Welcome to Hogwarts Correspondence School: A Harry Potter Unit Study



To encourage my 6 year old son who is not too enthusiastic about school, I've come up with a way to add a bit of interest-based learning to his lessons. The kids love Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone movie. We do read aloud on Fridays, but I wanted to add a bit more. I wanted to use the lessons in the afternoon for science and other things we need to do anyway. Just turning it into a magical Hogwarts experience could be enough to keep him interested. So here's what I have so far.


First Years Introductory Lessons
  • Wands and Woods - Learn about trees then make your own wand at the end of the course.
  • Know Yer Habitats - Hagrid's pre-course to the other Magical Creatures courses. Teaches all about habitats and biomes.
  • Care of Magical Creatures: Familiars - Learn about toads, cats and owls. Dissect owl pellets. Learn about each animals habitats, what they eat, where they live and more. They get to choose a stuffed familiar when the course is complete. 
  • House Lessons - One of the first courses - studying the origin of each house, what character traits they represent, our own house lessons and rules, bullies. 
  • Arithmancy - Math - Easily change math program to magical terms. 

Science
  • Astronomy -  Learn about the constellations.
  • Study of Magical Creatures: Fairies - Read fairy stories, make a fairy house using Fairy Houses . . . Everywhere! (The Fairy Houses Series), make fairy wings, draw fairies, make our own Pressed Fairy Book, play with Flower Fairies Paper Dolls
  • Study of Magical Creatures: Dragons - Read dragon stories, learn about the different kinds, try to draw our own dragons. Read How to Train Your Dragon Series.
  • Study of Magical Creatures: Snakes - Learn about the different types, study markings, poisonous or not, what they eat, where they live and more.
  • Study of Magical Creatures: Bats - Learn about bats using Scholastic Dollar Sale book.
  • Study of Magical Creatures:A-L and M-Z. Read stories about the magical creatures. Read Harry Potter Schoolbooks: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Read Spiderwick Chronicles and make your own field guide of magical creatures. This could go with the Fairies study, but I have a lot there already. Don't forget Care and Feeding of Sprites from the Spiderwick Series also. 
  • Potions & Alchemy - I have Scientific Explorer's The Magic Science for Wizards Only , crystal growing kit, a liquids and solids kit, this would be a good time to make our own slime. I have Bubbleology that would probably fit in here. 
  • Herbology - A nature study on plants, grow our own herbs, a trip to the botanical gardens, I have a fungi and bacteria kit to use from Magic School Bus Science. Hands of a Child has a Botany Lapbook.
  • Transfiguration - Learn about the metamorphosis of butterflies, grow crystals (?), still working on this one.




Language Arts
  • Folklore & Literature -  The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter, Third Edition ties the books to tales of folklore. This is also when we would do a lit study on the Sorcerer's Stone. I will probably be saving this for last.
  • Charms & Spells - Study the names of spells. Decipher what it means, memorize the spells. 
  • Quills and Spelling - Practice handwriting through copywork of quotes of the books. Practice dictation and narration through this as well.

Extra-Curricular

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I have been homeschooling since 2009, but have been reading about it since 2003. Homeschooling is rapidly growing. Whether you are a veteran or new to homeschooling, I hope to filter some of the vast amounts of information for you

2 Comments.:

  1. I think I am going to use this for my 6 year old son as well. We just started homeschool and I'm struggling. Right now I'm doing week to week planning which is very taxing on both of us. I think that this could be a great jumpstart into the next step. I am going to gather everything, take a short break and jump right in. Thanks for the ideas and links!

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  2. This is fabulous! My boys are older and not really Harry Potter fans (much to my disappointment). They're into Minecraft and Shadow Fighter, but I can definitely see how I could fit many of the concepts we need to learn into their 'worlds' like you have. Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.

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