Today I asked the class: “If you could learn about one thing (a skill, subject or passion), for three weeks, what would it be?

Students began brainstorming lists, and then we got into the thick of it. I showed them the following video and asked “What stands out to you in this video? What ideas or sentences seem important, meaningful or challenging to you?”

Students had a lot to share. They noted the ideas that we all start with nothing, even Einstein had to learn to count, and Shakespeare needed to learn his ABCs, just like the rest of us. They appreciated the ideas that failure is just another word for growing and most importantly, that we can all learn anything.

And then I gave them a quick 15-minute inquiry challenge. The task? Answer the question: “What is Genius Hour?”

Students got into it, finding websites, watching videos and making notes.

After, during our report back students shared their summaries, as well as some of the resources they’d found. Among the videos shared was this one:

And we produced this chart:

Students asked…. Are we really going to do this? The answer is yes. Over the next month, 5R will get our first taste of Genius Hour, sometimes referred to at ZIS at iTime. This will be a combination of in-school work, every Tuesday, for one hour starting next week, and work at home.

Here is how it will work:

You will have three choices:

1. Spend this time on your NaNoWriMo writing
2. Create your own fiction story by following the writing process in your writing workshop notebook (this does not have to have a particular word count!)
3. Research/Explore a topic that you are really interested in and want to know more about.

For all three of these choices, you will have to:

1. Share your progress once a week on your blog. This may be a written reflection, a movie, an infographic, an interview…think creatively, think out of the box!
2. Share what you have done with your class at the end of three weeks. This may be in the form of a small presentation with models and artifacts to share, or an author reading of a story. Perhaps it’ll be a poster showing your writing process or a video demonstrating how your soccer skills have improved.

How will you get started?

During this week, you will have the chance to meet with your homeroom teacher to plan out your project as if it were a mini unit of inquiry. You may even wish to collaborate with a partner for this project. Together we will identify a central idea, transdisciplinary skills to be developed throughout the project and a timeline to help you keep on track.

As this form of home learning varies somewhat from what you might have done before, here are some guidelines for the process and answers to questions you may already have.

Our first project will last just 3 weeks to give you a taste of the overall process (starting next week). As we move through the year, the timeframe will be lengthened to mirror more closely the Exhibition process.

Week 1: (November 16-20) This is a research week. Having chosen your subject (e.g. soccer, origami, fashion, painting, baking), you may wish to research something of the background or history of your subject area (e.g. how ladies’ fashions or make-up techniques have changed over the last 100 years, the history of origami, the life of a famous artist). Alternatively, you may wish to  research material to support your personal inquiry in week 2 (e.g. 3 different recipes for baking chocolate brownies from 3 different chefs, the skills do you need to be a successful goalie). Don’t forget to look for primary sources (people in your family, people in your community) who might be able to help you with your research. You will be asked to post some evidence of your learning on your blog.

Week 2: (November 23-27) This week, you will be investigating, creating and planning your sharing. You might be baking cakes and bringing them in for taste tests, trying out basketball techniques, making different origami creations or painting in the style of a famous artist. Experimenting, investigating, taking photos, making notes and creating videos to post on your blog are all in order!

Week 3: (November 30-December 4) In this final week, you will share and reflect on your project, share your experiences with the rest of the class and post a final reflection on your blog. The following questions will give an idea of what this reflection might look like: What progress did you make towards your transdisciplinary skills? Did you manage your time independently at home, or did you need reminders? How successfully did you collaborate with your partner? What aspect of the process did you find challenging and how did you overcome these difficulties? What was the most exciting part of your experience?

What kinds of things should you post on your blog?

You may have your own great ideas, but here are some suggestions:

1. Reflections and wonderings – like you would in a journal.

“I tried my dad’s favourite chocolate cake recipe today. Unfortunately, I misread the instructions and left it in the oven way too long! Result: hard, burnt cake. I’m going to try again tomorrow and this time I’ll set the oven timer. Here’s the recipe. Give it a try and tell me how it works out for you!”

2. Links to websites, or blogs of others who share your passion. Browse these carefully to be sure they are relevant, accurate, trustworthy and interesting.
3. Movies – the best are those you make yourself! “How to” movies, or documentaries of your progress are possibilities. But… be creative!
4. Photos – again those taken yourself (or of you!) are the best. Anything else has to be cited and have a Creative Commons license. Your teachers will review this with you.

Further posts will be made on the Grade 5 blog to ensure that you know exactly what is required and when.

Students can expect 1 hour per week of school time for these efforts, every Tuesday. All additional time will be spent at home.

It’s going to be awesome, so connect with your passion and let ‘er rip!