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Harry Potter Book Club

Speaking of wanting to live in a book

The twins are obviously now back at school.  They drifted back to school happily.  I sat at the kitchen table and cried.  I don’t do very well with the start of school.

I volunteer a lot at their school, mostly doing tech projects with the various grades.  But I also hold a weekly book club for about 15 kids.  There is a monthly host for the book we read at home, but on the three or four off weeks between book discussions, we also have a book we read aloud and discuss together.

This year, we’re kicking it off with Harry Potter.

But no… not just sitting on a stool and reading Harry Potter.  We’re making butterbeer and doing a Bertie Botts Every Flavour Bean dare.  We’re making our own wands and learning how to cast spells.  We’re being sorted into the various houses and doing a year-long House Cup championship.  (They can win points by answering one of my close textual reading questions correct and lose points for smacking someone else with their lunch box.)

AND WE’RE PLAYING QUIDDITCH!

Another parent said she couldn’t imagine I’d be given permission to do this, but our principal is wonderful and allows us to run with any interesting, educationally-based idea we have.  So she is allowing me to organize an Quidditch game during recess with two of the grades.  About 90 kids, all running around on brooms, searching for the snitch and trying to get the quaffle through the hoop.

It is going to rock.

We are living Hogwarts.

It has made going back to school a little easier for me.

P.S. I got Ravenclaw robes as my 40th birthday present from my brother.  I was so excited that I may have peed in my pants.

17 comments

1 Pepper { 09.23.14 at 8:13 am }

This is so cool. I hope I can do things like this with my girls when they are in school.

2 Katherine A { 09.23.14 at 8:14 am }

That is AWESOME!!!! Sounds like so much fun! That’s so cool that you’re organizing all of it. Nice that the principal is open to ideas and trying things like Quidditch.

And the robes? That is such an amazing birthday present. Would love to see a photo…

3 JB { 09.23.14 at 9:04 am }

This is AWESOME!!! What a great opportunity

4 Suzanna Catherine { 09.23.14 at 10:12 am }

Years from now this Harry Potter experience will be what these children remember most vividly. I guarantee they will tell their children about Mrs. Ford and that wonderful time back in 2014 when Hogwarts came alive for them. Great teachers make great memories.

5 JustHeather { 09.23.14 at 10:35 am }

That is just too great for words. I hope you’ll keep us updated throughout the year.

6 a { 09.23.14 at 11:01 am }

My daughter’s school is starting a Lego Robotics club – I was considering volunteering. Got any advice/suggestions/thoughts? I thought I remember you saying that your kids were working with Lego robots.

7 a { 09.23.14 at 11:03 am }

Also, you are a superfan – I am amazed…

8 earthandink { 09.23.14 at 11:58 am }

I adore this idea. Those children are going to have a blast and they will remember it. (My mother put on ridiculous birthday parties … not expensive really, just creative – she was an artist. decades later, I will bump in to some kid from my 6th grade class who wants to talk about my birthday party. This bringing Hogwarts to life is that sort of idea … crazy creative and memorable and fun.)

And I’m making author notes on what you’re pulling out to do.

9 Turia { 09.23.14 at 2:55 pm }

Oh that is SUCH a great idea. Those kids will remember this for years.

10 Mina { 09.23.14 at 4:04 pm }

This might be one of the few things that both children and adults could equally immensily enjoy. How wonderful! I am envious. 🙂

11 Kasey { 09.23.14 at 5:54 pm }

I want to go to your kids school. This sounds amazing !

12 Tiara { 09.24.14 at 7:29 am }

This sounds amazing! & I haven’t even read Harry Potter yet

13 andy { 09.24.14 at 7:45 am }

You are rockin’ this parenting thing!!! How cool!

14 Bronwyn { 09.24.14 at 12:17 pm }

We get to see a picture of you in your robes, right?

15 loribeth { 09.25.14 at 8:40 pm }

I second the motion for a photo in robes. 🙂 Where were you when I was in school?? The kids are going to remember this forever, Mel.

16 Mel { 09.25.14 at 8:55 pm }

I am trying to get someone to take a photo of me in the robes. Full length robes don’t really lend themselves to selfies 🙂

17 Battynurse { 10.05.14 at 4:18 pm }

I love it! Can I come to school there?

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