Excitement is in the air as our sixth graders embark on an incredible journey of discovery, creativity, and innovation through Genius Hour! This project empowers students to take ownership of their learning by researching a topic they are passionate about, becoming experts in their chosen fields, and ultimately creating something to showcase their knowledge to the entire school at the end of the year.
Genius Hour is a student-driven research and passion project designed to ignite curiosity and foster a love for learning. Each student will dedicate at least one hour per week to researching a topic that genuinely excites them, something they can explore and develop independently during class time. The beauty of Genius Hour is that it gives students the freedom to dive deep into subjects they’ve always wanted to learn more about while honing essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-direction.
To help our students find a topic that truly resonates with them, they’ve been engaging with an AI-powered chatbot through SchoolAI, which acts as their research assistant. This tool guides them in refining their interests, generating relevant questions, and organizing their initial ideas. By providing instant feedback and thought-provoking prompts, the chatbot supports students in selecting a topic that is both meaningful and feasible within the classroom setting.
Once students settle on their topics, the real magic begins! Throughout the coming months, they will:
Conduct in-depth research using a variety of credible sources.
Take notes and organize their findings to deepen their understanding.
Create something original to demonstrate their expertise. This can be a model, experiment, website, documentary, presentation, or another innovative format.
Share their final projects with the school community in an exciting showcase event!
This project goes beyond traditional learning, it teaches students how to be self-motivated, independent learners who take initiative in their education. By exploring their passions, students develop a growth mindset, improve their research and communication skills, and gain confidence in their ability to pursue knowledge outside of the classroom. Plus, it’s fun!
We can’t wait to see the incredible projects our sixth graders will bring to life!
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