It was a great week here in the grade 5 classroom!  This week students were introduced to Genius Hour!  There is a letter from Mr. Hancock below explaining the how’s and why’s of Genius Hour.  Our class will be doing Genius Hour on Friday afternoons.  Students have begun looking at projects and some are almost ready to begin!  Friday’s will be an exciting time in our classroom, that’s for sure!

Here is some information on what is coming up this next week…

Spelling List: action, measure, position, touch, direction, field, connect, connection, section, importance

Remembrance Day on Monday:  No school

Skating on Tuesday:  We are skating on Tuesday from 10:00 – 11:00.  Just a reminder that students must bring their own helmet.  Students may wear play clothes.  Please send along a warm jacket & gloves as it can be chilly on the ice.

Genius Hour Information:

Dear Parents,

Something exciting is happening in our Intermediate Department! This week we introduced the students to GENIUS HOUR!

What is Genius Hour? 

Genius Hour is time set aside in class for students to study a new idea or skill that they choose and are passionate about once a week for a set amount of time.

Why is Genius Hour important?

Students take ownership in their own learning. They learn about something they want to learn about. Genius Hour sparks curiosity, and students have an opportunity to become their own Genius. Genius Hour encourages life-long learning, imagination, perseverance, self-awareness, adaptability, as well as other life-lessons.

How will Genius Hour work in my classroom?

Students will participate in Genius Hour once a week for approximately 45min – 1 hr. After mini-lessons on what is appropriate, students will choose a topic to study with Teacher Approval. Students will be given time in class to work on the project with the teacher serving as a Facilitator. The Facilitator will provide research materials (ie., books, computer, iPads, etc.) for students to explore. As an end project, students must present their topic to an audience. 

How does this fit with the BC Curriculum?

The great thing about Genius Hour is, not only do students get to pick something they are passionate about to work on, the work they do on the project and the presentation of their work also naturally ties in with a whole bunch of curriculum objectives and expectations! 

How Can I Help?

There are many ways to help. As students decide what they want to do, they will need help expanding their ideas and finding resources. Discussing your child’s ideas and helping with where to find some great resources will be extremely important. As well, while we will provide some basic resources and technology, students may need more specific items that we may not be able to provide. Within reason, assisting your child to bring together the materials they need will help your child be more successful with their project. Finally, teachers may need help in the class during the times they are doing Genius Hour. Once your child’s teacher determines the time they will be doing Genius Hour in the week, letting them know if you are available to help would be helpful if you are interested in helping. The students will be very excited and the more help we get, the more we can help students stay focused. Please keep in mind that Genius Hour will be going to the end of the year.

We are excited to share this opportunity with your child as we embark on this new adventure in the Intermediate Department. 

Sincerely,
Mr. Hancock

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, November 11th – Remembrance Day holiday – school closed

Tuesday, November 12th – Skating (field trip forms coming home next week)

Tuesday, November 19th – Photo Re-take Day

Wednesday, November 20th – Western Dress Up

Friday, November 22nd – Knight’s Day

Friday, November 29th – Pro D Day

Enjoy the long weekend!