Lesson Plan
Future You Kickoff Lesson Plan
Students will identify their personal strengths, interests, and goals to begin mapping a career path, then set a concrete first step toward their future aspirations.
This lesson empowers 9th graders to understand themselves, connect classroom learning to real-world careers, and build motivation through early career exploration and goal setting.
Audience
9th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Self-assessment, peer sharing, and guided reflection.
Materials
- Career Interests Survey, - Personal Strengths Worksheet, - Future You Reflection Prompt, - Projector and Screen, - Sticky Notes, and - Pens
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print enough copies of Career Interests Survey and Personal Strengths Worksheet for each student
- Print or display Future You Reflection Prompt
- Arrange classroom seating for small-group sharing
- Test projector and prepare sticky notes and pens at each table
Step 1
Warm-Up: Dream It
5 minutes
- Ask students to write one dream job or career on a sticky note
- Invite volunteers to share their sticky-note dreams aloud
- Group similar careers on the board to spark interest and recognition of diverse paths
Step 2
Strengths and Interests Exploration
20 minutes
- Distribute Career Interests Survey and guide students through the questions (5 min)
- Hand out Personal Strengths Worksheet; students list their top 3 skills or traits (5 min)
- In groups of 3–4, students compare surveys and worksheets, discussing how their strengths align with career options listed (10 min)
- Circulate and prompt deeper thinking: "How does this skill connect to a future role?"
Step 3
Reflection and Goal-Setting
5 minutes
- Provide each student with the Future You Reflection Prompt
- Students write one actionable step they will take this week toward exploring a career interest (e.g., research online, speak with a mentor)
- Collect reflections as exit tickets and briefly highlight next session’s follow-up
Slide Deck
Future You Kickoff
Building Your Career Path: From Student to Young Adult
Welcome students! Introduce yourself and the goal of today’s session: beginning to build your career path early.
Today's Objectives
• Identify personal strengths and interests
• Connect your skills to potential careers
• Set one actionable step toward your future
Read through the objectives and emphasize that by the end of today’s class they will know their strengths, interests, and a concrete next step.
Why Explore Careers Early?
• Discover what motivates you
• Make schoolwork feel relevant
• Build confidence in choosing future courses and activities
Explain why career exploration matters now, even as a 9th grader. Highlight how knowing yourself guides future choices.
Warm-Up: Dream It
- Write one dream job on a sticky note
- Place on the board and share aloud
- Notice trends—there are many paths to success
Introduce the warm-up: ask students to write their dream job on a sticky note and share. Group similar ones on the board.
Career Interests Survey
• Complete the survey questions honestly
• Consider what tasks you enjoy and environments you prefer
• Link: Career Interests Survey
Distribute the Career Interests Survey. Walk through instructions and answer any questions. Allow 5 minutes for completion.
Personal Strengths Worksheet
• List your top 3 skills or traits
• Think of moments you felt proud
• Link: Personal Strengths Worksheet
Hand out the strengths worksheet. Model one example, then let students list their top 3 traits.
Group Discussion
• Share your interests and strengths
• Discuss career ideas that fit your profile
• Prompt: “How does this skill connect to a future role?”
Form groups of 3–4. Have students share survey and strengths. Ask: How do these align with real roles? Circulate and prompt deeper thinking.
Reflection & Goal-Setting
• Write one actionable step to explore this week
• Examples: research a career online, talk to a mentor
• Link: Future You Reflection Prompt
Introduce the reflection prompt. Emphasize that this becomes an exit ticket and directs next week’s session.
Next Steps
• We’ll review your exit tickets
• Share discoveries and resources
• Plan more in-depth exploration
Preview what we’ll do next time: review your action steps, share findings, and plan continued exploration.
Thank You!
Let’s make your future happen—one step at a time.
Thank students for their participation. Encourage them to take that first step this week and remind them you’re available for questions.
Worksheet
Career Interests Survey
Use this survey to reflect on the types of tasks, environments, and subjects that energize you. Answer each question thoughtfully.
- What types of tasks (activities or chores) do you enjoy most? Explain why.
- Which school subjects do you find most engaging and why?
- Describe your ideal learning environment (indoors vs. outdoors, working alone vs. in a group, quiet vs. busy, etc.).
- When do you feel most “in the zone” or lose track of time? Describe those activities.
- List three topics or skills you would like to explore more deeply in the future:
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- _______________________________
- _______________________________
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- _______________________________
- _______________________________
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- _______________________________
- _______________________________
- Rate your interest in each of the following areas by circling a number (1 = least interested, 5 = most interested):Science: 1 2 3 4 5
Arts: 1 2 3 4 5
Business: 1 2 3 4 5
Technology: 1 2 3 4 5
Helping Others: 1 2 3 4 5 - Based on your answers above, what types of careers or roles sound interesting to you? Explain your reasoning.
Worksheet
Personal Strengths Worksheet
Use this worksheet to identify your top personal strengths, illustrate them with real examples, and connect them to future career possibilities.
- List your top 3 personal strengths or skills:
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- _______________________________
- _______________________________
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- _______________________________
- _______________________________
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- _______________________________
- _______________________________
- For each strength above, describe a specific time you demonstrated it. Include what you did and how it made you feel.
Strength 1: ____________________________
When I used this strength: _________________________________________________
How it felt / what happened: _______________________________________________
Strength 2: ____________________________
When I used this strength: _________________________________________________
How it felt / what happened: _______________________________________________
Strength 3: ____________________________
When I used this strength: _________________________________________________
How it felt / what happened: _______________________________________________
- Match each strength to one or more career roles where that skill could be valuable. Write your ideas below:
- Strength 1 roles: _________________________________________________________
- Strength 2 roles: _________________________________________________________
- Strength 3 roles: _________________________________________________________
- Which of these strengths do you enjoy using the most, and why?
- Identify one new strength or skill you’d like to develop further this year. What is your action step to start building it?
Action step: ___________________________________________________________
- Reflection: How can you apply your top strength in your schoolwork or daily routine this week? Be specific.
Reading
Future You Reflection Prompt
Use today’s reflection to turn your insights into action. Complete each part below and hand this in as your exit ticket.
- Which career idea or strength from today’s discussion stood out to you most, and why?
- What is one specific, actionable step you will take this week to learn more about that career or skill? (Examples: research online, talk to a mentor, watch a related video)
- How will taking this step help you move closer to your future goals? Be as detailed as you can.
- (Optional) Is there a resource or person you need to support this step? List any next-step helpers or tools you’ll use.