Halloween Competition for Middle School Advisory

A Fun Newspaper Costume Contest Involves Everyone

Oct 26, 2009

Advisory teachers feel lucky when they stumble on a cheap activity that appeals to everyone in their group. This newspaper costume contest fits the bill.

Many schools have concerns about costumes in school, especially as students enter middle school and choose costumes for shock value and allure rather than adorableness to be rewarded with candy. One fun game allows students to dress up and stay within school appropriate boundaries.

This activity takes about forty minutes, but it can be lengthened by adding in the optional photo viewing and voting. Explain to the group that the goal is for each group to use newspaper and tape to design a Halloween costume for one member of the group, who will be used as the model.

Responsibilities of Students who are Models

Put students into groups no greater than five students. Be sure the student who is the model is willing to allow people to tape him with newspapers. Students who have an aversion to being touched or have a strong distance limit for personal body space should not be models. Also, the student model needs to feel comfortable being photographed while wearing a silly newspaper costume and having the photo voted on. Some students are willing to do anything as long as it is not documented for history; other students are more willing to take risks if they know fame – even on a middle school level – is potentially in the cards.

Supplies Needed to Make Newspaper Costumes

Getting supplies, even on short notice, is simple because most local newspapers and libraries will donate old papers that would otherwise be recycled. Arts and Crafts teachers often have collections of old newspapers for paper mache projects. Teachers need to have:

If students are going to vote for the winners through a costume fashion show, taking pictures and putting them into a photo slide show is not necessary.

Instructions for Students for Working Together to Make a Costume

Explain to students that the goal is to make a costume of out newspaper as a group. Divide up the students and let the groups decide on a final costume idea that the model is comfortable wearing before giving them supplies, so as not to waste paper. Teachers should allow fifteen minutes for this.

Give students about twenty minutes to make the costume. Have the model student pose for a picture so that the next day, students can vote on which costume they liked best. The winning group should get candy, since it is a Halloween celebration, but for no-candy classrooms, a clever certificate and applause can be equally satisfying for winning students.

The copyright of the article Halloween Competition for Middle School Advisory in Middle School is owned by Alex Sharp. Permission to republish Halloween Competition for Middle School Advisory in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.