Vocabulary & Word Meanings
What does mysterious mean in the story’s context?
Strange, puzzling, hard to explain
Who were the main characters in the story?
Maya and Leo
What can we guess about who took the pumpkins?
Someone with access or knowledge of the school (not a random stranger)
Make a full sentence using “because” about the story.
(Example) “Maya followed the footprints because she wanted to find the missing pumpkins.”
What would you say to help someone worried by the missing pumpkins?
(Example) “Don’t worry, we’ll find them — let’s look together.”
Give a synonym for vanished.
Disappeared, gone, vanished, vanished away
Where did the story take place?
In and around Maple Hollow Middle School
Why do you think Maya followed the footprints?
She wanted to find clues and figure out where the pumpkins went
Combine two short sentences using “and” or “but.”
(Example) “Maya saw footprints, and Leo spotted torn fabric.”
Why is teamwork important in solving a mystery?
Because two heads are better than one; you spot things someone else may miss
In this story, what does trail refer to?
A path or series of marks (here footprints) showing direction
What clue did Maya and Leo find in the courtyard?
A trail of sticky orange footprints and a torn piece of black fabric
How do you know the thief was in a hurry?
The footprints were sticky and messy, fabric was torn, signs of haste
Rewrite in past tense: “Maya looks for clues.”
Maya looked for clues.
How should Maya politely ask for help from an adult?
(Example) “Excuse me, can you help us examine these clues?”
Use echoed in a new sentence (Halloween-themed).
(Student sample) “The ghost’s laugh echoed through the hallway.”
Why were the students upset when they arrived?
Because all forty pumpkins had vanished
What might happen if Maya and Leo hadn’t intervened?
The pumpkins might not have been found or the surprise would be ruined
Fix this: “The pumpkins was missing.”
The pumpkins were missing.
What could Maya have done instead of confronting someone angrily?
She could ask questions calmly or gather evidence first
Name three Halloween-themed descriptive words used or implied (e.g. spooky, glowing, flickering).
Spooky, glowing, flickering (or others like eerie, shadowy, haunting)
How did the story resolve — who took the pumpkins and why?
Mr. Benson “borrowed” them to decorate for the talent show, wanting a surprise
What evidence shows it wasn’t a “real ghost” that took the pumpkins?
Physical clues (footprints, fabric, flyer) and the fact someone confessed
Use an adjective and adverb in one spooky sentence.
(Example) “The creaky door opened eerily slowly in the dark hallway.”
How can you tell someone is feeling nervous or excited?
Watch body language, tone of voice, fidgeting, wide eyes, fast speech