Assessing Genius Hour may seem slightly overwhelming since you will likely have a wide range of projects being created all at the same time. The most important thing to remember when you are assessing students’ work is to not grade the actual project!  It would be cruel for a student to feel that their passion is being criticized and penalized. What you can do, is grade the assignments centered around the planning and presenting of the project. Having students develop things like a planning guide or a blog not only serve to illustrate the students’ inquiry process, but also helps them to organize and prepare themselves throughout the project. Conferencing with students, having them pitch their project ideas, and requiring students to give a final presentation are all examples of how Genius Hour can be assessed.

It is important to remember that throughout the entire process of creating a passion project, the students need to be aware of what is expected of them. It is also extremely beneficial that the students work with the teacher to create the expectations. If students are involved in setting the criteria for what a quality project looks like and how they can effectively be spending their time during Genius Hour, then they are more likely to be successful. Surprising the students with how they are being assessed does not give a more accurate representation of their learning. This project is ultimately about the learning process. Therefore, students should be assessed throughout their exploration and involved in the evaluation process in order to gain the most from their trials and tribulations.