Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

Lesson 5E Lesson
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Adulting 101

Researching Life Skills

Bethany Farley, Bradly Cusack, Polly Base | Published: January 15th, 2025 by K20 Center

  • Grade Level Grade Level 12th
  • Subject Subject English/Language Arts
  • Course Course
  • Time Frame Time Frame 100 minutes
  • Duration More 2 periods

Summary

Many teenagers and young adults are concerned about life in the “real world” and the adult skills needed to navigate this landscape. In this lesson, students will explore “adulting.” Students will research necessary life skills and create a presentation to be delivered to their classmates. In the process, students will learn about real-world skills adults should have in their life toolbox.

Essential Question(s)

What are the essential skills needed for independent living/life as an adult?

Snapshot

Engage

Using the Collaborative Word Clouds strategy, students will use Mentimeter to brainstorm life skills they need but may not have.

Explore

Students examine up to three (3) life skills using Wakelet, then refine their research focus to one skill. 

Explain

Students observe an exemplar presentation of a life skill and research the skill they isolated for a life-skill presentation. Students share their research with a partner using the 30-Second Expert strategy, and then reflect using the Triangle-Square-Circle strategy.

Extend

Students create a life-skill presentation Elevator Speech of the skill they isolated.

Evaluate

Students teach the skill they learned about to their classmates then consider their experience in this lesson using the Two Stars and a Wish instructional strategy.

Materials

  • Laptops or Chromebooks with internet access

  • Lesson Slides (attached)

  • Life Skills Note Catcher (attached; 1 per student)

  • One-Pager Template (attached; 1 per student)

  • Stress Management handout (attached; 1 per student)

  • Presentation Rubric (attached; 1 per student)

  • QR Code Guide (attached; 1 per student)

  • Presentations Note Catcher (attached; 1 per student)

Engage

10 Minute(s)

Use the attached Lesson Slides to facilitate the lesson. Display the essential question on slide 2 and the learning objectives on slide 3.

Display slide 4 and ask students to use the QR code or Menti code to access the Mentimeter you created. Using the Mentimeter tech tool, students make a word cloud of what they think are essential life skills for being a successful adult. Give students several minutes to come up with ideas. Each student should contribute, so that the number of skills in the word cloud equals the number of students in your class.

Once students have generated a good list of suggested skills, engage in a class discussion about the skills. After the discussion, ask students if they have thought of any more skills they think are needed to be a successful adult and allow them 1–2 minutes to add these to the word cloud.

Explore

15 Minute(s)

Ask students to choose three (3) life skills they do not know how to do from the list of skills generated in the word cloud.

Hand out copies of the attached Life Skills Note Catcher. Briefly show slide 5 to allow students to pull up the Wakelet, then display the Wakelet on the screen and model how to search for life skills in the document. Ask students to use the Wakelet provided to find explanatory texts or videos that teach them about each skill. As they research, students should be recording their findings on the Life Skills Note Catcher. 

At the end of the research time, revisit the essential question and ask students to think about which of the skills they researched is the most essential to successful adulthood. Engage in a classroom discussion. 

After the discussion, have students choose one skill they wish to learn more about. Each student should have a unique skill to research and create a presentation on.

Explain

25 Minute(s)

Exemplary work on this lesson requires students to use a multimodal approach. Model this for students during the exemplar presentation, explaining that presenting the information using the slideshow only is not “teaching” the skill and that the project necessitates a multimodal approach. 

Either pass out printed copieds of the One-Pager Template and the Stress Management handout or allow students time to access them from slide 6. Then, using slides 7–9, begin the exemplar presentation on the life skill of Stress Management.

Begin by defining stress, its effects, and the importance of stress management. Explain to students that the video Adult 101: Stress Management for Teens and Young Adults is part of your multimodal presentation, then play it from the 2:48 mark to the 3:45 mark. 

Discuss the list of stress management techniques from the Stress Management handout, paying particular attention to the following:

  1. The four A’s: Avoid, Alter, Adapt, Accept (provide an example for each)

  2. 5-5-5 breathing (teach this technique to the class) 

  3. Chair yoga

    (demonstrate a couple of poses)

On slide 9, go through the “What’s the worst that can happen?” exercise. Ask the students to think of a situation that is stressing them out and literally imagine what the worst outcome might be. Ask students, “What would you do to prepare for that situation?”

Briefly explain the provided links on the Stress Management handout and how they improved the research process. 

Display slide 10 and Invite students to research the skill they isolated in the “Explore” section. Students should research their topic until they are able to explain and teach it to their peers.

Have students work with a partner to participate in 30-Second Expert, with each providing a 30-second explanation of what they have learned about their skill so far. 

Then, display slide 11 and have students reflect using the Triangle-Square-Circle instructional strategy.

Extend

30 Minute(s)

Display slide 12 and pass out the Presentation Rubric and the QR Code Guide.

Read through the rubric with the students and give time for questions. 

Discuss making a QR code, and define multimodality.

Display slide 13 and instruct students to prepare a 30-second Elevator Speech in which they are the expert and teach their classmates the skill they learned.

Presentations should include the attached One-Pager Template handout. Allow students time to work on their presentations. Walk around the classroom to monitor and adjust progress, respond to student questions, and address misconceptions.

Evaluate

20 Minute(s)

Students present and teach the skill they learned to the class. The goal here is that students not only learn the skill they researched, but they also learn the skills that their classmates researched. Give students adequate time to present their skills.

Depending on available time, students may either traditionally present or you could set up a Gallery Walk. Use slide 14 for a gallery walk and use slide 15 for a traditional presentation.

Regardless of presentation method, classmates will demonstrate their engagement with the Presentations Note Catcher by writing three key takeaways from each presentation. 

Finally, after everyone has had an opportunity to present, display slide 16. Ask students to complete an exit ticket using the Two Stars and a Wish instructional strategy.

Resources

Publisher

K20 Center

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Downloads

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Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts (Grade 12)
12.6.R.2: Students will synthesize resources to acquire and refine knowledge, following ethical and legal citation guidelines.
12.6.R.3: Students will evaluate the relevance, reliability, and validity of the information gathered.
7.W: Writing: Students will create multimodal texts to communicate knowledge and develop arguments.
12.7.W.1: Students will create multimodal content to communicate knowledge and defend arguments.
12.7.W.2: Students will construct engaging visual and/or multimedia presentations using a variety of media forms to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence for diverse audiences.

Facilitator Resources

Click on a file type icon to download an attachment.

  • Adulting 101 Slidedeck

Learner Handouts

Click on a file type icon to download an attachment.

  • Life Skills Note Catcher—Adulting 101
  • One-Pager Template—Adulting 101
  • Presentation Rubric—Adulting 101
  • Presentations Note Catcher—Adulting 101
  • QR Code Guide—Adulting 101
  • Stress Management—Adulting 101

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