Implementing Genius Hour in Your Classroom

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What is Genius Hour?

Genius Hour (also known as 20% Time) is an inquiry-based learning project in which students work on individual projects focused on their passion.

The Genius Hour project stems from the companies Google and 3M. These companies give their employees 20% of their time to work on a passion-driven or non-work-related project. Post-It Notes and Gmail were invented while these employees were pursuing their passions and channeling their creative mindsets.

starting a genius hour in your classroom

Genius Hour brings the mindset of Google and 3M into the classroom. The students receive 20% of classroom time (one class period per week at the middle school level) where they can create, explore, learn, build, invent, modify, write, or follow any passion that they have in life.

Why Should I Assign Genius Hour in My Classroom?

Operation Genius gives your students the opportunity to choose what they want to learn, research, modify, build, invent, and/or create during 20% of their time in your classroom.

It also gives your students the ability to break barriers, pursue their passion, explore topics outside the classroom setting, and a choice in what they want to learn.

Over the last five years, there has been a push in districts and in the country to make our students “college ready.”

This is defined as using higher standards, analyzing difficult texts and complex problems, and making the learning environment more rigorous and demanding. I have no qualms with the importance of high standards and rigor in my students’ learning, and I find these to be the most important elements within a classroom.

However, I have noticed that there is one element that is beginning to disappear: creativity. I consider myself to be very creative, as many teachers are, and I absolutely love when my students are creative, imaginative, and think outside the box.

Unfortunately, due to standards, rigorous curricula, and other requirements teachers have to meet during the year, creativity in the classroom is diminishing.

Do Schools Kill Creativity?

In Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”,, he explains that instead of growing into creativity in schools, students are growing out of it (sad face). We are expecting our students to conform to a certain standard that does not apply to all of our students, and these standards are no longer giving our students the opportunity they need to be creative, inventive, and innovative.

starting a genius hour in your classroom

In addition, I came across an eye-opening article called  “How Schools Are Killing Creativity”. The author states:

Creativity isn’t a test to take, a skill to learn, or a program to develop. Creativity is seeing things in new ways, breaking barriers that stood in front of you for some time. Creativity is the art of hearing a song that has never been written or seeing a work of art on an empty canvas. Its essence is in its freshness and the ability to make dreams come to life.

By Line Dailile

This article truly inspired me to try Genius Hour, to try something new, to work outside my comfort zone, and to give my students creative freedom.

Genius Hour allows your students the opportunity that they rarely receive in school. Not only does it give your students the chance to dream and to believe that they are talented, gifted, and unique, but it also teaches your students life skills, responsibility, planning, overcoming obstacles, and goal setting.

What Are the First Steps I Need to Take to Implement Genius Hour in My Classroom?

Research

The first step you are going to want to take is getting to know the project, the expectations, the assignments, and the materials WELL. Before I started Genius Hour, I spent hours researching and educating myself on this project. Start there! There’s so much you will learn!

Planning

Once you have really wrapped your mind around Genius Hour, you are going to have to start planning. Planning is a significant component of this project. I printed out blank calendars for the months I wanted to run the project. Since I am at the secondary level, I decided to run the project over 10 weeks (one quarter). However, you can run the project for the time period that works best for your classroom. Here are pictures of my calendars and my outline:

starting a genius hour in your classroom

Learn about how to incorporate Genius Hour in your classroom! Take notes from huge corporations like Google and 3M, which allow their employees time to explore their passions as side projects. The same idea can be used with your students to inspire creativity, passion, and engagement!

Letting Go

Let’s be honest…teachers are control freaks, and we have a very difficult time relinquishing control to our students. Some even cringe at the term “group work.”

In order for this project to be successful, you have to be willing to “let go” of some control.

One of the most challenging parts of this project is the teacher’s role. When students don’t know what to do next or don’t know an answer, they immediately question the teacher.

With this project, teachers should guide and question students rather than persuade or influence them. For example, if a student asks, “What am I supposed to do next?” the teacher responds, “What do you think you have to do next?”

This is difficult because teachers want to assist their students, and they sometimes answer before the student can respond. Our students are used to being told what to do next. It is demanding for students to figure out the next step on their own.

Genius Hour challenges students to answer their own questions, plan their process, and figure out how to meet their goals.

starting a genius hour in your classroom

What Responsibilities Do My Students Have with This Project? How Do I Grade This Project?

We know our students are always concerned about their grades. In this project, students are graded mostly on their process, not necessarily the end product (though it is always exciting for them to have something to show). Here is what the students are graded on throughout the project:

The “Thick” Question

I spent a class period with my students teaching them the difference between “thick” and “thin” questions.

It was important that my students create a higher-level question without one definitive answer, but multiple answers. I gave my students a due date to submit their “thick” questions. I graded their “thick” questions on their questioning abilities and whether the question required critical thinking.

Once the students handed in their “thick” questions, they were not allowed to change their idea for their project. Click HERE for the worksheet I created for my students.

The Elevator Pitch

There are two presentations during this project. First is the Elevator Pitch. Here, the students “pitch” their idea/creation/invention/passion to their classmates. This is a 60-90 second pitch that includes a short multimedia presentation. In addition, the presenter’s classmates provide constructive criticism to their classmate and decide if s/he should proceed with his/her project.

starting a genius hour in your classroom

Blogging Component

One of the major parts of the project is the blogging component. Students are expected to write a blog post each week, updating their peers on their project progress. I used Kid Blog to monitor my students’ posts and comments, as it gives teachers this ability. Your district may have strict rules about students blogging, so you might need to modify this component (writing packet, notebook, etc.). You definitely want to incorporate a writing component so students are able to discuss their process and journey.

Final Presentation

At the end of the project, the students present a second time; this time the presentation is 4-6 minutes. The students share their “product”/goal, as well as their process, obstacles, and successes with the class. A multimedia presentation is incorporated again, focusing on the project’s process and pictures/videos showing progress. Additionally, I had my students write a reflection letter, which counted as part of their final grade.

starting a genius hour in your classroom
starting a genius hour in your classroom

All in all, I hope my information has answered some of your questions, streamlined the process, and has motivated you to try Genius Hour.  I posted all of my worksheets, instructions, and timeline in my store. Click HERE if you would like to grab this resource!

Our Guest Expert: Kimberly Crouch

I am a middle school English teacher on Long Island, and I have been teaching the middles for 16 years (time really does fly!). With a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s degree in Reading and Literacy, my background is well-suited for my career. My darling husband is extremely supportive of all my work as a teacher and seller. Additionally, I have a handsome 6-year-old son whose love of learning is contagious!

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