Inquiry Model
YOU decide what YOU want to learn about
YOU choose how YOU are going to share what you learn
During Genius Hour students brainstorm ideas and consider topics that they would like to learn more about. They will learn to develop quality questions to guide their inquiries, learn the skills necessary to gather and evaluate resources, and learn how to analyse and interpret the information they have learned. Once they have gathered their information they will present their findings to the class in a creative way.
This is why inquiry-based learning includes the following steps:
1. Ask questions: What are you wondering? What are you curious about? What are you looking to understand?
2. Probe into various situations: Research, Read, Question, Watch videos, Compare information, Keep an open mind
3. Conduct analyses and provide descriptions: Narrow the information into smaller, easier to understand chunks. Make sure the sources of your information are reputable, believable, factual. What questions do you still have? What do you still need to find out?
4. Communicate findings, verbally or in writing: Demonstrate in some way what you have learned?
5. Think about the information and knowledge obtained: Reflect on your learning
Students will be guided through the Genius Hour process. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to develop research skills, presentations skills and engage in learning about topics of interest to them. They will work on Genius Hour inquiry projects every Thursday afternoon during period 6. Students must present 1 Genius Hour Project to the class by November 1st. They will be required to complete 2 more projects by March break and another 2 before the end of the year.