Genius Hour
Both Division 4 and Division 5 are getting ready for their first ever "Genius Hour" as part of our Science unit on Weather.
When? Div 5 (Reichert) Thurs. Dec 5; Div 4 (Clarke) Friday Dec 6, 2013.
What? Students need to come up with a topic of inquiry related to weather over the next few days. Any weather-related topic that lights up their enthusiasm and passion! Next week on their respective days, students will have an hour to get their presentation prepared. It is done in-class... it is not homework, although many will want to do their research at home so they are ready next week with an idea for their presentation.
I'll have paper, glue, sissors available for those who wish to make a poster about their Genius Hour topic, but if students wish to embellish, they'll need to bring in extra supplies from home. And they don't need to make a poster: their presentation could be in the form of a quick iMovie (made in-class next week), a skit, or a model they build (in class), or something they bake in our school's oven, or a voice-only recording (made at school), or whatever they can dream up. Head's up: our school does not allow internet access for devices from home, so plan accordingly.
Their burning question has to be something they can tackle themselves, and something they are passionate about. It's a chance to take a break from the teacher telling them what to study, and for an hour they get to follow their own interests.
Following their hour-long preparation class, they'll actually present their topic during the next science class they have (Reichert's Div 5: Tues Dec 10; Clarke's Div 4: Wed Dec 11). They will have just 2 minutes to present their whole topic!
I don't mean to restrict thinking or imagination, but some typical questions students might want to find out about:
How do research planes fly into hurricanes?
Why are snowflakes crystals?
Why does cold air hold less moisture than warm air?
If the sun went out NOW, how long would it take for us to find out?
What weather can you find on Mars?
Where is the windiest place in North America?
What animals, if any, would benefit from global warming?
What clothing would Canadians have worn 300 years ago to ward off the effects of cold winters?
What adaptations have polar bears made to withstand Arctic temperatures?
What happens in the desert when it rains?
Who was Anders Celsius, inventor of the temperature scale named after him?
What causes the 4 seasons?
Why can't scientists be better at forecasting the weather?
