Promote your students’ creativity and get them excited about learning! In this practical new book, authors Denise Krebs and Gallit Zvi show you how to implement Genius Hour, a time when students can develop their own inquiry-based projects around their passions and take ownership of their work. Brought to you by MiddleWeb and Routledge Eye On Education, the book takes you step-by-step through planning and teaching Genius Hour. You’ll learn how to guide your students as they: Develop inquiry questions based on their interests; Conduct research to learn more about their topic of choice; Create presentations to teach their fellow students in creative ways; and Present their finished product for a final assessment. At the end of the book, you’ll find handy FAQs and ready-made lessons and resources. In addition, a companion website, www.geniushourguide.org, offers bonus materials and regular updates to support you as you implement Genius Hour in your own classroom.

This unique book presents a practical and realistic approach to implementing a school-wide, K–12 Genius Hour program—one that can succeed regardless of budgetary and infrastructure constraints. Genius Hour is a movement in which students are allowed to spend a portion of their in-school time learning about a topic of their choosing—even subjects outside of the curriculum. When properly implemented, a Genius Hour program can create true passion for learning among unmotivated students, ignite interest in STEM as well as the arts, encourage collaboration, improve the relationship between educator and students, and help prepare students for real life outside of the educational system. But revamping a school library program to offer a Genius Hour program may seem like an insurmountable task—especially when working with a limited staff or budget. This book provides specific direction and concrete advice that enables school librarians to lead a school-wide program for all grade levels, from kindergarten to 12th grade. It explains why Genius Hour is the perfect program complement to the learning commons environment; presents research and support that will empower librarians to make a convincing case to administration; explains how to enlist the participation of faculty; and provides step-by-step guidance to begin, successfully manage, and grow a campus-wide Genius Hour. Librarians will see why investing in "creative teaching" is worth the effort, despite their limited time and resources; understand how to help underperforming students make their distractions "count" in school; and look forward to playing a part in creating imaginative and independent thinkers, not test takers.

Ready-to-Use Resources for Genius Hour in the Classroom provides practical advice and a wealth of hands-on resources for teachers to implement Genius Hour, or passion projects, in the classroom. This book: Includes everything educators need to help students apply their learning and reach deep understanding. Engages the six P's of Genius Hour: passion, plan, pitch, project, product, and presentation. Features built-in opportunities to to gamify the process. Helps increase students' critical thinking, creativity, and engagement. Is a valuable standalone resource and companion to Genius Hour. Students can "level up," earning badges and points, as they create, design, and carry out projects and develop ideas that impact their classroom, school, community, and world. Through the tools and tips provided, teachers will see Genius Hour as more than an hour, more than a strategy or activity separate from the regular curriculum. When implemented effectively, Genius Hour can be a more meaningful teaching and learning experience than any other.

Genius Hour provides educators with the tools that they need to successfully implement Genius Hour, or passion projects, in the classroom. Presented through an easy-to-follow six-step strategy, teachers will utilize the 6 P's—passion, plan, pitch, project, product, and presentation—as a map for students to follow as they create, design, and carry out projects. Students will experience personalized learning through these self-driven projects, application of standards and real-world skills, and opportunities to learn through failure and reflection. The book includes handouts, suggested online resources, and tips and tricks to make the Genius Hour process meaningful for students and manageable for educators, as well as a discussion of Genius Hour's importance and impact on gifted students as they take ownership of their own learning. 2019 Teachers' Choice Award for Professional Development Winner