Have Fun this Fall with Halloween Themed Activities for Every Subject!
Autumn is an exciting time of year in the northern hemisphere. The new school year starts, the weather cools down, and for many people this change of season brings with it a desire to cozy up indoors with sweets and scary movies. In the United States and United Kingdom, October 31st marks an exciting day in Autumn: Halloween. Each year, more and more cities around the world have been putting on festivities for Halloween. The origin of the celebration of Halloween comes from Christian religious groups in Ireland and Scotland, and has been observed for centuries. However, the majority of people nowadays treat Halloween as an excuse to eat candy, dress up in costumes and spook their friends. The fun twist that Halloween has taken around the world has given rise to a number of engaging school activities.
As Halloween approaches this year, it is a great excuse to add some fun back into your study routine. Especially if you are studying for an International Baccalaureate exam with an IB online tutor, Halloween-themed activities are an easy way to relieve stress. Below are some Halloween inspired activities and study ideas for you and your IB online tutor to try together this autumn!
IB English: Get to Know Poe
Authors around the world have been writing about the grotesque and the horrifying since the beginning of time. Since the IB curriculum takes on a global approach to literature, Halloween is a fun time to explore horror from around the world. To practice comparative literature skills, ask your IB online tutor to compile a list of ghost stories from around the world, and discuss themes and similarities. To practice creative writing, try making your own twist on a famous folklore. For reading comprehension, there is no shortage of exciting horror stories by renowned authors. Perhaps the most internationally recognized horror writer is Edgar Allen Poe. Poe is a poet known to many as the central figure in American gothic horror. To add some chills to your reading list, try out The Fall of the House of Usher.
IB Math: Creepy Calculations
The best way to keep math exciting is by finding applications to the real world. The IB maths curriculum focuses a lot on problem solving and application questions. That means that working through practice problems with real-world implications are key to strengthening your math foundation. When we think of Halloween, we typically think of 4 things: candy, pumpkins, ghosts and costumes. Calculate the amount of sugar in your favorite candy bar, measure the angle of a pumpkin stem, find the volume of a haunted house or find statistics on the most popular costumes. Ask your IB online tutor to dig up some relevant word problems, or work together to design your own!
IB Chemistry: Sweet Science
When studying for IB Chemistry, it is crucial to incorporate hands-on activities. Regardless of what unit you are studying, there are plenty of ways to incorporate candy into your chemistry studies at home. Especially if you are working with an IB online tutor, you will want to find activities that you can both do from home with ease. Grab a bag of your favorite fruit candies and a sheet of paper, and you can learn about color chemistry using chromatography! Or, practice modeling atomic structure with gummies and toothpicks. Regardless of what you choose, these will be fun activities for you and your IB online tutor to engage with even from afar.
IB Biology: The Science of Life…and death?!
Biology is perhaps one of the most wide-ranging subjects that covers many different sub-fields. Whether you are studying genetics or evolution, there are plenty of hands-on activities to play with. Try using variety packs of candy to model genetic drift or place colored M&M inside Punnett Squares to track genetics. Learn about how a parasitic fungus turns ants into zombies, or solve a murder using a pedigree!
IB Physics: Make some Magic
Physics helps us understand all the secrets of the world, but many physics demonstrations still have their share of eerie magic tricks. Some complex fields of physics such as photonics can be made a lot more accessible with simple demonstrations. For example, try asking your tutor to walk you through the “disappearing beaker” demonstration to explore how light bends and tricks your eyes! Or, use principals of electricity to turn a pumpkin into a battery! IB online tutors in physics also often stress the importance of calculations within physics. Can you think of some word spooky problems to make your equations more exciting?
Aegis tutors are always excited to find new ways to make studying more engaging and fun, so talk with your tutor about incorporating some Halloween activities! Regardless of the subject you are studying, Aegis Advisors has a team of experienced and engaging IB online tutor who are here for you. Contact us today to see how we can help on your IB journey.