Halloween is one of the most exciting holidays of the year for students! It’s a great time to have some fun in your lessons — or challenge your students with a thought-provoking debate.
Check out this list of Halloween activities and debate topics from our Topic Library, complete with starter arguments to spark ideas and get students engaged. And why not try a class discussion with your students on Kialo Edu? It’s completely free to use and a great way for students to practice mapping out visual arguments and develop their critical thinking skills!
Fun Halloween activities
Asking students about their Halloween plans, especially their costumes, is a sure-fire way to get them talking. So why not practice argumentation and reasoning skills while you’re at it?
1. Should Halloween costumes be allowed in schools?
Get your class to discuss whether Halloween costumes should be allowed in schools. This discussion is most suitable to younger students, as it gives them an introduction to civics and policy from a context they are familiar with.
2. Are some Halloween costumes too offensive to wear?
For older students, you might want to challenge them with a discussion on whether some costumes are too offensive to wear. While this is a topical and sometimes contentious topic, it can be a great icebreaker in appropriate classroom contexts.
Students can use the familiar context of Halloween to discuss otherwise serious ideas of censorship and cultural conflict.
3. Is money better than treats for Halloween?
Another creative way to get students to think about choices during Halloween is to have a discussion on whether money is better than treats for Halloween.
This topic works well for students of all ages, encouraging them to weigh the value of different types of rewards and engage in a fun debate about personal preferences and economics.
4. Are ghosts real?
In addition to these real-world questions, you can discuss some from other worlds as well! There’s no better time than Halloween to ponder the question, “Are ghosts real?” This is an especially fun classroom debate because it allows students to get creative and show off their imagination, while flexing their argumentative muscles!
4. Do aliens exist?
You can have a similar discussion on a different topic and ask students whether aliens exist. The mysteriousness of aliens as both a pop culture and scientific phenomenon is a great way to engage students while exploring what your students know about space, probability, and the universe.
Autumn class discussion ideas
Aside from Halloween, autumn brings other events and holidays. Here’s some more important yet thought-provoking debates that are sure to get your students into a discussion frenzy.
1. What is the best Thanksgiving side dish?
Talking about what everyone will be doing for Thanksgiving is a great way to start a classroom discussion. A debate on everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving dish not only allows students to practice their critical thinking, it also gives everyone an opportunity to talk about their own family traditions!
2. Is Black Friday worth it?
The images of long lines and aggressive crowds on Black Friday are sure to pique the interest of students. Your students are bound to have strong opinions about whether it is really worth it all. This is a great way to have students examine economic themes in relation to a real-life event.
3. Should we stop telling the “first Thanksgiving” story?
Looking for a Thanksgiving debate that will challenge your students? Many people have a deep attachment to the traditional Thanksgiving story, in which English pilgrims and Native Americans come together for a meal in peace and celebration.
However, there’s a lot that many historians feel that the story leaves out! With students learning about this historical event, you can discuss whether the story of the first Thanksgiving still has a place in our holiday traditions.
We hope you enjoy these fun and festive ideas for fall. To get the most out Kialo discussions, check out our guide on how to hold a successful class discussion on Kialo Edu. Have fun debating, and don’t hesitate to let us know how these discussions went at feedback@kialo-edu.com or on social media!
