This past summer, students stepped into the enchanting world of Harry Potter like never before with Island Pacific Academy’s immersive Summer Enrichment Program.
Grade 4 teacher, Sa’o Faulkner, decided to design the class based on her interest in language arts and literature. She took the popular young adult novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and turned it into a focus text, incorporating activities in reading comprehension, writing, math, and STEM. Her vision was to create a unique learning space in which the students would feel transported and part of the setting in the novel to get the students engaged and actively involved in the story.
The detailed classroom decor, crafted by Louisa and Ashley Faulkner, transported students to Hogwarts Castle, complete with floating candles, sorting hat corners, and house banners, creating an immersive learning environment that truly engaged and inspired.
“The thing that the kids were most excited for this summer was the Potions Corner, I think because it was the most obviously changed corner of the summer school,” shared Louisa. “They were really engaged with that one.”
The summer was a magical journey where reading, math, science, and engineering blended seamlessly with the captivating narrative of J.K. Rowling’s beloved novel series. The innovative curriculum brought the wizarding world to life, fostering creativity and critical thinking in the students. From potion-making experiments to wand-making workshops, every lesson was a spellbinding adventure.
“Whenever I walk through the doors, or the “wall”, I always feel that magic coming to me and I’m always as happy as ever,” shared Brandon ’32.
“One thing that we did have to be as true to Harry Potter as possible, was to have House points,” explained Mrs. Faulkner. “In order to have House points, they had to work together within their own houses. We incorporated being able to follow our IPA Five Agreements, and completing their tasks on time. It really helped them to build teamwork, collaboration, and problem solving, as well as being great listeners to one another.”
“I’m so excited to come everyday because one time we made chocolate frogs, then we did the roller coaster, and we made a Quidditch diorama,” shared Micah ’32. “It feels exciting because it feels like I go into another world!”
Students had an extraordinary opportunity to explore the wonders of Hogwarts while mastering academic concepts in a fun and unique way.
“I’m hoping that the kids are able to take away the the excitement of reading again. The book has more details than a movie. So we’re hoping that with this, they can take that away to look at the finer details, and see that imagination can spur out of anywhere,” said Louisa. “And it doesn’t have to be a really fancy thing. It can be something as simple as cardboard boxes. You can make anything into what you want it to be. And that magic isn’t just for wizards, you can create it in any way you want.”
View the classroom in 360 for an immersive experience. Use your cursor to drag around the screen to see the entire room!
