Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 20: Genius Hour Self-Evaluation

Day 20: Genius Hour Self-Evaluation

Okay...so maybe that's not what you want your students to do. Self-Evaluation is an important part of the process.

The process. The process is the most important part of Genius Hour. Sure, you want your students to come up with a great final project that they are proud of, but it's more important that students get better and better at learning how to learn. This is how you help them be successful in their future in education, careers, and in life! They need to know how to pull out key information, skim/scan, take notes, organize and re-organize learning, synthesize, and share! They also need to practice Habits of Mind like Persisting and Communicating with Clarity and Precision.

So...how do we assess Genius Hour? Well...students get a LOT of feedback from their peers and their teachers to help them improve throughout the process. At the end, we have students do a Self-Evaluation. You could use one of the formats below OR work with your students to come up with a self-evaluation form for your class to use.

   Check out some of our self-evaluations here!

   I would encourage you to use scales in your self-evaluation (YES!    The kids will need MODELING for this!) After doing Genius
   Hour a few times, we started having students fill this out at the
   beginning of an experience and at the end (they also had to provide    evidence - hey Common Core!). It was so exciting for students to
   reflect upon the process and have a visual for how much they felt      they had grown!

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Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 19: Share!

Day 19: Share!

THIS IS THE BEST DAY!!!!

After students have had some time to work on how they are are going to share their learning, spend some class time SHARING! You and your students will see that all of this hard work was worth it! 

If you have students who have a different audience than the classroom, have them share what they did. We had a student who researched about different types of wolves. She found one species whose numbers were going down again after being taken off of the endangered species list. She wrote to the World Wildlife Federation with her research asking them to put this species back on the list. It was really neat to see her look beyond the classroom and figure out how she can make a difference for one of her passions. (Anddddd....it's also helpful for students to show other students how they find audiences outside of the classroom.)

Think about others that you may want to invite in for presentations - parents, administrators, other teachers, speech/language pathologists, and more! They can just pop in for a presentation or two. So neat!

Here are some of the cool projects that our students shared! Looking at these makes me SO excited to get this back up and running again!!

Well this is new! Playing role of the student as MY student teaches for her #PersonalizedLearning project! #patton25 pic.twitter.com/bO5ROYnEjQ

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 15, 2015

Get ready for some cereal! These two made a #rubegoldberg machine put a spoon in a bowl! #patton25 @MrsCionisClass pic.twitter.com/S8Qx2elgXK

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 6, 2015

#WizardWars @AHSD25Patton Watch these wizards go head to head! http://t.co/T53W9k3VpV vs. http://t.co/fccZG2vjag @missmiller4 @SyfyTV

— Carrie Cioni (@MrsCionisClass) May 6, 2015

Ss recreated a finger joint using s 3D printer! #personalizedlearning #patton25 @MrsCionisClass @k_maksymec pic.twitter.com/4IrYusp80K

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 6, 2015

Future 1st grade teachers wrote a common core lesson! #personalizedlearning #patton25 @MrsCionisClass @k_maksymec pic.twitter.com/FE9oeWcW47

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 6, 2015

The Patton Foodies made delicious meals from around the world! Yum! #personalizedlearning #patton25 @MrsCionisClass pic.twitter.com/t2X4SP3NSH

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 6, 2015

A cage fit for a dwarf hamster, designed by these ladies!#personalizedlearning #patton25 @MrsCionisClass @k_maksymec pic.twitter.com/fIYV3dFO9r

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 6, 2015

Ss made a model of a quadcopter drone using Legos! #personalizedlearning #patton25 @MrsCionisClass @k_maksymec pic.twitter.com/wEVOGmGK9s

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 6, 2015

She researched the brain & helped strengthen weaker parts of her grandpas brain! #patton25 #personalizedlearning pic.twitter.com/qPyccAmGQj

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 5, 2015

This "#engineer" taught us how to build a robot! #personalizedlearning #patton25 @MrsCionisClass @k_maksymec pic.twitter.com/gF0MWqj5BX

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 5, 2015

These ladies used @tinkercad to 3D print for #personalizedlearning! #patton25 @MrsCionisClass @k_maksymec pic.twitter.com/GbrG5OQTAf

— Miss Miller (@missmiller4) May 5, 2015

#wizardwars comes to Patton as these wizards go head to head with magic using everyday objects! @missmiller4 @SyfyTV pic.twitter.com/Dv6jsU0RMF

— Carrie Cioni (@MrsCionisClass) May 4, 2015

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 18: Creation Station & Video Tutorials

Day 18: Creation Station & Video Tutorials

Now it's time to create! 

Some of your students may get to this step a lot sooner than others, it really all depends on what they choose to do for Genius Hour.

This question required a lot of researching before getting started on the creating part:

How can we create a fossil guide for fossil hunters who want to know what periods so they can find the fossils they want?

This question from a 4th grader required some researching before getting started on creating, but the largest portion of the project was spent problem-solving and trying to make it work.

How do 3D Printers work, and how can I program one to make a model of a finger joint?

As the facilitator of this experience, you will need to meet students where they are at and push them to the next level. This can be a little scary at first, but it's ALL WORTH IT!

For the first Genius Hour experience, you may have students fall back on the staples of presentations like Powerpoint slideshows or posters. The more times you do it, though, the more variety there will be in how students choose to show their learning! 

On our Google Site (available in our MEGA BUNDLE), you will find Product How-Tos. We have videos showing how to use Explain Everything, Comic Life, and more! We also have written explanations for how to make Google Slideshows, Prezi, and more! Having these tutorials helps student be more independent during this stage. 

When you do this mini-lesson, all you have to do is show your students the different tutorials and allow them some time to explore. As you notice students who are really strong in a certain area (like Google Slideshows), crown them the experts! Encourage other students to ask for help from these experts!

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 17: Conferring

Day 17: Conferring

Conferring is something that should be happening each session. Nothing is more valuable than just having a conversation with students to understand how to best meet their needs. Conferring is pretty informal and on an as-needed basis for me, but this form helps me keep records and communicate with parents. At this point students have been researching for quite some time and are...

After students think they have finished their research and have written a paragraph answering their question, we have them put a red cup on top. 

Remember this?

This gives a visual cue to us that they are ready to be checked. (Even though they have a red cup on top at this point, we do have them give each other peer feedback on our Google Site.)

When they get "checked," we meet with them to go over their paragraphs and make sure that they can answer all of these questions:

• Have you answered your question?
• Are there any holes in your research?
• How do you plan on sharing your information? 
• Who/What would be the best audience?
• Do you have any other questions?

Throughout the process, they get A LOT of feedback from their peers and from their teacher. This final conference allows us to provide constructive feedback (as well as lots of positive feedback for all of their hard work!) to push students to make their projects even stronger. 

This step is also really important for your friends who are like this:

Everyone has that student or two who is very reserved and prefers not to say much. THIS STEP IS FOR THOSE STUDENTS. When students get reassurance from their peers and teachers that they worked hard and did a fantastic job, they start to step out of their shells a little more. I cannot tell you how empowering Genius Hour is for these students. By giving them the choice in what they research AND how they research it, as well as the space/time to share what they learned, they feel more confident. You will notice a BIG difference, especially for these students when they get ready to share what they learned. We have several students who would get incredibly nervous when asked to give a presentation for a different subject but who absolutely nailed it when they were given the space to share their passions. 

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 16: Knowing When to Move On & Where I Am Board

Day 16: Knowing When to Move On & Where I Am Board

To help understand where each student or group is in the process, I leave this Mimio document posted during Genius Hour time.

Students drag their name and put it in the appropriate stage. I'm sure to point out to students that some groups may be further along than others, or go back and forth between stages (which is FINE). Some projects require more creation, while some require more research. Some benefit from an interview, while others can skip a step! This simple management strategy helps keep students stay motivated and on track, and it helps the teacher understand who may need some additional support. You don't need a Mimio to do this! A FREEBIE printable version that would work just like a behavior management board (with names on clothespins). You can use chart paper and post-its or make a chart on your computer. This was a quick visual for us to see who needed more help and who was ready to move on.

Your chart may be as simple as this:

Researching                                 Interviewing                        Working on Final Project

At this point you are running to the finish lineeeeee. Almost.There.

YESSSSSS!!!!

After students have had some time to research/interview/tinker/etc., we have some students are start to get near the end. This is a time that we do a mini-lesson about Knowing When to Move On. 

Mini Lesson # 6: Knowing When to Move On

• Read through your RESEARCH question or step. 
• Think about the information you just gained, and if you've answered your question.
• If you have, move on. If you haven't, think about what you're missing. 

We have students go back and make sure that they have answered their questions. The first time we did Genius Hour, we skipped this step....PSA: DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!! Students need the time (and a reminder!) to make sure that they are answering their questions.

Using our Google Site (check out the bundle here) makes things so easy! By having everything in one place, it helps the students stay organized AND YOU stay organized! At the bottom of their Documentation/Notes pages, we have students copy and paste their question at the bottom. Then, they write a short paragraph answering their question. If they have trouble using their research/interviews/notes to answer their questions, then they may need to do some more research. 

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 15: Research & Setting Up an Interview

Day 15: Research & Setting Up an Interview

While students gain a lot of great information through resources like books, encyclopedias, videos, and websites, an interview is another great source (and skill) for students to practice during Genius Hour. Of course this doesn't apply to everyone, but if time and resources allow, we strongly recommend it! 

Teaching students HOW to interview is crucial. They really need to know the proper interview etiquette, so they don't walk in looking like this...

Most importantly, students need to know the purpose of interviewing someone. 

The purpose of interviewing someone is to get a unique perspective on something, not to learn information that you could find elsewhere (online, in a book, etc). 

Students need to understand that someone is taking time out of their day to help, so preparing properly for an interview is needed. 

Create an anchor chart with the class outlining the steps that need to be taken in order to conduct a successful interview. It's best for the class to brainstorm the steps together, but the end product should look something like this. 

1. Find a qualified candidate - utilize the help wanted board, ask family and friends, or find an outside source
2. Write interview questions - reiterate the purpose of interviewing, and maybe model appropriate interview question (ie. How did it make you feel...? What is your favorite part...? What challenges did you face when...?)
3. Get interview questions approved - I STRONGLY RECOMMEND REQUIRING TEACHER APPROVAL. This is SUCH a new skill for students, and even with modeling, knowing appropriate and helpful questions is still a challenge. If teacher feedback doesn't seem like a viable option, at least do peer feedback. 

Find the rest of this mini lesson in our Computer-Based and Online Genius Hour Mega Bundle (using Google Sites). 

Get inspired!

Here are some cool interview opportunities some of our students had!

• An interview with my [Lauren] brother! My brother FaceTimed our classroom from his college dorm to help a student who was wanting to build a computer since my brother had experience with that! My brother gave suggestions of sites with affordable parts, informed my student of what parts he should splurge on, and helped explain some of the more technical terms my student didn't understand. 
• An interview with all the fourth grade teachers! My student wanted to know what challenges fourth grade teachers face. She got opinions from 4 different teachers, and learned more "behind the scenes" stuff about teaching!
• An engineer came in! A number of students had questions relating to engineering/technology/problem-solving (3D printing, computer building, coding, etc.) We had the engineer speak to that group of students. 

& many more... 

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 14: Research and Problem-Solving Mini-Lesson

Day 14: Research and Problem-Solving Mini-Lesson

And today is where it all gets easier. Seriously. By today, most students should be done with creating their plan, and all of the preparation that has been done will allow for some independence.

BUT FIRST....Let me teach a mini lesson!

By this point, most students have had some time to work independently and start their research...and had some time to fail. If they haven't, maybe let them fail for a little while so they (and you) can see what they need help with. This mini lesson is a chance for you to have a discussion with  the class about what challenges students have had, then brainstorm ways to overcome them. We made a T-Chart just like this:

Problems I Encounter	Ways to Solve the Problem
I don’t know what website to use or can’t find a good website.	Try searching different terms.

If you purchase your Google Site Genius Hour Mega Bundle, the problem-solving mini lesson example is on there (as well as other mini lessons), but it is strongly recommended to have an open conversation like this with your class. If you address a lot of these issues up front, you can coast for a while and just keep your eyes peeled for some yellow or red cups!

This might be a good time to refer to Growth Mindset as well. Having a "problem" isn't always fun for these kiddos. Teach them the Growth Mindset language to help them with this process. 

Friendly Reminder...

Although at this point, you're probably strutting around the classroom with the wind blowing in your hair, or doing a happy dance and winking at the teacher across the hall....

Remember that they're still learning. Take a look at their documentation page and see if they are paraphrasing rather than copying. Check to see if they are using reliable websites. Check to see if they are getting a sufficient amount of work done in a session. Review their Reflection pages as well. It's a good opportunity to answer questions or help find go-to people. 

When reviewing one student's notes, I noticed that she added a chart in her documentation page. I then crowned her the Organization Queen. If I came across any disorganized notes, I suggested they get help from the Organization Queen. 

Sometimes after reviewing their documentation, notes, and reflections, I notice some big red flags. I take note and end up conferring with them first thing next Genius Hour session. 

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 12: Writing a Plan & Organization Tips

Day 12: Writing a Plan & Organization Tips

Your class WILL be split in two.

Group 1:                                                         Group 2:

No matter what camp your students are in, the first time they write out a plan, it will look something like this:

• research dogs
• interview aunt
• write notes
• make project
• present

Wait a minute...What dogs? How are you going to interview your aunt without writing out questions or setting up a time to interview her? How are you going to "take notes" - photographs? Record a video? Jot down ideas from a website? What are you going to do to share what you learned? Do you need to gather resources? If so, what? 

So...let's take some steps back. 

We write the following on chart paper and post this in our room. After students write their plans, we have them go back to this chart and make sure that they have everything. 

Download the planning mini lesson here. Get ready to do some modeling...and make it FIERCE!

Let's say that you were trying to figure out which dog was the best fit for your family. After talking with family members and friends, you narrow it down to golden retrievers and french bulldogs. Your plan may look something like this:

Question: Which dog is the best fit for my family and why? How can I help others figure out the best dog for them?

1. Create chart with golden retrievers and french bulldogs

                                                    Golden Retrievers                       French Bulldogs

           Temperament

           Ease of Training

           Size

           Care

           Other

           

1. Research: golden retrievers temperament, golden retrievers care, golden retrievers training, & golden retrievers size
2. Write notes in chart
3. Research: french bulldog temperament, french bulldog care, french bulldog training, & french bulldog size
4. Write notes in chart
5. Ask aunt and friend if they would answer a few questions about their dogs (golden retriever & french bulldog)
6. Write interview questions
7. Set up interview times
8. Interview aunt & friend
9. Write down my family's daily schedule/needs (Are there allergies? How often is my family home to take care of the dog?)
10. Look at information and decide which is the best dog for my family and WHY
11. Share information with family
12. Create brochure to help others figure out how which dog is best for them
13. Practice presentation
14. Present

Five steps went to 14....and at this point, you're probably exhausted from wracking your brain of all of the different steps needed to complete your project.

Why do we have kids do this? LOTS OF REASONS!

• It helps them plan ahead.
• As students work through projects, we model that it's okay to go back and add a step or take a step. Everything is not going to go as planned.
• It keep them on track. They know the next step.
• Helps them break down a big project into more manageable pieces. This is an incredibly important life skill! 

YOU CAN DO IT!  But wait....now you have 20-30 different projects going on.

How do we stay organized?! 

Google Sites! Keep all plans, research, reflections, and projects in one place using our bundle. Using this template on our Google site helps us keep track of all Genius Hour work. Classroom management during this time is another challenge.

Green, yellow, and red cups to the rescue! We give each student 3 cups and explain what each means. 

It's just like a stoplight!

Green on top = Good to go

Yellow on top = Need some help, but can keep working for now

Red on top = Stuck - can't go on without help

By using these cups, it provides a quick way of glancing around the room and seeing who needs help. At first, you'll probably notice that your students will go right to the red cup. AH! The website isn't loading. I don't know what to do next. I don't know what this word means.

This will take some time. You need to help your students realize when they can keep working and when they need help immediately. 

Try it! It works!

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 10: Critical Friends

Day 10: Critical Friends

A critical friend is someone who is encouraging and supportive, but who also provides honest feedback. Critical friends provide feedback that is constructive and will help make your question/project/paper/speech even BETTER. Let's face it, critical friends can be your best friends!

If you have not seen the video, Austin's Butterfly, do yourself a favor and watch it now! This is a WONDERFUL video to show your kids, too, about how feedback can make our projects even better!

We need critical friends who "keep it real." If your class is used to mainly giving positive feedback like "I like how Susie Snowbucket described the hamburger-it made me hungry" or "I like how Johnny Lunchbox started his paper with a question-it made me want to keep reading"....then you may want to do an activity or two like the ones below...

Introductory Feedback Activity

Alright, so now your friends are ready to "keep it real..."

After your students have developed their own inch, foot, and yard questions, they will pick one of the yard questions as their draft research question. Here's the form we use. 

Students will write draft research question at the top of the page. Independently, they should go down the list of questions on the sheet. If ANY of the answers are yes, then they should tweak their question until they get all no's. Then...it's time for that critical friend.

The critical friend will write his/her name on top of the chart and then provide feedback for each of the questions. 

Sometimes, kids hit it out of the park right away...other times, they need another shot at it.

It's okay! Just do it again...

When students are ready, they will come to you to get final approval. Some may need a tweak here or there...

It takes teamwork!