Engage your 2nd-grade students with a fun, Halloween-themed reading passage while reinforcing essential literacy skills! "The Night of the Bright Moon" is a short fiction story about Mia and Jake, two friends who bravely visit a spooky house while trick-or-treating on Halloween night. As they approach the house, the lights go out, and they get a little scared, but they soon discover a friendly surprise waiting inside. This story is perfect for helping students practice the -igh blend and engage in higher-level thinking questions.

What’s Included:

• Fiction Reading Passage: A fun and easy-to-read story (approx. 2nd-grade reading level) filled with -igh blend words like "light," "fright," "night," and more.
• 5 Higher-Level Multiple-Choice Questions: These questions encourage students to think critically about the story, make inferences, and understand character motivation.
• 2 Discussion Questions: Open-ended questions that promote class discussion, focusing on character emotions and personal connections to the text.
• Blend Practice: Students encounter and work with words containing the -igh spelling pattern.

Skills Covered:

• Reading Comprehension: Includes questions that require students to recall details, make inferences, and analyze character behavior.
• Phonics: Focuses on the -igh spelling blend, helping students recognize and practice this sound pattern in context.
• Critical Thinking: Higher-level multiple-choice and discussion questions test students’ understanding beyond the surface level.
• Vocabulary Development: Engages students with descriptive vocabulary tied to the Halloween theme.
• Character Analysis: Encourages students to explore how Mia and Jake's emotions change throughout the story and why.
• Story Elements: Students identify key elements such as setting, characters, and plot progression.

Possible Uses in the Classroom:

• Independent Reading Practice: Use as a fun Halloween reading assignment that builds comprehension and phonics skills.
• Guided Reading: Perfect for small groups or paired reading, where students can discuss the story and answer questions together.
• Phonics Focus: Great for reinforcing the -igh spelling pattern while keeping students engaged with a seasonal theme.
• Comprehension Check: Assess students’ understanding of fiction story elements and critical thinking with the multiple-choice and discussion questions.
• Homework or Early Finisher Activity: Can be sent home for additional reading practice or used as an independent task for early finishers.

This worksheet is a perfect addition to your literacy block around Halloween and helps students develop reading comprehension, phonics, and critical thinking skills—all in a fun and engaging way!