Skills for Future Success

Candace Minor-Chism

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Skills for Future Success

Learn essential career skills

This lesson introduces students to essential skills required for future careers, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, through interactive activities. Developing these skills early can help students succeed in diverse career paths and collaborative environments.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

45 mins

Approach

Learn essential career skills

Materials

Post-it notes, Markers, Printed Scenario Cards, Teamwork Discussion Questions, Problem-Solving Worksheet, and Communication Quiz

Step 1

Introduction

5 mins

Briefly introduce the topic of essential skills required for future careers.
Explain why communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are important.
Outline the activities for the lesson.

Step 2

Activity 1: Communication Exercise

10 mins

Divide students into pairs and hand out post-it notes and markers.
Ask each pair to write down a simple message and try to communicate it to their partner without speaking (using only gestures and expressions).
After 5 minutes, discuss the challenges and importance of clear communication.

Step 3

Activity 2: Teamwork Challenge

10 mins

Form small groups of 3-4 students.
Provide each group with a set of scenario cards where teamwork is required to solve a problem.
Give them 5 minutes to discuss and solve the scenario.
Each group presents their solution and reflects on how they worked together.

Step 4

Activity 3: Problem-Solving Worksheet

15 mins

Distribute the Problem-Solving Worksheet.
Students work individually or in pairs to complete the worksheet.
Afterward, review the answers as a class and discuss different approaches to problem-solving.

Step 5

Closure

5 mins

Summarize the key takeaways from the lesson.
Ask students to share one thing they learned about communication, teamwork, or problem-solving.
Encourage students to think about how they can apply these skills in their daily lives and future careers.

Discussion

Teamwork Discussion Questions

A set of questions designed to facilitate a discussion among students about the importance and challenges of teamwork.

What strategies helped your group solve the problem?

Encourage students to think about how they communicated and collaborated.

What challenges did you face while working together?

Discuss common teamwork challenges like miscommunication, differing opinions, and coordination.

How did you overcome these challenges?

Highlight effective communication, compromise, and role distribution.

Worksheet

Problem-Solving Worksheet

A worksheet containing a series of problems that students can solve individually or in pairs, designed to develop problem-solving skills.

Describe a problem you faced recently. What steps did you take to solve it?

Think about a problem at school, home, or with friends.

What was the most difficult part of solving the problem, and how did you overcome it?

Consider any obstacles or challenges you encountered.

If you had to solve the same problem again, what would you do differently?

Reflect on your process and think about what could be improved.