Skills for a Mosaic Economy – Marketing and Sales

Marketing & Sales - the Sales CycleHere is an excerpt from the workshop/class series: Career Development in a Mosaic Economy.  This is from the part of the series on skills for a mosaic economy, from the unit on Marketing & Sales Skills.

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Presentation #1: The Sales Cycle: The sales cycle is a model for understanding how sales work is done. Suppose you are a salesperson working in a shoe store, a sporting goods store or a hardware store, a waiter working in a restaurant, or a sales representative working for a software company.  In each of these settings, there is a similar process:

THE SALES CYCLE

Step 1: Find out about customer wants and needs.

Step 2: Draw on your knowledge of the product line to present options.

Step 3: Assist the customer in exploring and evaluating the options.

Step 4: Based on the customer choice, suggest any accessories or add-on options that the customer might also want.

Step 5: Complete the sale. Or, if there is no sale, suggest next steps.

Discussion: Ask students to think of examples of the sales cycle.  Think of various types of retail stores and non-retail settings.  What are some of the factors that make a sales person successful?  What are some of the challenges?  Have you done this type of work?  Were you successful?  Did you enjoy it?

Of course, some businesses have more of a self-service model, in which customers can select and purchase the products they want with minimal assistance from staff. But even in these businesses, there are staff who can help the customer find products and make choices if needed, and there is an overall marketing strategy that helps customers identify their wants and needs and select and purchase products.

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Presentation #2: The Marketing Process.

Marketing is the term for the overall strategy promoting sales of your product or service and meeting customer needs. Marketing also has a five-part model:

THE MARKETING PROCESS
1. CUSTOMER. Identify customer wants and needs.
2. PRODUCT. Develop your products and/or services to meet customer wants and needs.
3. IDENTITY. Develop an identity for the product or service, including name of the product, packaging, pricing strategy and special features of the product or service.
4. COMMUNICATION. Develop channels of communication to promote the company and the product, including signs, advertising, social media, community events and community sponsorships, and other strategies.
5. DISTRIBUTION. Develop channels for physical distribution and sales, including selling through stores, catalogs, online, and other channels.

Discussion: Think of some examples of products and services. Discuss how these products and services are marketed. Consider the various aspects of the marketing process. What customer need is being addressed? What is the image or “identity” of the product? How does the company promote and distribute the product?

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by on May 12, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Reflection and Journaling, Uncategorized, Youth Employment
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Posted by Jennifer on May 12, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=966

Career Development in a Mosaic Economy – Workshop Series

Student in a workshopI have posted an outline for a workshop/class series on “Career Development in a Mosaic Economy” on the Contextual Learning Portal.  There are workshop resources and discussion topics on exploring career information and on skills for a mosaic economy.  The series is based on the book project I have been working on: “The Mosaic Economy” as well as on the “Career Development Toolkit” that I developed a few years ago.  Here is a sample from the first unit in the series. 

The full workshop/class series outline is available on the Contextual Learning Portal at http://resources21.org/cl/contextual.asp?projectnumber=366.4982  (as well as linked from The Skills Library homepage at http://skillslibrary.com).   The series looks at creativity, leadership, marketing and sales, customer service, hiring and interviewing and resume writing as well as career exploration topics.

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Presentation: Goals of the workshop/class series.

This workshop/class series explores topics in business and economics, focusing on skills and knowledge that are useful for career development. The series includes units on leadership, creativity, sales and marketing, customer service, interviewing and hiring, resumes and technical skills. The series also includes an exploration of the many types of jobs and career paths that exist in the economy. The series uses the book (or e-book) “The Mosaic Economy” which provides a look at the diverse mosaic of jobs in the economy today.

Economics is the study of how societies use resources to produce and consume the products and services we need. The study of economics focuses on all aspects of the modern economy, such as jobs, how businesses get started and grow, the role of money and banking in the economy, international trade, and many other topics.

The study of business focuses on practical aspects of managing businesses and organizations. College-level business courses focus on management, marketing, accounting and finance, production management and many other aspects of business.

Today, and in the next few units, we’ll look at the mosaic of jobs in the economy.  The image of a mosaic helps to illustrate the idea that the economy is made up of a wide variety of inter-related themes and types of work.  Each time you take a look at the mosaic, a different picture may emerge.

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Small Group Discussion: Imagine a very simple local economy in a remote small village or island. Imagine that everything that people need must be produced locally. In your small group discussion, list some of the products and services that people need and decide how they will be provided. Include “intangible” services such as education, medical care and entertainment as well as tangible goods like food and clothing. As your group discusses this question, take notes about the ideas raised and be ready to present a summary of your discussion to the rest of the class. If you have time, you can prepare a chart, map or other visual summary of the local economy that you have imagined.

Report-out: Each group presents a summary of their discussion.

Summary Discussion: Summarize the presentation, making note of the wide variety of work and jobs that are necessary in even the simplest economy. Ask the question: in what ways is the economy we live in different from the simple economies that we have imagined? Dicuss thoughts on this question. Define the idea of a “mosaic economy.”  (See Mosaic Economy: Introduction) Explain that as economies move away from a simple, agricultural economy toward a more complex economy, the mix of jobs becomes more varied. As manufacturing and technology develops, there are new jobs in production and technical work, but also in marketing, transportation, retailing, banking and finance, education and training, research and many other sectors. As the economy continues to advance, more and more resources are invested in the non-tangibles that are valued by society, such as community life, youth programs, home design, art, entertainment, health and wellness and other things that we value. These values also create more business and job opportunities. The mosaic economy is a economy made up of all these inter-related pieces.

Close the discussion by explaining that we‘ll continue to look at the variety of businesses, organizations, jobs and skills used in the contemporary economy.

Reading assignment: Assign students to read the Introduction to “The Mosaic Economy.” This introductory chapter starts to looks at where the jobs are in the current economy.  Reading: The Mosaic Economy, Introduction.   http://skillslibrary.com/mosaic/mosaiceconomy.htm

or

Career Development Toolkit, Unit 1: Introduction and Unit 5: The New Economy.  http://skillslibrary.com/careers/careerdevelopment_skillslibrary.pdf

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by on May 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in New Economy, Youth Development, Youth Employment
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Posted by Jennifer on May 11, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=954

Labor Market Statistics & New Occupations

Solar photovoltaic cell installers - one of the new occupations in the BLS list of occupationsIf you use labor market data, you know that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) generally tracks employment information for a list of over one thousand occupations.  The BLS faces the challenge of tracking a consistent list from year-to-year, while also keeping the list of occupations up-to-date, reflecting the jobs that are common in the current economy.

Last week, the employment statistics released by the BLS included 24 occupations that are new to the list.   Previously, people in these jobs would have been grouped in with other categories.

Here, below, is a chart with the new occupations.   Many are not at all “new” — but reflect changes that have taken place over several decades — web developers, computer network architects, computer network support specialists, information security analysts.  Others have a “newer” feel — such as two new occupational groups in alternative energy — Solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine service technicians.

How is this data useful for career planning? Schools and job training programs use the data for long-range planning, deciding whether to invest in programs in alternative energy, healthcare, computer technology and other growing fields. Individuals may look at labor market data as a reality check before investing time and money in a program of study. Individuals also look at the data as inspiration for brainstorming about next steps in their education and careers.

Labor market data should be part of a three-part strategy for planning — looking at opportunities, interests/values and personal timeframe.  Read more in a next post — how do people make the best use of labor market data for career planning?

 

Table A. National employment and wages for occupations identified as new in the 2010 Standard
Occupational Classification (SOC) system, May 2012
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  2010                                                  Employment       Mean wages     Median Hourly
  SOC                     Occupation                                 Hourly    Annual      Wages
  Code                                                                                              
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-1131 Fundraisers ....................................  48,530     $26.55    $55,220     $24.37
15-1122 Information security analysts ..................  72,670      42.93     89,290      41.43
15-1134 Web developers ................................. 102,940      31.78     66,100      30.05
15-1143 Computer network architects .................... 137,890      45.19     94,000      43.75
15-1152 Computer network support specialists ........... 167,980      30.27     62,960      28.41
21-1094 Community health workers .......................  38,020      18.02     37,490      16.64
25-2051 Special education teachers, preschool ..........  21,770       (2)      57,770       (2)
25-2059 Special education teachers, all other ..........  39,260       (2)      56,160       (2)
29-1128 Exercise physiologists .........................   5,820      22.89     47,610      21.53
29-1151 Nurse anesthetists .............................  34,180      74.22    154,390      71.23
29-1161 Nurse midwives .................................   5,710      43.78     91,070      43.08
29-1171 Nurse practitioners ............................ 105,780      43.97     91,450      43.25
29-2035 Magnetic resonance imaging technologists .......  29,560      31.45     65,410      31.42
29-2057 Ophthalmic medical technicians .................  29,170      17.11     35,590      16.46
29-2092 Hearing aid specialists ........................   4,980      22.49     46,780      19.92
29-9092 Genetic counselors .............................   2,000      26.84     55,820      27.31
31-1015 Orderlies ......................................  53,920      12.35     25,700      11.53
31-9097 Phlebotomists .................................. 100,380      14.86     30,910      14.29
33-9093 Transportation security screeners ..............  47,200      17.85     37,130      17.71
39-4031 Morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors .  23,070      25.33     52,690      22.52
43-3099 Financial clerks, all other ....................  39,290      19.03     39,580      17.72
47-2231 Solar photovoltaic installers ..................   4,710      19.53     40,620      18.22
49-9081 Wind turbine service technicians ...............   3,200      23.23     48,320      22.10
51-3099 Food processing workers, all other .............  37,570      11.96     24,880      11.12
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by on March 31, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in New Economy
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Posted by Jennifer on March 31, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=943

Reflection and Journaling

Photo of teen working in a bakery

Reflection and journal writing can be a valuable part of youth employment experiences. If you are planning a job or internship program for youth for this summer or next school year, consider incorporating the “Reflection Screen” in the Work-Based Learning Database and the related reflection resources.

Last spring, we added a new “Reflection Screen” to the Work-Based Learning Database.   The screen provides a choice of reflection questions, based on the Work-Based Learning Plan skills, and provides space for participants to  write brief responses.  This provides “online journaling” for summer jobs programs, internship programs and other youth employment experiences.

While developing the reflection screen, I talked with people about the question “What makes a good reflection question?”  Ideally, the purpose of the reflective writing is to help program participants to consolidate what they have learned and to expand on their ideas and insights.

Reflective writing is valuable for consolidating your knowledge – reviewing and summarizing what you have learned about a job, about career options, and about skills you have obtained.  This type of reflection is valuable as a foundation for taking next steps in your career development: for setting goals, looking at postsecondary education options, writing college applications, writing resumes, answering job interview questions, and other next steps.

Reflective writing is also valuable for  expanding your ideas and insights –using your experience as a starting point for exploring ideas, thinking about trends, and working out your own opinions on various subjects.  The topics for these reflections may be very specific or very broad, including reflections on specific skills used during the work experience — such as leadership skills or listening skills or motivation – or reflections on larger trends in technology, job markets and other areas.

Reflection can be a very important part of summer jobs programs, internship programs, transition programs and other youth employment experiences.   As you plan your summer jobs programs and next year’s internshp programs, consider making the reflection screen and resources part of your programming.

Read more about reflection in general at http://resources21.org/reflection.  Read more about the reflection screen at http://skillspages.com/masswbl .

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by on March 25, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Reflection and Journaling, Youth Employment
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Posted by Jennifer on March 25, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=934

Career Development Tools Workshop – May 9th CWC Annual Conference

I am excited to be presenting a workshop at the upcoming May 9th Commonwealth Workforce Coalition Annual Conference.  This annual conference brings together all types of workforce development professionals, for both youth and adults.

Conference registration is now open at http://cwc.cedac.org/2013Conference.html.

When you register, look for my workshop:

Career Development Tools for a Mosaic Economy

Jennifer Leonard, The Skills Library

Careers can take many different shapes based on people’s values, personal situations and opportunities. Even in the midst of economic worries, the economy is dynamic, with new opportunities emerging. This workshop provides career development tools, lesson plans, and approaches for career exploration and advising in today’s mosaic economy.

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by on March 17, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by Jennifer on March 17, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=930

Three Ideas about Time Management

Picture of my online calendarA few decades ago, as technology was advancing and computers and easy-to-use software were becoming more and more available, many people predicted paperless offices, shorter work weeks and other great savings of time and resources.  But instead, the ease of gathering and managing information and developing print and online products  has awakened an ever greater demand for more information, more accountability, more analysis, faster changes in products, more paper, more websites, more time.  There are great advantages to the ease with which we can share information and ideas, analyze data and work in a more informed, more connected, visually appealing, creatively fertile environment.  But there’s also a new sense of “busy” spreading throughout nonprofit organizations, schools, businesses, government offices.  As you greet friends, colleagues, strangers, on weekends, on Monday morning in the elevator, on the street, asking “How are you?” the answer, more and more, is “Oh, really busy lately!”

So my thoughts:

1.) Attitude:  I’m doing an experiment with banishing the word “busy” from my mind and vocabulary.   I’m trying this out as a ”keystone” habit — a habit that can lead to changes in other behavior and habits. If you no longer tell the world “oh, I’m so busy,” you can no longer brush off the fact that you haven’t replied to an email, RSVPed to a dinner invitation, started an important work task on your to-do list, and that you are running from task to task without a sense of accomplishment.   Without the word “busy” you are forced to acknowledge your to-do list and priorities and make choices about what you can do and what you want to do.

2.)  Organization:  Create a to-do list with three categories.  It’s hard to remember 20 things, or even 12 things, and long to-do lists are mentally draining.  My current to-do list has three priorities — (1) customer service/immediate action; (2) short-term and long-term sustainability (invoicing, client development, personal development); (3) creative projects (designing new software modules; working on writing projects; personal creative projects).   My shorthand for these three categories is “creating – sustaining – serving.”  All other items fall under these categories.  I make an effort to work in each category each week.  There are some weeks — especially at the start of a school year or the beginning of summer jobs programs — when my whole week is dedicated to meeting immediate needs.  There are some weeks — especially during school vacation weeks when many clients are away — that I can get absorbed in a new creative project.  But most weeks can have a balance, and identifying these three priority areas has helped me identify the balance that I need to work toward.

3.) Tools and Action:  Find or create tools that work for you.  As humans, we are naturally tool-makers, and we enjoy having the right tools for the work we do.  Find, create and use whatever works for you – calendars, to-do lists, filing systems, project management systems.   Then really use the tools to plan and take action.  I created my own online calendar and project list system, and find it works really well for scheduling meetings, managing projects and guiding a healthy and productive pace of work.

What about you?  Do you find the pace of work becoming more and more demanding?  What time management strategies and tools work for you?

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by on March 10, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in New Economy
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Posted by Jennifer on March 10, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=916

Quick Facts from the WBL Database – Part 2 – Skills Used

Skills Used in Jobs and Internships
What are the skills that students use in their job and internship experiences?  The Work-Based Learning database can provide a summary of the skills focused on in Work-Based Learning Plans.  In the most recent six months, the following skills were most frequently the focus.  Time management is a perennial favorite, followed by using information, using technology, project management and other skills.

 

Most-Commonly-Mentioned Skills Used
In Student Jobs/Internships
From Work-Based Learning Plans, July – December 2012

Skill # of experiences
time management 1535
collecting and organizing information 718
computer technology 633
equipment operation 583
project management 559
interacting with customers or clients 486
leadership 439
customer service 429
teaching and instructing 391
problem solving 369
critical thinking 309
understanding all aspects of the industry 300
interacting with children 227
reading 184
research and analysis 178
safety 146
mathematics and numeric analysis 140
writing 133
classroom management 127

 

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by on January 23, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Youth Employment
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Posted by Jennifer on January 23, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=897

Quick Facts from the WBL Database – Part 1 – Hours Worked

The value of a database lies in the ways the data can empower you in your work.  How can you use the data to support your program design and planning?  How can working with a statewide database help you to connect with and learn from colleagues across the state?  How can you use the data to help you keep track of information about the businesses and organizations you work with?

This will be a series of quick posts with facts from the Massachusetts WBL Database.  Since we started the WBL Database online several years ago,  32,963 job and internship placements have been entered into the database.  The database supports people from a variety of programs: Connecting Activities programs especially, and also many YouthWorks, WIA Youth, Co-operative Education, local summer jobs programs, transition programs and others.  This provides a great treasury of information to analyze and share.

Today’s quick statistic:

How many hours a week do students work in school year placements?  This question shows an interesting pattern.  While most paid positions are 15 hours per week or more, many unpaid internships are under 10 hours per week.   The graph below shows that 55.8% of unpaid school year positions are between 5 and 9 hours per week, while relatively few employer-paid or sponsored/subsidized wage jobs are in this category.  This pattern reflects the investment that businesses make in paid employees: with the  investment in hiring costs and on-the-job training costs, employers generally seek to have paid part-time employees work 15 to 20 or more hours per week.   In contrast, unpaid internships are arranged as learning experiences for the intern and involve a different balance of training and time investment.

Hours Worked per Week by Type of Position
For Students in School-Year / After-School or Co-op Positions 

Graph - hours worked per week

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by on January 22, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennifer on January 22, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=885

Yes! I Told You So! Good News about Manufacturing in the U.S.

blueprintThis is the cheerful type of “I Told You So” when other people start to notice and agree with something you’ve been quietly saying for a long time. Lots of us who work in career development and workforce development roles have held onto the idea that the U.S. manufacturing sector is NOT going to disappear.

Some of the best news of 2012 has been about the re-emergence of U.S. manufacturing. Manufacturing work is coming back to the United States for many reasons:

Many companies want to use local/domestic workers as they introduce new robotic technologies. Many new technologies need to be rolled out with a literate workforce, close to home, with collaboration among workers, technicians and engineers.

Consumers are showing preference for domestically-made products, showing concern about worker well-being, environmental safety and product safety as well as the health of local job markets.

Low-tech production is also resilient, with many entrepreneurial efforts focused on rediscovering and revitalizing older technologies and approaches. Alongside the high-tech manufacturing economy, there is a quieter artisanal economy utilizing traditional production methods.

What does the revitalization of manufacturing mean for those of us involved in career development work with youth or adults? How can we learn more about opportunities in manufacturing and share this information with others?

Through social media (especially via the Skills Library Facebook page) I’m following news from leaders in manufacturing, such as the “Green Manufacturer” magazine. Through my network of friends, family and colleagues, I’m talking with people who do engineering, marketing and production work for manufacturing companies. In the media, I’m following stories about production and business trends. I’ve been looking at historical and current employment data about manufacturing, with the data supporting the stories seen in the media.

The biggest news, of course, is that there is an increasing demand for technicians and mechanics for manufacturing equipment, reflecting the more sophisticated technology now in place.  Skilled workers, including machinists, mechanics, technicians and engineers are in great demand.

Jobs classified as production jobs make up a smaller share of total jobs in the manufacturing sector now than in the past. Some production jobs are now found in the business services sector, in temporary help agencies, as it is now common for manufacturers to use temp agencies to fill some of their production jobs, particularly for seasonal needs.  But the overall demand for production workers is lower than in previous decades, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of total manufacturing-related employment.

Many of the jobs in the manufacturing sector are in professional and support areas including marketing, sales, design, engineering, transportation, maintenance and construction occupations. In addition to jobs directly in the manufacturing sector, manufacturing activity generates many new jobs in the business services sector, in marketing, accounting, engineering, research and development and other types of business services firms.

What does it mean for career development? For students, this is a great time for nurturing a love of “hands-on” work. Throughout elementary, middle school and high school, this can mean developing a love of building, constructing, designing, playing and working with all kinds of structures, simple machines, robotics kits and engineering activities. For middle school students considering choice of high school program, this can mean considering career/vocational technical programs in manufacturing and engineering-related areas. For students considering college and postsecondary education options, it can mean looking closely at technical and engineering programs. For job seekers, it can mean considering a variety of options to obtain experience and training in manufacturing-related work, from an entry-level job, perhaps through a temp agency, to a career-track job with a strong company that offers opportunity for training.

For teachers and counselors, this is a good time to seek out guest speakers, field trip opportunities, websites and subject-area related readings (in history, science, math) that will help you and your students learn more about trends in manufacturing.

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by on January 4, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennifer on January 4, 2013

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=874

Five Skills for School and Careers: Part 5: Asking Questions

If you were asked to write a list of five to ten skills that are valuable in school, work, personal and community settings, what would you include?  It is amazing how many skills are valuable across different academic subjects, school, work and community environments and stages in life. What are the skills important for science and other disciplines?

For example, what are some of the skills used in science classes that are also valuable for a community advocate studying a development project; an educational leader studying different educational technologies; a politician organizing a campaign; a journalist writing about an election?

What are some of the skills used in science that are equally valuable for an elementary school student doing simple experiments and a professional scientist conducting medical research?

What are some of the skills that apply across academic disciplines – from science to math to literature to history to philosophy to theology to social sciences?

Here is a reflection questionnaire about skills used in science.  One of the most important foundational skills in this list is the ability to ask questions — important as the starting point for scientific thinking and for the evaluation of experimental results and other evidence and observations.  This is, of course, a skill that is equally important across all types of school,  work and community environments and academic disciplines.  Notice how many of the skills on this list are transferable from school to work and community and personal environments.

Visit http://resources21.org/reflection for more reflection questionnaires.

Science-Related Skills

How confident and comfortable are you with the following skills used in science? 

>

5 = Very comfortable and confident 4 = Somewhat confident 3 = In-between 2 = Not yet confident 1 = No comfort or confidence at all in this area
01 Thinking of interesting questions [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
02 Looking closely and observing [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
03 Reading about science [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
04 Studying the results of an experiment and forming conclusions [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
05 Using science vocabulary [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
06 Talking about science [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
07 Making models or building things [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
08 Using special equipment such as microscopes or test tubes [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
09 Working as a team with other people on science projects [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
10 Using math to solve problems about real-life things [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
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by on November 6, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Jennifer on November 6, 2012

http://skillspages.com/blog/?p=857

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