

WELCOME TO
the GENIUS HOUR
@ CMS LMC
Aligned with after school tutoring, the "Genius Hour" is the CMS LMC program where students can pursue their passions. During this time, [Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.] students are in control, they choose what they study, how they study it and what they produce or create as a result. It is a learning model that supports inquiry, research, creativity, and self-directed innovation and experimentation.
We all need a little encouragement every now and then. Kid President, knowing this, has put together a video you can play each morning as you wake up or to share with your friend who needs a kick in the right direction. Take a moment and spread some encouragement. "It's everybody's duty!"
GROWTH MINDSET: HOW TO GROW MY BRAIN
WHAT IF?
It’s only natural that you will be skeptical about what you are about to do.. Here's a few answers to what may be your most pressing questions:
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Can we work with partners? Yes...two not three...everyone must complete project details on their own and research separate ideas on the project.
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How long do we have to work on this? There is no official timeline, but I’m thinking 10 sessions should be sufficient to have a great project.
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Is this going to be graded? Your work may be visible to the world and we as a group will be unofficially grading your projects.
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Do I have to present it to the front of the class? You have to present it in some form or fashion. If you make a documentary, then you will show the movie. If you make a model, you will need to present what you learned to the class. This is about sharing passions and ideas.
Google famously allows employees to use 20% of their work week for any project. “20% Time” is a force for innovation; it led to Gmail and Google Maps, to name just two. But why does it work? Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, explains in this very first animation from Mashable and Masters of Scale, the Webby-winning podcast hosted by Reid Hoffman.
EXPECTATIONS
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What if you were given the freedom to study anything you choose?
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And then you were able to create something to show what you have learned and to share it however you wish!
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What is it that you would study, explore, investigate, or want to learn or get better at?
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How could you change your school, community, or even the world?
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Genius Hour is a type of project-based learning curriculum inspired by Google's 20% Time.
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On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., you are welcomed to work on a project of your choice.
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First we will be asking you to "Choose a Question". This is called the "Big Question"... Thick questions deal with the big picture and large concepts. Answers to thick questions are involved, complex and open ended. Thin questions deal with specific content or words. Answers to thin questions are short and close ended. A 'thick' question is one that has a complex answer that takes time to solve and explore. A good question for Genius Hour is complex. If the answer can be found with a simple Google search, the question is not ideal for this type of project.
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Then if it is approved, and most will be, you "Begin Research."
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Read, look up and take notes, always "Citing your Source." If it is not an original thought then give credit to where you read the information or saw it on Youtube.
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Citation Generator: https://www.easybib.com/mla/source
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Practice using these tools for your research.
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Then "Make, Create, or Develop Something."
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All the while use your "Journal to Document your Progress"...each entry must have the date and what was accomplished or learned clearly noted...think Leonardo Da Vinci and his renowned codices where he recorded everything as he worked...diagrams, words, goals, frustrations, details learned.
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Lastly, "Present What you have Learned!" and Reflection...How did it go? Was your project a success?
TIMELINE ORGANIZATION OF GENIUS HOUR
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PICKING A QUESTION: First Week
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QUESTION APPROVAL: Second Week
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RESEARCH WITH CITATIONS: Third and Fourth Weeks
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SET UP A PROPOSAL OR YOUR PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION: Fifth Week
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LOG DAILY IN YOUR JOURNAL: Every Week
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MAKE / CREATE / INNOVATE: PROTOTYPE: Sixth and Seventh Weeks
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PRESENTATIONS: Eighth and Ninth Weeks
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REFLECTION: Tenth Week
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These are the products/presentations from my first Genius Hour class experiment. The class was 8 weeks long and met twice a week for one hour. These students submitted proposals, researched, made a plan, and created their original products during that time.
How to Know If a Source Is Reliable & Using Citations Effectively by Shmoop
CONSIDER YOUR SOURCE'S CREDIBILITY. ASK THESE QUESTIONS:
CONTRIBUTOR/AUTHOR
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Has the author written several articles on the topic, and do they have the credentials to be an expert in their field?
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Can you contact them? Do they have social media profiles?
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Have other credible individuals referenced this source or author?
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Book: What have reviews said about it?
PUBLISHER
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What do you know about the publisher/sponsor? Are they well-respected?
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Do they take responsibility for the content? Are they selective about what they publish?
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Take a look at their other content. Do these other articles generally appear credible?
BIAS
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Does the author or the organization have a bias? Does bias make sense in relation to your argument?
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Is the purpose of the content to inform, entertain, or to spread an agenda? Is there commercial intent?
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Are there ads?
CURRENCY
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When was the source published or updated? Is there a date shown?
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Does the publication date make sense in relation to the information presented to your argument?
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Does the source even have a date?
Why is the Mona Lisa so famous? - TEDEd by Noah Charney
Leonardo da Vinci, the famous Italian artist and polymath who lived during the high renaissance changed the world in a huge way. He is best known for his painting the Mona Lisa, which is the most famous piece of art in the world. Many believe Leonardo da Vinci - Polymath to be one of the greatest artists and painters ever to live, and this is probably true. But Leonardo da Vinci was so much more than just one of the greatest artists. He was an architect, an astronomer, a botanist, a cartographer, an engineer, a geologist, a hydrodynamicist, a mathematician, a musician, a theatre producer, a scientist, an inventor and much, much more. Leonardo was a pioneer in so many different areas and he truly was a genius.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mother Was A Slave, New Research Claims
New research has surfaced, suggesting that Renaissance master, Leonardo da Vinci, may have been only half-Italian. Find out what nationality his Mother was and where in the modern world it is located today...CLICK HERE TO DO YOUR RESEARCH!

Finding your life's purpose - Passion
An inspiring video to encourage us to seek passion in life and live fully, appreciating the life that we have been given.
How To Make It In The Music Industry 2023 | STOP Ruining Your Chances!
This is how to make it in the music industry 2023. A lot has changed in recent years and if you want to have a successful music career it's important to understand how to structure your plan of attack. In this video I go far beyond music marketing in 2023 and dive into the entire map of what you need to do to find success and be able to go full time with music.
How to Release New Music in 2023 | Stop Ruining Your Chances
Understanding How To Release New Music In 2023 starts with knowing everything you'll need to have in place in order to successfully release a new single in 2023. It takes a whole lot more than dumping money into Facebook ads or hiring a shady promo company to actually build a fan base who cares about you. In this video I break down the entire roadmap of how to release a new single in 2023 which also covers how to release an album in 2023.
Fun Maps that Describe Our World...
Create your own Spike Map with Flourish...CLICK HERE
The amazing 'spike maps' that will change the way you see Earth: Eye-opening data reveals how jam-packed YOUR hometown is - and how the world's population could fit into New York City's five boroughs (if everyone stood shoulder-to-shoulder)
Newsworthy...
'Methane man' has a mission: Using microbes to eat up the greenhouse gas
Josh Silverman has worked with methane and specifically methane-eating microbes for years, and now he wants to leverage these microbes for climate good.
Read in CNBC: https://apple.news/AjJbPncOfT2aC8p15S4Mf7w
Meet the 'glass-half-full girl' whose brain rewired after losing a hemisphere
Mora Leeb was 9 months old when surgeons removed half her brain. Now 15, she plays soccer and tells jokes. Scientists say Mora is an extreme example of a process known as brain plasticity.
Read in NPR: https://apple.news/AY2OoszBcSmGT3RYUy2kzTw
"Cosmic Concrete" Could Be Used to Build Habitats on Mars
Scientists at the University of Manchester have succeeded in creating a building material that can be used for construction on Mars. This “cosmic concrete,” called StarCrete, is made up of potato starch and salt that, when mixed with dust from Mars, forms a material twice as strong as regular concrete. It’s an efficient and viable recipe, as 55 pounds of potatoes could create half a metric ton of StarCrete, aka 213 bricks. “Since we will be producing starch as food for astronauts, it made sense
Read in COOL HUNTING: https://apple.news/AcDX5ghgfRi-nHclaSmTu9g
