Up until that point I have been integrating the middle ages into the art room for as long as I can remember trying to connect students with the era they are studying through art forms. The artwork, in my opinion always turns out amazing and has evolved over the years. However, when students reflect on the themes of the unit the historical connection seems to get forgotten, or at least it seemed so. How to make it stick? Harry Potter!!! What? How?
Step 1: Develop the projects. Well, this was kind of easy because some of the middle ages projects HAD themes of Harry Potter (Repousse, Quilling)! After more research and development I came up with so many project ideas that I just HAD to make this a unit for both 7th and 8th Grade! Now how to hook the kids? A Launch!
Step 2: Connect with our AMAZING librarian Elsa Prettol (who happens to be a major Potter Fan) and ask for her help. We met for about an hour and shared ideas for what a launch would look like. More project ideas came from that meeting! It was so much fun to work with Ms. Prettol that I am thinking of launching more units with her support!
Step 3: Get into the Pottermode! I turned the classroom into a Hogwarts Classroom overnight with a seating chart for each house, house point charts and hung a head Mistress sign over my desk. Ms. Prettol had the Owl Post deliver invitations that included acceptance letter to Hogwarts to EVERY (180) 7th and 8th grade student. On the day of the launch I threw on my Professor Mcgonagall costume and lead the kids to Platform 9 3/4. SO FUN!
Check out the pics of the launch. Once we arrive at platform 9 3/4 students boarded the train to Hogsmeade, walked on a path to Hogwarts, learned the history of each house, and got sorted. SO FUN!
