Lesson Plan
Your Future, Your Game!
Students will be able to identify at least two potential college or career paths and articulate one step they can take towards that path.
This lesson is important because it empowers students to begin exploring their interests and connecting them to future educational and professional opportunities. Early exposure helps students make informed decisions and set meaningful goals.
Audience
8th Grade
Time
20 minutes
Approach
Through an engaging game and reflective discussion.
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Warm Up: Future Me Brainstorm, Slide Deck: Your Future, Your Game!, Game: Pathfinders Pursuit, Discussion Guide: Dreams & Decisions, and Cool Down: One Step Forward to familiarize yourself with the content and flow.
- Prepare any necessary physical materials for the Game: Pathfinders Pursuit (e.g., printed cards, markers).
- Ensure technology (projector, computer) is ready for the Slide Deck: Your Future, Your Game!.
Step 1
Warm Up: Future Me Brainstorm
3 minutes
- Begin with the Warm Up: Future Me Brainstorm activity.
- Distribute the warm-up sheet or project the prompt.
- Ask students to quickly jot down ideas about what they imagine their future selves doing.
Step 2
Introduction & Game Overview
2 minutes
- Use the first few slides of Slide Deck: Your Future, Your Game! to introduce the topic of college and career readiness.
- Explain that today's lesson is about exploring possibilities.
- Introduce the Game: Pathfinders Pursuit, explaining the rules and objectives clearly.
Step 3
Game: Pathfinders Pursuit
8 minutes
- Facilitate the Game: Pathfinders Pursuit activity.
- Guide students through the prompts, encouraging them to think about different career paths and educational requirements.
- Circulate around the room to offer support and clarify any questions.
Step 4
Discussion: Dreams & Decisions
5 minutes
- Transition into the Discussion Guide: Dreams & Decisions.
- Use the prompts to lead a brief whole-class discussion, allowing students to share insights from the game and their initial thoughts on future planning.
- Emphasize that it's okay not to have all the answers right now.
Step 5
Cool Down: One Step Forward
2 minutes
- Conclude the lesson with the Cool Down: One Step Forward activity.
- Ask students to write down one small step they can take this week to explore a potential future interest.
- Collect cool-down tickets as an exit slip.
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Slide Deck
Your Future, Your Game!
Let's explore what's next for you!
Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of their future! Start with an enthusiastic tone.
Why Think About Your Future Now?
- It's never too early to dream!
- Discover your passions and interests
- Understand different paths to success
- Make informed choices later on
Explain that thinking about the future now can help them prepare and explore options. Connect it to their own lives.
Warm Up: Future Me Brainstorm
What do you imagine your future self doing?
- What kind of job might you have?
- Where might you live?
- What would you be learning?
Quickly jot down your ideas!
Introduce the Warm-Up activity. Give clear instructions and a time limit.
Game On: Pathfinders Pursuit!
Get ready to explore different college and career paths!
How to Play:
- We'll go through different scenarios.
- Think about what you would do or what path you might take.
- Be ready to share your thoughts!
Introduce the Pathfinders Pursuit game. Explain that it's a fun way to explore different options.
Let's Talk: Dreams & Decisions
Now that we've explored some paths, let's discuss:
- What was surprising about the game?
- What careers or colleges sparked your interest?
- What questions do you have about your future?
Transition to the discussion phase. Emphasize that all thoughts are valuable and there are no wrong answers.
Cool Down: One Step Forward
What's one small step you can take this week to explore a potential future interest?
Write it down before you leave!
Explain the Cool Down. This helps students commit to a small, actionable step.
Warm Up
Warm Up: Future Me Brainstorm
Take 3 minutes to quickly jot down your ideas about what you imagine your future self doing. Don't overthink it, just write what comes to mind!
Think about:
- What kind of job might you have?
- Where might you live?
- What would you be learning or studying?
- What hobbies or activities would you enjoy?
Game
Game: Pathfinders Pursuit
Welcome to Pathfinders Pursuit! In this game, we'll explore different scenarios and think about how they connect to your future. There are no right or wrong answers, just opportunities to think about what excites you and what you might want to learn more about.
Scenario 1: The Problem Solver
Imagine you love solving puzzles and figuring out how things work. You enjoy taking apart old electronics and putting them back together. You also like helping people when their tech isn't working.
Discussion/Response:
- What kinds of careers might be a good fit for you?
- What subjects in school would be important for these careers?
- Would you need a college degree, a special training program, or something else?
Scenario 2: The Creative Storyteller
Imagine you love writing stories, drawing comics, or making short videos. You enjoy sharing your ideas and expressing yourself in unique ways. You also like working with others on creative projects.
Discussion/Response:
- What kinds of careers might be a good fit for you?
- What skills would be important to develop for these careers?
- How could college or other training help you succeed in a creative field?
Scenario 3: The Community Helper
Imagine you care deeply about your community and want to make a positive difference. You enjoy volunteering, helping friends, and learning about social issues. You feel good when you know you've made someone else's day better.
Discussion/Response:
- What kinds of careers might be a good fit for you?
- What kind of education or training would prepare you for these roles?
- How can you start helping your community now, even as an 8th grader?
Discussion
Discussion Guide: Dreams & Decisions
Let's reflect on the Game: Pathfinders Pursuit and our initial thoughts about the future. Remember, it's okay to have questions and not have all the answers right now! This is just the beginning of your journey.
Open Discussion Prompts:
- What was one interesting or surprising thing you learned or thought about during the game?
- Were there any careers or educational paths mentioned in the scenarios that you hadn't thought about before? Which ones?
- What are some of your initial thoughts or feelings about planning for your future?
- What skills do you think are important for any future path, regardless of whether you go to college or directly into a career?
- What resources or people do you think could help you explore your interests and future options further?
Cool Down
Cool Down: One Step Forward
Before you leave, take a moment to reflect on today's lesson. What's one small, actionable step you can take this week to explore a potential college or career interest?
This could be:
- Talking to a family member about their job.
- Looking up a career online.
- Researching a college program.
- Trying a new hobby related to an interest.
- Asking a teacher about a specific subject.
Write down your one step here: