Wizarding Windings
| Wizarding Windings |
| Home | Parties | Educational Index | Science Index | Math | History | Games | Kidstuff | Crafts | Camping | Feeling Sour? | Writing | Me |
Here is a list of wizarding activities you may not find elsewhere. Use them as part of a classroom novel study, a wizard themed party, or just for fun. Kids--remember to check with the adult in charge before starting any new activity. Some of these activities require the use of potentially dangerous chemicals or tools. Direct adult supervision is recommended.
|
|
Hogwarts Classes for Muggles and Other Wizarding Wannabees
Potions The study of potions is perhaps one of the more intriguing of wizarding endeavours. Indeed, alchemy, chemistry, medicine and even the soup you ate for lunch are all based on potions of one kind or another. Crafty Potions Advanced Potions Science Index
Herbology The study of herbology dates from the time that people learned what was good to eat, and not so good to eat. Wise people also took note of the various effects different plants had on them, and from this, the study of herbal medicine began.
Here are some links to some interesting plants:
Click here for herbology activities and crafts Transfiguration is the art of changing one thing into another. When you boil an egg, you will find the inside is quite different than the inside of an uncooked egg. But can you uncook it? The transfigurations here can be divided into those that can change back: Perhaps the best charm magic around begins with the simple use of the magic words "please" and "thank you", and moves on to the use of other kind words and incantations. Words of encouragement and kindness have power beyond measurement. Try telling a few of the people you see every day something you like about them, something you might not normally tell them and watch their reactions. Take this a step further by doing random acts of kindness or pay it forward (see the movie of that name that is based on a true story). Or try the following activity. This is what I like about you: In a classroom, youth group or birthday party, have each child write down something that they like about each of the others. Be sure to monitor these so that the comments remain truly positive, then present each child with the comments the others have made about them. Roll the notes together and fasten with a ribbon, or make a small booklet from them. These make wonderful keepsakes.Another place a discussion of charms can lead is into "lucky charms" and superstitions. Do you have a lucky piece of clothing or jewelry you wear, a routine you follow, or anything else you feel gives you luck? In The Half-Blood Prince, Ron plays an outstanding game of quidditch because he believes he's consumed a potion called "felix felicis" aka liquid luck. As it turns out, he did not actually drink it, but Harry made him think he had. So why do you think he was so successful? Did you know that dragons really do exist? Komodo dragons may not fly like many mythical dragons, but they are fierce nonetheless. Many animals have some fascinating characteristics which might help explain the origin of mythical creatures. Try finding out more about some truly amazing creatures such as:
Dissecting Owl Pellets Owls are important creatures in the wizarding world. Did you know that they swallow their food whole? After a while they regurgitate the undigestible parts (fur and bones) in the form of a pellet. If you dissect the pellet, you can find out exactly what the owl has been eating. If you can find an owl's nest, you can collect your own pellets by searching the area beneath, or purchase pellets online (do a search for owl pellets and choose a supplier close to your area). For a free downloadable bone chart, follow this link.For those worried about mess and cleanliness, you should know that most commercial owl pellet suppliers sterilize the pellets before sending them to you, and that the pellets themselves are dry and only contain fur, bones,and teeth, beaks--the truly undigestible bits. Owls are very good at using all of the digestible parts! The pellets are odourless and easy to clean up. If you collect your own pellets, you can wear gloves and wash up well afterward. Chances are you know the names of a few constellations. Arrange a stargazing evening and share the ones you know with your friends or classmates. Use a star map to help find new ones. Try looking up the stories behind some of the constellations, such as Cassiopeia and Orion. Can you find any constellation myths that are referred to in the Harry Potter books? Try joining up the stars with your own lines and making up new constellations for yourself. You may notice that the stars you see in winter are different than those you see in the summer. Do you know why that is? The sky that we see now looks nearly the same as the sky that the early Egyptians gazed upon. What things would have changed? How is the view of the night sky different when viewed in the southern hemisphere? Whether you can or cannot predict the future through numerology, there is no denying that numbers have a magic all their own. The concept of prediction lends itself well to a look at probability. If you roll two dice 100 times and graph the results, what can you predict about the next roll? How about the next 10 rolls? Try it and see if your predictions came true. This can be extended by introducing factorials and teaching students how to calculate various probabilities. In the field of quantum mechanics, predictions about sub atomic particles seem to follow different rules. Check out this link to view clips from The Quantum Tamers and learn more about the truly strange science of quantum mechanics. More teacher's resources on quantum mechanics from the Perimeter Institute can be found here. Have you ever experimented with magic numbers? In a magic square, you try and figure out what number is needed to add in the blank squares such that the sum of each row, column and diagonal adds up to the same number. Try and solve this one: 6 1 __ 7 5 3 __ 9 4 External links to more fun with magic squares: Other interesting numbers to explore:
For more mathematical resources, see the Lemonade math page here. The best defenses children can have against the "dark arts" are confidence and good judgment. Adults can help with these by actively listening to the concerns of children, watching for signs that might indicate bullying or abuse, and street proofing. Simply knowing what they can do in a scary or difficult situation can bring a sense of empowerment and confidence to people of any age. Younger children may benefit from role playing games, and older ones can learn some self defense moves, as well as some general safety pointers. Consider having a martial arts or self-defense instructor come in and give a lesson or two to your group. Sometimes people want to believe that if they'd been in a bad situation, they would have been able to prevent it from happening to them. They inadvertently blame the victim for making poor choices. This can cause victims to feel too ashamed to seek the help they need. Remember to emphasize that while a victim may have not made a good choice (or may not have had the opportunity to do so), that does not mean that they are to blame for something bad that has happened. Let's keep the blame with the perpetrators! Remember that help is always available: Kids Help Phone http://kidshelp.sympatico.ca/en/help.asp 1-800-668-6868 If you would like to lighten it up and play Slytherin, try making a shrunken house elf head (apple doll head) or your own waxen hand of glory.
paraffin wax (old candles work well) an old pot a large bowl of ice water hand cream Place the wax into an old pot that is about half full of water. Heat the wax and water until the wax begins to melt. Dip your hand into the ice water and keep it there for about 10 seconds. Put some hand cream on your hand, then quickly dip your hand into the wax and water, wait a few seconds to let it cool a bit, then dip it into the bowl of ice water. Repeat 2-3 times to build the wax up to your desired thickness. Carefully remove the wax (it will come off easily). Add an inexpensive LED light inside to make it light like in The Order of the Phoenix. Alternatively, you can fill the hand with tacky (not completely melted) wax if you wish to make it stronger. You can also use coloured wax to make your hand more interesting, or melt crayons and paint it like you would do in the painted candles activity. Tips for removing the wax from your hand:
Harry Potter Novel Study The Lemonade Harry Potter novel study and accompanying literary activities can be found here.Harry Potter and History There are some historical events that are mentioned within the series that have relevance not only to the idea of wizardry, but also to politics, religion and science. Some events that relate to the Harry Potter world: the invention of gunpowder and fireworks, the discovery of dinosaur bones in Asia, the role of dragon mythology in Asian celebrations, the medieval study of alchemy, the Spanish inquisition and the witch trials in Salem Massachusetts.Another link to history comes through the mythology that is woven into the novels. This can be further explored by studying Greek and Roman mythology and mythological creatures and comparing it with accounts found throughout the series. Where did the idea for Fluffy the 3-headed dog come from? Where did Centaurs come from? From what country does a Boggart originate? What is the role of prophesy in the series? What is the story behind the legend of the phoenix? How does J. K. Rowling use these to enrich the storyline and bring the wizarding world to life? How does she incorporate legends, such as the quest for the philosopher's stone, leprechaun gold, the giant squid (Kraken), and the rebirth of the phoenix into the story? |
