Career Mapping Worksheet

This worksheet will help you explore your interests, skills, and potential future careers while focusing on key 21st century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. Use the space provided to write down your ideas as you complete each section.

Section 1: Interests

List the activities and topics you enjoy and are passionate about.

Section 2: 21st Century Skills

Write down the skills you have or want to develop, especially those important in today's world like critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and creativity.

Section 3: Potential Careers

Based on your interests and the 21st century skills you listed, write down some careers that might be a great fit for you. Think broadly and creatively about how these skills can be used in various jobs.

Remember, this exercise is a starting point to explore how your unique talents and interests can guide you towards exciting future careers while honing essential skills for success!

Career Exploration Discussion

Welcome to our discussion on career exploration and 21st century skills! Today, we are going to share ideas about different careers and explore how our interests and the skills you are developing—like critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity—can guide us toward exciting future paths.

Discussion Guidelines

1. Be Respectful: Listen carefully to others and give everyone a chance to speak.
2. Share Openly: Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts or ask questions.
3. Reflect on Your Interests and Skills: Think about what you enjoy doing and what skills you want to grow.
4. Connect Skills to Careers: Consider which skills you have (or want to develop) and how they can help you in different jobs.

Discussion Prompts

Prompt 1: Exploring Interests

"What are some activities or hobbies you enjoy?"

• Share one interest or hobby and explain what you like about it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• How do you think this interest might relate to a future career?

Prompt 2: 21st Century Skills

"What 21st century skills do you feel are most important for success?"

• List one skill (critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, or creativity) you have or want to improve.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Can you think of a job or career where this skill is especially important? Explain your thinking.

Prompt 3: Connecting Interests and Skills

"Imagine a career that perfectly blends your interests and the 21st century skills you are developing. What might that look like?"

• Describe a job or career that interests you and explain why it feels like a good match based on your skills.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• What steps can you take now to develop the skills needed for that career?

Follow-Up Points

• Reflection: Ask yourself, "If I could try one day in the life of any career, which one would it be and why?"
• Comparison: How are your thoughts different or similar to those of your classmates?
• Future Thinking: What is one question you still have about a career that interests you?

Thank you for participating in this discussion on career exploration and 21st century skills. Remember, today's conversation is the start of your journey to discover exciting careers that align with your interests and the essential skills needed for success in the modern world!

Career Quest Script

Welcome to today's lesson on career exploration! This script will guide you step-by-step through the lesson. Follow the directions exactly as written to ensure a smooth and engaging session with your 6th graders.

Introduction (10 minutes)

Teacher:
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we are going on an exciting journey called 'Career Quest: Discover Your Path.' We are going to explore different careers, think about our interests and skills, and see how they connect to future jobs you might enjoy.

Before we begin, I want you to think about this: What do you enjoy doing every day? It might be a sport, drawing, playing games, or even helping at home. Each of these things tells us something special about you and can give us hints about a future career."

Pause briefly to let students think.

Teacher:
"Now, let's look at some slides to help us understand what career exploration is. Please turn your attention to the screen as we review our Career Quest Slides."

Go to Slide 1: "Career Quest: Discover Your Path"

Teacher (with enthusiasm):
"Today, we’re starting our journey of exploring careers. Think of this as an adventure where you learn more about yourself and the future possibilities available to you."

Transition to Slide 2: "What is Career Exploration?"

Teacher:
"Career exploration means finding out about different types of jobs and thinking about what skills and interests you need to succeed in those jobs. Let’s discuss: What are some jobs or careers you already know? Who wants to share something they've heard about or find interesting?"

Allow a few students to share their ideas.

Interactive Activity: Career Mapping (15 minutes)

Teacher:
"Great ideas, everyone! Now it's time for our interactive activity called 'Career Mapping.' In this activity, you will list your interests and the skills you have or want to develop. Then, you'll think about possible careers that might match these interests and skills."

Show Slide 3: "Interactive Activity: Career Mapping"

Teacher:
"I have handed out the Career Mapping Worksheet to each of you. Here’s what we’re going to do together:

1. First, in Section 1 of your worksheet, write down some interests—things you really enjoy or are passionate about.
2. Next, in Section 2, note down skills you have or skills you want to develop. These can be anything from being a good communicator to being great at solving puzzles!
3. Finally, in Section 3, list some careers you think might be a good fit for you based on your interests and skills. Be creative and think about everything from astronauts to artists."

Walk around the classroom, allowing students to begin working, and provide support as needed.

Teacher:
"After a few minutes, I want you to pair up with a partner or form small groups to discuss what you've written. Talk about why you think these careers could be the right fit for you and share your ideas."

Allow 10 minutes for group discussion and provide gentle prompts if groups seem stuck. For example: "What interests did you write down? How might these interests be connected to a job you find cool?"

Wrap-Up and Reflection (5 minutes)

Bring the class back together for a group discussion.

Teacher:
"Alright, everyone, let's come back together and share. I would love to hear from a few of you: What is one career from your worksheet that you might want to explore further, and why?"

Select a few students to share their thoughts.

Teacher:
"Thank you for sharing! Before we finish, let’s quickly review what we learned today. We talked about how our interests and skills can lead us to exciting careers. Remember, this is just the beginning—exploring careers is an ongoing journey, and every interest or skill you have is a stepping stone to a future career.”

Show Slide 4: "Wrap-Up & Reflection"

Teacher:
"If you have any questions, or if you'd like to learn more about a certain career, please let me know. Thank you for being so engaged today, and keep exploring what makes you unique and excited about the future. Great job, everyone!"

Additional Prompts and Follow-Up

If time allows or if the discussion sparks more curiosity:

• Ask: "If you could try one day in the life of any career, which would you choose and why?"
• Ask: "What is one new career you learned about today that you hadn’t considered before?"
• Encourage students to think: "What is one skill you might want to work on that could help you in a future career?"

Thank you, and have a wonderful day exploring your future!

Career Quest Interactive Activities

This activity supplement is designed to provide additional interactive components to the Career Quest lesson, engaging students further while exploring their career interests and skills. The activities include a Role-Playing Scenario and a Career Scavenger Hunt.

Activity 1: Role-Playing Scenarios

Overview:

In this activity, students will participate in role-playing scenarios where they act out various career settings. This will help them experience what a day in the life might look like for different professions and understand the skills each role requires.

Instructions for Teachers:

1. Preparation:

   • Prior to the lesson, prepare scenario cards with descriptions of different careers (e.g., doctor, engineer, teacher, artist, firefighter, chef).
   • Ensure each card includes a brief description of typical daily tasks and the skills needed for that job.

2. Activity Steps:

   • Divide the class into small groups, assigning each group a different scenario card.
   • Give students 5 minutes to read and discuss the scenario among themselves, then assign roles within the group (e.g., one student acts as the professional, others act as clients or colleagues).
   • Ask each group to perform a short skit (about 2-3 minutes) explaining a typical day in that profession, highlighting key tasks and skills.
   • After the performance, lead a brief discussion asking:
     • What skills were important for the role?
     • How did the professional handle challenges within their scenario?
     • How might these skills be applied in other careers?

Time Needed:

Approximately 15 minutes

Activity 2: Career Scavenger Hunt

Overview:

In this interactive hunt, students explore the classroom or designated area to find clues related to different careers. Each clue is associated with a hint about the skills or interests linked to that career.

Instructions for Teachers:

1. Preparation:

   • Create clue cards or posters that are hidden around the classroom or school. Each clue should mention a specific career and a hint regarding the skills or interests needed (e.g., "For someone who loves solving puzzles and enjoys mathematics, look near the board where problems are solved!").
   • Prepare a checklist that students will complete as they find each clue.

2. Activity Steps:

   • Introduce the scavenger hunt by explaining that each hidden clue will relate to a different career option.
   • Hand out the career scavenger hunt checklist to students, emphasizing teamwork. They can work in small groups to discuss and locate the clues.
   • As students find each clue, instruct them to discuss as a group and record the career and the hints observed.
   • Once all clues are found or time is up, gather the class and ask each group to share one or two clues and explain what career that clue might be hinting at, including the associated skills.

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did the clues help you think about the skills needed in different careers?
• Which career found in the hunt interests you the most and why?
• What additional skills or interests do you think are important for that career?

Time Needed:

Approximately 15 minutes

Integration and Reflection

After completing both additional activities, invite students to reflect on how these experiences might influence their understanding of different careers. Use a brief written reflection or a class discussion prompt:

"Which activity (role-playing or scavenger hunt) helped you learn the most about career skills, and why?"

Encourage students to record their thoughts on the Career Mapping Worksheet or share verbally with the class.

These interactive activities complement the original lesson plan by offering immersive, hands-on experiences that make career exploration engaging and meaningful for students. Enjoy your Career Quest!