I often get asked about the steps for running a Genius Hour Project or a 20% Time project in your class. I tend to give the same answer every time: It depends.
Genius Hour and 20% Time projects give students an opportunity to have time during school to explore their passions, learn with purpose, and make something for a real audience.
But, it can look vastly different in a 1st-grade classroom compared to an 11th grade Science classroom (and everywhere in between).
I’ve seen Genius Hour been successfully implemented at every grade level. In fact, in my school district, we have Genius Hour projects running K-12. They are run differently in each grade and each class, yet there are some consistent phases that say the same.
This led me to create The Genius Hour Blueprint. It is embedded below, and also you can download the PowerPoint file for FREE by signing up for weekly updates at the bottom of this post.
The Genius Hour Blueprint covers six different phases of Genius Hour and what steps/activities you can do at each stage. It also has suggested resources, activities, and ways to share your work broken down by K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Take a look below, and download the PPT to modify and change for your purposes in class!
Genius Hour Blueprint (Embedded)
Genius Hour Blueprint (Free Download Below)
Download the Genius Hour Blueprint.
Subscribe to updates and get the PowerPoint version of the Genius Hour Blueprint for FREE.
I’d love to have the Blueprint Powerpoint so I can start planning to use this in my classroom!
Thanks for sharing. Its great!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much! This is very helpful! 🙂
[…] * Genius Hour / Passion project – kids have to determine what they really care about. Â Most people struggle with this including kids in Dana’s careers classes that I have attended. I am less interested in the actual project. Most of the information about the actual process of the first steps seems to be “You’ll know it when you see it”. What is it that kids really care about? How to they figure that out? How can that be encouraged and supported? http://ajjuliani.com/genius-hour-blueprint-step-step-guide-running-project-class/ […]
Thank you for sharing this. Very, very helpful!
Hi A.J. Juliani,
Thank you for preparing and organizing Genius Hour in a Power Point that is easy to follow. I was wanting to make some copies for hand outs. How do I print your Google Slides?
I’m excited!
This would be great to share with my staff
[…] the Hub, we are adopting a streamlined version of Juliani’s Genius Hour Blueprint. Genius Hour (aka 20% time, iTime or Passion projects) originated from the concept of 80:20 time […]
Looking forward to seeing the blueprint.
[…] Genius Hour Blueprint […]
Awesome resource! Thank you!