Bringing scary short stories into your classroom can be a great way to engage students during the spooky season – or any time of year! Using suspense is a powerful tool to get students hooked while teaching them about important literary elements along the way. Teaching suspenseful short stories can be a great time to showcase many literary devices such as mood, foreshadowing, and imagery. Here is a rundown of five ten of my favorite scary short stories for middle school students, along with some ideas for using them in your own classroom. Check it out!
10) The Veldt by Ray Bradbury
The Veldt is a dystopian science fiction tale crafted by a serious master of suspense… Ray Bradbury. The Veldt includes the familiar societal warnings Bradbury is known for, with an interesting look at how life might be if technology were to parent. (I mean, does this sound that far-fetched at this point?) The story weaves an overlying tone of anticipation with a jaw-dropping conclusion. Your students will love this story and will talk about it long after they’ve finished reading!
Invite your students to create a sales brochure for the HappyLife Home and include features and benefits along with common issues and warnings. Another crowd favorite is to have them rewrite a scene from the house’s point of view. I love to conclude this one with a Veldt-themed literary element escape room. Dim the lights, pop on a scenic playlist, and watch them get to work!
Looking for a new Ray Bradbury favorite? Check out the next story!
9) Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury
In Ray Bradbury’s Zero Hour, your students will be taken on a wild ride as children all across the country play a game they call “Invasion” — but what if the game is more real than it seems? The suspense builds as young Mink leads the charge, all while her mother dismisses the game as mere innocent play. Like many other eerie Bradbury stories, Zero Hour ends with a chilling final line that leaves readers questioning who the real villain is: the children, their manipulating friend Drill, or perhaps the parents who weren’t paying attention.
Invite your students to analyze Mink with a body biography. Let them hone their artistic abilities by turning the short story into a comic strip (a sneaky plot/sequence activity) or take part in a Who’s the Real Villain? Activity, where they argue their case with evidence from the text. For an added twist, compare the short story to the Old Time Radio production or the Ray Bradbury Theater film adaptation. Head over here to see more.
8) The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
One of the most iconic short stories in American literature, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson never fails to leave students with their jaws on the floor. This unsettling tale of tradition and sacrifice in a small town has a haunting ending that will have your students thinking critically about societal norms and “herd mentality.” Jackson’s powerful storytelling offers plenty of suspense, building tension right up to the horrific conclusion.
This story is a perfect opportunity to engage students in a bit of literary analysis combined with real-world connections: sacrificial offerings, stoning, mob mentality, and so on. Then, give students a bit of creative leeway, such as imagining what social media would look like if Jackson were to publish this today, or have students reflect on the story and write their own Dear Shirley letter, much like what flooded the New York Times more than 70 years ago! If you’re ready for some eerie discussions, this one won’t disappoint. Check out my 5-day unit here!
7) The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street by Rod Sterling will give your students a look at a different writing medium by exploring the transcript of an episode of The Twilight Zone. Up the ante by having your students get into character and read different parts of the teleplay! This text offers a solid opportunity to discuss several different types of conflict and the impact of the setting on other elements.
I love to pair this one with that sticky RI.6.8 standard by watching the episode after reading and comparing the two experiences. You can also have students debate who the real monster of Maple Street is with a creative writing activity, pair the teleplay with a nonfiction text on the herd mentality, or send them through another escape room (do they ever get old?! For my classroom, the answer is no!). Your students have a blast with this one. If you want more gripping teleplays, check out Sorry, Wrong Number or The Hitchhiker!
6) The Elevator by William Sleator
The Elevator by William Sleator tells the tale of a young boy, Martin, and his fear of elevators, especially the creaky one in his old apartment building. Martin repeatedly encounters a woman in the elevator who does nothing but stare intensely at him. Sleator builds a classic tale of suspense as readers are gripped by the short story, wondering what will happen between the two. Teach your students about the magic of foreshadowing with this story, as Sleator provides plenty of excellent examples! Your students will feel like they’re right there with Martin as he faces his fear in “The Elevator.”
This scary short story offers unique opportunities to learn more about phobias (like Martin’s agoraphobia), and I like to pair this short story with an NPR podcast about the science of fear. Check out those activities here.
Side note: The original version uses a body-insensitive term that may make some of your students uncomfortable. I’ve linked an adapted version here.
5) Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter serves up a deliciously dark tale that your students either love or hate! The story follows Mary Maloney, a devoted wife who, upon receiving shocking news from her husband, Patrick, takes an unexpected {and sinister} turn. Dahl’s use of irony makes this short story stand out as students explore how appearances can be deceiving.
There are plenty of ways to bring this story to life in your classroom. I love putting a fun visual twist on character analysis of both Mary and Patrick. Interested in exploring irony? Lead your students through an irony scavenger hunt, identifying verbal, situational, and dramatic irony throughout the story. Finally, get creative with a Wanted Poster activity for Mary Maloney—your students will love it! See more here.
4) Click Clack the Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman
Looking for a spine-chilling tale that will keep your students on the edge of their seats? Click Clack the Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman is the perfect scary short story to bring an eerie atmosphere into your classroom. This story builds suspense with every line as a young boy tells a seemingly innocent bedtime story that takes a terrifying turn. Gaiman masterfully uses subtle details to create an unsettling feeling, leaving readers wondering what will happen next.
One of my favorite ways to use this story is with a finish the story activity. After the suspenseful ending, let your students take over and write their own version of what happens next. To really set the mood, dim the lights, give them flashlights to read their version aloud, and watch as their creativity takes off! Writing by candlelight adds an extra level of suspense, and it’s always a crowd favorite. Get ready for goosebumps!
3) The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Bring a classic into the modern era with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving! This eerie tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman has been chilling readers for over a century. Even though it was written in the 1820s, the suspense and mystery still resonate with students today. Gen-Z Media published a podcast in 2020 called The Hollow in which the Headless Horseman returns… it’s a great way to make this old classic feel fresh!
I love using these podcast listening sheets and BINGO boards to help students follow along with the podcast. Your students will be hooked on this spooky story all over again! Head here to see more details.
2) The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs
The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs is a twisted tale carrying a familiar “be careful what you wish for!” warning. Mr. and Mrs. White and their adult son, Herbert, are taken on quite a ride when a friend who served in the British army brings them a mummified monkey’s paw when he joins them for dinner. Your students will be at the edge of their seats as they follow the White family’s journey until the very end.
This short story offers many opportunities to discuss ways in which Jacobs builds suspense with his audience. Students have a blast considering what their three wishes would be – along with the potential consequences of each wish. I also love to pair this short story with a bit of superstition research. Does a rabbit’s foot really bring good luck? What about a broken mirror? There are endless opportunities to expand on this scary short story! Read more about how I teach “The Monkey’s Paw” here!
1) The Landlady by Roald Dahl
Last but certainly not least is The Landlady by Roald Dahl. This is my absolute favorite of all the suspenseful stories, and I think your students will agree. Though they are all engaging stories, “The Landlady” brings forth a new level of suspense. Billy Weaver is 17 years old and, upon recommendation from a porter, visits a bed and breakfast run by a landlady with a secret.
Irony is an excellent device to teach when reading this short story, along with mood, foreshadowing, and more. I love asking students to either write up a press release on the Landlady or create a “MOST WANTED” poster. This is my favorite scary story to end the spooking season. Dim the lights, offer your students some “tea,” and set them to work with a Landlady escape room. Check out more ideas on making this lesson an absolute home run here.
For more scary short stories by Roald Dahl, be sure to visit this post.
I hope you incorporate at least one of these scary short stories in your classroom this year! I guarantee your students will love learning about suspense while being taken on a fun (and scary) ride using any of these short stories. If you’re looking for a way to launch your scary short story season, don’t miss my Elements of Horror intro.
Don’t forget to pop back here and let me know how it goes. Happy Teaching!
