Halloween is all about magic, mystery, and just a little bit of mischief! That’s why I’m so excited to share The Witch’s Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe: A Fantastical Tale of Magic, Mischief, and Mishap! by Kirstie Watson as a perfect Halloween read-aloud to inspire creativity in the classroom. This magical tale brings together fun storytelling with an engaging writing craft that will have your students thinking like wizards and witches.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how to use this book to launch a fantastic lesson on procedural writing—where your students will become potion masters and invent their very own magical concoctions!
“The Witch’s Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe” Overview
In The Witch’s Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe by Kirstie Watson, an orange cat decides to help her witch make lunch. But when the cat tries to cook without reading the recipes carefully, disaster strikes! The cat ended up feeding the witch a magical potion that turned her into a frog instead!
This enchanting tale is filled with magical mishaps and lessons about the importance of following directions—making it the perfect setup for a creative writing activity on how to make your own potion.
Halloween Read-Aloud Lesson Plan: How to Make a Potion
Objective: Students will create their own magical potion and write a procedural text explaining how to make it. This activity encourages creativity, sequencing skills, and introduces procedural writing in a fun and imaginative way.
Pre-Reading
Start by showing the students the cover of The Witch’s Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe. Ask them what they think the story will be about and discuss their favorite Halloween traditions. Set the mood by talking about magic, potions, and the importance of following directions when cooking or casting spells.
Questions to Ask:
- What do you think the cat’s cooking catastrophe might be?
- Have you ever tried cooking or making something that didn’t turn out right?
- What do you think makes a good potion?
During Reading
Pause at key moments when the cat’s cooking and potion-making go wrong. Discuss what the cat could have done differently and encourage students to predict what might happen next.
Questions to Ask:
- Why do you think the cat’s potions keep going wrong?
- How do you think the cat feels when she realizes her potion has exploded?
- What could the cat do differently to avoid the next catastrophe?
Post Reading
After reading the story, discuss the lessons the cat learned about following directions and being careful with magic. This is a great segue into the writing craft, where students will get the chance to create their own potion!
Questions to Ask:
- What do you think the cat learned about following directions?
- Why is it important to follow directions when we’re trying something new?
- If you could create any potion, what would it do?
Procedural Writing Craft Activity: How to Make a Potion
In this activity, students will use their imaginations to create their own magical potions. They’ll plan out what ingredients they need, what the potion will do, and write a step-by-step guide explaining how to make it.
Materials Needed:
- Writing paper or planning sheets
- Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
- Chart paper for brainstorming
- Large construction paper
- (optional) Potion template
- (optional) Glitter or craft supplies for decoration
- (optional) How To Make A Potion writing resource
Instructions:
- Introduce Procedural Writing: Explain to students that procedural writing tells someone how to do something in steps—just like a recipe! Today, they’ll be writing a recipe for a magical potion.
- Brainstorm Potion Ideas: Begin by brainstorming different kinds of magical potions. What do the potions do? Some ideas could be invisibility, super strength, or even the ability to fly! Write these ideas on chart paper along with imaginative ingredients (e.g., “a pinch of dragon dust” or “a splash of moonlight”). If you are using the How To Make A Potion writing resource, give students the brainstorm sheet to fill out together.
- Plan & Draft How To Make the Potion: Have students use their planning sheets or notebooks to write down what their potion will do, the ingredients they’ll need, and the steps to make it. Encourage them to think about the magical effect and how each ingredient contributes to it. Allow them time to draft it out. If you are using the How To Make A Potion writing resource, give students the planning sheet along with the writing checklist to help them with editing and revising. Remind them to include a title, list of ingredients, and step-by-step instructions using sequencing words like “first,” “next,” “then,” and “finally.”
- Write the Procedural Text: Once they are ready, students can begin publishing their procedural text. Remind them that this should be in their best handwriting!
- Decorate the Potion Recipe: After writing, students can decorate their potion instructions with drawings of their ingredients or potions. Add glitter or other craft supplies to make it extra magical!
- Assembling The Writing Activity: On a large construction paper, let students glue their writing piece on the right side of the construction paper. Then fold the construction paper and glue the potion on the front folded portion of the construction paper. It should look like a book!
- Potion Showcase: Host a Potion Gallery Walk or Showcase where students can present their potions to the class. Set up a gallery walk where students can walk around and read each other’s potion recipes and admire the creative drawings.
Remember, you can pin this blog post for future reference.
Cross-Subject Integration:
- Science: Discuss real-life chemistry and how different ingredients can react when mixed together. You could even do a simple experiment using baking soda and vinegar to demonstrate a “potion” reaction.
- Math: Incorporate measurement into the potion-making process by having students estimate or measure out imaginary quantities of ingredients (e.g., “2 teaspoons of fairy dust” or “1 cup of starry night”).
- Art: Extend the activity by having students create 3D models of their potions using clay, construction paper, or other materials.
- SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): Connect this lesson to SEL by discussing the importance of learning from mistakes, like Luna did, and practicing patience. Use my Social Emotional Learning Morning Meeting Prompt Resource to tie this into daily classroom conversations.
Final Thoughts
The Witch’s Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe is a fantastical read-aloud that combines humor, magic, and valuable lessons about following directions. The “How to Make a Potion” writing activity takes the fun of the story and turns it into a creative and educational experience for your students.
I can’t wait to see what magical potions your students come up with! Share their creations with me on Instagram @LittleYellowStarTeaches. Let’s make this Halloween both fun and filled with magical learning!
Here’s to a magical and inventive Halloween!
Prima at LittleYellowStar
* * *
Other Blog Posts That You Might Enjoy:
- 15 Minutes Daily Social And Emotional Learning Activities For The Classroom (SEL Made Easy)
- How To Offer Growth Mindset Praise Effectively
- 3 Activities To Introduce Growth Mindset