Lesson Plan
Superpower Career Roadmap
By the end of this lesson, students will identify their unique strengths (“superpowers”) and map them to potential careers, creating a personalized career roadmap.
Developing self-awareness about personal strengths boosts confidence and informs future career planning, empowering students to make intentional educational and career choices.
Audience
8th Grade Students
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive discovery and reflection.
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review the What’s Your Superpower Career? Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with key concepts.
- Print one copy per student of the Strengths Treasure Hunt Activity.
- Print the Career Strengths Snapshot Quiz for individual completion.
- Prepare a board or chart for students to post their responses to the One-Word Reflection Prompt.
- Arrange seating to facilitate quick peer interactions during activities.
Step 1
Introduction & Icebreaker
5 minutes
- Greet students and introduce the lesson objective: discovering personal superpowers and linking them to careers.
- Ask: “What is a superpower?” and record a few student answers.
- Connect their ideas to personal strengths and traits relevant to careers.
Step 2
Slide Deck Presentation
10 minutes
- Display the What’s Your Superpower Career? Slide Deck.
- Define “superpower” as a personal strength or skill.
- Share examples of common strengths (e.g., creativity, leadership) and matching careers.
- Encourage questions and quick check-for-understanding.
Step 3
Strengths Treasure Hunt Activity
15 minutes
- Distribute the Strengths Treasure Hunt Activity sheets.
- Instruct students to circulate and find peers who demonstrate each listed strength; have them sign off on the sheet.
- After 10 minutes, regroup and ask volunteers to share discoveries.
- Highlight the diversity of strengths in the class.
Step 4
Career Strengths Snapshot Quiz
10 minutes
- Hand out the Career Strengths Snapshot Quiz.
- Students complete the quiz individually, identifying their top three strengths.
- Collect quizzes for quick review or have students self-score using an answer key.
Step 5
One-Word Reflection Cool-Down
3 minutes
- Ask each student to write one word that best describes their top superpower on a sticky note.
- Students place their note on the board/chart for all to see.
- Observe patterns and congratulate the class on their collective strengths.
Step 6
Wrap-Up Discussion & Next Steps
2 minutes
- Summarize how understanding strengths helps with career exploration.
- Encourage students to research one career that aligns with their identified superpower as homework or next lesson.
- Thank students for their participation and insights.
Slide Deck
What’s Your Superpower Career?
Discover your personal strengths and learn how they can power your future career!
Welcome students! Introduce the session: “Today we’ll discover our personal superpowers—our unique strengths—and see how they connect to real careers.”
What is a Superpower?
A superpower is a unique personal strength or skill that sets you apart and helps you succeed.
Ask: “What comes to mind when you hear ‘superpower’?” Note student responses. Then define how a superpower is really a personal strength or skill you excel at.
Examples of Superpowers
• Creativity: Generating fresh ideas
• Leadership: Inspiring and guiding others
• Empathy: Understanding and caring for people
• Problem-Solving: Tackling challenges effectively
Share these examples, then invite students to shout out other strengths they have or admire in peers.
Why Superpowers Matter
Your strengths guide you to careers where you’ll thrive, feel energized, and make an impact.
Explain how knowing your strengths can guide career and life choices. Ask: “Can anyone think of a job where empathy or creativity is key?”
Linking Superpowers to Careers
• Creativity → Graphic Designer, Writer, Artist
• Leadership → Project Manager, Team Leader, Coach
• Empathy → Counselor, Nurse, Social Worker
• Problem-Solving → Engineer, Detective, Software Developer
Walk through each pairing. Ask students to think of other careers that match their own strengths.
Strengths Treasure Hunt Activity
Find classmates who demonstrate each listed strength. Get their signatures, discover the diverse superpowers in our class!
Explain the Strengths Treasure Hunt: students will circulate, find classmates with each strength, and collect signatures. 15 minutes total, then share discoveries.
Career Strengths Snapshot Quiz
Complete the quiz to identify your top 3 superpowers. We’ll use your results to match careers next!
Hand out the Career Strengths Snapshot Quiz. Instruct students to answer honestly to identify their top three strengths. Allow 10 minutes.
One-Word Reflection
Write one word that best describes your top superpower and share it on our class board.
Distribute sticky notes. Ask each student to write one word that captures their top superpower and post it on the board/chart.
Next Steps
Research one career that aligns with your identified superpower and be ready to share in our next class.
Summarize the lesson: understanding superpowers helps you choose fulfilling careers. Assign homework: research a career that fits your strength.
Thank You!
Any questions or thoughts before we wrap up?
Invite final questions or comments. Thank students for their participation and enthusiasm!
Activity
Strengths Treasure Hunt
Description:
Students will explore and recognize the unique strengths of their classmates by conducting a quick scavenger hunt. They’ll circulate, ask peers about specific superpowers (strengths), and collect signatures—building awareness of diverse talents in the room.
Materials:
- Printed Strengths Treasure Hunt sheet (one per student)
- Pens or pencils
- Clipboards (optional)
Instructions for Teacher:
- Distribute the Strengths Treasure Hunt sheet to each student.
- Explain: “You have 10 minutes to find classmates who demonstrate each listed strength. When you find someone who matches, they should initial next to that strength. Try to fill in all boxes!”
- Emphasize fairness: one peer can only initial once per strength, but can sign multiple different students’ sheets.
- Set a timer for 10 minutes as students circulate.
- When time is up, reconvene and invite volunteers to share surprising or interesting strengths they discovered.
- Highlight the variety of superpowers found in the class and transition to the next activity.
Student Activity Sheet:
| Strength | Peer Initials | Strength | Peer Initials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creativity | Teamwork | ||
| Leadership | Organization | ||
| Empathy | Communication | ||
| Problem-Solving | Resilience | ||
| Adaptability | Curiosity |
(Students write their name at the top of the sheet.)
— End of Strengths Treasure Hunt Activity —
Quiz
Career Strengths Snapshot
Cool Down
One-Word Reflection
Write one word that best captures your top superpower (strength) and post your word on our class board or chart for everyone to see.
— End of One-Word Reflection Cool-Down —
Project Guide
Superpower Career Project
Overview
In this project, you’ll build on what you learned in the Superpower Career Roadmap lesson to research, synthesize, and present a real-world career that aligns with one of your top superpowers. You will explore job requirements, daily tasks, educational pathways, and personal connections to your own strengths.
Objectives
- Identify a career that matches one of your top three superpowers from the Career Strengths Snapshot Quiz.
- Conduct structured research on that career’s responsibilities, skills, education, and outlook.
- Create a clear, engaging presentation (poster, slide deck, or digital infographic).
- Reflect on how your superpower will help you thrive in that role.
Materials
- Devices with internet access for research
- Research Template (printed or digital)
- Presentation tools (poster board, PowerPoint/Google Slides, Canva, etc.)
- Notes from the What’s Your Superpower Career? Slide Deck
- Completed Career Strengths Snapshot Quiz
Timeline & Steps (2–3 Sessions)
Session 1 (Research – 30 min)
- Choose one of your top three superpowers (e.g., Creativity, Problem-Solving).
- Brainstorm 2–3 careers that match this strength.
- Select one career to research in depth.
- Complete the Research Template sections:
• Job Title & Description
• Key Skills & Daily Tasks
• Education & Training Path
• Median Salary & Outlook
• Why This Career Fits Your Superpower
Session 2 (Design – 30 min)
- Review your completed template.
- Decide on a presentation format (poster, slide deck, infographic).
- Draft content: headings, bullet points, images or graphics.
- Apply design best practices: clear fonts, visuals, and color consistency (#4A90E2, #5AAAEF, #6AB5FF).
Session 3 (Presentation & Reflection – 30 min)
- Present your career project to the class (2–3 minutes each).
- Class listens and takes one question to ask each presenter.
- After all presentations, complete a one-paragraph reflection: “How will my superpower help me succeed in this career?”
Deliverables
- Completed Research Template
- Final Presentation (poster or digital)
- One-paragraph Reflection on superpower–career fit
Assessment Rubric
You will be scored using the Superpower Career Project Rubric below.
| Criteria | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Needs Improvement (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content Accuracy & Depth | Research is thorough, accurate, and well–cited. | Research covers all required sections with minor gaps. | Some required sections incomplete or shallow. | Research is incomplete or inaccurate. |
| Connection to Superpower | Clear, insightful link between superpower & career. | Good link, but could be more thorough or specific. | Basic link, lacks depth or personal insight. | No clear connection made. |
| Presentation Design | Visually engaging, organized, and easy to follow. | Mostly clear; minor design or organization issues. | Text–heavy or somewhat disorganized. | Unclear, cluttered, or hard to read. |
| Oral Presentation Skills | Confident, clear delivery; excellent eye contact. | Clear delivery, some hesitation or filler words. | Often reads slides/notes; limited engagement. | Mumbled, rushed, or off-topic. |
| Reflection & Insights | Thoughtful, detailed reflection with real examples. | Reflection is clear but lacks examples or detail. | Very brief reflection, limited insight. | No reflection or off-topic. |
Scoring Guide
16–20 = Exceeds Expectations
11–15 = Meets Expectations
6–10 = Approaching Expectations
<6 = Needs Improvement
Teacher Tips
- Share exemplars of strong presentations and reflections.
- Encourage peer questions to deepen engagement.
- Use sticky-note feedback: classmates post one positive comment and one question after each presentation.
- Display top projects in the classroom to celebrate superpower–career discoveries!