Harry Potter Sorting Ceremony for Back To School and Giveaway!

The first week of school is in the books for me!  I am exhausted, but it was a great week, and I have an amazing group this year!  Today I am sharing how I put my students into table groups this year, and I have a giveaway for you if you stick around until the end!

Since we have a Harry Potter theme in our classroom this year, we used a Sorting Hat Ceremony to put the students into table groups.

I gathered the students to the carpet where I had a giant luggage case similar to the ones that the Hogwarts students brought to school.

Inside the trunk was baggies filled with white play dough.  The kids didn't know it at first, but we had put food coloring in the middle of each ball of play dough.

Each student took their turns wearing the sorting hat.  I took a picture of each one and then they chose one of the bags of play dough.

I LOVE that this one was wearing an owl shirt the first day of school!  Perfect for the theme!

Then they squished the bag of play dough until it changed color revealing their "house placement".  I used the bags because I didn't want them to get the food coloring everywhere!

We have a Slytherin!

And a Gryffindor!

The kids absolutely LOVED this!  AND... bonus... NOT ONE kid complained about being in the groups they were put in.  Usually I have students complain if they don't sit with their friend or if they feel "boy-trapped".  Not one peep this year!  They trusted the Sorting hat's judgement!

They will stay at these tables for one quarter when I will switch it up a bit.  They earn house points for their team just like in the book.

Whether or not you have had your first week back or not, I am sure you could use a $25 Teachers Pay Teachers gift card to help you prepare for the upcoming year!  Thanks to some of my blogging friends, you can win one now!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: $25 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card

Giveaway Organized by:  Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher), 

Co-hosts:  An Apple for the Teacher, The Chocolate Teacher,  A Plus Kids, Amanda Kristofferson, Glistening Gems, and 180 Days of Reading.

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. Giveaway ends 8/27/16 and is open worldwide.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway