In the End

This is the last blog post I am required to do for my English 1 class. It has been a wonderful six weeks of having the freedom to research the topic that I chose. I present to my class on Tuesday, May 12, which happens to be next week. I plan to continue exploring my leading question : What aesthetic creations can be made out of paper? I also plan to continue blogging even though Genius Hour is about to end. Everyone in English 1 at my school is required to answer five simple questions for their last blog entry.

1. What was your favorite part of the topic you chose?
My favorite part of learning what objects can be made out of paper was how broad the topic was. I loved how many things I could research and make within this one driving question. I had the option of working with copier paper, rice paper, wax paper, cardboard, poster board, tissue paper, and more.

2. What was your least favorite part of the topic you chose?
My least favorite aspect of my topic was how much time it took to make a product. I love to make things, but with the hectic schedule I have at school combined with how tired I am by the weekend makes it difficult to make more products for Genius Hour.

3. What do you like best about Genius Hour research?
My favorite thing about Genius Hour research was learning about the history behind paper. I have a deep love for research and history, so I also find it exciting knowing how inventions we have today were made.

4. What do you like least about Genius Hour research?
Participating in Genius Hour is always a joy, but there are many problems that happen along the way. My least favorite part of Genius Hour research was that most of the days my class had a chance to work on Genius Hour during class happened in the computer lab. The firewall was maddening. Resources such as : YouTube and g mail are not accessible in the computer lab. Any photographs I emailed myself in preparation for my in-class research were useless. The first day we started Genius Hour I realized that websites that have online radios were also blocked. Websites with pictures and instructions to projects are great, but videos on YouTube were more helpful when I was trying to learn something new for my topic.

5. What was the most important thing you learned about yourself, how you learn, or research in general as a result of this work?
I quickly learned that I like to create my own product more so than following someone else's directions. I like to problem solve my way through anything that happens while I'm making my own product. I also realized that I like blogging. I'm learning more and more about what I like to write, and that there are people in the world who actually like what I post :D. I also found out that I care more about the quantity of the products I create. I always care about the quality of anything I make, but for some reason this year I have such a strong desire to make a lot of products to present to my class. I know I probably won't have another opportunity to make many art projects during the next 19 days of the school year, so I think I'm in a hurry to take advantage of this opportunity. I also had a problem with doing a variety of paper crafts. My brain tells me I should explore different types of paper crafts, but my heart is usually stuck on one type of paper crafts. If I make an art project based off of a logical decision where my heart is not into it, I will not enjoy making it. I had to get to the point in this process where I felt comfortable making things I loved to do instead of worrying if my class would "approve" of it during my presentation. I actually learned a lot about myself and how I learn through this year's Genius Hour research.

I am mostly a visual learner. If I can see what I'm trying to do and think out loud or hear what to do I am
golden. During Genius Hour research I could not stay quiet to save my life. Thinking out loud helps me think more clearly. The more comfortable I am with thinking out loud the easier it was to research quickly.

I found the Papyrus flower the most interesting through the course of my research. I found it amazing that dried flowers were used to make paper. ( To see more information about the history of paper on a previous blog post Click HERE )




I can't wait to continue posting on my blog! Thank you for everyone's support through my process of my Genius Hour project. I still have some Genius Hour related post that I will publish before I present to my class. This process has been fun, exciting, and very eye opening. I can't wait to continue more Genius Hour projects in the future.