Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Novel Study: Lesson Plans, Resources, & Activities

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!

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone Summary

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?

Pre-Reading & Post-Reading Ideas to Engage Learners in Your Harry Potter Novel Study

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.

Pre-reading Activities to Use with your Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Novel Study

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.

1. Sorting Hat Ceremony: Kick off the book club or novel unit by leaving a letter for your class similar to the one Harry receives on his 11th birthday. Welcome them to Hogwarts, and hold a Sorting Hat ceremony, where each student is sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses. This sets the stage for friendly competition and camaraderie among club members. Students can complete the sorting quiz here.
2. Magic Wand Making: Before you begin your novel study, start with a fun craft activity where students can create magic wands using materials like chopsticks, glue paint, and glitter. This hands-on experience will get everyone excited about the magical world of Harry Potter.
3. Magical Creature Showcase: Spend a day diving into and discussing mythical creatures from the Harry Potter series, such as unicorns, house-elves, centaurs, hippogriffs, and dragons. Students can create posters to share interesting facts about their favorite creatures.
4. Hogwarts House Banner Design: Divide students into groups representing each Hogwarts house (or use their houses if you’ve done the sorting process) and have them design banners featuring their house colors and symbols. Hang the banners in the classroom to create a Hogwarts atmosphere during the novel study meetings.
5. Book Trailer Viewing: Show students a book trailer or clips from the Harry Potter movies to pique their interest in the series. Discuss the themes, characters, and settings depicted in the trailers and how they relate to the books.

These activities are a fun way to engage learners, and since most students have some familiarity with the book they will get them excited without spoiling the story.

Post-reading Activities for Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone

After your Harry Potter novel study, it can be fun to add an activity or two to wrap up the experience for learners. These post-reading activities are designed to extend the magic of Harry Potter beyond the reading experience, allowing students to immerse themselves in the wizarding world through hands-on projects, interactive challenges, and creative endeavors that make connections.

Here are 12 fun post-reading activities you can add to your lesson plans after you wrap up your novel study:

1. Wizarding World Travel Brochure: Have students create travel brochures for different locations in the wizarding world, such as Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade. They can include descriptions, attractions, and illustrations to entice visitors to these magical destinations.
2. Book vs. Movie Comparison: Organize a discussion or writing assignment where students compare and contrast the book with its film adaptation. They can analyze differences in plot, character development, and visual representation, and discuss which version they prefer and why.
3. Wizarding World Debate: Divide students into teams and hold a debate on a topic related to the Harry Potter series, such as the importance of bravery versus intelligence, or the ethics of using magic. Encourage students to support their arguments with evidence from the book.
4. Quidditch Match Simulation: Set up a Quidditch match simulation using modified rules and equipment to fit the classroom or schoolyard. Divide students into teams representing different Hogwarts houses and let them experience the excitement and teamwork of playing the beloved wizarding sport.
5. Harry Potter-themed Art Exhibition: Host an art exhibition featuring artwork inspired by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Students can create and display drawings, paintings, sculptures, or digital art depicting scenes, characters, and magical elements from the book.
6. Create a Class Spell Book: Provide students with blank notebooks or journals and encourage them to create their own spell books inspired by the spells and charms in the Harry Potter series. They can invent new spells, write incantations, and illustrate their magical creations.
7. Wizarding World Cookbook: Challenge students to create a wizarding world cookbook featuring recipes inspired by the food and drinks mentioned in the Harry Potter series. They can research and adapt recipes for butterbeer, pumpkin pasties, and other magical treats.
8. Write Your Own Epilogue: Encourage students to imagine what happens to the characters after the events of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and write their own epilogues or short stories. They can explore the characters’ futures and speculate about their adventures beyond the first book.
9. Harry Potter Shoebox Parade: Organize Harry Potter Shoebox parade where students can create shoebox floats representing various scenes from the story. Attach string and pull them along to create a parade. Put the scenes in order to create a “parade” that retells the story. Encourage creativity and teamwork as they design and decorate their shoebox floats.
10. Wizarding World Comic Strip: Have students create comic strips or graphic novels inspired by scenes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. They can use illustrations and dialogue to retell key moments from the book, adding their own artistic interpretations and creativity.
11. Magical Creature Zoo Role-Play: Assign each student a magical creature from the Harry Potter series and have them role-play as caretakers responsible for caring for their assigned creature. They can research their creature’s habitat, diet, and behavior to create a trifold or diorama. Use the finished products to create a “zoo” of these creatures and allow your caretakers to share with other classes or learners.
12. Hogwarts House Cup Challenges: Divide students into teams representing each Hogwarts house and organize a series of challenges or competitions inspired by the book. Challenges could include trivia contests, relay races, puzzle-solving challenges, and more.

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone Study Guide

So we’ve covered what you might do before and after your Harry Potter novel study, but what about the actual novel unit itself?

Each of my over 300 novel units comes with an instructional guide to help you quickly and easily plan your daily lessons. In addition, you’ll find the PDF printables and access to digital resources to help you cover the key reading comprehension skills and vocabulary associated with the text in a student-friendly format that won’t overwhelm learners.

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:

What’s included in this novel study unit?

Reading comprehension skills and strategies addressed:

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:

• Text analysis and responding to literature
• Exploring character traits & development through events of the plot
• Making inferences and drawing conclusions based on text clues
• Analyzing point of view & its impact on the reader.
• Exploring author’s craft related to foreshadowing, suspense, & descriptive detail
• Examining the purpose and meaning of figurative language

Sample of Text-Based Vocabulary Studied through this Novel Unit:

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:

Purchase the Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone Novel Study and Get Instant Access

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:

• Daily comprehension prompts in 2 formats for differentiation
  • Foldable trifold brochures
  • Cut & paste journal prompts for interactive notebooks
• Weekly word of the day flip books for text-based vocabulary
• Easy-to-follow directions for printing & prep
• Instructional planning guide
• Answer keys