Last year, my coworker and I at Parkside School decided to try theming our classrooms like Hogwarts houses from the Harry Potter series. It went over so well with our students that we decided to take it a step further this year and theme our whole hallway. We hired a local artist to paint murals and added three-dimensional elements to give our students a totally immersive experience. We now have transformed our entire 7th and 8th grade hallway so that our students will feel like they are walking the halls of Hogwarts.
Other than the murals, the transformation has been done by the two of us with inexpensive materials and donated items. Since transforming the rooms last year, we have had a huge decrease in student discipline referrals and an increased interest among our middle school students in reading and discussing books.
Parkside is a K-8th grade school in rural Cullman County, Alabama. It is a title one school in an economically depressed area. The project was done completely with funds raised by our 5K race and out of teachers’ own pockets. I have no idea how many hours we have spent on it-definitely in the hundreds by now! Our principal has been very supportive of our ideas and allowing us to do this project.
Ravenclaw Classroom Entrance
Slytherin Classroom Entrance
Gryffindor Classroom Entrance (Hagrid’s Hut)
Hufflepuff Classroom Entrance
Platform 9 3/4
Whomping Willow and part of the Forbidden Forest
Dementor in the Hallway
Ravenclaw Common Room/English Lang. Arts Classroom
Details inside Slytherin Classroom
These teachers turned their boring school hallway into Hogwarts!
