Harry Potter Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources
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Today’s release of the trailer for Part II of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (see below if you missed it!) got me so excited! Therefore, I was motivated to put together some Harry Potter lesson plans and other resources you can use in your classroom. Moreover, parents can use many of these at home.
As a matter of fact, I admit that I love the series, and read them on my own before I had my own children. Consequently, I read them in my early 30’s, not as a young adult! Moreover, I read them again prior to each movie release, and again out loud to my son. Indeed, he is now 9 and has read them again on his own (some several times). Update: he is now 17 and still talks about loving the series! As such, this epic series is a perfect way to engage your students and children. Undoubtedly, there are so many different ways to incorporate the books into lessons. Even better, this can be done across the curriculum.
First off, here is the trailer I promised. Next, find tons of resources and lessons organized by subject area.
Harry Potter Lesson Plans - English Language Arts
- Creative Writing Unit – Several lessons and activities
- Lesson Plan for Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone – Grade 6 – To encourage students to find the voice in the novel and to allow them to find their own individual ways into the experience through various projects.
- Scholastic – Discussion Guide for the First 4 Books
- Harry Potter’s World – Lessons in Science and English from the U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Free Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Unit Study
- Free Printable Pack of Harry Potter-Inspired Writing Prompts
Harry Potter Lesson Plans - Social Studies/Geography
- Create a Hogwarts Floor Plan (Grades 3-8) – Students will learn about the concept of scale and other mapping skills as they create a floor plan of Hogwarts School.
- In Boggart and Fear, students examine two text selections that feature a boggart—a shape-shifter that turns into whatever one fears most—from books 3 and 5, Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix, respectively. Then, students evaluate various characters’ fears represented by the boggart and build connections between their analyses of the characters’ fears and the students’ own experiences.
Harry Potter Lesson Plans - Math
Harry Potter Lesson Plans - Science
- In Genetic Traits, students review or learn genetic terms and concepts, such as DNA, chromosome, gene, allele, homozygous, heterozygous, recessive and dominant genes, genotype, phenotype, complex traits, Mendelian inheritance, and Punnett Square; and apply them in identifying possible inheritance patterns and genotypes of magical ability demonstrated by several characters in the series.
- Harry Potter Inspired Fun STEAM Printable Challenge Cards
- Science fun: Harry Potter Potions Class and Experiments
Harry Potter Lesson Plans - Webquests
- A Day in the Life – The Task: Firstly, as we search for details in the life of the famous boy you will attend classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Next, you will explore other sites where Harry enjoys spending time. You will want to become friends with a couple of Harry’s buddies. Finally, you will need to dig up some facts on the person behind the characters and events as the life of Harry is revealed.
- Taming Word Problems
- Webquest for Grades 2-5
- Webquest for the Sorcerer’s Stone
- The Magical World – Webquest
Harry Potter Printables and Activities
- Printables from Classroom, Jr. – Discussion guides, unit plans, worksheets, puzzles and more!
- Nice collection of coloring pages, puzzles, bookmarks and more
- Printables and Activities from Activity Village UK
- Reference Desk (scroll down to find it)
- Huge list of web resources
- Haiku
- Huge collection of Activities
- Harry Potter Word Search
Harry Potter Lesson Plans - Miscellaneous
- Full Harry Potter Unit (FREE!!)
- What’s All the Fuss About Harry Potter? (Grades 6-8 – Literature , Ed Technology , Special Ed)
- Great Collection of Lesson Plans & Classroom Guides
- Units and Lesson Plans for Homeschooling
- Owl Mail – Thematic Resources and Professional Development Workshop for Educators by Midge Frazel
- Harry Potter Party Printables and Fonts
- Harry Potter Freebie Pack
- 11 Harry Potter-Themed Classroom Ideas
- Magical Harry Potter Printables
Teaching Spanish with Harry Potter
Harry Potter Books in Spanish
Here are Spanish editions of the books. These are excellent for intermediate- to advanced-level Spanish readers. You can buy each separately by clicking on the images below, or grab the complete Harry Potter Spanish set by clicking here!
Be sure to check out more bilingual books by clicking here!
Spanish Vocabulary from Harry Potter
Spells as Vocabulary Starters
Many spells are Latin-rooted and close to Spanish (e.g., Lumos from lux/luz = light, Nox = night/dark, Accio from acción, Expecto = I await/expect). Use these as a bridge to teach Spanish words with Latin roots.
Key Vocabulary from the Spanish Editions
Examples like el mago (wizard), la varita (wand), el caldero (cauldron), el fantasma (ghost), el sortilegio (spell/hex), la escoba (broomstick).
Making Comparisons
Another excellent way to teach Spanish vocabulary is to have students compare the English and Spanish editions side by side, which is a powerful comprehension activity for intermediate learners.
Click here for tons more vocabulary resources!
Classroom Activity Ideas for Spanish Teachers
Parallel Reading
Students read the same chapter in English and Spanish, then identify 10 new vocabulary words from the Spanish version.
Spell Translation Challenge
Give students a list of HP spells and have them research the Latin/Spanish roots. Bonus: have them invent a new spell en español.
Character Description
Use HP characters as writing prompts. Describe tu personaje favorito de Harry Potter en español.
Listening Comprehension
The Spanish HP audiobooks (read by Carlos Ponce) are available on Audible. Play a short clip and have students transcribe or summarize.
Vocabulary Sorting Game
Print Spanish Harry Potter vocabulary on task cards and have students sort by category (personas, lugares, objetos mágicos).
See this page for more ideas about this type of game!
Conclusion
In addition to awesome Harry Potter Lesson Plans, there are literally thousands of products featuring these famous characters, from books to games to clothing. Here are a few of my favorite items at great prices that are sure to please your students, children, and yes, even you!
If you love these Harry Potter Lesson Plans, you will probably enjoy these Percy Jackson resources too! I would love to hear how you incorporate Harry Potter into your lessons, whether they are at home or in the classroom! Please leave a comment sharing your favorite ways to use this fabulous series! Also, I will try my best to update when I find new resources.
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7 Responses
What a great resource for teachers! There is no easier way to learn than when you’re thoroughly interested in the topic, and no easier to teach than when you have enthusiastic students. Potter has been so popular over the last 10 years…it’s a great idea to get students interested.
I’m definitely passing this on!
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