Gearing up for a Harry Potter novel study? If you’re looking for engaging novel study resources for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that go beyond just another boring list of chapter comprehension questions, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, I’ll share resource recommendations, free teaching ideas to kick off and wrap up your book unit, and some helpful information about the book, the first in the Harry Potter series. By the time you’re done, you’ll have everything you need to implement an amazing novel study unit using this text that students love!
In J.K. Rowling’s magical world of wizardry, we meet Harry Potter, an ordinary boy who discovers he’s anything but ordinary on his eleventh birthday. Rescued from a dreary existence with his neglectful aunt and uncle, Harry is whisked away to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There, he learns he’s not just any wizard, but the famous Boy Who Lived, known for surviving an attack by the dark wizard Voldemort as a baby.
As Harry navigates his first year at Hogwarts, he befriends loyal Ron Weasley and brilliant Hermione Granger. Together, they unravel the mysteries surrounding the hidden Sorcerer’s Stone, a powerful magical artifact. Along the way, they encounter quirky professors, magical creatures, and challenges that test their courage and friendship.
But as they get closer to uncovering the truth about the Sorcerer’s Stone, they realize they’re not the only ones searching for it. Dark forces lurk within Hogwarts, and Harry’s bravery will be put to the ultimate test as he faces his greatest foe.
Will Harry and his friends succeed in protecting the Sorcerer’s Stone from falling into the wrong hands? Or will Voldemort’s sinister plans come to fruition, plunging the wizarding world into darkness once more?
Finding engaging activities before and after your novel study can make a huge difference in student buy-in and recall. I wanted to share some of my favorite free and low-cost activities to use with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone so you can add a little “magic” to your novel unit.
Before you start reading, you’ll likely want to lay the groundwork for the unforgettable experience that awaits your readers. The pre-reading phase of your novel unit is an opportunity to ignite curiosity, spark imaginations, and build anticipation for the wondrous tale that lies ahead. Therefore, choosing an engaging pre-reading activity is an important part of getting readers excited about the book.
Here are 5 super fun activities that promise to captivate your learner’s attention and set the stage for an immersive journey into the wizarding world during your Harry Potter novel study. From magical sorting ceremonies to potion-making escapades, these ideas are designed to engage learners of all ages and backgrounds.
This Harry Potter novel study includes everything you need for a three-week (15-day) novel unit designed to focus on a single comprehension skill and text-based vocabulary word each day to maximize student learning. Here’s a taste of what’s included in this novel unit:
A single daily response focus helps you plan for meaningful instruction and review. Rather than bouncing between 5 different skills at a surface level, you can focus on a single skill at a deeper level to ensure students truly understand and can apply this to their reading.
Here are some of the daily comprehension focus skills covered in the Harry Potter novel study:
The instructional guide outlines both academic vocabulary students need to know to respond to the comprehension/discussion question of the day and the daily text-based vocabulary word students will study each day.
Here are just a few of the text-based vocabulary words students learn through this Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone novel study unit:
When you purchase the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Novel Study PDF from Differentiated Teaching, you’ll receive all the following resources in a downloadable format:
Since different schools use different leveling programs, here is the information about the book for the most commonly used programs. This can help you decide if a Harry Potter novel study is right for your readers, or if the book might be better for a read aloud.
The paperback version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is 320 pages long. It has 17 total chapters.
This is a fiction book that falls under the umbrella of fantasy. It has strong themes of magic and witchcraft, which may not be suitable for all audiences. There is a level of danger and some violence in the books between the protagonists and antagonists. These are presented in a way that has been written to be appropriate for upper-elementary readers. It is important to note that as the series goes on this increases as the two sides eventually end up at war.
