A Touch of Magic (Mind Magic Part 1)
I first started using magic in lessons as a result of a unit of work I was doing with my class on Shakespeare. We had been studying Macbeth and their interest in the witches led to discussions on the paranormal, which naturally led to a lesson on magic and illusions which they enjoyed tremendously.
As a treat I decided to show them a few simple tricks I’d learned from a friend who ran a corporate entertainment business, and the response was just amazing. I couldn’t believe how much interest there was in the group in tricks and illusions so I tried to show them at least one new trick each week. In time students were bringing their own tricks in to show the rest of the class and it became something of a ritual to have a (excuse the pun)
‘magic moment’ each week.
Invoking demons and making schools disappear are for advanced magic class only, but here is a suitable selection for the amateur practitioner.
Mind Trick 1: OTHER PEOPLE IN SCHOOL
Students of all ages love this first form of magic in which someone apparently reads the mind of another, or foretells events yet to come. You don't need to be psychic to do these tricks - you just need to know a few sneaky tricks.
The illusion:
Hand out three slips of paper, and ask for three volunteers to help you. Two are to write the names of two students in the class on their slip. The third person is asked to write the name of a student from another class/year group in school.
The three slips are folded and placed in a hat, (without you touching them). You are then blindfolded, or the hat is held high over your head so that you cannot see into it. You are able to reach in and bring out the slip with name of the person in another class written on it.
How it’s done:
This is a very easy trick. Take a sheet of note paper, and tear it into three pieces. The top and bottom pieces will have one smooth edge and one rough edge, but the centre piece will have two rough edges.
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