Looking for a meaningful yet fun way to keep students engaged during the holiday season? Let’s be real—middle school energy levels skyrocket around Halloween and Thanksgiving, and keeping them focused can be a challenge.
That’s exactly why I created two seasonal, NGSS-aligned scavenger hunts—Halloween Science Mystery Hunt and Thanksgiving Food Web & Human Impact Hunt—designed to help students move, think, and connect real-world science to seasonal traditions.
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The best part - no prior knowledge on the topics is needed. The information is included in the scavenger hunt.
These scavenger hunts are no-prep, student-approved, and perfect for any day.
🎃 Halloween Science Scavenger Hunt + CER Writing
In this spooky classroom investigation, Dr. Proton’s science lab is experiencing strange phenomena—pumpkins rotting too quickly, candles giving off unusual heat, bubbling reactions across town, and bats behaving strangely. Students must solve the mystery before midnight by traveling through science stations, collecting clues, and unlocking a secret word and 4-digit shutdown code. Click HERE to see this resource on TPT.
What Science Concepts Are Covered?
✔ Chemical vs. physical changes
✔ Energy transformation (light, heat, chemical)
✔ Decomposition and matter cycling
✔ Echolocation and sound energy
✔ NGSS-aligned CER writing (6 prompts included)
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Why Teachers Love It:
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No prep → just print, cut, and post around the room
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Self-directed but rigorous—students have to read closely and think scientifically
Includes student recording pages, teacher instructions, answer keys, and a dramatic hook + ending
🦃 Thanksgiving Food Systems & Human Impact Scavenger Hunt
This Thanksgiving-themed hunt connects holiday food traditions with food webs, agriculture, biodiversity, and human impact on ecosystems. Students explore how turkeys, cranberries, corn, pumpkins, soil, pollinators, and transportation are part of complex food systems. Click HERE to see the product on TPT.
As they rotate through the stations, they collect letters that reveal a mystery word and follow clues to unlock a 4-digit code before the system collapses.
Scientific Themes Covered:
✔ Food webs & food chains
✔ Ecosystems & native species
✔ Human impact (pollinators, monocropping, fertilizer, wetlands)
✔ Food miles & sustainability
✔ CER writing with real-world evidence (6 prompts)
Why It Works:
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Perfect for the week before break
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Links traditions to science—students realize Thanksgiving dinner is one big ecosystem in action
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No-prep setup → post cards around the room or tape to desks
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Includes student pages, CER prompts, answer keys, and teacher-friendly directions
🌟 Classroom Tips for Success
✅ Model one CER as a whole class before assigning student writing
✅ Use it for stations, whole class, paired work, early finishers, or enrichment
✅ Add tealights or dim lighting for ambiance (Halloween magic ✨)
✅ Let students walk around the room with clipboards
✅ Great for grades 5–7
📥 Want to Try Them?
Halloween Science Scavenger Hunt + CER
🧪 Click HERE for the link
Thanksgiving Food Systems Scavenger Hunt + CER
🦃Click HERE for the link.
🧡 Final Thought
These scavenger hunts aren’t just seasonal fluff. They spark curiosity, use real science, and give your students a sense of purpose while learning. They also give you a chance to breathe during some of the busiest weeks of the school year.
If you try one in your classroom, I’d love to hear how it goes. Leaving feedback on TPT really helps me out!