Left: A student demonstrates properties of dry ice. Right: A student created a model to help show what she has learned about DNA.
Students in the Emerson Elementary classrooms of Kathy Anclien and Theresa Bledsoe recently participated in a Genius Hour, inspired by Google’s 20% time initiative, which allows employees to dedicate 20% of working hours to their own ideas. The youngsters were given 1½ hours each week to work on a project of their choice, based on their individual interests and passions.
The range of topics selected was varied and most pupils had a personal connection to their choice. For example, one child chose to research dementia, from which her grandmother is suffering. Another student chose to research the Vietnam War, because her family is from that country and her grandfather fought in the war. Other projects included:
- Organizing a fundraiser at school for leukemia research, in honor of an acquaintance who is battling the disease;
- Pursuing an interest in French cuisine by interviewing a chef and touring the Columbus Culinary Institute;
- Creating a web-site;
- Designing a math-based computer game; and
- Making two robots from kits.
Other topics included ALS, DNA, Black Holes, Tesla Motors, heroic Doberman Pinschers, clothing of India, the Nintendo Company, and dry ice.