The 4C's: 21st Century Skills

Which of the 4C's this activity would fall under? English – 12th Grade. In small groups, students create a plan for involving students in making technology decisions in the school. The process may include gathering student input from surveys, establishing a student advisory committee, using students to help provide tech support or other services to the school, evaluating cost/value ratios, and fundraising proposals to support their recommended strategies. These plans should be used in a presentation to the principal or the school board.

• critical thinking and problem solving

• communication

• collaboration

• creativity and innovation

Which of the 4C's this activity would fall under? World Languages – 12th Grade. As part of a unit on community development, students communicate with a Peace Corps volunteer, community activist, or local leader who is fluent in the target language and has field work experience. Students exchange information related to the work/projects being undertaken in that country or locally. Areas of focus may include: agriculture, business, education, health, and the environment. Students in the advanced range can narrate and describe using connected sentences and paragraphs in at least three time frames when discussing topics of personal, school, and community interest. They can comprehend main ideas and significant details regarding a variety of topics. Students generally reach this proficiency range after participating in a well-articulated standards based K-12 language program.

• critical thinking and problem solving

• communication

• collaboration

• creativity and innovation

Which of the 4C's this activity would fall under? Social Studies – 12th Grade. Working in small groups, students survey favorite forms of recreation among local teens. Students also research the local history of recreational youth facilities for teens and the potential sources of political and economic support. The information is graphed and analyzed, and each group creates a business plan for developing a local recreation center/club for teens. Students present survey results, need, and plan to a community group or civic association using technology tools. Working in small groups, students research a current issue and analyze its historical, political, and economic components, various viewpoints, and potential solutions, and create a digital presentation that clearly describes all sides of the issue.

• critical thinking and problem solving

• communication

• collaboration

• creativity and innovation

Which of the 4C's this activity would fall under? Science – 8th Grade. Student teams design plans for a device that will assist people with disabilities and create 3-D sketches of their device using simple computeraided design software. The class develops criteria for peer review, and then teams pass their plans to another team that makes recommendations for refinements to improve the original plans. All teams debrief together on their experience with the engineering/design process and identify the different scientific disciplines they used to create their design (biology, physics, engineering, etc.) and how those disciplines interrelate when applied to solving the design problem. Students also discuss what other expertise they could use to improve their designs—including input from people with the disabilities their designs address. Students are able to describe how science and engineering involve creative processes that include generating and testing ideas, making observations, and formulating explanations, and can apply these processes in their own investigations.

• critical thinking and problem solving

• communication

• collaboration

• creativity and innovation

What do the Four C's stand for in the "21st Century Skills"?

• Chill, clap, communicate, and call

• Classroom, Campus, Cult, City

• Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking

• Cohere, Correct, Confound, Comply

Who makes up the Partnership for 21st Century Skills?

• Business community, education leaders, and policymakers

• Businessmen

• Teachers and Students

• Principals

Which one of these is NOT a critical thinking skill?

• analyze

• coloring

• interpret

• solve problems

Which one of these is NOT communication?

• expressing opinions

• requires strong listening skills

• speaking clearly

• sleeping

Which one of these is NOT collaboration?

• working with others

• independent practice

• being flexible

• sharing responsibilities

Which one of these is not creativity?

• brainstorming

• refining ideas

• being closed-minded

• being responsive to ideas from others