Chapter 5

Genius Hour For

Elementary Students
OCT. 24TH
 STUDENT-DRIVEN
PASSION-BASED
Genius Hour PERSONALIZED
20% Time INQUIRY-BASED
AUTONOMOUS
 Before the project
For students: Start with Why

What is Genius How to choose a Help them set a

Hour? topic? topic
Show Ten things they Scratchvideo
inspirational are good at games
videos & Ten things they Create a film
presentations love to learn Partakein the
Show what other Ten things they project yourself
students have love to do
done
Parents and Administration

Be completely honest with your reasons(time)

Share results from others around the world
Involve them in the process
During the project

Students--Three parts:
Inquiry question
Creating the product
Reflection
Allow failures

Remember not everything needs to be a fresh idea

Teachers

Createa list of quick ways to assess throughout

the project. E.g. benchmarks and checkpoints
Gathering data:
How many words are they reading during research?
How many words are they writing through journaling?
Whats the level of student engagement?
The Final Product

A tangible creation
A presentation
A written piece
The end-goal is Growth
Connecting with other Genius Hour
Teachers and Students

Genius Hour Wikispace

Global Genius Hour Project
Choose2Matter
Chapter 7
20% Time for Secondary
Students
Purpose and Passion
The Stages of Inquiry

Pose validated questions

Find resources
creation
Interpret the information

Report findings
 Whats your
The Building Blocks of 20% Time in
favorite building Check what skills our
the Classroom
block?
students are still lacking
and already possess.
 Inquiry-based Success
Passio
n

Reflection Purpose

Creating
and Ownership
Making

Sharing
Before the project
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. ----John Wooden

Connect it to the curriculum

(non-fiction texts, interest-based projects)

Learn from other geniushour teachers

Structure your time

Get your pitch ready

During the project
Its the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen. ----John Wooden

How to figure out your

passion?

Ask yourself questions.

Make a list of things

Analyze and eliminate

Tips for sifting through interests to true
passion
Take notice of what you do when no one is
telling you what to do
Take
notice of what you do when you are
supposed to be doing something else

Consumption & communication activities

Creating and making activities

 Start to eliminate interests based on what you would
like to spend time doing if you won the lottery and could
do anything!
Giveyourself a trail period to do final ones to see when
you will lose all sense of time.
Have a purpose for your passion then get started!
Passion is contagious!
The Final product and Presentation
Its what you learn after you know it all that counts. ----John Wooden

Based on their initial question

Tangible

Flawed
After the Project--reflection

I didnt know what to think when I started this

project. In fact, I didnt really know how to
think. Im a great student, but sometimes I felt
like I was never really learning anything. This
project challenged me like nothing Ive ever
done before. I put I a lot of stress on myself to
do something great, but it was through
failing(a number of times!) that I learned the
Most.
GRIT Rubric
Guts

Resilience Grade the process

Not the final
product!
Integrity

Tenacity
Measure the seemingly
immeasurable!
 RESOURCES
https://theglobalgeniushourproject.wikispaces.com/

https://20timeineduation.com