21 Century Skills

Bag of Tricks
st

Bridget Trom
MAT 718

Educational Setting

Fernbrook Elementary School in Maple Grove, MN

Two sections of traditional half day Kindergarten

Critical Thinking and Problem

Solving
Make judgments and decisions
Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis

Example:
During read alouds I ask students to draw conclusions about the story elements of a fictional
story
Students must use context clues, personal experiences, and text-to-world and text-to-text
connections to assist them in drawing conclusions
How does the character feel? How do you know?
Why do you think the problem solved in that particular way?

Creativity and Innovation

Think creatively
Create novel, new and worthwhile ideas

Example:
After reading The Gingerbread Man students created their own idea of how they would catch
the Gingerbread Man.
Students expressed their idea through written and oral communication.

Communication
Communicate clearly
Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written, and nonverbal communication
skills in a variety of forms and contexts

Example:
Think-Pair-Share
Answer content questions
Share ideas
Share opinions

Collaboration

Collaborate with others

Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams

Example:
Literacy centers
Solve problems
Complete activities
Share materials
Take turns

References

Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R. (Eds.). (2010). 21st century skills rethinking how students learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills learning for life in our times. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.