Author: Melva Mason
E-Mail Address: MelvaMY@aol.com
School: Shoop Academy: Chicago, IL
School Home Page URL:

THEME: Career Options

BROAD CONCEPT: Self Knowledge

GRADES: 7th and 8^th

INTEGRATED SUBJECTS: Reading, Writing, Social Science, Mathematics, and Science

UNIT GOALS AND PURPOSE:
Purpose:  Students will examine themselves to determine their likes, needs, wants, strengths, and weaknesses and how their character traits might point them to a career choice.

Goals:  1.  To look inward to discover their personality traits and what makes them     

                  unique.  How they are alike and different from their peers.

           2.  To discover their strengths and weaknesses; their likes and interests.

           3.  To determine what character traits are required to be successful in various    

               occupations.

            4.  To understand that knowing ones character traits can be a good indicator of  

                 what profession to choose.

5.  To determine the skills necessary and organize the time needed to prepare  

     oneself for a given profession.

TIME FRAME:
 Twelve – thirteen 45-minute sessions
 

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, students will:

• Use Inspiration to brainstorm career options
• Complete a self-evaluation survey to determine their character traits and interests
• Use the Internet to research careers
• Find information about the personal qualities necessary to be successful in various occupation by interviewing, reading, and making contacts with career counselors
• Match their own traits with at least two occupations
• Find the qualifications needed to pursue their chosen career
• Create a timeline that includes the steps to achieve their career goal

MATERIALS:

• General materials and equipment:  Personality / Interest Survey, Occupational Outlook Handbook, and Newspaper want-ads

• Technology tools:  Computers with Internet access, large monitor, and digital projector

• Software Used in this Unit (Include the type and the title of the software.)

_X_Desktop Publishing – MS Publisher            _X_ Brainstorming - Inspiration

_X_Word Processing - MS Word                      __Spreadsheet (ex. Cruncher)

_X_CD-ROM Encyclopedia – Groliers    _X_ Database MS Access

_X_ Multimedia – Kidpix                          __Other software pertaining to unit
 
 

STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED BY THIS UNIT:

1.A.3b Analyze the meaning of words and phrases in their context.

1.C.3a Use information to form, explain and support questions and predictions

1.C.3d Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate them to the purpose of the material.

1.C.3f Interpret tables that display textual information and data in visual formats.

10.B.3 Formulate questions (e.g., relationships between car age and mileage, average incomes and years of schooling), devise and conduct experiments or simulations, gather data, draw conclusions and communicate results to an audience using traditional methods and contemporary technologies.

10.C.3b Analyze problem situations (e.g., board games, grading scales) and make predictions about results.

10.A.3a Construct, read and interpret tables, graphs (including circle graphs) and charts to organize and represent data.

15.A.3b Explain the relationship between productivity and wages

15.A.3d Describe the causes of unemployment (e.g., seasonal fluctuation in demand, 15.D.3c Explain how workers can affect their productivity through training and by using tools, machinery and technology changing jobs, changing skill requirements, national spending).

                                13.B.3c Describe how occupations use scientific and technological knowledge and skills.

NETS – National Educational Technology Standards

• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.
• Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES WHICH WILL PROMOTE ENGAGED LEARNING:
 Activity 1:  (2 - 45 min. sessions) Students will brainstorm for career options.  All responses will be recorded using an Inspiration web.  Jobs will then be grouped under career categories such as the medical field, education field, law, etc.  Students will work in pairs to identify further listings for categories not included during the brainstorming session.  Students will use the World Wide Web, newspaper want ad section, employment agencies, and any other resource to find additional career categories.  (To assist lower achieving students they will be paired with a higher achieving student) Students will share additional careers found with other classmates. 

Activity 2:  (1 or 2– 45 min. session) Students will take an interest survey to determine their character/personality types. 

Activity 3:  (3 – 45 min. sessions) Students will work in groups of three to gather information to determine the personality type that is suited for various careers through interviews, Internet research, and readings.  Students will select five careers.  They will create a chart using MSPub that lists the personality traits and the careers that match.  They will show their chart to their classmates using a digital projector and explain their rationale for matching traits to careers to their classmates.

Activity 4:  (2 – 45 min. sessions) Students will use the information in the charts created to select two careers that suit them based on their personality traits.  They will find information through publications, the Internet, interviews, etc. on the qualifications needed such as education and experience to pursue the two careers that matched their traits.  They will compare the qualifications needed to the wage associated with each position by creating MS Access database and graphing the results.

After determining the skills necessary compared to the wage offered, and their interest match a final career choice will be decided. 

Activity 5:  (2 – 45 min. sessions) Students who chose the same or similar career will work in pairs. One student will write a want ad for the position the other student will create a letter requesting an interview.  Both students will take turns interviewing each other for the position.  Each will determine if the other should receive the position.  Each will write a letter of acceptance or rejection to the other explaining why the decision to hire or not hire was made.

Activity 6:  (2 or 3- 45 min. session) Each student will use KidPix to complete a timeline beginning with freshman year in high school that includes the goals that need to be achieved to obtain their chosen career.  Each student will present his or her completed timeline to the class

SHARE YOUR IDEAS:
 Students will share their KidPix timelines with the entire class using a digital projector.
 

STUDENT AND TEACHER ROLES:

Activity 1: Teacher:  Ask students “How do you think people end up in the jobs they have?”  “Why do you think some people chose the jobs they do?”. 

Teacher:  Ask students to brainstorm for different occupations.  Use Inspiration and a digital projector to list the various occupations using the web tool.

Teacher:  will bookmark http://campusprogram.com/jobscareer.html and http://icpac.indiana.edu/publications/infoseries/ to be used to get information on broad career categories as well as a variety of sub-categories.  She/he will ask students to categorize the jobs under larger groupings such as medical field, education field, law, etc.

Students:  Work together in pairs to find categories that were not included during the brainstorming session using encyclopedia software, the above sites, employment agencies, want ads, etc.  List as many jobs under each broad category as they can.

Teacher:  Ask students to share new categories found with other classmates.

Activity 2: Teacher:  will bookmark http://icpac.indiana.edu/publications/infoseries/, http://icpac.indiana.edu/careers/inventories/, http://career.missouri.edu/holland/ and http://www.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm instruct students to explore the sites to select an interest/personality survey to take.  (The bls.gov site has a very simple approach that lower achieving students may opt for.)
Students:  Will chose an inventory to take and take it.  They will record the results or print it out.  

Activity 3:  Teacher:  will instruct the students to use the sites listed above and the links contained in them to explore the traits and interests that match various occupations. 

Teacher:  will show the students an example of a chart created with MS Pub that lists traits and the matching occupations for at least 5 jobs.  They will be told that their classmates will be asked to either agree or disagree with the matches they make.

Students:  will work in groups of three; chose five occupations that interest them and create a similar chart.  They will show the chart to their classmates using a digital projector.  Their classmates will either agree or disagree with the way the character traits and occupations were matched.

Activity 4:  Teacher: will bookmark http://icpac.indiana.edu/careers/career_profiles/,
 http://www.bls.gov/oco/, and http://www.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm.  Students will be asked to peruse the site to gather information about the education, experience, and wages for two of the jobs on their chart that fit them best. 

Students:  will enter the information in a MS Access database and graph the results.  They will use the data to choose one preferred occupation.

Activity 5:  Teacher: will bookmark http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/index.shtml and http://www.bls.gov/oco/.  Students will be asked to use these sites to find information on how to write an ad and a request for an interview for the job. 

Students:  will decide which one will write the want ad and which will write the request for an interview.

Students:  will interview each other for the position. 

Students:  will decide to hire or not hire the interviewee.  Each student will use MS Word to either generate an acceptance or rejection letter.

Activity 6:  Teacher:  will bookmark http://icpac.indiana.edu/careers/career_profiles/, http://www.bestjobsusa.com/employmentReview/er_0399/0399003.asp and http://www.bls.gov/oco/.  Students will be asked to gather information detailing what is necessary to prepare oneself to be a chosen profession.

Teacher:  will create a timeline using KidPix that shows the preparation that was required to achieve a teaching position.

Students:  will create a similar timeline using KidPix.

Students:  will share their presentation with their peers using a digital projector.  Each student will evaluate his or her peers using the rubric for the assignment.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCE PRINT RESOURCES STUDENTS MAY USE:

Newspaper Want Ads

Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Department of Labor

A list of the books listed below

THE FOLLOWING BOOKS CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC:

Career Tests: 25 Revealing Self-Tests to Help You Find and Succeed at the Perfect Career, by Louis H. Janda (Adams). The tests in this book will help you determine if you're on the right career track by teaching you how to evaluate your personality, and then match your interests and abilities to the right job for you.
Career Adventure: Your Guide to Personal Assessment, Career Exploration, and Decision-Making, by Susan M. Johnston (Prentice-Hall).
Discover the Best Jobs for You! Find the Job to Get a Life You Love, by Ronald L. Krannich and Caryl Rae Krannich (Impact).
Follow Your Career Star: A Career Quest Based on Inner Values, by Jon Snodgrass, Ph.D. (Kensington)
Finding Your Calling, Love Your Life: Paths to Your Truest Self in Life and Work, by Martha Finney and Deborah Dasch (Simon & Schuster).
 
 

FOR ADDITIONAL ONLINE INFORMATION AND MEDIA PERTAINING TO THIS UNIT, TEACHERS MAY WANT TO USE THE FOLLOWING INTERNET ARTICLES: 

Title1: Best Jobs USA.com

URL1: http://www.bestjobsusa.com/employmentReview/er_0399/0399003.asp

http://www.bestjobsusa.com/sections/CAN-jobsearch/index.asp

Description1: This page gives information on what traits are needed to be successful in life.  The second page gives a drop down list of occupations listed by categories.
 
 

Title2: University of Buffalo, Student Affairs, Career Planning & Placement Online Career Office

URL2: http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/index.shtml

Description2: This page has info on writing cover letters, acceptance and rejection letters.
 
 

Title3: Campusprogram.com, Jobs by Career

URL3: http://campusprogram.com/jobscareer.html

Description3: This site lists jobs under major categories such as Arts, Education, Science, etc.
 
 
 

Title4: QuintCareers.com

URL4: http://quintcareers.com/choosing_major.html

http://www.quintcareers.com/jobseeker_glossary.html

http://www.quintcareers.com/online_assessment_review.html

Description4: This page on this site talks about choosing a major and how to go about making the decision.
The second page has a useful glossary of job search terms.
The third page has a helpful evaluation of the various personality assessments.
 

Title5: IPAC Publications

URL5: http://icpac.indiana.edu/publications/infoseries/

Description5: Great links for a variety of career topics.
 

Title6: 9types.com

URL6: http://icpac.indiana.edu/publications/infoseries/

Description6: RHETI - 38 question personality test
 
 
 

RELEVANT INFORMATION, STUDENTS WILL VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEB SITES:

Title1: 9types.com

URL1: http://www.9types.com/

Purpose of Use1: Students will review the RHETI personality test

Description1: This site has a sample of the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI) test and explains in detail the nine types.  The test is 38 questions that students should finish in 45 minutes if they don’t take too long on each item.
 
 

Title2: ICPAC Career Profile Index

URL2: http://icpac.indiana.edu/careers/career_profiles/

Purpose of Use2: Students can use to gather information about various occupations

Description2: The Career Profiles are organized alphabetically by job title. Each profile contains the following:

Title3: ICPAC

URL3: http://icpac.indiana.edu/careers/inventories/

Purpose of Use3: Students can complete a Career Interest Checklist, or a Preference Inventory, or an RIASEC Entry

Description3: This page has three tools that will reveal characteristics and the career implications that coincide with the results.
 
 
 

Title4: MU CAREER CENTER
The Career Interests Game

URL4: http://career.missouri.edu/holland/

Purpose of Use4: Students will find out what their interests are and how they relate to career choices.

Description4: This site describes the “Career Interests Game” and then allows the visitor to take the inventory.  It gives the user information about the results and how they relate to occupations.
 
 

Title5: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics

Occupational Outlook Handbook

URL5: http://www.bls.gov/oco/

Purpose of Use5: Students can use this site to research various occupations.

Description5: The site is the online version of the book that has a wealth of occupation information.  ” The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives.  Revised every two years, the Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations.”
 
 
 

Title6: Bureau of Labor Statistics/Jobs for Kids Who Like…

URL6: http://www.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm

Purpose of Use6: Students can use this site to explore the careers that are associated with the subjects they like.

Description6: The site matches occupations with the knowledge necessary to perform the job.  For instance, if students like science, it will present them with a list of jobs that require a science background.