innovate 20 (GENIUS Hour)
What’s the Genius Hour?
The concept of the Genius Hour was born from Google’s 80/20 principle, which allows its engineers to spend 20% of their time working on any pet project they want that might help develop the company. The idea is simple: allow people to work on something that interests them, and motivation and their productivity will increase. Gmail and Google News were created by developers during their 20% time.
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Timeline of Events
Phase 1: Generate topic ideas. If the idea or question can be researched in less than a minute or with one click, the idea is probably not a very good one. Try again. Phase 2: Narrow the topic. Phase 3: Start exploring and curating resources from the web. Phase 4: Continue exploring topics and curating resources from the web. Pitch the topic to the classroom/teacher Phase 5: Work on the project. Phase 6: Make a thought bubble and draft to map out your display (See Handout) Phase 7: Make a draft of your display. Put it together. Practice your presentation and elicit feedback. Phase 8: Fine-tune and finish the display and presentation. Set up the exhibit for the showcase. Present the project to the community at the showcase. |
What is Genius hour?still struggling for ideas?Project Inspiration Video: Student describe their Genius Hour project
Live binders Resources: How to get started and videos High School Presentations on Genius Hour What is Genius Hour Video Ted Talks Creativity Video MCC Innovate Contract Proposal Form Great Resource connecting the dotsI've got an idea!How to make a stop motion movie
Genius Hour Ideas (Starts With a Question) Check The Twitter Feed #geniushour (Twitter) Don't Forget about PINTEREST Inspiring Genius 'preneurs' Connor Franta (Entrepreneur) 15 Year old Changing the World (Inventor) Pep Talk (Kid President; You Tuber) 5 Young Inspiring Entrepreneurs Grom Social / Zack Marks (Social Media Tool) Varun Aqarwal (Million-Dollar Company) Top 20 Young Entrepreneurs Think like like a Entrepreneur Teaching students to be an Entrepreneur Kids Learning Code Course Greengineering (Tech Lab School) THE LIST GOES ON . . . Write a novel, children's book, book of original poems Keep an blog about a current event Create a how-to video about soccer, fixing Xbox controllers, fitness Paint a mural Build a RC race car Go vegetarian or vegan Bake something new every week Learn how to cook meals Create a curriculum for a church group Learn how to crochet Learn how to play the bass, piano, ukelele Film a BMX video, Warren Miller-style snowboarding video with the student as the star Learn my family's recipes and cook with my grandmother, aunt, mother Learn how to longboard Create a movie by writing a script, filming, and editing Study and learn depression, high school anxiety problems Learn yoga Create a music album of original tracks Create, market, and sell protein drinks Plan and carry out a beach clean-up day Learn how to do crafty things with Pinterest Raise money for Afghan schools Create, market, and sell candles Create a short claymation movie Create an online newspaper Create a movie about free things to do in the area to post to YouTube Expand the school's rugby program Develop and fine tune photography skills Learn how to fix my car: oil, tires, filters, etc Research behind-the-scenes of movies jobs Quit eating fast food and document progress Make and donate cookies and baskets for the Children's Hospital Invent an iphone charger that works with kinetic energy Build a timing booth for the school's track team Create a form to help future students get into colleges Make and send care packages to the troops overseas Making and selling hair bows to donate money to charity Learn improv Learn how to swim, dive, scuba dive, run Improve my time on the mile Run a marathon Pay it Forward Constructing a computer Scrapbooking Student Sample Genius Hour Project
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Overview of Genius hour(HANDOUT FOR STUDENTS)
Google is one of the most innovative companies because of their philosophy on job descriptions and innovation. When you are hired at Google, you are expected to perform that job 80% of your work time. You also must have a 20% project that allows you to explore your interest area, passion and creative juices. Googlers are expected to work toward improving Google with their 20% project, but there is a lot of flexibility in the tasks, research, applications or innovations that you spend time exploring. This innovation is what has made Google one of the most successful companies throughout the world. What would happen if this same philosophy could be applied in schools? What if our students had choice when it came to their learning? Why can’t school be a place of innovation? Why not here at Mason County Central? For this project, students will have a great deal of freedom, choice and flexibility to enhance their learning as they will be using 20% of their social studies time throughout the rest of the school year to Innovate 20. The latest findings and best practices in education support students creating their own essential questions, do their own research and form their own conclusions within their school environment. The world is becoming a collaborative, innovative and communicative place and we need to prepare our Mason County Central Students for this world as Innovate 20 is the vehicle. In addition, this Capstone project is a required component of our social studies curriculum in which the students are to use geography, history, economics, and government to inquire about major contemporary and historical issues and events linked to the world. Innovate 20 will allow students to choose their learning path with the guidance of Mr. Quinlan. Students will create a road map for their learning through our own version of Google 20 . . . WELCOME to Innovate 20! The procedures are simple; Identify an issue/problem from any of our previous units of study or one in which we haven’t addressed yet, by establishing an essential question. Explain what platform, tool or venue you will be using to demonstrate your learning journey (What will it look like?) and finally, how will your Innovation relate to you? Students may, as many already are, work on this innovation project on their own time as the development of this final project will exceed the 20% time in the classroom. Therefore, let’s begin with an essential question! A.) MY ESSENTIAL QUESTION:__________________________________________________________________________________________ Secondly, students must identify a source in which they will be demonstrating their growth/learning/research. For example, some students have created websites, digital magic site (see classroom website), a video (online or Movie Maker) or a written journal showing your learning journey and/or evidence of your research. I will be using: B.)________________________________________________ Finally, students must make a connection between their project and of our 7th grade social studies course expectations. Students must describe in great detail of how their Innovate 20 will relate to our 7th grade social studies curriculum (Eastern Hemisphere): C.)______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. I have read and discussed this project with my child and will assist where needed for their research and/or creation of their Innovate 20 project. _______________________ _____________________ Parent Signature Student Signature |
Genius hour learning targets
WEEK #1
Tuesday: I will define what Genius Hour is and the expectations of the course (Overview/Pep-Talk Video/Orientation)
Wednesday: I will begin to generate my topic idea and begin exploring resources with the Chromebooks (Genius Hour Projects are INDIVIDUAL)
Thursday: I will view stories of Genius'preneurs' as they have "Connected The Dots"
Friday: I will conduct a meeting with Mr. Quinlan to review my contract and review the expectations of my Genius Hour Project. (DUE TODAY)
WEEK #2
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Tuesday: I will define what Genius Hour is and the expectations of the course (Overview/Pep-Talk Video/Orientation)
Wednesday: I will begin to generate my topic idea and begin exploring resources with the Chromebooks (Genius Hour Projects are INDIVIDUAL)
Thursday: I will view stories of Genius'preneurs' as they have "Connected The Dots"
Friday: I will conduct a meeting with Mr. Quinlan to review my contract and review the expectations of my Genius Hour Project. (DUE TODAY)
WEEK #2
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday: