Lesson Plan
Superpower Discovery
Students will identify their unique strengths, interests, and values to explore potential career paths aligned with their individual talents.
This lesson empowers 9th graders to recognize their inherent potential, connecting their personal attributes to future career opportunities, fostering self-awareness and motivation for future planning.
Audience
9th Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive activity, guided discussion, and reflective journaling.
Materials
Uleash Your Inner Career Hero Presentation (slide-deck), Strength Spotter Card Sort (activity), and My Future Superpower Reflection (journal)
Prep
Prepare Materials
15 minutes
- Review the Unleash Your Inner Career Hero Presentation slides.
- Print and cut out the cards for the Strength Spotter Card Sort (one set per small group).
- Make copies of the My Future Superpower Reflection journal sheet (one per student).
- Ensure projector/screen and computer are set up for the slide deck.
Step 1
Introduction & Hook
10 minutes
- Display the title slide: "What's Your Career Superpower?"
- Begin with a brief discussion: "What do you think a 'career superpower' means? How do our unique strengths help us in everyday life?"
- Introduce the lesson objective using the Unleash Your Inner Career Hero Presentation (Slide 2).
Step 2
Understanding Superpowers
15 minutes
- Use the Unleash Your Inner Career Hero Presentation (Slides 3-5) to explain strengths, interests, and values.
- Provide examples for each category. Ask students to share a quick example of one of their strengths or interests.
Step 3
Strength Spotter Card Sort Activity
20 minutes
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group).
- Distribute the Strength Spotter Card Sort materials to each group.
- Explain the instructions for the card sort: "Work together to sort the cards into categories that represent strengths, interests, and values you possess or find important. Discuss why you place certain cards in certain categories."
- Circulate among groups, facilitating discussion and answering questions.
Step 4
Reflection & Connection
10 minutes
- Bring the class back together.
- Ask groups to share some of their
Step 5
Wrap-up & Future Vision
5 minutes
- Distribute the My Future Superpower Reflection journal sheet.
- Explain the task: "Individually, complete the reflection sheet, thinking about how your identified superpowers could lead to different career paths."
- Encourage students to keep their reflections for future career planning discussions.
- Conclude by reiterating the importance of self-awareness in career exploration (refer to Unleash Your Inner Career Hero Presentation Slide 6).
Slide Deck
What's Your Career Superpower?
Discover Your Unique Abilities for an Amazing Future!
Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of career exploration. Start with the title slide to pique their interest. Ask students to brainstorm what a 'career superpower' might mean to them.
Today's Mission: Self-Discovery
Our Goal: To identify your unique strengths, interests, and values to find career paths where you can truly shine!
Clearly state the objective for today's lesson. Emphasize that understanding themselves is the first step in finding a fulfilling career.
What Are Your Strengths?
Strengths:
Things you are naturally good at, skills you have developed, or positive qualities you possess.
- Examples: Being a good listener, solving puzzles, leading groups, creating art, helping others.
Introduce the concept of 'strengths.' Provide a few examples beyond just academic skills, such as problem-solving, creativity, or empathy. Ask students to think about one strength they have.
What Sparks Your Interests?
Interests:
Activities, subjects, or topics that capture your attention and you genuinely enjoy doing or learning about.
- Examples: Playing sports, reading books, coding, making music, understanding history, volunteering.
Move on to 'interests.' Explain that interests are what we enjoy doing. Connect this to how enjoying our work can make a big difference in our job satisfaction.
What Do You Value Most?
Values:
The principles or standards of behavior that are important to you; what you believe is worthwhile and important in life and work.
- Examples: Helping people, creativity, stability, making a difference, learning new things, having freedom.
Discuss 'values.' This might be a new concept for some students. Explain that values are the things that are most important to us in life and work. Give diverse examples.
Activity Time: Strength Spotter Card Sort
Work in groups to sort cards representing different strengths, interests, and values. Discuss why each is important to you!
Explain the upcoming activity. Emphasize teamwork and thoughtful discussion during the card sort.
Your Future: Unleash Your Inner Hero!
By understanding your unique strengths, interests, and values, you are taking the first step to finding a career where you can truly thrive and make a difference!
Conclude by reiterating the main message: understanding themselves is key to their future. Encourage them to see this as an ongoing journey.
Activity
Strength Spotter Card Sort
Objective: To help you identify your personal strengths, interests, and values by sorting and discussing various cards.
Instructions:
- Work in Groups: You will be working in small groups of 3-4 students.
- Sort the Cards: Your group will receive a set of cards. Together, sort these cards into three categories:
- Strengths: What are you good at? What skills do you possess?
- Interests: What do you enjoy doing or learning about?
- Values: What is important to you in life and in a job?
- Discuss Your Choices: As you sort, talk with your group members. Why do you think a particular card belongs in a certain category? Do you agree or disagree? Explain your reasoning.
- No Right or Wrong Answers: This activity is about self-discovery and discussion. There are no right or wrong answers, as everyone's strengths, interests, and values are unique.
Example Cards (to be printed and cut into individual cards):
Strengths Cards:
- Problem Solver
- Creative Thinker
- Good Listener
- Team Player
- Leader
- Organized
- Communicator
- Detail-Oriented
- Quick Learner
- Empathetic
- Analytical
- Resilient
Interests Cards:
- Reading Books
- Playing Sports
- Coding/Technology
- Making Art/Music
- Helping Animals
- Outdoor Adventures
- Learning New Languages
- Cooking/Baking
- Writing Stories
- Video Games
- Scientific Experiments
- Volunteering
Values Cards:
- Helping Others
- Creativity
- Financial Security
- Independence
- Making a Difference
- Continuous Learning
- Work-Life Balance
- Challenge
- Community
- Recognition
- Stability
- Innovation
Journal
My Future Superpower Reflection
Name: ____________________________
Date: ____________________________
Reflecting on Your Superpowers
-
My Top 3 Strengths: Based on the card sort and our discussion, what do you think are your top 3 personal strengths? Why are these important to you?
-
My Top 3 Interests: What are three things you genuinely enjoy doing or learning about? How do these make you feel?
-
My Top 3 Values: What are three principles or standards that are most important to you in life and work? (e.g., helping people, creativity, financial stability, making a difference, learning new things).
Connecting Superpowers to Careers
-
Think about one of your strengths. What kind of job or career might allow you to use this strength regularly? Explain why.
-
Consider one of your interests. Are there any careers that are directly related to this interest, or where this interest would be a big advantage? Provide an example.
-
Imagine a career that truly aligns with your top values. What would that career look like? What would you be doing?
Looking Ahead
-
What is one new thing you learned about yourself today regarding your career superpowers?
-
What is one step you can take in the near future to explore a career path that uses your superpowers? (e.g., research a job, talk to someone, try a new activity).