21ST CENTURY Worst Case Scenario:

LESSON Making Decisions in the 21st Century

LESSON DURATION ESSENTIAL QUESTION
50 minutes How do I collaborate with my peers to make
the best decisions possible?
LESSON OBJECTIVE
I can collaborate with peers to
Lesson make effective decisions.
Snapshot
21 ST CENTURY LEARNING COMPETENCIES
Introduction 5 MINS
• Introduce skill and topic Life and Career Skills Learning and Innovation Skills
• Assign groups and roles • Flexibility and Adaptability • Critical Thinking
• Productivity and Accountability • Creativity
• Leadership and Responsibility • Collaboration
Model, Practice, 30 MINS
• Communication
and Apply
• Model/Practice:
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY MATERIALS
Scenario 1: Trapped
• Collaborate – to work • Trapped on a Sinking Ship!
on a Sinking Ship!
together as a group to • Trapped on a Sinking Ship! Items to Safety
• Apply: Scenario 2:
produce something • Lost in the Woods!
Lost in the Woods – Gather
• Unanimous – having the • Lost in the Woods! Items to Safety
Information
agreement of all • Assessment Rubric
• Lost in the Woods – Group
• Chart Paper
Discussion,Collaboration,
and Decision Making
EDUCATOR PREP
• Print Student Materials for each group. Tech Tip
Wrap-Up and 15 MINS • Display essential vocabulary in the classroom. Use Google
Assessment • Display essential questions in the classroom. Docs to replace
• Group Presentations • Prepare chart paper to display teacher modeling of printing Lost in
the Woods! Items
• Individual Student Trapped on a Sinking Ship!
to Safety
Assessments • Optional: Create student groups and assign student roles.

Common Core Key Ideas & Details Comprehension and Presentation of Knowledge
State Anchor CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1 Collaboration and Ideas
Standards Read closely to determine CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4
what the text says explicitly and Prepare for and participate Present information, findings, and
to make logical inferences effectively in a range of supporting evidence so that listeners
from it; cite specific textual conversations and collaborations can follow the line of reasoning and so
evidence when writing or with diverse partners, building on that the organization, development,
speaking to support conclusions others’ ideas and expressing their and style are appropriate to task,
drawn from the text. own clearly and persuasively. purpose, and audience.
 INTRODUCTION (5 mins)

1. Introduce the skill and its purpose. Say: Today we will practice an important
life skill—making decisions. We make decisions constantly. Each day we wake up
and make decisions for ourselves. Other times, we make decisions with others. We
decide how to manage homework and afterschool activities, we decide what to do
on the weekends with our families, and we decide how to deal with arguments with
friends. Turn to your partner and share one decision you made today that involved
others. You have one minute to share.
2. Monitor partner interactions. Have 2–3 students share with the class,
explaining what decision they made and how they came to that decision.
Say: We make decisions every day. There may be times when we have bigger
decisions to make. Today we will work with our classmates to help us make difficult
Support
decisions. As you work you will ask yourself: How do I collaborate with my peers to
Create heterogeneous groups make the best decisions possible?
prior to instruction based on
academic and social needs. Assign
3. Assign groups and roles. Divide students into groups of 4. You may do this
roles to students to showcase randomly (ex. giving students numbers 1–4, or passing out paper with numbers
their individual strengths. 1–4), or teacher may assign groups prior to instruction. Groups also need the four
assigned roles of “reader,” “recorder,” “timekeeper,” and “mediator.” Similarly,
these roles can be assigned randomly or prior to instruction.
Extend (Job Roles Note: The reader reads the directions and text out loud to group
Allow students to members. The recorder writes down the items and explanations the groups choose.
independently assign roles after
The timekeeper makes sure students are completing the assignment in the time
discussing students’ strengths.
given. The mediator make sure students get along and stay on task.)

MODEL, PRACTICE, AND APPLY (30 mins)

Model
• Introduce the Topic. Say: You are now involved in “The Worst Case Scenario!”
Support Together we will read a “Worst Case Scenario,” and your group has to decide on
Explain that a scenario is 5 must-have items that will help them get to safety. After we complete the first
a specific situation.
scenario, your group will work together on another “Worst Case Scenario.” You
must come up with exactly 5 items, and the 5 items must be a unanimous decision
by the group, meaning everyone has to agree on the items. You will decide by
researching the scenario, investigating a list of items, and through discussions with
your group.

Practice
• Distribute Trapped on a Sinking Ship! to each group. Say: Whenever we make
a decision, we first gather the information the way a detective would gather clues.
Then we consider each piece of information and decide which is most important
and most helpful. Follow along as I read “Trapped on a Sinking Ship!”
• Reread the text with the students and highlight or underline the information
that is most important in helping them make decisions. (ex: Much of the boat is
destroyed, and you are quickly sinking. You don’t know your location, and there is
no land in sight.)

V ITA L SIGNS: 21 ST C E NT U RY LE SSO N 2

 PRACTICE (continued)

• Distribute Trapped on a Sinking Ship! Items to Safety to each group. Say:

Support
Now that we are familiar with the scenario, let’s look at the list of items we
• Provide students with have to choose from to help us get to safety. Follow along as I read the directions
an example before having
students brainstorm. (Ex.
and the items.
We chose flares. We chose this • Say: Now you will brainstorm with your group to determine which items you
item because we can set the would want to help you get to safety. Remember, you can choose from the list or
flares off and alert any nearby
come up with your own items. With your group, choose 1 item to record on your
boats that we are in danger
and need their help.) sheet to share with the class. You have to list your item and explain WHY you chose it.
• Provide students with
• Call on each group to share one item they chose, along with their explanation.
definitions and pictures for Display each item chosen on chart paper for the entire class to see.
each item on the list of Lost • Say: We successfully collaborated, or worked together, to get to safety. To do
in the Woods! Items to Safety.
this, we gathered information, decided what was most important, brainstormed
Provide students with an
academic sentence frame to options, and made a list of items. Now you will try this in your groups.
start each explanation. (Ex.
We chose this item because …) Apply
• Distribute Lost in the Woods! and Lost in the Woods! Items to Safety to each group.
Say: You will now have 20 minutes to gather information, brainstorm options,
Extend
and unanimously decide on 5 items to help get your group to safety. Remember,
Do not provide students
the reader should read the information, and the recorder should list your items and
with the list of items. Allow
students to come up with items explanations. The timekeeper should make sure you finish the task on time and the
on their own, based on their mediator should make sure you are all working together. When you are done you will
own knowledge and experiences. present your list to the class.
• Monitor the groups as they work and take notes on collaboration and
participation.

WRAP-UP AND ASSESSMENT (15 mins)

• Have each group present their 5 items and explain why they chose each.
Allow 2–3 questions or comments from their classmates when done presenting.
• Distribute Assessment Rubric to each student. Students complete reflecting
on their individual and group’s decision making, collaboration, and ability to
complete the task.
• Reflect as a whole class through discussion. Have students build on what the
previous student said. (Ex. I agree with _______ because; I disagree with _____
because.) Ask:
◉◉ What difficulties did you face when trying to make the best decisions
to get to safety?
◉◉ How did you and your group collaborate to make the best decisions
possible to get to safety?
◉◉ In this game, you’re going to be the director of a community clinic.
What kinds of decisions might you make as the director of a
community clinic?
◉◉ Using what you learned today, how would you work with your team at
the community clinic to decide how to handle a serious problem?

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1 TRAPPED ON A SINKING SHIP!

21 ST CENTURY Decision Making
SKILLS

Scenario:
You and your family are on a relaxing boat ride around
the Bahamas over summer vacation. None of you have
experience on boats, and you have hired a captain to take
you around for the day. All of a sudden, a fire breaks out,
and you lose the captain as he tries to fight the blaze.
Much of the boat is destroyed, and you are quickly sinking.
You don’t know your location, and there is no land in
sight. You hope to be rescued, but don’t know how much
time you have left before the boat completely sinks.

HELP! How would you get yourself to safety?

6 VITAL SIGNS: DIRECTOR’S HANDBOOK

V ITA L SIGNS: 21 ST C E NT U RY SK I LLS Corresponding Student Materials and Worksheets 4

 TRAPPED ON A SINKING SHIP!
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2 ITEMS TO SAFETY
21ST CENTURY Decision Making
SKILLS
Group Members:

Directions: You and your 1. Item Selected:

group members must
Explanation:
unanimously decide on the
5 items you would choose
to help you get to safety.
You may choose from the
list below, or you may add 2. Item Selected:
items you come up with.
You must explain why you Explanation:
chose each item and how it
will help you get to safety.

ITEMS TO CHOOSE FROM:

3. Item Selected:
• Flashlight
• Life jacket Explanation:
• Lifeboat
• Cell phone
• Rope
• First aid kit
• Sunscreen 4. Item Selected:
• Matches Explanation:
• Food
• Water
• Flares
• Mirrors
• Radio 5. Item Selected:
• Shark repellant
Explanation:
• Fishing kit
• Horn

21 ST CENTURY SKILLS: DECISION MAKING 7

V ITA L SIGNS: 21 ST C E NT U RY SK I LLS Corresponding Student Materials and Worksheets 5

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3 LOST IN THE WOODS!

21 ST CENTURY Decision Making
SKILLS

Scenario:
You and your friends decide to go play in the woods
behind your house on a brisk fall day. You run out of
your house without telling your parents, but you plan to
be back before dinner. After three hours of running and
playing, the sun is starting to set and the air is getting
colder. You start heading in the direction of home, but you
don’t recognize anything around you. You are lost in the
woods, and you don’t know how to get back.

HELP! How would you get yourself to safety?

8 VITAL SIGNS: DIRECTOR’S HANDBOOK

V ITA L SIGNS: 21 ST C E NT U RY SK I LLS Corresponding Student Materials and Worksheets 6

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4 LOST IN THE WOODS! ITEMS TO SAFETY

21ST CENTURY Decision Making
SKILLS
Group Members:

Directions: You and your 1. Item Selected:

group members must
Explanation:
unanimously decide on the
5 items you would choose to
help you get to safety. You
may choose from the list
below, or you may include 2. Item Selected:
items you come up with.
You must explain why you Explanation:
chose each item and how it
will help you get to safety.

ITEMS TO CHOOSE FROM:

3. Item Selected:
• Flashlight
• Cell phone Explanation:
• Rope
• First aid kit
• Sunscreen
• Matches
• Food 4. Item Selected:
• Water Explanation:
• Pocketknife
• Compass
• Sleeping bag
• Whistle
• Jacket 5. Item Selected:
• Maps
Explanation:
• Batteries
• Binoculars

21 ST CENTURY SKILLS: DECISION MAKING 9

V ITA L SIGNS: 21 ST C E NT U RY SK I LLS Corresponding Student Materials and Worksheets 7

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5 WORST CASE SCENARIO REFLECTION

21 ST CENTURY Decision Making
SKILLS

1. What difficulties did you face when trying to make the best decisions to get to safety?

2. How did you and your group collaborate to make the best decisions possible to get you to safety?

CONNECTION TO GAMEPLAY:

1. In this game, you’re going to be the medical director of a community clinic. What kinds of decisions
might you make as the leader of a community clinic?

2. Using what you learned today, how would you work with your team at the community clinic to
decide how to handle a serious problem?

10 VITAL SIGNS: DIRECTOR’S HANDBOOK

V ITA L SIGNS: 21 ST C E NT U RY SK I LLS Corresponding Student Materials and Worksheets 8

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6 ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
21ST CENTURY Decision Making
SKILLS
Directions: Place an X in the appropriate box to reflect on how well
you and your group performed on this assignment.

I could do this I did this I did this

SELF REFLECTION: better adequately really well

I performed my assigned role.

I helped make decisions to get

us to safety.

I listened to my group members

when they were speaking.

I worked well with my group

during the entire challenge.

We could do this We did this We did this

GROUP REFLECTION: better adequately really well

Group members performed

assigned roles.

We unanimously chose 5 items to

get us to safety.

We explained clearly why we

chose each item.

We completed the assignment in

the time given.

21 ST CENTURY SKILLS: DECISION MAKING 11

V ITA L SIGNS: 21 ST C E NT U RY SK I LLS Corresponding Student Materials and Worksheets 9