Newsela launched in 2013 with a bold mission: Meaningful classroom learning for every student. Today, our team constantly strives to deliver powerful solutions that inspire our users.
Learn About Holiday Lore With Friday the 13th Activities
Christy Walters
May 13, 2025
What do you think of when you hear that Friday the 13th is coming up on the calendar? Maybe you think of the movie by the same name, superstitions, or that you hope it doesn’t coincide with a full moon and create chaos in your classroom.
No matter what you think of first, this date is usually an unofficial “holiday” that we watch out for on the calendar. If your students are excited about it we have some Friday the 13th activities for the ELA classroom to help them learn more about the lore of this mysterious date.
Friday the 13th is often known as the unluckiest day of the year when it comes around. But is this date actually unlucky, or is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Students can ponder this question by completing the following activity:
First, share the video on the self-fulfilling prophecy of luck and the explanation that luck may be in our own control.
Next, assign an article that explores how the fear of Friday the 13th began.
Finally, have students use research from both sources to answer the question “To what extent is the fear of Friday the 13th a self-fulfilling prophecy?”
[The differences between Friday the 13th and Triskaidekaphobia](id-fear)
The fear of Friday the 13th may stem from an even greater phobia called Triskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13. How are these two things related? Students can compare and contrast with the following activity:
Assign readings about the fear of the number 13 and the date Friday the 13th. Students can use the annotation feature within the articles to highlight important facts from each article.
Next, have students watch a video about the compare and contrast reading strategy.
Finally, have students complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the differences in the fear of Friday the 13th and Triskidekaphobia.
Newsela Products Aren’t Superstitious, Just Super Engaging!
Even on the most superstitious day of the year, we’re serious about delivering high-quality instructional materials. Newsela ELA offers a diverse range of content and resources, such as news articles, primary sources, literature selections, and interactive videos, to support your teaching on any topic.
Not a Newsela customer yet? Sign up for Newsela Lite for free and start your 45-day trial. You’ll get access to our premium content and activities for everything you need to teach about April Fools’ Day and beyond.
Everything you need to accelerate learning across ELA, social studies, and science
Products Overview
