Melissa B Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 After three girls that are all focused, diligent, studious, etc, etc, I have this boy that is the complete opposite. His attention span is approximately two minutes and he cares absolutely nothing about being educated. I held him back last year, so he is a six year old kindergartner right now. Thirty minutes of school per day is torture to him. After a great deal of thought, I have decided to try a unit study approach with him next year. I would like to try and prepare a first grade unit study around the first Harry Potter book. I've never written a unit study so would like some feedback on my first attempt. I think a monthly plan would work best for us. (I have also resorted to bribery. Completion of the entire first grade curriculum will result in the purchase of the Harry Potter lego castle. :rolleyes:) Here is my first attempt at August. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – Unit Studies Aug. – Owls Sep. – Trees Oct. – Trolls/Halloween Nov. – Sports Dec. – Mirrors/Christmas Jan. – Gems Feb. – Dragons Mar. – Unicorns/Centaurs Apr. – Riddles May – Heroes Jun. – King Arthur August – Owls Read Alouds – Owls in the Family, Hoot, Dr. Dolittle He reads to me – Owl at Home – Lobel (yes, this will take all month) Poem to memorize – Owl and the Pussycat Math Writing well the numbers to 12 Examples from book (might do something creative with these): 12 times (pg. 9) 11 years (pg. 10) 12 hands (pg. 12) 12 balls of light (pg. 16) Reciting/understanding numbers to 100 Harry’s letters as examples (use manipulatives to demonstrate – groups of ten) Tuesday – 1 letter (pg. 34) Wednesday – 1 letter (pg. 38) Thursday – 3 letters (pg. 39) Friday – 12 letters (pg. 40) Saturday – 24 letters (pg. 40) Sunday – 30 to 40 letters (pg. 41) Monday – 100 letters (pg. 42) Telling time to hour and half hour Use soft clock to work on telling time. Examples from book: Half past 8 (pg. 2) 5 o’clock (pg. 5) Midnight (pg. 8) Six o clock (pg. 39) Half an hour later (pg. 39) Midnight (pg. 45) (continued in next post) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 Language Arts/Social Studies Read aloud chapter one – narrate (orally and in segments) Harry’s address – 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey Practice own address, phone number – writing them correctly Discuss importance of family Create large family tree including photographs and names Discuss the use of Mr. Mrs. Dr. and Professor Draw a picture of the Dursley family Review the descriptions in the book Vernon Dursley – big, beefy man with hardly any neck, a very large mustache (pg. 1) Petunia Dursley – thin and blonde and nearly twice the usual amount of neck (pg. 1) Dudley Dursley – wrestled screaming Dudley into his high chair (pg. 2) having a tantrum and throwing his cereal (pg. 2) Draw a picture of Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid Review the descriptions in the book Professor McGonagall – severe looking woman, square glasses, emerald cloak, black hair in tight bun, stiff (pg. 9) Professor Dumbledore – tall, thin, very old, silver hair and beard both long enough to tuck into his belt, long robes, a purple cloak, high-heeled buckled boots, blue eyes, half-moon spectacles, long crooked nose (pg. 8) Hagrid – twice as tall as a normal man, five times as wide, long tangles of bushy black hair, beard, hands size of trash can lids, feet in boots like baby dolphins, vast muscular arms (giant) (pg. 14) Write their names properly below each picture Draw our family – Discuss specific physical characteristics that define each of us Write names properly below the picture Find where we live on a map and find England (and Surrey.) Discuss the distance apart and the idea of different countries. Watch scene 1 of Harry Potter. Read chapter two – narrate Harry is now ten. Discuss time / timelines Create a timeline of our family for the past 50 years including photographs. Draw a picture of Harry Potter Review the descriptions in the book Harry potter age 10 – small and skinny, thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, bright green eyes, round glasses held together with tape, thin scar on forehead shaped like lightning bolt, unruly hair (pg. 20) Draw a picture of Dudley. Dudley age 11 – large pink face, not much neck, small blue eyes, thick smooth blond hair, thick fat head (pig in a wig) (pg. 21) Write their names properly below their pictures. Watch scenes 1-2 of Harry Potter. Read chapter three – narrate Discuss how to properly address an envelope. Look at envelopes sent to us. Continue to work on properly writing our address. Work on the days of the week (including spelling.) Use Harry’s Letters as examples. Tuesday – 1 letter (pg. 34) Wednesday – 1 letter (pg. 38) Thursday – 3 letters (pg. 39) Friday – 12 letters (pg. 40) Saturday – 24 letters (pg. 40) Sunday – 30 to 40 letters (pg. 41) Monday – 100 letters (pg. 42) Read chapter 4 – narrate It is Harry’s birthday. Work on properly writing own birthdate. Work on memorizing the birthdates of other family members. Review family tree – make sure birthdates are on the family tree. Boom, Smash, crash – (onomatopoeia) (pg. 46) Discuss the idea of onomatopoeia – read some poems to demonstrate. Friendly letter form (pg. 51) Write a friendly letter, address it properly and mail it. Continue to write a friendly letter and mail it each month. Watch scenes 1-3 of Harry Potter. Science Prepare a book of owl facts. Look through books on owls. Cut out or print out pictures of different owls. Write three or so facts about each below the picture. Owls to include (as per chapter 5, covered next month) – Snowy, Brown, Barn, Screech, Tawny, Eagle owl, and any others of interest. Create a front page with a picture of Hedwig – title Hedwig’s Book of Owl Facts Last page a painting, drawing or cut out of favorite owl. Written below – My favorite owl is the ______ because ____________ (or something similar.) Create a book of snakes. Read about different snakes. Cut out/ print out/ draw pictures and label each picture with a correct name for the snake below. Snakes to include (as per chapter 3) - cobras, pythons, boa constrictors (and any others of interest.) Perhaps include maps of where each snake is found, particularly the Brazilian Boa described in the book. Additional activities Night time hike looking for owls Learn the different owl hoots Dissect owl pellets Practice drawing owls and snakes using drawing book on birds and reptiles Catch one or two of the snakes in the yard to examine more closely and then let go Paint a picture or two to go along with the memorized poem (which I will copy out) Bonus for completing all school work in August Rent or Buy: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole What do you think??? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 :svengo: Wow! Teach me your ways, oh wise one! This is incredibly creative. Honestly, if I was a 6yo boy, I would love to attend your school. No, it isn't classical, but this sounds just downright awesome. Whatever it takes to get a kid excited about learning. Seriously, for a 6yo, this seems like enough. Of course, I have an 8yo (almost 9) boy who would love nothing better than to have a complete Star Wars curriculum:tongue_smilie:. Good job Momma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I forgot to offer suggestions. Perhaps you can find a way to work in some history, specifically views on witches/wizards throught history. Maybe incorporate something about dragon myths. The WTM 1st grade science recs would fit in well. Just call it Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. But really, you shouldn't have to add much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 This is pretty much the coolest plan I have ever seen. DS13 wants to know if he can come do school at your house because it is way cooler than here. He LOVES HP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 There is a Yahoo group called HogwartsSCS (Hogwarts Summer Correspondence School). You might get some ideas from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I made a whole unit study up, complete with notebooking pages, for HP 1. We had a blast with it. We learned about Owls {care of magical creatures}, well known constellations {astronomy}, herbs that were growing in our garden {herbology}, basic chemistry {potions}, & we did simple science experiments with big wow factor {magic..} We also studied England & Snakes. We measured our Hagrid's size on the driveway. We looked at Biblical correlation's between the book and the Bible. We learned to average {he was the size of 3 average men}, learned how big a baby dolphin is {his feet were that size}, crawled into the cupboard under our own stairs with a sleeping bag to see how we'd enjoy it.. We made donuts/cream buns. We tried lemon drops. We made knickerbocker glories. We ate chocolate frogs and berttie botts every flavor beans. Mm, good times, good times, good times!! :D I have all my plans tucked away because I was going to blog them for others to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 This is great. I'll be the first to ask, can I have a copy of the chapters as you complete them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I have been researching Harry Potter to use next year as well. I know alot of your ideas have things on homeschool share for free, like owls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaMinNC Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 That looks awesome. Can I come to your school with your son? At first I thought HP was really not something I'd tackle with a 6yo, but you've got some really nice age-appropriate stuff in there. Looks completely engaging - I hope he loves it! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Kirkwood Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 HP is what motivated my 7 year old to read for fun, rather than because Mom was asking him to. He would also love to come to your school. Actually, I would as well. Sounds like wonderful learning fun. :) Also, I don't think it's too out of the norm for 6 year olds, esp. boys, to not want to sit and do schoolwork. I am betting you will see him change over the next couple of years with this regard. If he's anything like my child, the more active he is when learning (moving, being outside, creating things, etc.), the better. Like the poster above that measured how tall Hagrid is on the driveway with chalk. Go to a nature center to see some owls. Count 100 Legos then create something with just those Legos. That kind of thing. Not classical, I know, but engage them in learning first, then move more towards classical maybe? Just my .02 on wiggly 6 year old boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. I do plan to add some sort of history and Latin later in the year as well as a daily exercise routine. I am adding the driveway drawings to August's list. I think we will outline each family member and then measure each and finally draw an approximate outline of Hagrid around them all. I do belong to the Hogwarts Yahoo group, but everything is individually listed in zip files and uses a LOT of memory. I'm also finding it hard to navigate in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 This is great. I'll be the first to ask, can I have a copy of the chapters as you complete them? Sure. There is no guarantee of greatness, :D but if you PM me in a couple months to remind me and include an email addess I will email you a copy. Hopefully I will have the whole year planned by then, if not I'll send you what I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineMom Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Your plans look awesome! What about creating a Hogwarts homeschool e-book (1st year) for others to purchase? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Wow, it looks great! We are just starting the first book and the kids are enamored. I was just thinking I would like to do something with the book...I was also thinking I would like to do a unit study or the like aimed specifically at my middle child (ds turns 7 today and is first grade). Thank you for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cschnee Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 You should really check out the yahoo groups (plural, as there is a "storage" site for each of the classes at Hogwarts) for the Hogwarts Summer School of Correspondence. They have a TON of stuff (textbooks, games, activities) already created. I even contributed a couple of card decks (owls, Magical Creatures, dragons) to use for playing math games. Here is the url http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HogwartsSCS/ We did a course in potions (chemistry), charms (poetry), herbology (plants), care of magical creatures... The kids received their assignments via Owl in the tree in our front yard... So much you can do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 You should really check out the yahoo groups (plural, as there is a "storage" site for each of the classes at Hogwarts) for the Hogwarts Summer School of Correspondence. They have a TON of stuff (textbooks, games, activities) already created. I even contributed a couple of card decks (owls, Magical Creatures, dragons) to use for playing math games.Here is the url http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HogwartsSCS/ We did a course in potions (chemistry), charms (poetry), herbology (plants), care of magical creatures... The kids received their assignments via Owl in the tree in our front yard... So much you can do! Alot of the files won't open and it seems really hard to navigate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cschnee Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 It IS hard to navigate, 'cause there is so much! Anything in particular you are looking for? I might have it already in my files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 It IS hard to navigate, 'cause there is so much! Anything in particular you are looking for? I might have it already in my files. I will take anything you have alot of the files won't open on mycomputer or they will but after I save them and try to open again it says windows cannot open this type of file. I wish everything was pdf lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 This blogger did a unit on Harry Potter, you might find some ideas. http://lapazfarm.homeschooljournal.net/unit-studies-weve-done/harry-potter-a-term-at-hogwarts/ You might have to search around the archives to find more posts on particular lessons, but it looks like fun. Your unit looks really fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Your plans look awesome! What about creating a Hogwarts homeschool e-book (1st year) for others to purchase? :iagree: Yes please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 It IS hard to navigate, 'cause there is so much! Anything in particular you are looking for? I might have it already in my files. I have spent the day looking threw all this and I still say there has to be a better way to organize it more user friendly It would help if it was PDF. Yes there is ALOT here and it is pretty great actually but how in the world did you print those textbooks?? Some of them are like 80 pages. Do I print one for each kiddo? That is crazy expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna in Texas Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Have you seen these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Have you seen these? OH YES!!!! On my wishlist lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I have spent the whole day searching out stuff LOL!! That group has sooooo much but it is so hard to figure out especially when it says such and such is located in another group and of course I cannot find a link to that group. I have also been making potions bottles from some labels I found online and we have decided we want to redo my school room now Harry Potter themed of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Not strictly HP but this site has some printables that might be a fun addition for "atmosphere": http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/search/search.html?q=potions%20lab I love this site....I use a LOT of their printables. They do tend to be ink-heavy, though, so I usually send them to Staples for printing rather than drain my rather pricey ink. To print this one cost me about $6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Not strictly HP but this site has some printables that might be a fun addition for "atmosphere": http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/search/search.html?q=potions%20lab I love this site....I use a LOT of their printables. They do tend to be ink-heavy, though, so I usually send them to Staples for printing rather than drain my rather pricey ink. To print this one cost me about $6. That is pretty cool! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I'm so happy - I just re-found, after three hours of seraching, the Make a Mythical Creature Field guide I used with my son when we read Harry Potter at that age. We had a great time, so just in case anyone else is interested and has kids who love to draw and design their own: www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=807affiliate_id=9148 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Alot of the files won't open and it seems really hard to navigate it. There are many groups for each area-Astronomy, etc. I love these yahoo groups. We've used them for going on 4-5 years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 There are many groups for each area-Astronomy, etc. I love these yahoo groups. We've used them for going on 4-5 years now. How in the world did you print the astronomy book? It is quite a bit of pages. alot of the links say located in textbook classroom, but I cannot find any textbook classroom. I have emailed moderators but they have never answered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 For those who decide to study the animals, I found these pages. Rats: http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/mammals/rodent/Ratprintout.shtml http://www.edupics.com/coloring-page-rat-i9784.html Owls: http://www.edupics.com/images/results/photo:0/query:owl And not free, but 50 cents, in case you wanted some copywork and facts: http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=64361{1}1 Toads: This one has pages for a lot of creatures, one of which is toads (There's also one about beaks and feet which might be useful for owls, and some tree and plants ones which might be good for herbology): http://handsandhearts.com/Nature_Pages_Set2.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 How in the world did you print the astronomy book? It is quite a bit of pages. alot of the links say located in textbook classroom, but I cannot find any textbook classroom. I have emailed moderators but they have never answered. Some I keep on the ipod, some I print as a booklet-2 pages on each side of paper. I haven't printed off every single thing that we do from there. I have to be very selective and plan/print what I know we'll get through. I haven't seen anything about a textbook classroom. Are you talking about it being in a separate group? There are HSCS groups for every subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Ok, in honour of this thread, I threw together a 10-week study for my upper-elementary daughter and shared it on my blog page, and I'll upload the journal/notebooking sheets and various links as we go along. Help yourselves if it'll be of any use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandigirl Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I have a bunch of stuff on my blog and will be posting more. If there is anything you would like to see just post t on the blog :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I have yet to start organizing! Next year they will be doing Hogwarts Distance Education (LOL) every Friday hopefully. I plan on using anything from the yahoo groups and stuff I come up with. I so far have a Gringotts bank in mind they can earn their monies by different things to spend at Honeydukes and the Weasly Brothers Joke Shop that will be made in some of my kitchen cabinets. I have yet to figure out how everything will be studied by potions for chemistry astronomy arithmancy herbology care and keeping of magical creatures and about anything else I come up with. I know I am doing dragons. I made them some dragon eggs that are going to come in the owl post box I made and I bought every dragonology book I could get my hands on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I have a bunch of stuff on my blog and will be posting more. If there is anything you would like to see just post t on the blog :) Yes her blog is just great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I love it! Subscribing to this thread for later reference. :001_smile: Me too - I think this is the one thing my kids would love even more than a year of Narnia (my other plan)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Ok, in honour of this thread, I threw together a 10-week study for my upper-elementary daughter and shared it on my blog page, and I'll upload the journal/notebooking sheets and various links as we go along. Help yourselves if it'll be of any use. This blogger did a unit on Harry Potter, you might find some ideas. http://lapazfarm.homeschooljournal.net/unit-studies-weve-done/harry-potter-a-term-at-hogwarts/ You might have to search around the archives to find more posts on particular lessons, but it looks like fun. Your unit looks really fun! I have a bunch of stuff on my blog and will be posting more. If there is anything you would like to see just post t on the blog :) So many incredible ideas! Keep 'em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicHipChick Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 By any chance, have you uploaded or blogged these plans already? I would love to "borrow" your ideas for our school year. :001_smile: TIA. I made a whole unit study up, complete with notebooking pages, for HP 1. We had a blast with it. We learned about Owls {care of magical creatures}, well known constellations {astronomy}, herbs that were growing in our garden {herbology}, basic chemistry {potions}, & we did simple science experiments with big wow factor {magic..} We also studied England & Snakes. We measured our Hagrid's size on the driveway. We looked at Biblical correlation's between the book and the Bible. We learned to average {he was the size of 3 average men}, learned how big a baby dolphin is {his feet were that size}, crawled into the cupboard under our own stairs with a sleeping bag to see how we'd enjoy it.. We made donuts/cream buns. We tried lemon drops. We made knickerbocker glories. We ate chocolate frogs and berttie botts every flavor beans. Mm, good times, good times, good times!! :D I have all my plans tucked away because I was going to blog them for others to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Resurrecting this thread to ask for suggestions for a Harry Potter unit study for an 11 year old boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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