On Friday our class had the first full session of self directed Genius Hour time.

We’ve watched lots of different YouTube clips relating to Genius Hour, looked for ideas on Pinterest, used Google to search about different topics and had some specific challenges, like the what’s in the paper bag, newspaper and cardboard challenges.

We listed what we’re passionate about and areas we’d like to investigate.

We planned our ideas and worked out if we’re working by ourselves or with a partner/ small group. We had a real mixture of ideas: making a Minecraft movie, creating straw constructions, gardening, making cardboard arcade games (like Caine’s Arcade), pottery, pop stick models – just to name a few!

Our class planner:

We sent notes home to our families explaining Genius Hour and asked for recycled materials that we could use during our sessions. Here’s just some of the materials that arrived on Friday morning.

Here’s some photos of our busy busy busy making time.

Here are many of our finished creations.

Can you offer any ideas or make suggestions for our future Genius Hour sessions?

This week we went back to our free choice for Personal Inquiry time (Genius Hour). We worked on areas that we are passionate about – we’ve been talking a lot about what we love and love to learn about.

This was our second to last session for the year as it’s nearly time for holidays! The children worked independently, solved problems, prioritised their time, collected their resources and made some amazing creations.

What do you think about our creations?

With a new term upon us, everyone in the class was very excited to be getting back into our Personal Inquiry time. This week we had lots of new creations made and it was another busy session. Lots of class members already had ideas that they were keen to pursue and couldn’t wait to get started. Our making time was busy and everyone in the class was highly independent and worked collaboratively with each other.

Some of our creations were:

• cardboard arcade games – continuing a different weekly game being made. Their goal is to create an arcade of games to be played by students in our courtyard area during recess and lunch times.
• ‘shape it’ models (a fast setting paper mache material) e.g.  a volcano
• iMovies
• Boxtroll models.
• clay model pencil holders – added to a cardboard desk organiser
• Chupa-chupa art work
• just to name a few!

Reflection:

A major part of our session is the ‘gallery walk’ we do at the end of our session. Each person/ group explains their creation so we are clued in to the details presented in their creations – it gives all of us the best chance to fully understand their ideas.

We complete a self reflection sheet that’s a part of our initial planner. It gives us a chance to explain what went well, what we could improve, the skills we’re developing and how well we worked with others.

The reflection session also includes class discussions. Our reflections are vital to our learning – we’re tracking our own learning and learning from others too.

Here’s our latest photos.

Next week we are having “the paper challenge”. What can you create using paper – of any kind!!???