Exploring Future Careers

Patricia Gibbons

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Exploring Future Careers

Career Exploration

This lesson is designed to engage 7th-grade students in exploring various career options. Through collaborative activities, experiential learning, and a video presentation, students will gain insights into different career paths and the skills needed for those careers. The aim is to help students start thinking about their future careers, understand the importance of different skills, and reflect on their interests and strengths.

Audience

Grade 7 Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Collaborative Learning, Experiential Learning, Blended Learning

Materials

Career Exploration Video, Career Worksheet, Career Worksheet (Spanish), and Exit Ticket

Step 1

Introduction

5 minutes

Greet the students and introduce the day's topic: Career Exploration.
Briefly discuss the importance of thinking about future careers and the different factors to consider, such as interests, skills, and opportunities.

Step 2

Video Presentation

5 minutes

Show the video: How art can help you analyze
After the video, ask students to share their thoughts on how art can relate to different career paths.

Step 3

Group Activity

15 minutes

Divide the students into small groups.
Give each group a set of career cards (different career options).
Ask each group to discuss and list the skills needed for each career.
Have each group present their findings to the class.

Step 4

Worksheet Completion

10 minutes

Hand out the 'Career Worksheet' to each student.
Instruct students to complete the worksheet individually, reflecting on their interests and the skills they might need for their desired careers.

Step 5

Class Discussion

5 minutes

Conduct a brief class discussion on students' findings from the worksheet.
Encourage students to share their career interests and the skills they identified as important.

Step 6

Exit Ticket

5 minutes

Distribute the 'Exit Ticket' to each student.
Ask students to write down one career they are interested in and one skill they plan to develop for that career.
Collect the exit tickets as students leave the classroom.

Step 7

Closure

5 minutes

Summarize the key points discussed during the lesson.
Encourage students to continue exploring different careers and thinking about the skills they would like to develop.

Worksheet

Career Worksheet

This worksheet helps students reflect on their career interests and the skills needed for those careers.

What career are you interested in? Why?

Think about what excites you or something you enjoy doing outside of school.

What skills are needed for this career?

Consider both technical skills (e.g., programming, writing) and soft skills (e.g., communication, teamwork).

How can you develop these skills?

Think about activities, courses, or hobbies that can help you build these skills.

Worksheet

Hoja de trabajo sobre carreras

Esta hoja de trabajo ayuda a los estudiantes a reflexionar sobre sus intereses profesionales y las habilidades necesarias para esas carreras.

¿En qué carrera estás interesado? ¿Por qué?

Piensa en lo que te emociona o en algo que disfrutas hacer fuera de la escuela.

¿Qué habilidades se necesitan para esta carrera?

Considera tanto habilidades técnicas (por ejemplo, programación, escritura) como habilidades blandas (por ejemplo, comunicación, trabajo en equipo).

¿Cómo puedes desarrollar estas habilidades?

Piensa en actividades, cursos o pasatiempos que puedan ayudarte a desarrollar estas habilidades.

Quiz

Career Exit Ticket

Discussion

Career Discussion

A guided discussion to engage students in sharing their thoughts about careers and the skills required.

What did you learn from the video about how skills in one area can help in various careers?

Encourage students to think about how interdisciplinary skills can be useful.

Why is it important to think about your future career now?

Discuss the benefits of early planning and skill development.

What skills do you think are most important for your desired career?

Guide students to consider both technical and soft skills.