Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third installment of a series full of wonder, magic, and adventure. In this five-week class, learners will participate in meaningful discussions and engaging activities as we read J. K. Rowling's third novel in the world of Harry Potter. Book clubs are an excellent way to engage reluctant readers or help enthusiastic readers dig a little deeper. Students will need their own copy of the text to complete assigned readings before attending class.

Student should have already read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets before enrolling in this course.

Whether your student is going through the books for the first time or is an enthusiastic fan on their third re-read, this class will be full of fun for all. We will explore the text and it's themes through discussion and a variety of engaging critical thinking activities. Class will be conducted in a casual, book club style with plenty of time for discussion. I will also read aloud important or exciting parts during class to enrich our discussion.

The reading schedule will be as follows:

Lesson 1: chapters 1-4
Discussion and activities will focus on setting. How has Rowling continued to elaborate on the wizarding world? 

Lesson 2: chapters 5-9
Focus on character contrast and development. Harry is beginning to feel frustrated with the adults in his life protecting him. How has he and the other characters grown and changed since the first book? 

Lesson 3: chapters 10-13
How do the secrets kept from Harry affect him? Why does Harry want to know the truth? What do we learn about Harry through his attempts to cast a Patronus? 

Lesson 4: chapters 14-18 
Focus on plot and predictions. We will work together to fill out a plot map with what we have read so far. After discussing this section, we will predict what we think will happen next.

Lesson 5: chapters 19-22 (finish book)
Focus on themes developed through the story: secrets, fear, friendship and bravery.