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Will Robots Replace You?

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Warm Up

Warm-up: Prediction Poll

Get ready to think about the future of work! In this quick activity, you’ll predict which common jobs are most likely to be automated by robots or AI.

Directions:

  1. I will read aloud a list of 8 jobs.
  2. On a scale from 1 (least likely) to 5 (most likely), vote with your fingers or use our live poll tool to indicate how likely you think each job is to be automated in the next 20 years.
  3. After each vote, we’ll briefly discuss why you chose that rating.

Job List:

  • Retail Cashier
  • Taxi or Truck Driver
  • Factory Worker
  • Software Developer
  • Fast Food Cook
  • Financial Analyst
  • Teacher
  • Customer Service Representative

Think–Pair–Share:
• Turn to a partner and compare your top 2 “most at risk” jobs.
• Discuss one reason you agree or disagree on each choice.







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Lesson Plan

Automation Impact Guide

Students will assess how automation and AI impact various careers, predict which jobs face the highest risk, brainstorm strategies to future-proof their skills, and set personal action steps for career planning.

By exploring real-world examples and voicing predictions, students build digital and AI literacy, gain proactive career-planning skills, and learn to adapt to the evolving job market.

Audience

8th Grade

Time

40 minutes

Approach

Interactive polling, real-world slides, group brainstorming, and reflection

Materials

Prediction Poll, Robots in the Workplace Slide Deck, Adaptation Strategies Talk, and Reaction Canvas

Prep

Teacher Prep

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-up: Prediction Poll

5 minutes

  • Launch the Prediction Poll activity.
  • Read each job aloud; students vote on a 1–5 scale for automation risk.
  • After each vote, invite 2–3 students to explain their reasoning.
  • Quick Think–Pair–Share: partners compare top two “most at risk” jobs.

Step 2

Explore Automation Trends

10 minutes

  • Present slides 1–4 of the Robots in the Workplace Slide Deck.
  • Highlight real-world examples of AI/robotics transforming industries.
  • Pause after slide 4 to ask: “Which example surprised you most and why?”
  • Transition: How might these trends affect jobs you know?

Step 3

Adaptation Strategies Discussion

15 minutes

  • Introduce the Adaptation Strategies Talk.
  • Form groups of 3–4; assign each a scenario of a job facing automation.
  • Groups brainstorm 2–3 skills or actions workers could take to stay relevant.
  • Rotate scenarios so each group tackles a different job.
  • Reconvene and have each group share one top strategy.

Step 4

Cool-down: Reaction Canvas

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Reaction Canvas.
  • Students individually reflect: “My biggest takeaway” and “One action I will take.”
  • Collect canvases to assess understanding and gauge student plans.
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Slide Deck

Robots in the Workplace

How automation and AI are transforming industries—and what that means for your future careers.

Introduce the slide deck. Explain that we’ll look at real-world automation examples and data to understand how AI and robots are changing work.

Manufacturing Automation

• Robot arms in car factories assemble parts with high speed and precision
• Humans now focus on programming, maintenance, and quality control

Highlight advances in factory automation. Show a photo or short clip of robot arms assembling cars. Emphasize speed, precision, and how human roles have shifted.

Automation in Services

• Self-checkout kiosks in grocery stores
• Chatbots handling customer service inquiries
• Automated room-service robots in hotels

Point out examples in retail and hospitality. Ask: Have you used a self-checkout or spoken to a chatbot? What was that experience like?

AI in Professional Roles

• AI algorithms reviewing legal documents
• Machine-learning models predicting medical diagnoses
• Automated financial-analysis tools

Discuss how AI is affecting white-collar work. Show an example of legal-tech software or AI-assisted medical diagnosis.

Data Snapshot: Jobs at Risk

[Chart: Percentage of tasks at high risk of automation by industry]

• Manufacturing: 60%
• Retail & Food Service: 55%
• Finance & Insurance: 40%
• Education & Healthcare: 30%

Display a bar or pie chart showing projected automation risk by sector. Explain data source and ask students to interpret key trends.

Reflection Prompt

Which example surprised you most and why?

• Spend 1–2 minutes writing your thoughts
• Then turn to a neighbor and share one insight

Prompt students to reflect before moving to strategies. Encourage sharing with a partner or small group.

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Discussion

Adaptation Strategies Talk

Overview

In this group discussion, you’ll step into the shoes of workers whose jobs face automation. Together you’ll brainstorm strategies and skills these workers can develop to stay relevant—and think about how these ideas apply to your own future.

Directions (15 minutes)

  1. Form Groups: 3–4 students per group.

  2. Assign Scenarios: Each group receives one of the following job profiles:

    • Factory Worker (robot arms now assemble parts)
    • Customer Service Rep (chatbots handling basic inquiries)
    • Taxi/Truck Driver (self-driving vehicles emerging)
    • Financial Analyst (AI tools crunching data and forecasting)

  3. Brainstorm (7 minutes):

    • Identify 2–3 new skills or actions the worker could learn or take to remain valuable.
    • Consider:
      • What human strengths (creativity, empathy, problem-solving) still matter?
      • How can the worker collaborate with or oversee automation?
      • Which skills are transferable to other roles?

    Record your ideas on chart paper or a shared doc.

  4. Rotate Scenarios (5 minutes):

    • Swap your chart with another group.
    • Review their ideas and add 1 new strategy you think of based on your perspective.

  5. Share Out (3 minutes):

    • Each group names one top strategy from either round and explains why it’s powerful.

Guiding Questions & Follow-Ups

  • Which skill seems most “future-proof” across different jobs?
  • How might someone bundle technical and soft skills to stand out?
  • In your own life, what’s one thing you can start learning now to get ready for a changing job landscape?







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Cool Down

Reaction Canvas

Reflect on today's lesson about automation and your future career path by completing the prompts below.

1. My biggest takeaway:






2. One action I will take:






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Will Robots Replace You? • Lenny Learning