Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Harry Potter: The Science Behind the Magic (Richards, Sect. 2) (5th-6th)
Dear SAVY Wizarding Families,
Today was a spectacularly scientific day in our Hogwarts-inspired classroom as we explored some explosive (and educational!) experiments during Bubbling Brews Class and soared into the physics of flight with a hands-on Golden Snitch Catapult Challenge!
In Bubbling Brews, students became chemists as they learned how acids and bases react to form gases and cause bubbling, foaming potions. We explored observable signs of chemical change—like color shifts, fizzing, and temperature change—as students tested ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and pH indicators. While our brews weren’t quite magical and all science, they definitely put on a show!
Then, students engineered their own Snitch-Launching Catapults using only popsicle sticks, rubber bands, spoons, and ping-pong balls! They tested how angle, tension, and energy transfer affect motion. Our Catapult Competition was full of creative designs, impressive launches, and some intense house spirit as students tried to launch their golden snitch the farthest.
Tomorrow, we turn our attention to the science of magical creatures and real-world adaptations with a special focus on owls and egg Protection! For now, here is a “Think Beyond” question to ask your wizard at home: What is the pH of an acid versus the pH of a base? Also, ask, if you had to design a broomstick that actually worked using science, what real materials and technologies would you need? How would you keep it balanced, powered, and safe? Encourage your young scientist to use what they learned about magnetism, gravity, and motion to brainstorm real-world solutions to magical problems.
Until next time,
Hannah Richards