Seeing as though it’s the month of October, and all things spicy and creepy are wafting in the air, Is there need of any other reason to drop everything ‘curriculum’, paint our faces, light a fire, tell ghoulish stories, and roast marshmallows by night, and cook witchs’ finger cookies and put together awesome costumes by day?
I think not. Except for the fact that we all promised to provide our kids with an education at home. But I dare say one can gain plenty of knowledge with a completely Halloween themed month of learning. Just watching “Hocus Pocus” eleventy-thousand-billion times has taught me the following life lessons: The family that hangs (by the neck) together stays together, never open a book made from human body parts, and even in the most picturesque of American towns, Satan is still the mayor, etc.
But what more gruesomely fun topic is there this season than Human Anatomy? Gross them out and make it memorable. Body parts and fluids make for disgusting poetic fun in this party ready Anatomy lesson to die for…
A Gross out Game of pass the parts of Dear Dead Geoffrey
Materials/Instructions:
- 5 opaque near gallon sized containers big enough to stick a hand in the lid; In the pic you see I used orange Tide-Pod containers painted with black and white spooky Halloween designs
- 1/2 cup cooked (al dente) spaghetti tossed with small amount of oil to prevent sticking; place in container #1
- 6-8 large peeled grapes; place in container #2
- whole cauliflower boiled for 5-10 minutes and brushed with red food coloring, place visibly on a plate or open cauldron, or medical tray, it will look and feel like a brain
- handful of dry popcorn kernels; place in container #3
- two 3 inch pieces of beef jerky or dog’s rawhide chews; place in container #4
- latex glove filled 3/4 full with water and tied off and then frozen overnight; allow to thaw slightly before beginning the poem; place in container #5
- The Poem, Dear Dead Geoffrey by yours truly, me. Read the following poem aloud, pausing as marked to pass around your containers letting each person reach in (no peeking) and feel its contents to get the full effect, and a big disgusting scare!
Dear Dead Geoffrey
Once upon a Halloween night,
A man named Geoffrey died of fright.
He was buried in a coffin tight.
But, the sides were not sealed up just right.
And every year he oozes about
And Halloween fun he searches out.
So, to our party Geoffrey came
Piece by piece to play this game.
He wanted to meet all of you.
I hope you don’t mind a little goo!?
First to arrive, leaving bloody stains,
Was poor dead Geoffrey’s gooey veins!
*(pass container #1)
Next his eyeballs rolled on in.
They seemed to come with extra friends?!
Perhaps from the graves of Geoffrey’s friends.
*(pass container #2)
Now Geoffrey wasn’t smart, his teachers did complain.
Cause knowledge he just never could retain.
Maybe we should ask his brain?
*(pass plate with cauliflower brain)
Then clicking and chattering just beneath,
And biting and chewing at this buckets sheath,
Come Geoffrey’s yellowed rotting teeth!
*(pass #3)
Hearing our tale, look what now appears.
Moldy and slimy after all these years.
Our dear friend Geoffrey’s shriveled ears!
*(pass #4)
And lastly from the grave now awake,
Cold and scurrying up the walk, no mistake,
Comes Geoffrey’s hand for a proper shake.
*(pass #5)
Greet ol’ Geoffrey and pass him around.
For soon he returns to his hallowed ground.
These parts we’ve met will rest with his spleen.
And though he smells like a dead sardine…
Let’s all wish Geoffrey a Happy Halloween!
Jennifer Cabrera
Blogger @ Hifalutin Homeschooler
**I recommend playing in a dimly lit room for effect. You may want to have some paper towels for cleaning hands close by. Have a frightfully great time!
This looks awesome! My son would totally be down for Halloween anatomy lessons!