Genius Hour: Task

Has your curiosity been piqued? Kevin Brookhouser, a teacher at York High School in Monterey, CA and pioneer of 20% Time (a.k.a. "Genius Hour"), has compiled a video of past student projects. View the video below and be inspired!

Did you notice a common thread amongst the students in the video? Passion! Interest! Curiosity! The students found a topic of interest to them, researched, planned, and created a project to share with the world. Rather than being consumers, they became creators and will never be the same as a result. In a word: inspiring!

Your task for Genius Hour is to do the same:

1. The Proposal: What are you curious about? What questions might help lead you to a product you could create to benefit others? What will you need to accomplish your task?
2. The Elevator Pitch: Prepare a presentation of your ideas and the product you wish to create, and then ask for feedback from your classmates...in 60 seconds!
3. The Blog: Reflect each week on what you're learning about the process, yourself, and the direction you'll take for the following week. You'll also be providing peer feedback on your classmates' blogs.
4. The Vlog (Video Blog): Who or what has inspired you? What new ideas are you gaining from your resources and mentor?
5. The Product: Each Friday until Spring Break, you'll move closer to your goal of a finished product that all started with your amazing idea.
6. Final TED Talk Presentation: Your product is finished and it's time to reflect on what worked, what didn't, what you learned about the process, and yourself.

*Adapted List Source: Kevin Brookhouser, York High School

Ready to learn more? See the Process page to unpack the steps required to make an amazing project.