21ST CENTURY SKILLS FOR TODAY'S STUDENTS

Core Subjects

- English, reading or language arts
- World languages
- Arts
- Mathematics
- Economics
- Science
- Geography
- History
- Government and Civics

1. Global Awareness

Using 21st century skills to understand and address global issues

Learning from and working collaboratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, religions and lifestyles in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue in personal, work and community contexts

Understanding other nations and cultures, including the use of non-English languages

Students will examine how urbanization and suburban expansion has affected their local animal populations and their habitats.
A discussion of how deforestation, poaching, and exotic animal markets contributed to the extinction of species will allow students to make global connections.

2. Creativity and Innovation

Demonstrating originality and inventiveness in work

Developing, implementing and communicating new ideas to others

Being open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives

By exploring different perspectives, students will discover how they stand on animal and habitat preservation.

Students will design a culminating project that advocates change and will communicate their evidence of learning to others.

3. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Exercising sound reasoning in understanding

Making complex choices and decisions

Understanding the interconnections among systems
Identifying and asking significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

Framing, analyzing and synthesizing information in order to solve problems and answer questions

While communicating with experts in the field, students will have the opportunity to ask significant questions that clarify various points of view.
In order to solve the problem, students will frame, analyze and synthesize information.

4. Communication and Collaboration

Articulating thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through speaking and writing

Demonstrating ability to work effectively with diverse teams

Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal

Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work

Each student will be afforded the opportunity to work with a diverse team of students and will be given shared responsibility for collaborating.

5. Information Literacy

Accessing information efficiently and effectively, evaluating information critically and competently and using information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand

Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

Since there are many views on the subject of animal preservation and what humans should do on behalf of animal species, students will have the opportunity to assess information while they conduct their research.

Ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information will also be an important part of this research.

6. Media Literacy

Understanding how media messages are constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions.

Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors.

Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information.

Students should recognize how different animal rights groups use media to communicate their messages.

By examining media messages, students will recognize how media can influence beliefs and behaviors.

7. Information, Communications & Technology Literacy

Using digital technology, communication tools and/or networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge economy

Using technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information, and the possession of a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

Students will use technology as a tool for research. In the creation of their projects, students will use digital technology and communication tools to access, manage, integrate, evaluate and create information.

8. Life and Career Skills

Today's life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and content knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and career skills.

Flexibility and Adaptability

While working in a group setting, students will adapt to varied roles and responsibilities.

Students will recognize changing priorities as their culminating projects unfold.

Initiative and Self Direction
Students will start with basic information about the topic, then will expand that informaiton to explore and expand one's own learning.

They will use the curriculum to demonstrate initiative to advance skills to a professional level.

Students will use time management to manage their workloads.

A committment to lifelong learning will be evident as students solve problems using their own belief systems as well as the new information they have discovered.

Social and Cross Cultural SKills
While students work in teams, they will model appropriate productivity and will help each other increase the overall quality of work.

Productivity and Accountability
As students create their culminating projects, they will use deadlines to set and meet high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time.

Students will be encouraged to practice the skills of puntuality and reliabiltiy throughout the process.

Leadership and Responsibility
Each student will take responsibility for the project by using interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a common goal.

The strengths of each student will be recognized as intregal to the common goal.

[Source: Partnership for 21st Century Skills]