Turn Your Classroom Into Hogwarts

There are several ways to give your classroom the aura of Harry Potter and Hogwarts.  Invest in the following items, and your kids will be acing their O.W.L.S in no time!

Do it yourself:

*Create a 'Fat Lady' portrait, frame it in an antique gold frame and hang it outside the classroom door.

*Snatch up a large cauldron during after-Halloween sales and fill it with small reading pillows for students to grab for SSR.

*Drape the entrance of your classroom/doorway with a gauzy fabric from a sewing store with stars printed on it. Cover tables with 'magical' fabric.

*Back bulletin boards with deep purple, blue or black fabric, and line them with contrasting solid borders. Find a star sponge or stamp, and use it on the fabric and border with silver paint or ink.

*Scrounge up an old frosted globe light, or purchase a cheap one.  Put a battery operated light inside and set it on a table to create a crystal ball.  This one was only $11 at an online hardware store.

*Create a fireplace with gray 'stones' made out of construction paper, and orange/red/yellow flames made out of tissue paper.  Print out this picture, cut out Sirus' head, put it in the middle of the flames and then put it all up on the wall by the classroom library so students can read in the Griffyndor common room.


  
Hang this sign above your door to welcome students on their magical adventure.



Do your students see an 'A' in their future?  They will with this crystal imagination starter!


         

Pass Hedwig ($20) to a different student each day as you read the books, or keep her in a cage ($40) by your reading area (cleaner and quieter than the real thing).



This Tiffany-style lamp will add coziness to any reading corner.

A light-up Tri-Wizard Cup ($60) will motivate your students in any challenge.




Celebrate all four Hogwarts houses with this sizable banner ($16).

       

Hang house banners ($13) over groups of desks for the full effect of Hogwarts.




What would be cooler than seeing the Mirror of Eristed hanging on your classroom wall???


If you love mugs as much as I do, this will be a must for your collection.



Dobby can help you around the classroom, starting by holding your door open.



The Weasly clock will make a nice addition to any Harry Potter-themed reading area.


Sort your students into houses, or groups, just like in the books. Also great for motivating students before tests-put the sorting hat ($25) on for a minute before test time and recharge your brain!






Wall decals (39 L) with a Hogwarts twist! These wall decorations are sold out of the UK, but the company ships internationally.

  

Help your students pace themselves with an hourglass ($60), or get one on a chain ($19) and pretend it's a Time-Turner when teaching history.

Make your own not-so-nasty proclamations, a la Umbridge.



Put up some 'Wanted' signs for Sirius around the room-sorry, they don't move.

This awesome wall light ($14.99) from Ikea will really turn your room into the Hogwarts castle.