A class of Edmonton second and third-graders has embraced the wizarding world of Harry Potter to complete their (strictly Muggle) studies.
Opening a cardboard set of castle doors at Edmonton’s Sweet Grass School, a student proclaims, “Welcome to Hogwarts!”
Another says, “You get to meet all the ghosts and everyone is magical.”
ahandcrafted replica of Hogwarts—certainly smaller in size but no less magical than the movie version—has been a weeks-long math and science project for the school’s Grade 2s and 3s.
“We're learning about 3D solids and shapes and measuring,” second-grader Punam Khunti told CTV News.
“They're so excited to come to school every day and show off what they're doing. We just know that's the best way to get them here and to have them keep learning,” said Vanessa Lecaine, the school’s principal.
The project morphed—transfigured, you could say—from an English project.
“As a fun read-aloud this year, I was going to read the first Harry Potter book and I saw the buy-in from the kids so I turned it into a novel study,” recalled the students’ teacher, Kristy Lundstrom.
The study became an acting lesson, which turned into a wand-making lesson, which turned into the current construction project.
It’s received the class’ undivided attention.
“They’re asking to stay in for recess,” Lundstrom said.
The project has proven as much a lesson for the teachers as it has for the students.
“As long as we're doing what's best for kids and we're following the curriculum, if we let kids help guide what they want in their learning, you're not going to be unsuccessful at all,” Lecaine said.
With files from Timm Bruch
