Genius Hour Project

Success Through Self-Discovery

For my genius hour project, I decided to take a closer look at The Genius Hour Guidebook,
as well as, The Take-Action Guide to World Class Learners. Leaving me thinking how I can
incorporate Genius Hour in my work. As a manager at Collective Community Service I develop
and implement new ideas around youth development and empowerment. Creating workshops,
clubs, and give ideas for school improvement. Through my experiences working with youth, it
surprises me how little they plan for the future, or how not in tune they are with their emotions.
Having a hard time opening up about their expectations and anxieties, holding back due to social
anxiety of what others think of them. I have seen result in students disengaging, following the
status quo, or missing out on opportunities, due to fear of failure.
Students in this generation have the unique opportunity to create their unique self. Having a
second face to show their identities, both the online self and off line, two worlds that can be used
in different ways. Online, asking people to highlight the great parts of their lives, attaching
happiness to the amount of views or likes they receive. We need to help our student change their
perspective about online media, continue enjoying social media to its fullest extent, yet
understanding it does not validate us as people, realising social media does not create true
happiness, real life does. Striving to be our authentic self! Fostering passion, wonder and inquiry
from within.
I decided to create a workshop called Success thought self-discovery. This workshop is
designed to create an in-depth personal learning experience for each student. The workshop can
be incorporated in a classroom, as a school activity, after school program or as a camp activity.
The educators need to be flexible with time, resources, and create an assessment grid for the
project. The activities are recommended for ages 10-18, with adaptation for age abilities.
This set of workshops will be a mixed model of Project Based Learning, teacher-student
collaboration, within constraints of academic requirements. Do what you love and let the
projects drive the curriculum, (Guerrero, 2009). Using the three steps to introduce Genius Hour:
1: Inspire your group, 2: Brainstorm with Students, 3: Create an Inquiry Question.
The approach for Success Through Self-Discovery gives students an active role, whether in the
classroom, the school or the community. Students should be the primary artisans of their own
projects, with the teachers, guidance and the support of other professionals or resources
available in the school. Students should also be encouraged to draw on the support of classmates,
discussing their reflections, experiences and discoveries with them, and to interact with parents,
workers and other people they trust within the community.

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. - Leo Tolstoy
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Overall Goal of the Program:

Building an emotionally and physically safe environment by facilitating a process to help
student explore their strengths and passions: creating a positive and supporting work
environment, help foster inquiry and awareness around their future.
Specific Objectives or Learning Outcomes:
1) To understand that their individual happiness and well-being is interconnected with the
happiness and well-being of other people, their community and their environment.
2) To gain Self knowledge and awareness of his/her potential and how to fulfill it
3) To have the capacity to critically thinking about information related to happiness and wellbeing (i.e. understand the difference between popular views of happiness versus evidence-based
statements about happiness and well-being).
4)

To identify opportunities they can apply their strength too, both professional and personal.

5) Adoption of strategies related to a plan or project

6) To reflect on personal thoughts and feelings connected to workshop content and experiences
through activities and discussions.
7) To demonstrate the ability to apply lessons learned both personally and academically
through designing a project or presentation.
8) Familiarity to the world of work, social roles, and trades and occupations
Participation Mix:
Take into consideration the groups composition; expectations can be increased with
older age groups, as well as the expectation around the final project can be modified to the
groups needs. Remember this is a self-exploration process, emotions and feeling may arise that
will need to be managed within the group. It is the educators job to make sure the student feels
safe, both emotionally and physically.
Physical Setup:
When starting a genius hour project, it is encouraged to change up the seating in the room
to create a welcoming and open environment. Recommended working arguments are:

Placing the tables in groups to work collaboratively.

Place the seats in a circle, making sure everyone can see each other.
Provide the students with limitations, but they may sit freely

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Session One: Safe Space

Overall session goal/purpose/theme:
Goal: Introduce the students to the Genius Hour Project, and create a safe space.
Purpose: Getting to know the participants better and start developing their critical thinking skills.
Theme: What benefits can develop when you have a safe space to work.
Learning Outcomes:
To understand that their individual happiness and well-being is interconnected with the
happiness and well-being of other people. Reflect on personal thoughts and feelings connected to
workshop content.
Physical setting:
Have the student sit in a circle for this session.
Materials needed:

flip chart paper, pens, little pieces of paper, one bristle board, computer and projector

Agenda
- Welcome & Introductions of ourselves and the workshops
(what we are doing, how, why, etc.) Questions?

#1 Rule: RESPECT (ask students what they think we mean by respect, respect for
yourself, for others, the classroom and the environment)
We rise by lifting others Robert Ingersoll.

Ice Breaker: Name Game (go around the circle, let everyone introduce themselves and
give one thing that makes them truly happy. (ex: skiing, spending time with
family/friends, etc.).

Motivational Video: A Pep Talk from Kid President to all of us.

https://youtu.be/l-gQLqv9f4o

Theory Burst
Dont stop believing, respect peoples differences and be you! Use the iceberg (below) to
explain, we all have differences for different reasons and should all be given the same
respect.

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Activity: SAFE SPACE

Objective: (based off a Me to We activity)
Creating a safe environment or safe space at the beginning of class is vital to ensuring its
success. Safe space is done to set the tone of interactions and exchanges between individuals and
the group; to define the space and to relate guidelines as they pertain to it. Once the principles of
the safe space have been defined and agreed upon by all, they can be used, reinforced and
referred back to as needed throughout the time you share together. Giving everyone a chance to
express what they need from the group to feel comfortable.

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Exchanging expectations:
This is a way of tuning in to each other and getting a clear sense of where everyone stands. This
gives to a chance to ensure everyone has the same expectations. Some may have assumptions,
false perceptions, or preconceived notions; others are may have no clue what the workshops are
all about. By establishing expectations, you (the educator) can gain a sense of where students are
coming from and prepare them for the goals of the workshop. This will help you ease the
transition into the lesson for everyone, yourself (the educator) included, by establishing common
ground.

Defining space:
There are multiple ways of approaching this; however it should always include the entire
groups participation for defining concept/words that will aid in the creation of their safe space.
This definition should come from a unanimous agreement. There are three possible ways to do
this activity:
1) One approach is to ask the group to imagine that they are about to speak in front of a
large audience of strangers, then ask the group what they want or need from the audience
in order to feel the most comfortable and at ease.
2) A more direct approach would be to ask the group directly what they would specifically
want or need in order to feel comfortable and safe to share.
3) A third way is to ask the students to define how we want the space to R.O.C with
Respect (themselves and others), levels of Openness (too much, too little, just right),
Confidentiality (no names, appropriateness, legal responsibility to divulge any
information about abuse, if people are hurting themselves ) Then ask them what else
they need in order to make the space R.O.C.
4) Begin by handing each participant 2-3 pieces of paper and a pen. They will then have to
write down one norm (aspect they need to feel comfortable) on each paper, crumple it up
and throw it in the middle.
5) Once everyone has done this, shake up the pieces of paper and go around in a circle,
getting everyone to read out loud what is written on the paper. The educator or a student,
will write down the words on the bristle board.
6) Once all of them have been written down, we will discuss the importance of following
these norms and add some to the list as need be.
7) We will then have all the participants sign the paper and this will become our contract to
respect. (This contract will be brought to every session as a physical reminder of what
each member needs to feel comfortable and respected in the group).

Potential Debrief:
It is suggested that you write down the groups definition of safe space and post it somewhere
visible, so that it remains present and can easily be referred back to throughout class as needed.

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Session Two: Self-Exploration.

Overall session goal/purpose/theme:
Goal: To introduce the importance of self-exploration.
Purpose: To have the participants better understand themselves.
Theme: What benefits can come from getting to know yourself better?
Learning Outcomes:
To understand that individual passion, thoughts, needs and wants are validated.
Physical setting:
Have the students put the desks together to create smaller teams. (or remain one large group)
Materials needed:

this is me handouts, pens, type

Agenda

Welcome back & introductions of ourselves. Recap of last week and todays plan.

Ice Breaker: Cross the Line

Objective:
This is a great game to get to know your participants and for participants to get to know each
other. If used with correct questioning and positioning, it can also show two separate or divided
groups how they are similar. Be conscious that the questions can be very personal and cause mild
discomfort, invoking truthful responses. Make sure they have enough space that they are not
physically touching each other and you may want/need to re-establish SAFE SPACE norms.

Instructions:
Lay out tape or establish a middle line across the centre of the room.
One side of the tape represents YES, the other represents NO.
Have students stand on the NO side of the tape before each question is asked.
If their answer is NO, they do not step over the line.
If the answer is YES they step over the line.
If their answer is MAYBE, UNSURE, or SOMETIMES, have them step on the line.
After each question, have them return to the NO side they started on.

Example questions (for a school group), to be asked in question form:

1. Owns one or more television sets
2. Has travelled to another country
3. Can speak another language
4. Who has siblings
5. Who has pets

21. Someone in your family has graduated

from university.
22. Lied about being someone or something
they are not.
23. Has been in a physical fight before

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6. Is afraid of heights
7. Likes to listen to music
8. Has bought or received new shoes or
clothes in the past month
9. Has been to a professional sports game or
theater production
10. Has parents who are divorced or separated
11. Has laughed so hard they cried
12. Has ever felt their heart hurt deep inside
13. Has a bad relationship with their parents
14. Has lied to their parents
15. Has been in love
16. Doesnt like the way they are viewed by
society
17. Feels they have been unjustly labeled or
stereotyped in society
18. Who has ever skipped school
19. Was born outside of Canada (stay
forward)
20. Have parents born outside of Canada

24. Has a friend or knows someone in a

in a gang
25. Feels scared when a homeless person
approaches him/her
26. Has been bullied more than 5 times.
27. Has stood up for someone being bullied
more than 5 times
28. Has bullied someone
29. Who got through from it?
30. Is insecure
31. Wishes you could change more than 3
things about yourself
32. Has cried within the year6 months.
month last week 2 days today
33. Believes one person can make a
difference
34. Believes they can make a difference
35. Lied, by not crossing the line

Variations:
Create and change the questions to suit the group and situation as needed. If your group is
divided, separated or is having trouble relating to each other, have them separate onto either
side of the line and walk to the center together, then divide again. This way they are
forced to face each others similarities and differences. It changes the vibe when having them
start all on the same side/place verses different sides/places (this can even be brought up in the
debriefing).

Potential Debrief Options:

Why did we play this game?
What questions or responses really stood out to you? Why?
(Feel free to highlight anything that stood out from the observers position)
Why is it important to see the similarities and differences in people?
What knowledge or deeper understanding can that provide us with?
How can this activity generalize and apply into the context of our own lives?

Activity: This Is Me - A self-exportation activity (handouts to the activity will be provided)

Student will be asked to identify certain dreams, goals and aspects of their ideal self.
Finish the activity by getting everyone back into a circle, let the students share an aspect of
themselves to the class going around the circle. If it allows, ask the students if they would like to
share every section. Ask your students why they think its important to know who you are?

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Variations to this activity is, you ask the student to draw what kind of super hero
they would be and why.

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Session Three: Brainstorming

Overall session goal/purpose/theme:
Goal: To introduce the importance of self-exploration and brainstorm a project idea.
Purpose: To get the participants thinking about their future.
Theme: What do you want to be?
Learning Outcomes:
Understand that their individual differences should be explored and used to the fullest.
Physical setting:
Have the students put their desks together to create smaller teams. See if you can use a computer
lab for this class activity
Materials needed:

this is me handouts, pens, computer, projector and paper,

Agenda

Welcome back & Introductions of ourselves. Recap of last week and todays plan

Ice Breaker: Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors

Each member will have to stand up and play rock-paper-scissors against someone else. The
loser will have to go stand behind the winner and become his/her support team; helping by
cheering him/her on. The winner will go and face off against another winner. Those who had lost
the previous game, now standing behind the winner, must loudly cheer them on and encourage
their lead member to continue winning. This continues until the final two face off with the rest of
the participants standing behind them and cheering them on (laudly!).
Process questions:

How did it feel to encourage the player?

How did it feel to be encouraged at the have all the other participants yelling behind you?

Motivational Clip: What is the purpose of life? https://youtu.be/mK66az43EOI

Process questions:

What do you think the purpose of life is?

How can we figure out what our purpose in life is?

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Activity: Career Cruising.

Objective: providing your students with the opportunity to complete a survey, that provides
them job suggestions related to their interest. This activity may open the students eyes to a job
field they havent thought about before.
Link to the survey: https://public.careercruising.com/en/

Username: chateauguay Password: valley

After the class is finished with the survey, ask the students to create a sharing circle. Let student
share their results that exited or surprised them.

Session Four: Planning for our future / Create an Inquiry Question

Overall session goal/purpose/theme:
Goal: To explore the aspects of future job opportunities, and ideas.
Purpose: To get the participants working on their final project.
Theme: Exploring and planning for our future, self knowledge and awareness of his/her potential
and explore the road to fulfill it.
Learning Outcomes:
Finding a better understanding of whats needed to achieve their goal.
Physical setting:
Have the students put their desk together to create smaller teams. Again you may want to use a
computer lab for this class activity.
Materials needed:
Access to paper, pens, computers

Agenda

Welcome back & introductions of ourselves. Recap of last week and todays plan.

Forecasting Your Future Activity:

Students will get the opportunity to research and develop a project on a topic their choice. With
the right guidance, students have discovered a passion, interest or career choice over the last few
sessions. I recommend providing the participants with at least three to six, if not more, hours to
work on this self exploration project. The amount of time is to be decided by the educator;
depending on time restriction and depth of the project. As teachers, you may want to included

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certain guidelines and requirements, making it easier to grade. For example; including an
interview with someone in that profession or create a vision board.
This is a student lead activity, encouraging people to plan ahead, and vision the future they may
want and how to get there. Within the first few hours, the educator should make sure to sit down
with each participant to see what angle they are taking with their project, and what aspects would
they like to explore.
All participants will be asked to create a presentation to share their knowledge and discoveries. I
encourage accepting all forms of projects from Power Points, Videos, Posters Presentations,
Word Docs, Song and/or Blogs, as well as a Reflection Paper or Discussion Forum to find the
new understandings that came out of the project and the amount of thought that went into their
project.

Below are some key examples of aspects to look for while assessing the projects. You can also
incorporate this in your directions and expectation of the project.

Students should be able to:

Carry out a Process of Career Exploration
Plan his/her exploration process
Determine some of his/her fields of interest
Define the purpose of the exploration
Select the means of exploration
Set out the steps of the process
Vary the means of exploration
Try out work functions
Visit workplaces and educational institutions
Use documentary resources in academic and career information
Meet with key people
Looks critically at his/her exploration process
Compare his/her process with those of classmates
Assess the usefulness of his/her process
Envision other processes
Judge the quality of his/her process
Evaluate the relevance of the resources used
Contemplate his/her Learning and Work Possibilities
Make connections between his/her personal qualities and discoveries
Consider the personal commitments required to reach his/her goals
Recognize the impact of self-esteem on his/her aspirations

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Set objectives for his/her personal development

Determine his/her ways of making decisions
Shares his/her reflections
Compare his/her impressions with those of classmates
Broaden his/her reflection by drawing on that of others
Talk with parents or other trusted people
Considers possible career paths
Envision the stages of his/her possible career paths
Recognize opportunities and their related constraints
Consider his/her possible career paths in a time frame
Critically compare possible career paths

Here are some additional resources to better understand the Genius Hour Project and Success
Through Self-Discovery

Videos on Genius Hour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMFQUtHsWhc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEQzKH7v0-Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc-6Ec2c44k

Examples of Genius Hour Projects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpCTRzP-9yg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MVR9qc21nA

Ideas for Genius Hour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDZ0-pmnprM

Website:

http://www.geniushour.com/what-is-genius-hour/
http://www.geniushour.com/

Book recommendations: http://www.geniushour.com/genius-hour-book-recomendations/

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References:

Juliani, A. (2015). How 20% time changed the world. In Inquiry and innovation in the
classroom: Using 20% time, genius hour, and PBL to drive student success. New York:
Routledge.
Krebs, D. & Zvi, G. (2016). Introducing genius our to your class. The genius hour guidebook:
Fostering passion, wonder, and inquiry in the classroom. New York: Routledge.
OBrien, C. (2016). Creativity and innovation, Education for sustainable happiness and
wellbeing. New York: Taylor & Francis/Routledge
Zhao, Y. (2012). World class learners: Educating creative and entrepreneurial students.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

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