HOCUS FOCUS

Hocus Focus ^tm is a project-based, academic and functional curriculum that integrates simple magic tricks into the learning process. Teaching magic tricks in the context of an educational activity can capture and hold the attention of children, including those with learning challenges. It is an appropriate method for engaging diverse student groups including Second Language Learners (SLL), low Socio-Economic Status (SES), At-Risk, Emotional Behavior Disorders (EBD), Autism, and Learning Disability (LD). Learning and performing magic tricks can impact all three domains of learning – cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. It also engages the three modalities of learning – visual, aural, and kinesthetic. As a result, students can improve on task behaviors, planning and sequencing, socialization and meaningful conversation, and fine motor skills/dexterity. Using magic tricks can also allow the teacher to assist in the implementation of the codes of social conduct (including the hidden curriculum), educate on the value of listening and response to facial expressions, and improve understanding of emotion.  The curriculum comes with everything you need including 11 weeks of lesson plans aligned with National Standards and Common Core State Standards of Learning.