Guest post by Jennifer Runde
Have you heard of Genius Hour? If you are looking for a way to bring a little more motivation, excitement, and real learning into your classroom, Genius Hour is the answer.
Genius Hour allows your students to explore their passions. For one hour a week, they read, research, plan and design their passion projects. Students can take on any topic they are passionate about, and create a project they can share with the class, the school … the world!
Genius Hour is based on inquiry. Students need to develop a question related to their passion that they can research. Simple questions that they can find the answer to easily should be discouraged. Inquiry questions should lend themselves to the creation of a project – a passion project – at the end. Projects can be media based (movie, slideshow, etc.), or something physical they build, design, or create. At the completion of your Genius Hour timeline, these projects need to be shared with an audience. Throughout the entire process, students will be engaged in research, reading nonfiction articles, planning through graphic organizers, writing, and reflecting – all integral areas of our Language Arts curriculum.
I introduced Genius Hour in my classroom two weeks ago, and my students haven’t stopped talking about it. I dedicated a bulletin board space to it (well, actually a blackboard space because I’m out of bulletin board space). This is where we will post our handouts and weekly inspirations.
Our First Genius Hour
For our first Genius Hour, I asked my students to close their eyes and think about something they were really passionate about. I then handed out sticky notes and had them write down their passions and post them on our board. I then showed them the video from Kid President, “A Pep Talk from Kid President.”
I also showed them this video about Genius Hour that I found on the Genius Hour site. That video is aimed at teachers so I wouldn’t show it in a class with younger students, but it was perfect for my grade 5/6 students and it gave them a great overview of the project.
I then handed out a second sticky note (in a different colour) to each student and asked them to think about how they could turn their passion into a project – something they had a question about and could build a passion project on. They then posted this second sticky note on the board.
I gave each student a folder and small notebook to keep during the duration of our project. The notebook is for all our notes – graphic organizers, written research, written plans, and a weekly reflection. The folder is to keep any sheets or printed work they have. Their excitement about this project was evident when they immediately began to decorate their folder covers.
Our Second Genius Hour
For our second Genius Hour, the students were to come with 2 possible inquiry questions for their passion projects that they have discussed with their parents. During this second genius hour, I met with each student to approve one of their ideas. I did have to work with a few students to tweak their questions to make them a little deeper, but most were ready and it was a smooth process. By the end of the class, each student had a question, a direction to head in, and a solid idea for their passion project. In our next genius hour, all students will be able to start on their research.
Some of the inquiry questions my grade 5/6 students have come up with are:
- How were medieval castle walls constructed? (passion project idea: constructing a model of a castle wall)
- Can I create new dessert recipes? (passion project idea: making a cookbook)
- How do you make doll clothes? (passion project idea: a sketchbook of doll clothes and two handmade outfits)
- What was the inspiration behind the movie, Star Wars? (passion project idea: a media movie or slideshow showcasing pictures and information)
- Can I design my ideal bedroom? (passion project idea: an interior design board complete with swatches and furniture ideas, where to find or make items, and pricing options)
I am allowing my students to work at home on their projects (if they wish) as I am not assessing the final physical projects, but rather their process and presentation. If they are working at home, they do need to have all needed materials at school each week for Genius Hour.
Genius Hour has become MY passion project. And if I continue to show and model that passion to my students, it will continue to motivate them. If this is something you are interested in doing in your classroom, you can make it work. Timelines are flexible (we are taking 12 weeks (12 in-class hours) for our first projects. If we do a second project this year (which I am planning on), we will have a slightly shorter timeline. Class structure is also flexible. We are doing this whole group every Friday in our language block for our 12 weeks, but it can be built into your literacy centres, or completed during your computer lab time (if this is something you have).
You can get a free copy of the handouts I have given to my students here and here. I will also be posting a weekly update on my blog, Runde’s Room.
You can click on any of the links in this post to get started on your own Genius Hour path. It is hands-down the BEST addition to our classroom this year. I hope I have inspired you to ignite that passion in your students.
Jennifer Runde is a teacher with twelve years experience in the upper elementary grades. She currently has a grade 5/6 class in Ontario, Canada. She enjoys creating fun and interactive lessons that keep her students engaged in the learning process. Follow her blog, Runde’s Room, to see what she has going on in her classroom, and find some fun ideas for math, literacy, and technology that you can implement in your own class.
