Google Days
Google launched the idea that their employees should use 20% of their time working on projects of their own interest. This was an innovative way of allowing individuals to use their working hours on projects that would not only benefit Google but be personally uplifting to the employee and resulted in groundbreaking advances like gmail, Google adsense, and Google street-view.
As an Art student you will be presented with class time to work on a project of your own interest, 20% of your class time to be exact. Every 5th class you will be given the period to dive into a unique and original project that is completely dependent on your own ideas and effort. This project will be due at the end of the semester as your final project. The progress of this project will be checked and reflected on formally at the first quarter end as well as informally during the “Google Days.”
What kind of project can you make? The only limitation is your own imagination. You can work in any medium (that we have available) and in any style. You may choose any (school appropriate) subject matter. With so many choices it may be difficult to decide how to start, which is why I have provided you with the steps below.
1. Set a Goal
To begin, first select a goal. This goal should be something that you can achieve in one semester with the resources you have available. Your goal may be to master a material that you have worked with before, or to learn a specific amount of different techniques using a material. You may have struggled with an area of art in the past, like portraits or abstract styles, that now you want to improve on. Maybe sketching is difficult for you or planning for your projects, or perhaps you always fall short when it comes to adding detail. Your goal should not be about a final product, your goal should be about learning or improving an art skill.
2. Set a Result
After you have selected your goal you should decide how you can show that you have met that goal. Will you be submitting one final piece that will show your mastery? Or will you present a series of art pieces that show your growth and learning? Be specific and realistic here; keep in mind your time frame. Think about what resources you will need and how you will get them.
3. Plan your Time
Now that you have your end goal set and have laid out how you will show you have achieved your goal, clearly look at your time frame and start planning out how you will use your class time. Our periods will go a lot faster than you think so be sure to be generous when giving time to specific tasks. Decide if there are parts of the project that need to or can be done outside of school and schedule those in as well.
4. Get Started
You have a goal, you have a result in mind, you have a time plan, all that is left is to get started! You may want to sketch or journal or search for inspiration, whatever the process is for you, get started!
As an Art student you will be presented with class time to work on a project of your own interest, 20% of your class time to be exact. Every 5th class you will be given the period to dive into a unique and original project that is completely dependent on your own ideas and effort. This project will be due at the end of the semester as your final project. The progress of this project will be checked and reflected on formally at the first quarter end as well as informally during the “Google Days.”
What kind of project can you make? The only limitation is your own imagination. You can work in any medium (that we have available) and in any style. You may choose any (school appropriate) subject matter. With so many choices it may be difficult to decide how to start, which is why I have provided you with the steps below.
1. Set a Goal
To begin, first select a goal. This goal should be something that you can achieve in one semester with the resources you have available. Your goal may be to master a material that you have worked with before, or to learn a specific amount of different techniques using a material. You may have struggled with an area of art in the past, like portraits or abstract styles, that now you want to improve on. Maybe sketching is difficult for you or planning for your projects, or perhaps you always fall short when it comes to adding detail. Your goal should not be about a final product, your goal should be about learning or improving an art skill.
2. Set a Result
After you have selected your goal you should decide how you can show that you have met that goal. Will you be submitting one final piece that will show your mastery? Or will you present a series of art pieces that show your growth and learning? Be specific and realistic here; keep in mind your time frame. Think about what resources you will need and how you will get them.
3. Plan your Time
Now that you have your end goal set and have laid out how you will show you have achieved your goal, clearly look at your time frame and start planning out how you will use your class time. Our periods will go a lot faster than you think so be sure to be generous when giving time to specific tasks. Decide if there are parts of the project that need to or can be done outside of school and schedule those in as well.
4. Get Started
You have a goal, you have a result in mind, you have a time plan, all that is left is to get started! You may want to sketch or journal or search for inspiration, whatever the process is for you, get started!
| goggle_days_planning_sheet.docx |
