Returning From the Holiday Break

Welcome back! We trust you had a most magical holiday break. As much as we love to extend the merry-making, it's time to get back to work.

This month our theme is "China"! With such a long, rich history, China lends itself to Hogwarts with little Potterfication.

Some of the things we'll be studying this month:

Transfig: Paper lanterns

Dragon Study: Asian Lung

Divination: Reading tea leaves

Muggle Studies: A trip to Chinatown.

Special lesson from Dumbledore: the Phoenix

***

Chinese New Year (the year of the ox) falls on the 26th of January this year. If you're lucky enough to have a Chinatown near you, find out when they're having their parade, & add that to your calendar. Loud parades not your thing? Don't be sad at missing out, because the celebrations generally last for days - there is sure to be something for your family.

***

Websites: Chinese New Year, Dragon Study

Books: Happy, Happy Chinese New Year!, The Boy Who Painted Dragons, Made in China: Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China, You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Great Wall of China!

If you follow any of the book links, then scroll down to see Amazon's suggestions, you'll find loads of books on the same topic. We cannot tell you how many amazing books we've stumbled upon this way.

***

As soon as lessons get completed, we'll have them up for you to use. In the meantime, see what you can come up with on your own. Are your students teeny? If so, focus on Chinese crafts & food. Older kids will enjoy both of those, but will get so much out of all China's history has to offer. Definitely look into all the inventions that hail from China! Perhaps the head of a Chinese Wizarding school could send some lessons? A cultural exchange project?

Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

~Kat.

Potterfying the Holidays

We here at HH are insanely busy. So much so that if we had time to make cocktails, we'd start drinking now, & not stop until 2009. If that feeling is remotely familiar to you, we advise you do yourself a favor, & begin Potterfying your holiday activities. Still sound like too much work? Do what we did: have the kids dress in their uniforms, & go on a field trip.

A few weeks ago they had a COMC field trip to a miniatures shop. Our kids are mad for The Borrowers, & each keeps his/her own dollhouse for the illusive little people. This trip was not only to see what amazing miniatures there were out there, but to give them ideas for what they themselves can make.

Being so close to the holidays, we HHMamas took turns sneakily purchasing tiny treasures for them. Um... them the kids, not them the borrowers.

Think of all the things to be learned via the world of miniatures. There is scale, architecture, history, furniture styles, & if you are lucky enough to work on a posh dollhouse you can learn how to wire it! Our kids are not so lucky.

***

So what is going on near you? Where would you usually be going this time of year, or where have you always wanted to take the kids? First make a list of where you want to go, then sit down with your calendar, & choose your dates. That really is the hard part. Potterfying is easy once you get started; & like I said at the beginning of this post; if you are too overwhelmed with holiday spirit just put them in their uniforms, & head out the door.

***

Tip: If you have a Waldorf school near you, go to their winter faire. They usually focus on a magical winter; faeries, elves, gnomes; rather than a religious holiday. (If you live in Los Angeles, you can meet the HHMamas at Ocean Charter's Winter Faire: December 13th 12606 Culver Blvd., Mar Vista. We'll be in the Dragonfly Artisans booth.)

~Kat

It's snowing!

Oh my fellow HHers, you have no idea how sorry we are that we've not been able to get stacks of new lessons uploaded for you. I wish we could blame Peeves, but alas we have only life to blame. I shall spare you the boring details.

I think we have things under control over here, & to prove we've not abandoned you to the Muggles, you can now find the long promised snowflake lesson in the classrooms.

photo :: property of kats in the belfry

Please note: You can use string, or even embroidery floss in this lesson - we use fishing line, because it's clear.

Happy snowflaking!!

~Kat