Lesson Plan
Unleash Your Inner Hero Lesson Plan
Students will identify their unique strengths and interests, understand how these personal 'superpowers' connect to various career paths, and explore potential future careers that align with their abilities.
This lesson is important because it helps 7th-grade students build self-awareness and sparks early career curiosity by connecting their personal strengths to future opportunities, fostering a sense of purpose and direction.
Audience
7th Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive activities, guided reflection, and discussion will help students discover and link strengths to careers.
Materials
My Superpower Career Quest Slide Deck, Strength Spotting Challenge Activity, My Future Self Journal Prompts, and Writing materials (pens/pencils, paper)
Prep
Review Materials
15 minutes
Review the Unleash Your Inner Hero Lesson Plan, My Superpower Career Quest Slide Deck, Strength Spotting Challenge Activity, and My Future Self Journal Prompts. Ensure all links are accessible and functioning as intended.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Superpower Brainstorm
5 minutes
Begin by asking students: 'If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?'
Facilitate a brief class discussion to get students thinking about extraordinary abilities.
Transition to discussing that everyone has unique, real-life 'superpowers' (strengths).
Step 2
Introduction: What Are Your Superpowers?
10 minutes
Use the My Superpower Career Quest Slide Deck to introduce the concept of personal strengths as 'superpowers.'
Guide students through slides that define strengths and interests.
Emphasize that these are valuable traits that can be used in their daily lives and future careers.
Ask students to think of 1-2 strengths they possess and share with a partner.
Step 3
Activity: Strength Spotting Challenge
20 minutes
Distribute the Strength Spotting Challenge Activity.
Explain the activity: Students will work individually or in small groups to identify strengths in various scenarios and connect them to potential careers.
Circulate to provide support and encourage deeper thinking.
After the activity, bring the class together for a brief discussion on what they discovered about different strengths and careers.
Step 4
Connecting Superpowers to Careers
15 minutes
Return to the My Superpower Career Quest Slide Deck.
Present examples of how different strengths are vital in various professions.
Facilitate a class discussion, asking students: 'How might someone with a 'problem-solving superpower' excel as an engineer or a detective?' or 'What careers need a 'creativity superpower'?'
Encourage students to think about how their own identified strengths could fit into different jobs.
Step 5
Reflection: My Future Self
10 minutes
Distribute the My Future Self Journal Prompts.
Instruct students to choose one or two prompts to reflect on their strengths, interests, and potential future career paths.
Allow quiet time for independent writing.
Collect journals or invite students to share one insight if comfortable.
Slide Deck
What's Your Future Superpower?
Unleash Your Potential!
Exploring Strengths & Career Paths
Welcome students and introduce the exciting theme of discovering their inner superpowers for future careers. Ask a rhetorical question to pique interest.
Everyone Has Superpowers!
What makes you, YOU?
Your unique strengths are like superpowers!
They help you in school, with friends, and in your hobbies.
Think: What are you good at?
What do you enjoy doing?
Explain that everyone has unique talents and abilities. Give a couple of diverse examples of 'superpowers' (e.g., great listener, creative thinker) that aren't physical.
Spotting Your Strengths
Are you a 'Problem-Solver'? A 'Creative Thinker'? A 'Helper'? A 'Leader'?
How to find your strengths:
- What do you do well?
- What activities make you feel energized?
- What do others say you're good at?
Provide clear examples of how to identify strengths. Encourage students to think about things they enjoy and find easy, or things others compliment them on. Pair-share activity here.
Careers and Your Superpowers
Your superpowers can lead to amazing careers!
- Creativity: Artist, Designer, Writer, Chef
- Problem-Solving: Engineer, Scientist, Detective, Doctor
- Helping Others: Teacher, Nurse, Social Worker, Counselor
- Leadership: Manager, Team Captain, Entrepreneur
What careers use YOUR superpowers?
Connect the identified strengths to real-world careers. Use diverse examples to show the breadth of possibilities. Encourage students to start making connections.
Future Superheroes!
You're already developing skills for your future!
Identifying your strengths helps you discover exciting career paths.
Be proud of your unique abilities!
Inspire students to see themselves as future contributors. Emphasize that discovering these connections now is a valuable step.
Time to Reflect
Now, let's explore your superpowers even further.
Use your My Future Self Journal Prompts to think about your strengths and dream big about your future!
Transition to the journal activity, explaining that this is their chance to reflect more deeply on what they've learned today.
Activity
Strength Spotting Challenge
Instructions: Read each scenario below. For each scenario, identify what "superpowers" (strengths) the person is using. Then, suggest at least two potential career paths where those strengths would be incredibly valuable.
Scenario 1: The Class Project Guru
Maya is always the first to volunteer for group projects. She loves organizing tasks, making sure everyone knows their role, and keeping the team on schedule. She's great at explaining complex ideas to her teammates and resolving small disagreements before they become big problems. The final presentations are always clear and polished because of her attention to detail.
Superpowers (Strengths) Used:
Potential Career Paths:
Scenario 2: The Creative Storyteller
Leo loves to draw and write. He spends hours creating imaginary worlds and characters, often coming up with unique twists that surprise his friends. When there's a school play, he's usually sketching out costume ideas or helping write funny lines for the script. He recently won a local art contest for a comic he created.
Superpowers (Strengths) Used:
Potential Career Paths:
Scenario 3: The Tech Whiz Kid
Sophia is fascinated by how things work. When her computer acts up, she's usually the one troubleshooting it. She enjoys figuring out coding puzzles online and has even helped her grandparents set up their new smart devices. She's patient and methodical when facing a technical challenge and doesn't give up easily.
Superpowers (Strengths) Used:
Potential Career Paths:
Scenario 4: The Community Builder
Noah is known for being a great friend to everyone. He's always looking out for others, making sure no one feels left out. He's excellent at listening and offering support. Last year, he organized a successful food drive for a local charity, inspiring many students to participate. People trust him and feel comfortable talking to him.
Superpowers (Strengths) Used:
Potential Career Paths:
Challenge Question:
Think about a strength you possess. Describe a hypothetical career where this strength would be essential for success.
Journal
My Future Self Journal Prompts
Instructions: Choose at least two of the following prompts and write a thoughtful response in your journal. There are no right or wrong answers – this is your chance to reflect and dream!
Prompt 1: My Top 3 Superpowers
What are three personal strengths or "superpowers" that you believe you possess? How do you use these strengths in your daily life (at home, at school, with friends, or in hobbies)?
Prompt 2: Superpower at Work
Pick one of your identified superpowers. Describe a job or career path (even one you just invented!) where this superpower would be absolutely essential for success. Explain how this strength would help you excel in that role.
Prompt 3: What Makes Me Curious?
Beyond your strengths, what topics, subjects, or activities are you genuinely curious about? What problems in the world would you love to help solve? How might these interests lead to a fulfilling career, even if you don't see an obvious path right now?
Prompt 4: My Future Vision (10 Years From Now)
Imagine yourself ten years in the future. What kind of person are you? What kind of work are you doing? How are you using your unique strengths and interests to make a positive impact? Describe a typical day in your future self's life.