[ISLMA-Share] Genius Hour

[Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association]

My K-5 elementary school is starting Genius Hour this year. Since it's our
first year, and we are all a bit nervous about it, we started small.

We began at Thanksgiving by sending an email home with families to help
kids generate a list of things they already know a lot about. The kids
narrowed it down to one thing, and they created an Identity Day project
showcasing that knowledge. It ranged from as simple as a poster board or as
detailed as they wanted. The main thing was that it had to fit on top of a
desk. We had a girl playing her ukulele, several Pokemon experts, a few
kids who crochet, Cubs, horses, drawing, Indian dances, gymnastics, making
certain types of food, crafts, and Lego builders.

We made a schedule so that as many of the classes could visit other classes
to see their Identity Day projects. We recommended, before they visited, to
pay attention to the topics, as one may spark their interested for their
next project. Parents did not attend.

Our next phase is coming up. Teachers have agreed to put aside an hour a
week for Genius Hour. I'm not sure how it's going to go. I've been working
with grades 3-5 on bibliographies in anticipation of Genius Hour, but I
don't know if classrooms have started it or not.

Pam



On Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 2:41 PM, Email list for the Illinois School Library
Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:

> I have an English Teacher who does Genius Hour.  If you send me your
> email, I'll forward your message.
>
> Michelle Harris
> Heyworth CUSD #4
> harrism at husd4.org
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 1:14 PM, Email list for the Illinois School
> Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I am working with a teacher on a project which is new for the both of us.
>> Genius Hour is modeled after Google's company policy where employees can
>> spend 20% of their time working on projects of their own interest.
>>
>> My worry is that I will have kids in every class that can't "think" of a
>> project that interests them.  Has anyone done Genius Hour in the past?  Do
>> you have any tips or fail-safe projects your kids have used that I can
>> suggest?
>>
>> TIA!
>>
>> --
>> Sincerely,
>> Amy Hamernick
>> Teacher Librarian
>> Century Jr. High
>> @AhamernickCJH
>> #CenturyWildcats
>>
>>
>> "If we always do what we've always done,
>> we will get what we've always got."
>> ~Adam Urbanski~
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> ISLMA-Share mailing list
>> islma at list.railslibraries.info
>> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
>> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
>> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Michelle Harris
> District Librarian
> Heyworth CUSD #4
>
> _______________________________________________
> ISLMA-Share mailing list
> islma at list.railslibraries.info
> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>



-- 
Ms. Pamela L. Meiser
*Library Information Teacher*

*Barbara B. Rose Elementary School*

*61 W. Penny Road*

*South Barrington, IL 60010*
*pmeiser at barrington220.org <pmeiser at barrington220.org>*





*https://twitter.com/MsMeiser
<https://twitter.com/MsMeiser>http://www.barrington220.org/Page/4347
<http://www.barrington220.org/Page/4347>www.facebook.com/BarbaraRoseSchoolLibrary
<https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraRoseSchoolLibrary/>*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.railslibraries.info/pipermail/aisle/attachments/20170118/079a1bf4/attachment-0002.html>