There’s been a lot of discussion over the last year about implementing genius hour in the classroom. Genius hour is the strategy of giving time for students to do self-directed learning on interests that they are passionate about. Google regularly provides employees 20 percent of their work week that can be devoted to “passion projects,” believing that this will better engage the staff and make them more excited about all of their work. There is nothing magical about the “20 percent” number; it’s more important that you give students some time for open-ended learning in which they can pursue their own interests. Here are a few resources to help you get started integrating this educational trend into your classroom.
YouTube Videos
- What is Genius Hour? – Introduction to Genius Hour in the Classroom
- I want to do GH… now what?
- Second Grade GH
- Seventh Grade GH 2016
- 2016 GH Project Examples – under 2 minutes
Website Resources
- Genius Hour
- 20% Time Livebinder
- Idea Starters for the GH Classroom
- Implementing GH in Your Classroom
- The Four Essentials of a Successful GH
- Your Top 10 GH Questions Answered
- Five Genius Hour Strategies to Get You Started
- 10 Reasons to Try Genius Hour This School Year (A .J. Juliani)
- 10 reasons to Try GH This School Year (Matt Miller)
Genius Hour Blogs
- Genius Hour Blog
- Engage Their Minds
- My Own Genius Hour
- Integrating Technology & GH: My Journey as a Teacher & Learner
- The Schoenblog
- #SchoenTell GH
- Guest Post: “The Benefits of GH for ELLs”
- School Library Connection
- ABC’s with Mrs. B.
- Mrs. Gilroy’s Grade Two Blog
So how will you implement passion projects in your classroom? We’d love to hear your story. And if you have a great resource that you would like to share with our readers, please drop it in the comments section below.
