Hope your all staying warm inside these few days! ***If you snap a picture of your child cuddled up reading a book and email it to me (nbuono@sd308.org), they can earn a ticket when we return on Friday!!!
I thought I'd jump on and share an idea for discussion with your child on their days off (in addition to them going on MobyMax and practicing multiplication facts)!
GENIUS HOUR!!!
Last week (on Friday) we introduced a "passion project" that I've done for the last few years. It is NOT a home project! No, seriously. However, it may be a good idea to converse with your child and check in every-so-often with how they are progressing. So what is the Genius Hour? It's almost indescribable, but I'll do my best. The purpose is to allow the students to select ANY topic that interests them - but it's more like an "I wonder..." question that launches them into a topic. It can be ANYTHING that is researchable. They will then CREATE something (ANYTHING) and present it in front of the class. I really don't want it to be just a posterboard or powerpoint, although that could work. Rather, I'd love the kids to build or create something. In past years, many students have done something electronically and brought in the device to project their final product (how to code, created an app, made their own DIY video).
Once we really start diving in (once some research is done), the students can bring any and all supplies they need to school to work on it. Anyway, it's just an awesome opportunity to allow students to maximize their creativity and work on something that interests them individually. Here's a couple videos that explains the project way better than I can :) :
Feel free to explore online for ideas. Please just start to have that conversation at home to guide your child to finding something that truly captivates them. There is no due date for this project. Once a student is fully researched, project completed, and ready to present, they can! Then, they can start their next Genius idea! Can't wait to see what we create this year!
