Genius Hour---Take One!

The 6th and 7th Grade ELP students have recently wrapped up an independent study in a program called "Genius Hour".  Students selected a topic/idea/theme they had a great deal of interest in or passion for, mapped out a research plan and final project idea, created a final project and then presented their projects to their peers.  We had students with projects ranging from creating rainbow cupcakes to experimenting with "elephant toothpaste and building sugar rockets.

Below are pictures and videos from a few of the projects shared with their peers.  The ELP students will plan to create 2 more "Genius Hour" projects over the course of the school year.


Ben H. and his "sugar rocket"


Shelby D. and her science experiment to create a "bouncy egg"

Henley A. replicates a tsunami

Chris D. explaining how to create a model hover craft

Maya Z. and her experiment for "elephant toothpaste"



Emma K. explaining wide varieties of slime.

John D. "testing" the stickiness of one version of non-stick slime....it did not go well : )

Hovercraft demonstration

The final result of the "elephant toothpaste"...lesson #1: using lukewarm water rather than hot water impacts the live yeast and therefore the reaction is slower and not as powerful....maybe that was a good thing for our classroom cleanup efforts.

Explaining how to create "rainbow cupcakes"--Nicole O.


She brought samples; delicious!


Evan W. and his static electricity project to create a floating orb with tinsel.  


For more information about "Genius Hour" visit www.geniushour.com

Thanks to all the students who really dove into the idea and presented amazing projects around Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics!  STEM in action!


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