One of the biggest challenges for parents and educators is finding activities that are engaging and meaningful for children and adolescents. This is why I founded Hocus Focus in 2009.
Hocus Focus™ activities combine education and imagination to help children improve cognition, motor skills, communication, and social skills while developing creativity and flexible thinking.
The links below contain additional information including lesson plans that have been adapted from the Hocus Focus™ curriculum. As you read through them, you may find references to other materials. I’ve tried to edit out as many as I could find so my apologies if you stumble on one.
We are pleased to offer these resources to you at no charge. If you find them useful, we hope you’ll consider making a tax-deductible donation to Hocus Focus™, a 501c3 nonprofit corporation.
RESOURCE MATERIALS
This information was put together specifically for parents, teachers, teaching assistants, activity specialists, and anyone else that works with children.
Below you will find links to Illustrated Directions, Instructional Videos, and Lesson Plans for each of the tricks. Each Lesson Plan contains:
- Learning objectives
- Materials needed for each trick
- Procedures for learning
- Adaptations/accommodations
- Evaluation tools (Questions & HFA Scale).
Most of the tricks require that the student write a story, the words or patter they will say when they perform. You can download the Story Worksheet for them to use as a guide.
Wizard’s Book of Secrets: As you work through each lesson, print out the instructions for the trick, place them inside a folder – The Wizard’s Book of Secrets – with several sheets of blank paper behind them. Students will write their notes, instruction hints, and stories on these sheets of paper.
MAGIC LESSONS
Lesson One – The Challenge Knot
Lesson Two – The Floating Pencil
Lesson Three – The Instant Knot
Lesson Four – Linking Paper Clips
Lesson Five, Part 1 – The Jumping Rubber Band
Lesson Five, Part 2 – The Jumping Rubber Band with Barrier
Lesson Six, Part 1 – Double Jumping Rubber Bands
Lesson Six, Part 2 – Double Jumping Rubber Bands w/Barrier
Lesson Seven – Threading the Needle
Lesson Eight – Walking Through Paper
Lesson Nine – I’ve Got Your Number
Lesson Nine – Number Mystery
Lesson Ten – The Impossible Knot
SCIENCE & MAGIC UNIT
- 5 Lesson Plans
- PowerPoint Presentations
- Video Links
- Worksheets
Hocus Focus Magic Club 