5th Graders Meet the Elves for Genius Hour Hangout
Have you ever heard of Genius Hour? It's an educational movement that allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in the classroom. Basically, students have one hour to do their own research on a non-Googleable topic that interests them.
Last week, we had an opportunity to participate in a virtual Genius Hangout (GHO) with a spunky class of 5th graders from Fairmount Elementary School in Independence, Missouri—Go Bulldogs! Several of the students in the class expressed interest in running their own businesses and/or creating their own products, so their teacher, Ms. Burke, contacted us about hosting a GHO.
The students asked if we had ever made a Fairmount Elementary Bulldog shoe. We hadn't, but we made this mock-up to show what one might look like.
Soft Star co-owner Tricia Salcido—mother of a 5th grader herself—had the privilege of giving the whole class a video tour of our workshop. This was followed by a Q & A in which the kids asked her all their questions about starting, owning and running a business... as well as a few inquiries on making shoes.
Ms. Burke was kind enough to record the video hangout for us, which we're now excited to share:
If this interests you, then we encourage you to check out the Genius Hour website, as well as the Twitter profile of Ms. Burke's class (@BrainyBulldogs). We've been following their feed for months and love seeing photos of their activities as well as reading the students' personal tweets about what they're working on in school. We also like to take a crack at the brain teasers they post from time to time. Take a look:
The students also periodically post entries and stories on the class online blog.
Related Posts:
- Oregon Preschoolers See Elves at Work
- Soft Star Shoes for Mari's Place
- Mindful Running Interview with Barefoot Guru Michael Sandler
Martin is a lifelong runner who began wearing minimalist shoes over 10 years ago when he found they alleviated his chronic foot pain, which eventually disappeared completely. He further studied proper running form through a series of workshops taught by the inventor of Correct Toes Toe Spacers, Dr. Ray McClanahan DPM. Martin has collaborated with several health care professionals to collect and share peer-reviewed studies that show the benefits of minimalist footwear. In his personal life, Martin loves living in the Pacific Northwest because it allows him to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities year-round, including hiking, cycling, rock climbing, surfing and snowboarding.
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