This article is about possibilities and is an excellent example of how technology will change the way we live.
Introduction to the article (perhaps by having everyone read it)
Show the title of the article to the class. Ask them what they know about drones and what drones do.
Subject Area(s) covered
Entrepreneurship, STEM careers, technology adaption, futurescaping
New Terms to explain
Drone, inflection, STEM
Key things students can learn from this lesson
Students will learn two different ways to start thinking about the future.
Action (here’s how we’ll do it)
- Distribute the article for reading.
- Organize the class into five equal groups: A, B, C D and E. Create breakout rooms ahead of time if you can, using your learning management system
- Have students work together with an online white board to create a graphic showing how drones are used currently.
- Ask students to develop a mind map to show how they think drones might be used in the future. Encourage them to ask “what if” and push the boundaries of what we know today.
- Allow 15 minutes for the brainstorming and evaluation of ideas to take place.
Consolidation of learning
- Have students select the idea from their mind map that they see as the best possibility for how drones will be used. Have them create and produce an infomercial for the concept.
- Students are able to articulate how they could use graphic analysis and the mind map in other learning situations.
- Have students present their infomercials and receive feedback from the class. This should be a fun and informative session with opportunities to reflect on how ideas and possibilities are generated.
Activities to do together
- Increased drone activity brings up the idea of new careers. Together, investigate career predictions for 2030. You may want to start by researching STEM or STEAM careers of the future. STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, while STEAM adds the Arts to that combination. Make a list of at least 10 careers that do not exist today and talk about what preparation will be required to enter one of these fields.
- Have students create a diary entry about their thoughts on where they will be career-wise in 2030 and tuck it away to share then. Time will fly by.
- Another fun activity is to build a replica of a drone of the future using Play-Doh or cardboard or a 3D modelling software if you have access to it.