Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 4, Harry Potter: The Science Behind the Magic (Richards, Sect. 2) (5th-6th)
Dear SAVY Wizarding Families,
Today at Hogwarts (or rather, our science classroom!), students explored the wonders of flight, feathers, and free fall! To begin class, we participated in the House Cup Competition, reviewing the material we learned the day prior. This is a very competitive magical competition that the students are so passionate about!
We began with Owl Anatomy & Adaptations, diving into the biology behind these magical creatures. Students investigated owl features, such as silent wings, sharp talons, and binocular vision, and learned how each adaptation helps owls thrive in their ecosystems. Students participated in hands-on owl pellet (regurgitated undigested materials like bones and fur), dissections to investigate owl diets, predator-prey relationships, and the structure of ecosystems.
Afterward, we shifted to physics with our Golden Egg Drop Challenge! Students engineered and tested their own protective contraptions to safely deliver a “dragon egg” (a raw egg!) from a height. Using concepts of gravity, motion, impact force, and engineering design, our young witches and wizards worked in teams to build, test, revise, and retest their devices, often with sticky, hilarious results.
We wrapped up the day with group presentations on what worked, what did not, and how scientific thinking can protect fragile things, just like in the magical world. Tomorrow marks our final magical day together, and we are going out with a bang! We will have Herbology Class, take the O.W.L. Exams (Ordinary Wizarding Level quizzes!), and celebrate with our House Cup Awards Ceremony and Butterbeer! For now, here are some “Think Beyond” questions to ask your wizard at home: What is the human vs. owl field of view? If you could invent a creature inspired by real animal adaptations (like the owl), what magical powers would it have, and what real science could explain them? This is a great way to combine imagination and scientific understanding while building confidence in science communication!
Thank you for continuing this magical scientific journey with us. We can’t wait to celebrate everything your students have accomplished during our final day tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Hannah Richards