Based on a Google initiative to promote employee engagement and productivity, “Genius Hour”, or 20% time, allows students the opportunity to dedicate part of the school day to work on research-based projects that are of interest to them. In these student-initiated inquiries, students develop and answer questions to deepen their understanding of a topic of interest and use this discovery to create a final project. Ginsberg and Coke (2019) provide three classroom approaches for “Genius Hour” projects:
Grade Level: | Upper Elementary- 12th |
Materials: | Paper, pencil, additional materials as needed for project |
Duration: | 20% of class time or about 10-15 minutes per class period of 60 minutes |
Implementation: |
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Genius hour, or 20% time, has been integrated into businesses like Google with amazing results (Pink, 2009). When students are given a portion of time to pursue their creative interests, they learn cross-disciplinary skills in an authentic context. For example, a kindergarten classroom implemented Genius Hour as part of their literacy instruction. Students practiced reading information texts, gathering information from valid sources, synthesizing information, and presenting materials (West & Roberts, 2016). These kindergartners learned how to make their big ideas, such as “building rocket shoes,” a reality through researching and developing their projects (West & Roberts, 2016, p.1). Though much research on the effects of a Genius hour intervention in the classroom is mostly anecdotal at this point, the implementation of Genius hour has been reported to increase students’ enjoyment and motivation in school (Juliani, 2014).
Ginsberg, R., & Coke, P. K. (2019). Inspired inquiry: Three classroom-based approaches to genius hour. Voices from the Middle, 26(3), 17-21. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2193112242?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true
Juliani, A.J. (2021). 5 ways to launch your Genius Hour projects to the world. https://www.ajjuliani.com/blog/5-ways-to-launch-your-genius-hour-projects-to-the-world
Juliani, A. J. (2014). Inquiry and innovation: Using 20% time, Genius Hour, and PBL to drive student success. Plano, TX: Eye on Education. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315813837
West, J. M. & Roberts, K. L. (2016) Caught up in Curiosity: Genius Hour in the Kindergarten Classroom. Reading Teacher, 70 (2), 227-232. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1497
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