Courtnee Johns

April 23, 2017

ENGL 281

Dr. Powers

Chemical Wizardry in the Classroom

In Jane Snell Copes’ article, The Chemical Wizardry of J.K. Rowling, she fantastically breaks down some of the magical aspects of the books (such as Hermione’s blue flame in a jam jar) and explains how we can create similar effects using chemistry. Copes’ article describes exceptionally well what one might need to create these “magical” effects, and which ones are safe enough to perform indoors. This article is a great tool for teachers who are interested in creating a fun and safe lesson plan for students of all ages.

For young students, perhaps preschool through elementary, Copes’ mentions safe, indoor-friendly options such as creating “invisible” ink or color-changing ink with common kitchen ingredients (Copes, 1480). Another immersive project for young students could be aging paper with tea, or using firework sparklers as makeshift wands (1480). Whatever you choose, children are sure to have fun in your Hogwarts themed class while you can teach lessons about safe experimentation, critical thinking (what makes the ink change color, for example) skills, and provide a brief introduction to chemistry.

For older students, perhaps in middle school or high school, assuming parental permission is granted for experiments that have more of a “flash and bang” aspect, Copes’ describes how a teacher can create the blue flame in a jam jar by preparing “a gel of denatured alcohol with saturated aqueous calcium acetate solution” (1479). She notes, however, that to avoid any accidents, it would be safer to use a metal can rather than a glass jam jar as in the Harry Potter novel (1479). Also concerning neat tricks with open flames, Copes discusses how sprinkling boric acid into flames will create the dazzling green effect that Floo Powder has and that one could create a similar effect of holding flames in hand by creating flashpaper, which burns quickly and completely (1480). The allure of Harry Potter and the awesome effects that can be created using simple procedures and ingredients is certain to keep students engaged and excited during the class period.

While Coles’ article is not a step-by-step instructional guide to magical wizardry in the classroom, it is an in-depth, highly informative, and relatively short read that will help to formulate ideas about how a teacher may want to conduct a Harry Potter Potions class or a similarly themed class. Her article, while providing brief information about the types of chemicals you might need to achieve these dazzling chemical reactions, also includes a wide array of reference articles in which a teacher may find more detailed instructions and safety information.

Overall, for educators who desire adding a new, exciting element to their lesson planning repertoire, Cole’s brief article is a wonderful place to start. Her reader-friendly writing style is great for chemistry teachers who already know their way around a Bunsen burner, while it’s also easy enough to understand for educators in other subjects (such as English Educators looking for an engaging way to talk about the use of language in spells) who are looking for a break in the class’s routine.