in others
Explain how melanin gives a cat its black coat
Describe how the author compares opposite beliefs about black cats

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Great Pumpkin on TV

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about the "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" special
Explain how the cartoon was made by hand before computers existed
Find details about who created the special and who wrote its music
Determine the main idea and how key details support it

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Most Famous Haunted House Ride

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about the Haunted Mansion ride and its history.
Explain how the Pepper's ghost trick makes the dancers appear to float.
Find details that show why the ride became popular so quickly.
Explain how the designers combined spooky and funny ideas.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

A Parade of Giant Puppets

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage and follow how the parade grew over time
Find specific details about who started the parade and when
Explain why the parade feels like a celebration everyone can join
Determine the meaning of words like "theme" from context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Night of 30,000 Jack-o'-Lanterns

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about the Keene Pumpkin Festival and its world record
Find specific details such as dates and pumpkin counts in the text
Explain why the festival needs so many volunteers to work together
Determine the meaning of the word scaffold from clues in the text

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of Halloween Costumes

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a chronological passage about how Halloween costumes changed over time
Find specific details about guising, homemade costumes, and store-bought outfits
Explain why costumes changed after movies and TV became popular
Determine the meaning of words like guising and disguise from context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Popular Halloween Costumes Through the Decades

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about Halloween costumes from the 1930s to today
Find details that explain why certain costumes became popular
Explain how real world events, like the space race, changed what children wore
Identify the main idea and the text structure the author uses

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Where Superstitions Come From

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about the origins of common superstitions
Explain why some superstitions began as practical common sense
Find details showing how scientists explain why people keep superstitions
Determine the meaning of the word 'superstition' from the text

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and its author
Find details about the characters, setting, and real town in the text
Explain why the story became famous and how it spread over time
Determine the meaning of new words using clues in the passage

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Mary Shelley and Frankenstein

RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about how Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein.
Find details about when and where the story began.
Explain why the book is called one of the first science fiction novels.
Explain the question about responsibility the story asks.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Skeletons: The Bones Inside You

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read an informational passage about the human skeleton and its bones.
Find specific details, such as bone counts and the minerals bones need.
Explain why bones are described as living tissue that grows and heals.
Describe how the author uses description to show how bones protect organs.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Mummies of Ancient Egypt

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about how the ancient Egyptians made mummies
Explain why the Egyptians preserved bodies and how the desert first helped them
Find details about canopic jars, natron, and how long the process took
Explain how scientists study mummies today using CT scanners

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of Horror Films

RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about the history of spooky movies
Find details about the people and studios that shaped monster films
Explain why people enjoy feeling scared in a safe way
Explain how sound, color, and special effects changed movies over time

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

How Movie Monsters Are Made

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about how movie monsters are created.
Find details that explain each method used to make a monster.
Explain why filmmakers changed from puppets to computers over time.
Determine the meaning of words like prosthetics and animatronics from context.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Science of Being Scared

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about how the body reacts to being scared
Find details about the amygdala and adrenaline in the text
Explain why a haunted house can feel fun instead of frightening
Describe how the body calms down after a fright

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Halloween Around the World

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a passage about the history of Halloween and trace how it changed over time.
Find details that show how customs moved from Ireland and Scotland to other countries.
Explain why the jack-o'-lantern changed from a turnip into a pumpkin.
Explain how Day of the Dead is a separate celebration with its own meaning.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Halloween in Ireland and Scotland

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about the Irish and Scottish roots of Halloween
Find details that explain how old customs changed over time
Explain why turnip lanterns became pumpkins in America
Determine the meaning of words like guising and Oiche Shamhna in context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Day of the Dead in Mexico

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about the Day of the Dead in Mexico.
Find details that explain what an ofrenda is and why families build one.
Explain how Indigenous and Catholic traditions blended to shape the holiday.
Identify the meaning of words like ofrenda and calavera from context.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of Halloween Candy

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about how Halloween candy changed over time
Find specific details and dates that show how treats changed
Explain why wrapped candy replaced homemade treats
Determine the meaning of words like "fun size" from context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Candy Corn

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a chronological passage about the history of candy corn
Find specific details that explain why the candy was shaped like corn
Explain how candy corn was made before machines took over
Determine the meaning of words like "credited" from context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of Haunted Houses

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about the history of haunted house attractions
Find details that show how haunted houses changed over time
Explain why schools and clubs began building haunted houses
Determine the meaning of vocabulary words used in the text

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Bobbing for Apples and Other Halloween Games

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about the history of Halloween apple games and party traditions
Find details that explain how bobbing for apples and snap-apple were played
Explain why apple games changed over time and how they are played today

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Giant Pumpkins

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a passage about giant pumpkins and their growers.
Find details explaining how growers help a pumpkin grow huge.
Explain why the author uses comparisons like 'heavier than a horse'.
Describe the steps a pumpkin goes through from seed to weigh-off.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The War of the Worlds Broadcast

RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about the 1938 "War of the Worlds" broadcast and its aftermath
Explain how the fake news format made the drama believable to listeners
Trace and evaluate the claim that the broadcast caused mass panic
Find the reasons historians give for doubting the newspaper reports

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of Trick-or-Treating

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a chronological passage about the history of trick-or-treating
Explain how and why the custom changed from souling to modern trick-or-treating
Find details in the text that show cause and effect over time
Determine the meaning of words like rationed and guising from context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Why Leaves Change Color

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a science passage about why leaves change color in fall.
Explain how chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanin each affect leaf color.
Find details showing why some autumns are brighter than others.
Explain why trees drop their leaves before winter.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Where Pumpkin Spice Comes From

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about the spices in pumpkin spice and where they grow.
Find details that explain why certain spices were once as valuable as gold.
Explain how five spices from different countries came together in pumpkin pie.
Determine the meaning of domain-specific words like bark, root, and knobby from context.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

UNICEF Trick-or-Treat Boxes

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about the history of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.
Find specific details about who started the program and what the money buys.
Explain how a small collection box changed what trick-or-treating could do.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases used in the text.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Salem Witch Trials

RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about the Salem witch trials and identify its central idea
Find textual evidence showing how fear and spectral evidence shaped the outcome
Explain the author's point of view about fair trials and how it is conveyed
Determine the meaning of the term "spectral evidence" as used in the text

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Monster Mash

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about the song "Monster Mash" and Halloween music.
Find details that explain when and how the song became a hit.
Explain why a silly song became a lasting Halloween tradition.
Determine the meaning of the phrase "novelty song" from context.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Hunter's Moon

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about the autumn full moons and how they work.
Explain why the moon looks orange and large near the horizon.
Find details about the Harvest Moon and the Hunter's Moon and how farmers used them.
Identify the text structure the author uses to describe the moon's phases.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The Hungry Ghost Festival

RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about the Hungry Ghost Festival and its customs
Find details that explain when and where the festival takes place
Explain why people burn joss paper and leave the front row empty
Describe how the author organizes and supports ideas in the text

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of Pumpkins

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a chronological passage about how pumpkins spread through history
Explain how the Three Sisters plants helped one another grow
Find details that show how people used and changed the pumpkin over time
Explain why pumpkins are considered a fruit

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

The History of Halloween Decorations

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a chronological passage about the history of Halloween decorations.
Find details that explain how and why decorating moved from indoors to outdoors.
Explain the meaning of domain words such as papier-mache in context.
Explain how the author uses evidence to show decorating grew bigger over time.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Spiders and Their Webs

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about spiders and the silk webs they spin
Explain how spiders make silk and why it is so strong
Find details showing how spiders help people by eating insects
Describe how the author compares spiders that build webs with those that do not

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Scarecrows Around the World

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about the history of scarecrows in different cultures
Find specific details that explain how and why scarecrows were made
Explain why scarecrows do not keep birds away for long
Describe how the passage is organized as a chronology through time

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Owls: Hunters of the Night

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about how owls hunt at night.
Explain how silent flight, hearing, and eyesight help an owl catch prey.
Find details in the text that describe what an owl pellet is and why scientists study it.
Describe how a cause-and-effect paragraph is organized.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Obon: Japan's Festival of Ancestors

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read an informational passage about the Obon festival in Japan.
Find details that explain what lanterns, dancing, and family visits mean during Obon.
Explain how Obon is similar to and different from other holidays that remember the dead.
Determine the meaning of festival words like Bon Odori and toro nagashi from context.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

How Pumpkins Grow

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a nonfiction passage about the life cycle of a pumpkin.
Explain why bees are needed for a pumpkin to grow.
Find details that show why a pumpkin is called a fruit.
Describe the order of stages from seed to harvest.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

How Glow Sticks Glow

RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about how glow sticks and glow-in-the-dark toys make light
Explain why a glow stick feels cool and how temperature changes its brightness
Find details that show how phosphorescence and reflective tape differ from a glow stick

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

How Chocolate Is Made

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read and follow the chronological steps that turn cacao beans into chocolate
Explain why fermenting and roasting change the flavor of the beans
Find details about how the Maya and Aztec peoples used cacao
Explain how chocolate became a common Halloween candy

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Harvest Festivals and Corn Mazes

RI.1 RI.2 RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8 RI.K

Read a passage explaining how a corn maze is planned and cut into a field.
Find details that show why October is the time farms open to visitors.
Explain the steps a designer follows to hide a picture inside a cornfield.
Explain how a corn maze fits into a larger harvest festival.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Harry Houdini and Halloween

RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about Harry Houdini and his life's work
Explain why Houdini worked to expose fake spirit mediums
Find details in the text that show Houdini valued proof over belief
Describe how the author organizes the passage in time order

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Halloween Postcards Long Ago

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about vintage Halloween postcards and their history
Find details that explain how the cards were made and mailed
Explain why the postcards became scarce and why collectors value them today
Determine the meaning of words like scarce and deltiologist from context

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Guy Fawkes Night

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a nonfiction passage about the history and traditions of Guy Fawkes Night.
Explain what happened during the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and why people celebrated.
Find details that show how the holiday changed from the 1600s to today.
Explain how Guy Fawkes Night and Halloween share the November calendar.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Ghost Stories and Campfire Tales

RI.3 RI.4 RI.5 RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read a passage about the tradition of telling ghost stories over time.
Find details that explain how a storyteller builds suspense and surprise.
Explain why people enjoy a "safe scare" using evidence from the text.
Describe how the passage is organized from ancient times to today.

Select a Worksheet >

Pin It

Dracula and the Legend of the Vampire

RI.6 RI.7 RI.8

Read an analytical passage about the origins of the modern vampire.
Find text evidence that distinguishes folklore, Stoker's novel, and film inventions.
Explain how the author develops a central idea in layers across the paragraphs.
Determine the meaning of figurative phrases such as "a costume stitched together."