Going to School with Harry Potter

A WebQuest for 5th Grade (Media Center)

Designed by

Samuel L. Davis
daviss@duplinnet.net

Hedwig studying some of

Harry’s school books.

Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion


Introduction

As we read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, you will need to help Harry with some of his school work. Harry has been busy trying to adjust to his new life at Hogwarts and things are still pretty confusing to him. With your help, he will be better prepared for some of his classes and able to concentrate on fighting You-Know-Who (Lord Voldemort).


The Task

You will complete a summary report for Harry to help in his future endeavors. By using the World Wide Web, you will learn more about what happens to Harry in the future and more about the author of the book.

 


The Process

To accomplish this task, you need to do the following:

  1. First visit http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/interview and read the interview with author J. K. Rowling.
  2. Make up a list of 5 questions you would like to ask Ms. Rowling, concentrating on what will happen to Harry in future books.
  3. Then visit http://www.fandom.com/harrypotter
  4. Pick out one of your favorite characters from the Potter series and read their biography. Explain why you picked that character and what special traits does that character have.
  5. Next research the movie that is going to be made from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by going to http://www.harrypotter.warnerbros.com/
  6. Who do you think would be the best person to play Harry? What about Ron and Hermione? Do you have any suggestions to Warner Brothers about who they should pick to play in the movie? Write down your suggestions about who should play in the movie and what type of special effects they should use.
  7. Although most of us enjoyed reading the book, some people do not like Harry Potter. Visit http://www.mugglesforharrypotter.org/ to read about people who like the books. Write one paragraph describing what you liked and did not like about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
  8. Last, but not least, you will visit http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter and read about some of the other fantasy books that are available. Choose three books and write them down as your goal to read over the next month.


Evaluation

You will be graded on your final work that is to be submitted by the end of the week. You will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  1. Interview questions for Ms. Rowling – 25%
  2. Your favorite character’s biography – 25%
  3. Movie suggestions – 15%
  4. Paragraph on likes and dislikes – 25%
  5. Additional books list – 10%

 

 


Conclusion

You should have a good grasp of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone after finishing this exercise. Please check out the rest of the Harry Potter series and feel free to explore more of the web sites over the Internet.

 


Credits & References

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Scholastic Press, 1998.

Last updated on August 15, 1999. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page