This year, Follen Church wanted to re-invigorate its programs for older elementary and middle school classes – and hopefully boost participation and attendance.  We ordered “Harry and UU” and “D’Oh God!” and were thrilled with the response from our youth:  attendance bounced up, creativity soared, and the discussions were deep and values-based.  Thank you, Karen Hager, for creating curricula that have made a difference in Follen’s religious education programs!

Deborah Weiner, Interim Director of Religious Education
Follen Church UU – Lexington, MAType your paragraph here.

Although most parents believe social action is important for children, and most children have a natural desire to make the world better, it can be difficult to find meaningful and relevant social action experiences for tween-age children.

Harry and UU is based on the Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling, books that immerse children in the idea that one can work to make the world better. 

The curriculum includes many fun wizarding activities, but the main purpose of the curriculum is social action.  The class forms a chapter of Dumbledore’s Army and fights against seven Horcruxes during the year .  The Horcruxes are real world social action projects.

The curriculum spends about four classes on each Horcrux fight, with three classes devoted mainly to education and small projects, and one class devoted entirely to action.  The goal is to produce tangible results on seven real-world problems.

In addition to the wizarding activities and Horcrux fights, additional games are included that can be used for All Ages days or parties, allowing the Harry Potter theme to be spread throughout the congregation.

32 lessons; grades 4-5

The Horcruxes

Harry and UU

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Your class will form a chapter of Dumbledore’s Army and will fight seven real-world Horcruxes throughout the year, much like Harry and his friends fought Voldemort’s Horcruxes.  Although any wrong that needs to be righted can be chosen as a Horcrux, this curriculum provides the outline for seven Horcruxes found to be relatable to children, and to be ones in which tangible results could be obtained. 


The Horcruxes provided are:

  • The Illiteracy Horcrux
  • The Hunger Horcrux
  • The Poverty Horcrux
  • The Child Slavery Horcrux
  • The Sickness Horcrux
  • The Animal Cruelty Horcrux
  • The Environmental Horcrux


Also included is a bonus Horcrux, The Hatred Horcrux, added in response to recent activities of hatred in the United States.

Instructions are provided for customizing the Horcrux fights for your class and geographic area, as well as how to create your own Horcrux.  There is also a template included for a Disaster Horcrux, intended to allow your chapter of Dumbledore's Army to provide help to a disaster, should one occur during the year.  

Your chapter of Dumbledore's Army will be capable of producing amazing results!  


Here is what one class of 4th and 5th graders were able to achieve in 9 months:

  • The Illiteracy Horcrux - D.A. ran a book drive for the local library and collected 420 books for donation.
  • The Hunger Horcrux - D.A. ran a food drive at the local Kroger store, collecting $3070 in cash and food items for a local food pantry.  
  • The Poverty Horcrux - D.A. ran a warm clothing drive for a local non-profit that services low-income county residents and collected 259 pieces of warm clothing.  They also made and contributed fleece scarves.
  • The Child Slavery Horcrux - D.A. participated in the Harry Potter Alliance’s “Not in Harry’s Name” campaign, collecting signatures on a petition, asking Warner Bros. to release the source of chocolate used in Harry Potter merchandise.  
  • The Sickness Horcrux - D.A. made bean soup mix and sold it, raising $380 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
  • The Animal Cruelty Horcrux - D.A. held a “Pennies for Puppies / Koins for Kitties” voting campaign to raise money for the local chapter of the Humane Society, and ran an item drive, using the items in an Easter Egg Hunt to benefit the H.S. Over $900 in cash and items were donated.
  • The Environmental Horcrux – DA educated the congregation,  and raised money to plant a tree by selling “Save the Monarchs” kits .