1. The Passion Project

2. What’s Your
“Enthusiasm?”

3. What Do We Know About the
Learner with Autism?
 According the DSM-IV, individuals
with autism will have one or more of
the following:
 Delayed Language
 Social Deficits
 Repetitive Behaviours /
Obsessions (Enthusiasms or
Passions)

4. How Do We Fit The Individual
With Autism In?
Enter Kieran Egan
And the theory of Learning-in-Depth

5. Quick Review of
Learning-in-
Depth (LiD)
Students choose or are
assigned topics from a list of
approved topics (follow from
grade 1-12)
Students go through a topic
ceremony
Portfolios are kept with the
accumulation of knowledge
(this knowledge could be in
written, visual, artistic, vocal,
digital or other forms)

6. Quick Review of
Learning-in-
Depth (LiD)
Portfolio supervision
happens (likely once per
month is intermediate grades)
Portfolio Parade – at
selected times during the year
to share knowledge with
peers, parents and the wider
community
Students become experts in
their area of study

7. The Passion Project:
Our Adapted Version of
Learning-in-Depth (LiD)

8. Focus Student
Meet Jonny

9. Jonny’s Profile
 Jonny has
Asperger’s
 Jonny is in Grade 6
 Jonny is gifted
(especially in
Language Arts)
 His
enthusiasm/passion
is Harry Potter

10. How It Looks:
The Grade 6 Passion Project
Academic
Communication Skills
Skills
Social
Skills
PASSION PROJECT

11. How It Looks:
The Grade 6 Passion Project
Time of Activities Project
Year Milestones
September Focus Question Developed Focus Groups
in Small Groups / Social Made by Teacher
Skills Taught
October to Exploration of Topic / Research /
Mentors Intro’d / Research Experience
February Skills Taught Compiled
March to Passion Project Compiled / Project
Communication Skills Taught
May Developed
June Passion Project Parade Project Shared
With School

13. Jonny’s Harry Potter Study
Reading Evolution
Mechanic
in depth of of Harry’s
s of Flight
text character
History of Evolution
Friendship
Magic of Flight
Characteristics
Cultures that
of trees/wood Family
believe/practic
e magic
(wand and dynamics
broomstick) (adoption regulations)

14. How It Connects to
the Learning Outcomes:
The Grade 6 Passion Project
NEED ANY MORE
CONVINCING?
Science: manipulate and control a
number of variables in an experiment,
demonstrate how various forces can
affect the movement of objects, measure
weather in terms of temperature,
precipitation, cloud cover, wind speed
and direction

15. How it Differs From LiD:
The Grade 6 Passion Project
 The students can change focus every year
(do not have to follow same topic through
to high school)
 It is built into the curriculum
 More teacher-directed
 More skills-based, including direct
instruction, but allows for student
ownership of learning
 Use of mentors and peers to facilitate
learning

16. How It Works For Jonny:
The Grade 6 Passion Project
Direct Social Skills Instruction
CanChoose
Enthusiasm/Passion
(matching his interests)
Direct Communication /
Language Skill Instruction

17. Jonny’s Final Project
The Portfolio Parade

19. Citations
BC Ministry of Education. (2006). English Language Arts Grade 6: Integrated Resource Package. Victoria,
British Columbia: Ministry of Education, Province of Education.
BC Ministry of Education. (2007). Mathematics Grade 6: Integrated Resource Package. Victoria, British
Columbia: Ministry of Education, Province of Education.
BC Ministry of Education. (2005). Science Grade 6: Integrated Resource Package. Victoria, British
Columbia: Ministry of Education, Province of Education.
BC Ministry of Education. (2006). Social Student Grade 6: Integrated Resource Package. Victoria, British
Columbia: Ministry of Education, Province of Education.
BC Ministry of Education. (2006). Health and Career Education Grade 6: Integrated Resource Package.
Victoria, British Columbia: Ministry of Education, Province of Education.
Building the Portfolio. Retrieved from http//www.ierg.net/LID/2009/10/27/building-the-portfolio/ on
November 3, 2010.
Egan, K., & Madej, K. (2009). Learning in depth: Students as experts. Education Canada, 49, 18-23.
LiD: learning in depth. Retrieved from http://www.ierg.net/ on November 3, 2010.
Neihart, Maureen. (2000). Gifted children with Asperger’s Syndrome. Gifted Child Quarterly, 2000, 44 (4),
222-230.