A Passion Project Planner for the Classroom
If you are new to genius hour, passion projects or 20-time projects this Passion Project Planner is perfect for you and your students. The OG idea was inspired by google. Using 20-Time projects in the workplace (or classroom rather) allows innovative ideas to grow and multiply. Students are working on pet projects, aka something really important to them that lies outside of curriculum. But how do we get our students started? How do we help students to turn their passions into something more purposeful? Tangible?
We’ve put together a passion project plan for teachers and students to guide their passion projects. Turning passions, interests or curiosities into something more purposeful or meaningful doesn’t always come easy to everyone. Also, landing on an interest that holds your attention doesn’t necessarily take hold the first time. People go through many hobbies, passion or inventions before they find one that has them hooked. So in order for students to produce a product or achieve a goal by the end of the project, they need a clear plan with clear action items.
A.J. Juliani makes a case for 20-Time in schools because it gives students a purpose for learning and Sir Ken Robinson echoes in his book “Imagine If…” that 20-Time creates the right conditions to maximize human potential. Students are capable of so much more than what the intended curriculum outlines. With 20-time, students can learn beyond the expectation of the classroom. Teacher-Therapy and Mrs. Leiker have great project examples to show your students and Jennifer Ward has the best list of resources to introduce 20% time to your students and parents.
This passion project template is designed for students to lead their own projects without missing any important steps.
ROADMAP
Stage 1 - Finding My Passion
It's time to figure out what you will spend your 20-time one. This many take a few tries before you land on a topic that truly holds your attention and keeps your pedal to the metal. Narrow down your passions, interests, goals, and wonderings to come up with one topic to explore and build on. Pick something that will be meaningful for you.
Share a mind-map of your interests, curiosities, goal and problems you would like to pursue.
Add Need To Know's around all your topics of interest. What topic raises the most questions for you?
Turn your topic into a driving question that will help you focus on a project goal using the QFT process.
Stage 2 - Investigation
Let's get focused. You have a driving question to work towards. What questions do you need to ask to help you answer your driving question? Use this question list to guide your investigations. How will you gather more information or insight for your 20-time project? This of different methods of investigation and which one will be the most effective for your project.
Put together a list of questions that will help you answer your driving question.
Share your resources that will help you answer these questions.
Plan your investigation. What guiding questions, resources and timeline will help you achieve your project goal?
Choose method(s) of investigation (interview, survey, research, participation, observation, experimentation etc.) to help you answer your DQ.
Stage 3 - Proposal - My Passion Project Plan
Put together your individual passion project plan. Clarify why this project is important, what you plan to do, and the steps you’ll take to get there.
Set a SMART goal.
Determine objectives. WHO? WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? WHY?
Plan a timeline of to do's. What do you plan to achieve and by when?
Stage 4 - Build Expertise
You don't become an expert overnight. Choose one or more research methods to explore your topic deeper.
Analyze and document new knowledge. List what you know, NTK, and wonderings or challenges you have along the way.
Fill in the gaps. Document your ongoing research/ work.
Identify product or achievement. Do you have enough information to develop or create something? Ex. A product, a service, an event. If yes, what do you plan to do? If no, Or what additional research do you need to do?
Stage 5 - Create and Share
Now that you know more, what can you do with that knowledge? Find a creative way to act on it. Share your progress with others along the way to get feedback. Even experts need fresh ideas to help them see things differently. Make adjustments and improvements where you can.
Determine how to best reach your audience.
Revise project goals and objectives. What do you want to create and for who? Is it a product, service or event/ activity? Ex. I want to make [what] for [who] because [why].
Share your progress. Get feedback on your product, service or event from others, especially your target audience. What do you need to change / improve / fix?
Showcase your body of work. How did you take what you learned from your research and apply it in a new way? How did you meet your goal? Record proof of people using your creation and collect feedback. What did they say?
Stage 6 - Reflect
Often we don't notice the value or impact we have when we're in the middle of it. Look back and reflect on your experience. Reflect on your project and the entire experience.
Summarize and evaluate your experience. Choose a medium that's meaningful to you: journal, collage, photobook, blog, vlog. What did you learn about yourself? How did this impact you personally? (Learned a new skill? Developed a new interest?) What worked well? What would you do differently? Why?
Add to your work. What else could be done to continue your work? How could your project be made bigger, better or reach more people?
Download the passion project planning resource here!
Looking for a more high-tech solution? On Spinndle, you can customize this passion project plan, host individualized student passion project plans, and closely monitor each student’s progress start to finish. The platform acts as a co-learning space where students post work at various checkpoints to the class feed. Students engage in peer critique, and iteration as they move through their passion projects.
