First-year teacher, Evers, wanted to bring to life their class read-aloud book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and put together a sorting hat ceremony. 

The students spent the period learning about the different Hogwarts houses - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. Then, each student was called to the front of the room, where they donned the sorting hat that assigned them to their “house” or table groups, just like the Hogwarts students in the book. 

But the interactive activities won't stop there. Throughout the six weeks, the students will compete for house points to earn a prize as they do in the book. House points are earned by good behavior, helpful hands, and showing effort during the class period - all values of our Frenship Way SERVE Model. 

“I thought that this would be a great introduction to get them excited about the book,” said Evers. “This requires the students to keep each other accountable and encourages them to work with their peers. Being a first-year teacher, this year is all about trial and error. I will continue to modify and develop this classroom management strategy to make it more efficient as the school year goes on.” 

The main goal of the sorting was to immerse the students with their read-aloud for the semester and to promote a love for reading. The students will have another sorting ceremony every six weeks to get to know their classmates better and to give them a change of scenery in the classroom.