The brilliant projects my students produced this past semester attained new heights of excellence, I discovered. The results from my class were better last year than they had been in the previous 10 This past December, my classroom was buzzing with brilliant projects, from the three boys who constructed the entire school in Minecraft to the two girls who recorded the first single from their debut album.
- Create a podcast.
- Write a poem, play, song, story, blog, or whole book.
- Learn a new language or create your own.
- Teach a younger student a skill.
- Build a website or make an app.
- Make your own video game or cartoon (try this website for help with videogames and this for cartoons).
Benefits of implementing genius hour in the classroom
In order to allow their students to learn and create in a way that best represents each unique learner, teachers who choose to implement genius hour in secondary classrooms devote a portion of their weekly instructional time to this activity. The learners gain many advantages from this weekly period of self-directed learning, including:
Fosters creativity
When selecting a format for their projects, students have the opportunity to be creative. Genius hour gives them the chance to show off their creative abilities and the way their mind processes the knowledge they have learned. Every student has the opportunity to express their ideas, and many discover new skills that they may choose to pursue in the future, whether they are organizing a performance, working on a painting or a series of videos documenting their experiences.
Grants time to practice using technology
Many students will use technology in their careers after high school or college. Giving them access allows them to efficiently learn how to use various platforms, like social media or online library databases, while they are in school. Additionally, they learn how to create using technology, teaching themselves how to produce blog posts, podcasts, and videos. During genius hour, students practice these self-taught skills, and as they get older, they can use these skills outside of the classroom.
Provides an innovative way to meet state standards
Every year, educators are required to teach a number of state standards, also known as curriculum-related learning objectives. Teachers assess students’ understanding of the new standard they just taught them after teaching it to them. Giving them access to a weekly “genius hour” allows them to demonstrate their understanding of standards using media of their choice and fosters a more student-centered approach to meeting state standards.
What is a genius hour?
By giving students the freedom to choose what they learn and how they learn it, the educational concept known as genius hour promotes creativity and intrinsic learning in students. Teachers allow students to focus on a topic of their choosing for one hour each week in order to work on developing a project on that topic over a predetermined period of weeks or months. Given that the genius hour emphasizes student-centered learning, the teacher’s role is to establish guidelines when introducing the idea and to support and confer with students while they are working on their projects.
In order to implement genius hour in the classroom, some teachers use the following general guidelines.
15 Genius Hour Ideas
Here are 15 topics for the “genius hour” that some of your students might find interesting:
1. Research your ideal career
Students can take the time to learn more about a post-school career they are interested in. After learning details like the necessary training, credentials, average salary, and job outlook, they can use a variety of methods to display those details in their project. For instance, based on their preferences, they could compose an essay, produce a podcast with information, or conduct an interview with a professional in that industry.
2. Make your own video game
Students who enjoy gaming might find creating their own video game engaging. With this project, there are many opportunities for research, and they can create the game based on whatever interests them the most. For students interested in programming as a potential career path, this is a fantastic opportunity.
3. Learn a new language
Students can use a variety of apps to learn a new language. They could divide their assignment into parts, such as learning the language, writing about their experiences and motivations, and perhaps even delivering a brief speech in the new language. Even future language classes in high school or college could benefit from this.
4. Build a city
Some students find the city’s infrastructure to be quite fascinating, and building a city can be a useful way to learn more about the various types of infrastructure required to create a liveable city. They can create a city through the use of a computer program, drawings, or a 3D model. After creating their city, they might write a page outlining the various types of infrastructure present there and why each is crucial to the city’s day-to-day operations.
5. Complete a mini-engineering project
Finding an engineering project they can work on for the entire project might be interesting to students looking into careers in engineering. They can look into various projects and complete the assignment at home. When finished, they could bring the project in and present it to the class, or they could record themselves as they worked on it and share the videos as a video blog with the rest of the class.
6. Write a story
The idea of creating their own story may appeal to students who enjoy writing for fun. They can look into things like plot development, various points of view, and writing genres. They can write, edit, and proofread their story once they have finished their research. They might even decide to create a book cover.
7. Make a website
Students who are interested in web design might find building a website to be the best option. Using genius hour gives them the opportunity to study the skills necessary to create a website at their own pace and the freedom to make the site’s primary focus an aspect of their interests, such as their preferred video game or book series. When creating the site, they can research the step-by-step procedure for building a website, practice effective research techniques, and learn about a topic that interests them.
8. Create a charity event
For a student who is interested in fundraising or working with charities, this would be a fantastic opportunity. They could do all the necessary research, schedule an interview with a charity worker, and choose a cause to use as the centerpiece of their charity. They might decide to hold a marathon, a guest speaker event, an online fundraising campaign, or a 5K. They could document their experiences through video blogging and show the class.
9. Set up a blog
Students can pick a subject that interests them and write a weekly blog post about it. It allows them to talk about a subject they are interested in while also concentrating on their writing abilities They could write about a student’s day in the life or a how-to blog with a weekly focus that changes based on their research, but if they’re looking for ideas, they should concentrate on these topics.
10. Create, market and sell a product
Creating and selling a product may appeal to aspiring businesspeople. They would need to find a product or service they could develop because there are numerous steps in this process. They could also look into marketing techniques to promote their goods. It could be a good opportunity to learn about the various facets of how a business operates. They could record every action by writing it down or by producing brief podcasts to show the class.
11. Design and create a cookbook
The idea of developing their own recipes and compiling them in a cookbook may appeal to students who enjoy cooking. This concept enables them to be imaginative when designing the book’s cover and the recipes they decide to include. When they present their project to the class, they might decide to bring in some recipes from their cookbook.
12. Establish and implement an exercise routine
Students who are interested in personal fitness can learn about various exercise regimens and develop their own. They can design their own workouts, log them each time they work out, and track their advancement. They might decide to use social media in their presentation by making workout videos or vlogging their experiences.
13. Create a club at school
Students with a particular interest might want to establish a club at their school. They can find time to host the club each week during genius hour, research how to advertise their club throughout the school, and talk with your school administration about rules. Additionally, it allows them to collaborate with others who have similar interests.
14. Learn Morse code
Morse code is a system for transmitting encoded messages using dots and dashes. Some students might find learning Morse code to be a fun project if they enjoy puzzles and discovering new communication methods. They can look up historical details about Morse code and watch instructional videos to learn various methods for themselves. After learning and memorizing the various codes, they could demonstrate their abilities in front of the class in a presentation.
15. Write a play
Writing a play and finding volunteers to perform it in front of the class might pique the interest of students interested in the arts and potentially pursuing careers in theater or screenwriting. They can think about a compelling plot, research proper screenplay formatting, and use class time each week to develop the play’s outline. Once finished, they can find actors and have the chance to not only write their play but also direct it on stage.
Genius Hour
FAQ
What are the 3 rules for Genius Hour?
- Students must begin with a crucial inquiry that cannot be resolved by a quick Google search.
- The use of credible websites, interviews, and/or print resources is required for students to conduct their research.
- Students must create something. Their product may be digital, physical or service-oriented.
What are some ideas for a passion project?
- Start writing short stories or fan fiction. …
- Become a reviewer for something you love. …
- Learn calligraphy and make every future card and present personal.
- Engage in letter-writing campaigns. …
- Create your own zine. …
- Redesign your landscape. …
- Attract bees, birds, and butterflies.
