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Novel Study
Part 1 – Individual Work
Whilst reading ‘Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone’, complete the following –
Part A
• Make a list of the characters as you meet them.
Put them under the heading of the chapter they appear.
• Maintain this list for every chapter.
Part B
• Write a reflection at the end of each chapter detailing what you liked about the chapter, what
you did not like about the chapter and why you think that chapter is important to the story
Task 2 - Brochure
Using the information from chapter seven of the book, complete one of the following two options –
• Construct a brochure advertising the virtues of the system of school houses at Hogwarts. Try
to entice prospective students and parents to select Hogwarts with your brochure that
contains text and graphics.
• Prepare a magazine article explaining the sorting process into the four different houses at
Hogwarts and the characteristics of students in each of those houses. Images and text would
be required in your article.
Remember: use information and descriptions from the text – particularly the Sorting Hat
song, the method of sorting students, and Harry’s experience of being placed in a House.
You may wish to draw on your additional knowledge of the school houses gained from
reading any of the Harry Potter books.
1. Quirrell tells Harry that "There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too
weak to seek it" (p. 291). Do you agree with this? Is this true throughout the book or is it
only true for Quirrell and Lord Voldemort?
2. What were some of the advantages to Harry not having known how special he is before
he starts school? Disadvantages? What are some instances when Harry acts more like a
bumbling Muggle than a great wizard?
3. Consider the professors at Hogwarts including Dumbledore, McGonagall, Quirrell and
Snape – what does each character stand for? What does Harry learn from each one?
4. The Harry Potter series is the most popular children’s book series ever written. Why do
you think it is so popular? Why do you think adults and kids both like it?
5. What are your first impressions of Hogwarts schools?
6. What does Harry see in the Mirror of Erised (Desire)? What does Dumbledore tell Harry
about the mirror? (pages 156-57) Why is Harry able to get the Philosophers Stone out of
the Mirror?
Remember to source your information. ie. Record where you gathered the information from,
including all books and website locations.
You may choose to present your research in one of the following ways, or alternatively choose a
different method, however, discuss it with your teacher first –
• report
• poster
• PowerPoint
• web page
• children’s book
Task 6 – Glossary
Create a glossary of magical words used within ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.’ Document
a definition for 15 words used in the novel
You are a reporter for the Daily Prophet and your job is to write an in-depth expose on
one of the students or staff at Hogwarts other than Harry Potter. Your article
should be at least 150 words and should include the following details:
• What they do at Hogwarts (Student, Teacher etc)
• Which school House they belong to, (and how they reflect the values of that House)
• What their relationship is to Harry Potter
• Their worst moment in the story
• What you like about the character
• What you dislike about the character
Task 8 - Essay
Write a 300 word essay using the TEEL process on one of the following essay topics.
1. When Harry chooses his wand on Diagon Alley, he finds that the one right for him is the
companion wand to the one sold long ago to Voldemort. Why does Rowling choose to
emphasize a curious affinity between Harry and his great enemy, Voldemort?
2. What does the episode of the Sorting Hat reveal about Harry? What does it say about
fate in the story? Is it always superior to human will?
3. At the end of Harry’s adventures, when the Sorcerer’s Stone has been safely destroyed,
Dumbledore reveals to Harry that he devised the Mirror of Erised in the knowledge that
Harry would succeed where Voldemort would fail. This admission raises the question of
whether Dumbledore orchestrates other parts of Harry’s adventures too. Does he know,
for instance, that the troll will be let into Hogwarts, and does he foresee Harry’s defeat of
the troll? Is it possible that Dumbledore has a godlike foreknowledge of the whole story
from beginning to end?
4. How does the Hogwarts world compare with the Muggle world? Does Rowling want us to
make such a comparison?
5. Harry Potter was only able to achieve so much because of the help of his friends. Do you
agree?
Extension Activities
Select one or more to try for a B, and select two or more to try for an A:
1. Research one of the following and explain how it relates to the novel:
History of magic or witchcraft (white magic only, a note from your parent
approving this research must be provided)
Your own topic (after approval from your teacher)
2. Write a comparison between the teachers at Flora Hill and the teachers at Hogwarts. Explain how
they are the same, and how they are different.
3. A comparison between the book and the movie of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. You
should consider:
- How they are the same, how are they different?
- Is the movie what you would expect having read the book?
6. Considering the themes and events in the novel ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’,
create your own front and back cover.
Front cover: Remember to include the name of the novel, the author’s name, appropriate graphics
and pictures.
5. Write a story about one of the characters in the novel and what they are doing ten years after
leaving school.