Future REady Skill Ideas

12 Future Ready Activities for ANY Classroom

The Three Phases of Blended Learning focuses on the four learning studios.  The four different learning studios include a mini-lesson with the teacher, an independent activity, digital content studio, and a future-ready skill activity.  Most teachers can grasp and plan for the first three studios, but often, they struggle to find activities or ideas for the fourth learning studio.  Today, I wanted to share out 12 quick Future Ready ideas that any teacher can implement into any classroom setting.

What do you mean by Future Ready Skills?

Don't over think the Future Ready Skills activities, especially when deploying Phase One of the Three Phases of Blended Learning.  Future Ready skills include creating, collaborating, communicating, connecting, and using critical thinking skills.  The one thing that we always look for in the future ready skills is to make sure the students can manipulate the content skills in a meaningful way and typically, they are working together with a partner or small group to develop to showcase their understanding of the concepts. 

Students at Thornton Middle School are putting together a math puzzle that relates to finding volume.  If the students put together the puzzle correctly, th scanned QR code will congratulate them. 

Level Up in Future Ready Skills

There is a difference between future-ready skills in the Three Phases of Blended Learning. In  Phase One the teacher provides activities for the students to complete.  For example, end the QR Code scavenger hunt and Flip Grid video that aligns to rays, lines, and angles.  Phase Two future-ready skills now provide choice to the students.  You can either create a video, a timeline, or a song to represent that you understand the fundamental concepts of the Russian Revolution.  Phase Three now brings in the idea of a designing Passion Projects, Project Based Learning, or 20% Time to allow the students to bring all of the key concepts being taught within a given time frame.  For example, a science teacher that is covering Force and Motion, might start the unit with a hook question, What would your day look like at an amusement park?

Quick Start Guide

It is essential not over think the Future Ready Skills.  Implementing something that the students can create, collaborate, communicate, connect or deploy critical thinking is better than implementing nothing.  Below are 12 ideas that you can start to add to your blended learning lessons today.  Download, print, and post the ideas near your desk.  I have also added in notes about the activities under the PDF.  

Resources for the Graphic

Mentimeter.com - Create Word Clouds
Incredibox.com - Create a song or ring tone
Google Song Maker - Create a song or ring tone
Chameleon The Art of Blending In - Board Game
Seesaw.me - Student portfolio creator
FlipGrid - Video Creator 
JeopardyLabs - Jeopardy Game activities