Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 1, Harry Potter: The Science Behind the Magic (Richards, Sect. 2) (5th-6th)
Dear SAVY Families,
Our first day of Harry Potter: The Science Behind the Magic was filled with curiosity, creativity, and real-world science hiding behind the magic!
We began with a Sorting Ceremony, where each young wizard joined their Hogwarts House and prepared for a day of magical learning. In our first “Potions Class,” students explored how potions like Veritaserum (truth serum), Amortentia (love potion), and Felix Felicis (“liquid luck”) might work through the lens of real neuroscience and chemistry. Students learned how chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin influence mood, trust, and behavior, just like magic might in the wizarding world!
During our Make Your Own Potions chemistry lab, students experimented with mixtures, learning how solubility and color changes could mimic magical effects. Students used baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, and glitter to make their own take-home potions! The potion chemistry lesson was truly a highlight of their day! Next, at Ollivander’s Wand Shop, students designed their own wands and explored the science of materials, discussing how properties like wood type and strength play into tool design, both magical and Muggle.
In our final activity of the day, students created their own version of “troll bogey” slime, learning about polymer chemistry and how these long molecular chains are used in real life, from silly putty to healing agents like those in phoenix tears. At home, ask your student to tell you about polymerization. Ask about the difference between monomers and polymers to encourage their critical thinking!
Day 2 will be full of exciting science as we…
- Investigate magnetism and levitation by designing floating objects
- Use fluorescence and light experiments to reveal hidden properties of molecules
- Continue exploring the deep connection between science and the magic we know from the wizarding world.
Thank you for sharing your incredible young scientists with us. We can’t wait for another day of magical discovery!
Hannah Richards