Lesson Plan
Career Journey Expedition
Students will identify diverse career fields, understand the pathways to enter them, and recognize the educational requirements for various professions.
This lesson helps students broaden their perspectives on potential professions, connect their interests to future opportunities, and make informed decisions about their academic and professional journey.
Audience
10th Grade Class
Time
70 minutes
Approach
Interactive exploration and discussion.
Materials
Prep
Review Materials
15 minutes
- Review the Career Journey Expedition Lesson Plan, Your Future Awaits Slide Deck, Beyond the Obvious Careers Reading, and Career Path Explorer Quiz.
- Ensure projector and computer are working for the slide deck.
- Print copies of Beyond the Obvious Careers Reading and Career Path Explorer Quiz if not distributing digitally.
Step 1
Introduction & Warm-Up
10 minutes
- Begin with a quick discussion: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and "What careers do you know about?".
- Introduce the lesson by showing the first slide of Your Future Awaits and explaining that today's goal is to explore many different career paths.
Step 2
Exploring Diverse Careers
20 minutes
- Present slides 2-5 of Your Future Awaits, discussing various career clusters and examples.
- Distribute Beyond the Obvious Careers Reading and give students 10 minutes to read it independently or in pairs.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion about surprising or interesting careers discovered in the reading.
Step 3
Pathway to Professions
20 minutes
- Present slides 6-9 of Your Future Awaits, focusing on different educational pathways (college, trade school, certifications, on-the-job training).
- Engage students in a Q&A session about the educational requirements for careers they are interested in or careers discussed in the reading.
- Encourage students to think about the skills needed for these careers and how they can start developing them now.
Step 4
Career Path Explorer Quiz
15 minutes
- Distribute the Career Path Explorer Quiz.
- Allow students to complete the quiz individually. This will help them reflect on their learning and identify areas where they might want to explore further.
Step 5
Wrap-Up & Reflection
5 minutes
- Briefly review key takeaways from the lesson.
- Ask students to share one new career they learned about or one insight they gained.
- Assign any incomplete quiz items as homework or use them for a follow-up discussion.
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Slide Deck
Your Future Awaits: Navigating Career Paths
Let's explore the exciting world of careers!
Welcome students and introduce the day's topic: exploring different careers. Ask a few students what they think about when they hear "career" or "job."
Beyond the Obvious: Discovering New Paths
What comes to mind when you hear 'career'?
There are so many more possibilities than you might think!
Explain that careers aren't just the obvious ones. There's a vast world of opportunities. Introduce the concept of career clusters.
Career Clusters: Grouping Similar Interests
Careers can be grouped by similar skills and knowledge.
- Arts, A/V Technology, & Communications: Designers, Animators, Journalists
- Health Science: Doctors, Nurses, Therapists
- Business Management & Administration: Managers, Entrepreneurs, Accountants
- Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM): Engineers, Scientists, Programmers
Present various career clusters. Give examples for each cluster. Encourage students to think about which clusters they might find interesting.
A World of Opportunities
Let's explore some less common, but equally exciting, careers!
- Urban Planner: Designs cities and communities
- Forensic Scientist: Analyzes evidence for criminal investigations
- Ethical Hacker: Tests computer systems for vulnerabilities
- Food Scientist: Develops new food products and ensures safety
Continue with more examples of diverse career fields. Emphasize that there are many niches within each field.
What Interests You?
Think about your hobbies, favorite subjects, and natural talents.
How might these connect to a future career?
Prompt students to think about what kind of skills or interests might lead to these careers. This leads into the reading activity.
Paths to Your Profession
Once you find a career that excites you, how do you get there?
There are many different educational journeys!
Transition to discussing how to get into these careers. Explain that not all paths are the same.
Educational Pathways: College & Beyond
1. Four-Year College/University
- Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate Degrees
- Example Careers: Doctor, Engineer, Teacher
2. Two-Year College/Associate's Degree
- Often provides foundational skills or specific technical training
- Example Careers: Dental Hygienist, Radiologic Technologist
3. Trade/Vocational Schools
- Focus on hands-on skills for specific trades
- Example Careers: Electrician, Welder, Automotive Technician
Detail different educational pathways: 4-year college, 2-year college, trade schools. Provide examples for each.
Other Avenues: Certifications & Experience
4. Certifications
- Specialized training and exams to prove competency in a skill
- Example Careers: IT Specialist, Personal Trainer, Project Manager
5. On-the-Job Training/Apprenticeships
- Learning skills while working
- Example Careers: Plumber, Chef, Carpenter
Discuss other pathways like certifications and on-the-job training. Highlight the importance of continuous learning.
Your Journey, Your Choice
There's no single 'right' path for everyone.
- Explore different options.
- Consider what truly interests you.
- Think about the skills you want to develop.
Reiterate that the most important thing is finding a path that fits them. Encourage students to ask questions.
Time to Reflect!
Let's see what you've learned and what sparks your interest.
Conclude the slide deck. This slide sets up the quiz as a way to reflect on the information.
Reading
Beyond the Obvious Careers
When you think about jobs, what usually comes to mind? Maybe a doctor, a teacher, an engineer, or an athlete? While these are all important and exciting roles, the world of work is much, much larger and more diverse than many people realize. There are countless interesting professions out there that you might never have heard of! Let's take a quick journey to explore a few.
Designing Our World
Urban Planner: Imagine being able to shape how cities grow and change. An urban planner does just that! They work to design communities, neighborhoods, and public spaces, considering everything from transportation and housing to parks and environmental sustainability. They think about how people live, work, and play in a city and try to make it the best possible place for everyone.
Exhibit Designer: Have you ever walked through a museum and been fascinated by a display? An exhibit designer is the creative mind behind those experiences. They combine art, science, and history to tell stories through interactive exhibits, creating engaging environments that educate and entertain visitors. This could involve everything from dinosaur skeletons to interactive touchscreens.
Science in Unexpected Ways
Forensic Scientist: Ever watched a crime show and seen scientists in lab coats solving mysteries? That's a forensic scientist! They use scientific principles and techniques to analyze physical evidence—like DNA, fingerprints, or fibers—found at crime scenes. Their work is crucial in helping law enforcement understand what happened and identify suspects.
Food Scientist: Love your favorite snacks? Thank a food scientist! These professionals study the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of food. They work on improving the safety, quality, and nutrition of our food, developing new food products, and finding ways to preserve food longer. It's a delicious blend of science and creativity!
Protecting Our Digital Lives
Ethical Hacker (Penetration Tester): This sounds like something out of a movie, but it's a real and growing career! Ethical hackers, also known as penetration testers, are cybersecurity experts who legally break into computer systems and networks. Their goal isn't to cause harm, but to find weaknesses and vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. They help organizations protect their valuable data and systems.
User Experience (UX) Designer: How easy is it to use your favorite app or website? A UX designer makes sure that digital products are not only functional but also enjoyable and intuitive for people to use. They research user behavior, design interfaces, and test solutions to create the best possible experience for anyone interacting with technology.
The World Needs All Kinds of Talents
These are just a few examples of the many unique and fulfilling career paths available. The key is to keep an open mind, explore your interests, and remember that there's a place for almost every passion and skill in the professional world. What unexpected career might you discover next?
Quiz
Career Path Explorer Quiz