Campfire Cryptids: Holiday Horrors and Legends

Outer Space Escape Room!

Danny Beckwith

Average rating:4.9Number of reviews:(36)

In this one-time class, learners will discover the origins of some of the holiday- and winter-season's most fearsome and legendary beasts and why humans develop such stories and folklore.

Class Experience

The coldest time of year is known for staying indoors and telling stories. In this class, learners will discover some of the legendary beasts,  holiday horrors, and storytelling traditions of the season. The class will include: 
- a story/oral tradition for each European monster/creature
- discussion about the meaning of each story (why was it developed? why has it persisted?)
- speculation on whether these creatures could actually exist using biological principles

Learners are encouraged to...

This class is taught in English.

Learners will be able to:
- recognize how people around the world celebrate the holidays by learning about new traditions
- repeat the stories and oral traditions to others
- identify each stories' country of origin and it's purpose
- assess why these stories are important 
- hypothesize about the feasibility of each creature's existence

For ten years I have been teaching and telling stories about our natural world to audiences of all ages. To tell these stories, meticulous research must be done to accurately portray and convey the information of these traditions. I look for and use primary sources of information when available. All of the stories and oral traditions shared in this class are of European origin.

Homework Offered
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered

Some of the oral traditions and holiday tales can feature mildly frightening or spooky creatures along the lines of an original Grimm's Fairy Tale or a Goosebumps book. Some of the creatures in the stories are mischievous in nature. Care is taken to balance a cheerful fright while being accurate to the oral traditions.

We will use the translated version of the original 1932 Christmas is Coming: The Original Verse for Children by Jóhannes úr Kötlum, translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson.

Meet the teacher

Danny Beckwith

Average rating:4.9Number of reviews:(36)

Hello! I have been teaching and creating in the Informal Science Education field for over ten years. I have worked at some of the top informal science institutions in the United States including Shedd Aquarium, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Birch...