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This post is for any student starting a new project, rebooting an old one, or joining the makerspace midway through the year. Passion projects, which are called Pareto Projects in this space, often go through changes over time — and they remain, regardless, an important part of student growth in a Humanities makerspace. This is why they are emphasized as early as the course syllabus and as late as the final exam.
Before we go any further, here is some context from the real world (i.e., the world outside of high school):
That article speaks to the relevance of the metaphor we use in here. There is much more about the 80/20 rule in the full guide. Keep in mind that it is a metaphor of sorts; it is less about the perfect 80/20 split and much more about setting aside time to pursue your own passion. Major companies have used this concept successfully for decades:
That was written in 1998. Here is an article from 2020:
Another company embracing this concept is Apple, which began posting resources for finding a passion project during the pandemic. Here is what they wrote most recently:
There’s no better time to learn something new than right at this moment. If you’re feeling bored or stuck in life, endless resources can help you recapture your curiosity and find new interests, hobbies, or even careers.
Dig into fresh topics and listen to experts from around the world with apps like TED. Embrace a new language with Duolingo, try your hand at an instrument with Yousician, or get technical with Khan Academy’s math and science curriculums for every level.
This echoes our makerspace’s focus on self-directed learning — not unsupported work, of course, but student-driven work that relies on collaboration and expert feedback. The apps listed by Apple are resources for that work.
In fact, any student looking for a starting point for a rebooted or new project might want to look at the list of programs and services in Apple’s list. Almost all are available everywhere, including through district-issued Chromebooks.
The list is unpacked below with links.
Partial List of Passion-Project Resources
This is taken directly from the Apple Store story about passion projects, with links to the WWW site for each service or company. Spend some time clicking on these.
Duolingo | Learn Spanish, French, German
TED | Feed your curiosity
Khan Academy | You can learn anything
Babbel | Learn Spanish, French & more
Elevate: Brain Training | Award-winning brain games
LinkedIn Learning | Online Courses to Learn Skills
MasterClass: Learn New Skills | Cook, Film, Write, Act & More
CreativeLive: Online Classes | Master photography, design, and more
Coursera: Learn New Skills | 100% online courses
WolframAlpha | Reference
Blinkist: 15-Min Insights | Reading, listening, learning
Yousician: Your Music Teacher | Learn Guitar, Ukulele & Bass
Simply Piano by JoyTunes | Learn and Play Piano
Rosetta Stone: Learn Languages | Speak Spanish, French, German
Tenuto | Music theory exercises and tools
The Great Courses Plus | Online Learning & Education
Additional Relevance
You can almost certainly find a potential project among those sites. Most provide a built-in structure, too. They are perfect for a Pareto Project.
Another way to appreciate the relevance of these projects is through the examples curated for students in the makerspace. Bookmark the set of seven examples of real-world projects to analyze and emulate:
There are also archives of student projects from 2018 and 2019, plus details of the pedagogical shift from a Senior Talk to a Final Project during distance learning in 2020. In 2021, the passion projects led directly to the final BHS Senior Projects, which you can view here:
This is just the start of what is available, of course. A simple Google search will bring you many more resources and examples.
Current Year: Starting Your Project
With the relevance of the work re-established, you can start your own project.
Complete Guide:
Simplified Guide:
Direct link: https://tinyurl.com/pareto-simple-steps
Note that this is a two-page reduction of the complete guide to the Pareto Project. It can replace the complete guide for some students in some circumstances, but the full guide is almost always required.
Next, bookmark the set of frequently asked questions for this project:
FAQ:
Calendars and Next Steps
More time will be dedicated to this Pareto Project as the year continues. You can visit the resources for the current year to see what the calendar looks like. Expect to spend one day a week on the project by the spring.
The “Terms and Conditions” for the course emphasize the need for these class periods, however often they occur, to be wholly productive and focused. This is the onyl way for student projects to be successful:
Then there is the project blueprint, which will be assigned formally when we collectively reach that point. It can be completed, submitted, etc., whenever you need feedback, however.
Blueprint Handout: https://tinyurl.com/pareto-simple-doc
Blueprint Form: https://forms.gle/Upv965z9va54NDg5A
Finally, these projects are linked explicitly to any final projects in English 12. This is most often a “Senior Talk,” but there is also the possibility of a more flexible project being assigned.
Below is the complete guide to these final steps, including the specifics of the final exam that is required in most years.
The other final assessments attached to the Pareto Project are self-analytical and metacognitive in nature. This work is outlined here: