Guest Author - Alissa Moy
Harry Potter is an engaging character who several generations of children have grown to love reading about. The books, movies, Legos, figures, etc. have become a beloved array of novel based gifts for children. Homeschool children who have enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series will undoubtedly love a Harry Potter theme incorporated into their lessons. Here are some ideas to add a little magic and wizardry to your lessons, with a Quidditch theme!
Math- Offer your fifth through seventh grader some challenging math problems based on the fantastic fantasy game of Quidditch. Here are several to use-
1. There are four balls used in the game of quidditch: one quaffle, two bludgers and one golden snitch. If 120 games are played over a 3 month period, how many balls will have been used?
2. The bludgers are made of iron. If iron is 0.284 lb, what is the weight, in pounds to the nearest tenth? Hundredth?
3. In the Quidditch match, Harry's teammates on the Gryffindors scored 10 points. The opposing team, the Hufflepuff, scored 160 points. Right before the game ended Harry caught the Snitch for 150 points. What was the outcome of the match? Why?
4. If 120 students are in Gryfindor, and 80 of them play Quidditch, what fraction of the Gryfindors play Quidditch? Please simplify your answer to the lowest terms.
5. In a Quidditch match 23% of the 20 person Slytherin team was hit by the quaffle. How many people were hit?
Creative Writing- Visit the International Quidditch Association online with your student (the link can be found at the end of this article). Read about the recent World Cup event, and how it was adapted to the real world of play. Challenge your child to write an essay on whether he or she feels that Quidditch should be recognized as an international sport, or eventually an Olympic sport. Have your homeschooler list their reasons, as well as how realistic this sport would be in a competitive sense.
Drama and Creativity- Maybe the Quidditch set of Harry Potter Legos will be under the tree for your homeschooler this year. If so, have your child create a mock game to display exactly how it is played. The Legos can act out the game. (Your child will help of course!) My son insisted that two sets were needed for proper reenactment, but even a mini version is fun. You can even film the Legos in action via either stop motion or a digital clip.
Amazon offers a great selection of Harry Potter books, Legos and much more: