CAREER NETWORK

Teaching and LearningWith the Power of Technology

CAREER NETWORK

A fully developed, standards-based,interdisciplinary project

using the power of technology

For Grades 9 – 12

Created for JDL Technologies, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Project Description _______________________________________________________1Performance and Content Standards Driving This Project__________________3

Before You Begin_________________________________________________________5

Project ProcedureIntroduction: Finding Work is Work_____________________________________8

Phase One: Where Am I Going?_____________________________________13

Extension Activity: Getting the Job Done, Then and Now ____________18Phase Two: How Will I Get There? ____________________________________21

Phase Three: Welcome to the Real World! ___________________________25

Culminating Activity_________________________________________________30Appendix (located after page 30)

About Project-based LearningPrediction Worksheet: The Current Job MarketPersonal Skills InventoryInternet ResourcesPeer Evaluation for a PresentationSelf Assessment ReflectionDocument Analysis Worksheet

© 2003 JDL Technologies, Inc.

5555 West 78th Street, Edina, MN 55439

This project was created for JDL Technologies by TechKNOW Associates Corporation:26 Lori Street, Monroe Township, NJ 08831, U.S.A. 1-800-860-0773

www.techKNOWassociates.comPermission is hereby granted to educators to make copies of portions or all the

content of this project, provided that the purposes of the copying are educationaland entirely noncommercial.

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

An interdisciplinary project for grades 9-12Career Development and Occupational Studiesis a central theme of every high schoolclassroom. The Career Network projectengages students in preparing for futurecareers through engaging activities that willhelp them determine future paths and inmapping out a direction for gaining the skillsand knowledge necessary for their futuresuccess. Career Network has a real-worldfocus and natural emphasis on quality studentwork as students explore the basic principlesof career planning such as decision-making,self-evaluation, and goal setting.

The Career Network project calls for cooperative groups of students to conduct in-depth, meaningful investigations into the world of work and career options, as theyrelate personal skills, aptitudes, and abilities to future career decisions. This projectaddresses performance standards in Career Development and Occupational Studies,as well as the standards of several other disciplines. Career Network is divided intothree distinct but interrelated learning units followed by a culminating presentation:

Ü Phase One: Where Am I Going? – Students will engage in a series of activitiesthat helps them assess their personal goals and match these goals to a careeroption. They will research at least three specific jobs in their chosen career areaand prepare an inventory of the acquired skills, qualities, and experiencesnecessary for successful employment as well as the job outlook (decline/growth)and possible earnings. They will publish their findings as informationalpamphlets.

Ü Phase Two: How Will I Get There? – Students will demonstrate how academicknowledge and skills are applied in the workplace and other settings. They willinterview a person in their career option and/or prospective employers to helpthem identify the necessary application of academic knowledge and technicalskills that are required for particular careers. They will develop a multimediapresentation to demonstrate how concepts from mathematics, science, socialstudies, English language arts and/or other disciplines are applied in aparticular career option.

Ü Phase Three: Welcome to the Real World! – Students will demonstratemastery of foundational skills through a series of career building activities. Theywill use multiple resources to research available jobs that meet their chosencareer goals. They will write a resume and a variety of cover letters and conductmock-job interviews. Students will also design a personal school to work plancontaining specific stops toward attainment of a career goal.

The culminating event will be a celebration of student achievement. Students willpresent what they have learned and display their related projects to invited guests.

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Career Network sets high academic goals and offers students the means to achievethem by employing activities that address multiple learning styles. The projectemphasizes the use of primary source documents and Internet-based research toguide students toward determining future career options. A distinct component ofthe Career Network project is its adaptability. Teachers can adjust any or all of thefollowing structures to meet their students’ needs more adequately:

Ø Group Size: The number of students in each group can be altered.Ø Time On Task: The time students are given to complete a task can be varied.Ø Level of Support: Student support can be accentuated when needed.Ø Task Difficulty: The skill level of each activity can be modified to address

student individual needs.

Current research in teaching and learning guides the Career Network project.Students must invest time, thought, and effort into their work to producemeaningful products that exhibit creativity, comprehension, and higher orderthinking. As they engage in this project, your students will have the opportunity towork in small, cooperative groups while engaging in active, interdisciplinarylearning. As the work to meet or exceed local, state, and national content andperformance standards, the will engage in social interactions related to learningobjectives. Most importantly, they will use technology to incorporate resources fromthe larger community into their work.

Required Materials and SoftwareØ Internet access and a browser, such as Microsoft Explorer™Ø A word processing program, such as Microsoft Word™Ø A presentation program, such as Microsoft PowerPoint™Ø A spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel™Ø Graphic organizer software such as Inspiration™ [optional]

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PERFORMANCE AND CONTENT STANDARDS DRIVING THIS PROJECT

Career Development StandardsNational School Counselor Association: http://www.schoolcounselor.org

Academic Development Standard C: Students will understand the relationship ofacademics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community.

Career Development Standard A: Students will acquire the skills to investigate theworld of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decision.

Career Development Standard B: Students will employ strategies to achieve futurecareer success and satisfaction.

Career Development Standard C: Students will understand the relationship betweenpersonal qualities, education and training and the world of work.

Personal/Social Development Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goalsand take necessary action to achieve goals.

English Language Arts StandardsNational Council of Teachers of English:http://www.ncte.org/standards/standards.shtml

Standard 1: Students read a wide range of print andnon-print texts to build an understanding of texts,to acquire new information, and to respond to theneeds and demands of society and the workplace.

Standard 4: Students adjust their use of spoken,written, and visual language to communicateeffectively with a variety of audiences and fordifferent purposes.

Standard 5: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use differentwriting process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for avariety of purposes.

Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions(e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre tocreate, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas andquestions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data froma variety of sources to communicate in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological and information resources to gatherand synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish theirown purposes (for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange ofinformation).

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Mathematics StandardsNational Council for Teachers of Mathematics: http://standards.nctm.org

Data Analysis & Probability: Students will formulate questions that can be addressedwith data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them.

Connections Standard: Students will recognize and apply mathematics in contextsoutside mathematics.

Representation Standard: Students will create and use representations to organize,record, and communicate mathematical ideas. Students will use representations tomodel and interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena.

Social Studies StandardsNational Council for the Social Studies: http://www.ncss.org/standards/2.0.html

Strand #2: Time, Continuity, and Change – Students will develop and demonstrate anunderstanding of the ways human beings view themselves over time.

Strand #4: Individual Development and Identity – Students will develop anddemonstrate an understanding of individual development and identity.

Strand #6: Production, Distribution, and Consumption – Students will develop anddemonstrate an understanding of how people organize for the production,distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Strand #8: Science, Technology, and Society – Students will develop anddemonstrate an understanding of the relationships among science, technology, andsociety.

Technology StandardsNational Educational Technology Standards for students:http://cnets.iste.org/currstands/cstands-netss.html

Standard 1: Students demonstrate proficient use of technology.

Standard 2: Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, andsoftware. They develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelonglearning, collaboration, and productivity.

Standard 3: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity,and promote creativity. They use productivity tools to collaborate in producingpublications, presentations, and other creative works.

Standard 4: Students use a variety of media and formats to communicateinformation and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

Standard 5: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information froma variety of sources. They evaluate and select new information resources andtechnological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Standard 6: Students use technology resources for solving problems and makinginformed decisions. They employ technology in the development of strategies forsolving problems in the real world.

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BEFORE YOU BEGIN

A project of this scope and magnitude takes planning. Here are some things toconsider before you begin:

Do I have to complete everything?The project plan is designed to meet the needs of a variety of classroomenvironments and curriculums. However, it may be too extensive for a single classto complete. Read through the whole plan and select the activities that are mostappropriate for your class. Also, feel free to change and adapt any aspect of theproject to suit the interests and needs of your students.

Although the phases of the project are designed to work together, each phase meetsspecific curriculum objectives. Consider doing only the phases that meet yourcurriculum objectives.

Can more than one class participate in the project?Yes! This project encourages student creativity: no two finished projects will be thesame. Including several classes will enrich your culminating activity. By workingwith other teachers or librarians you can make thisa school-wide project. Each class/grade canparticipate at its own level and meet its owncurriculum objectives.

For the culminating activity, each class can give ashort presentation of their best work. To keep theevent to a reasonable length, limit each class to aspecific amount of time for presentation. Set up agallery of projects to make sure all students’ work isseen and appreciated by visitors.

Should cooperative learning experiences be used with this project?Yes! Cooperative learning is an integral component of this project. If you haven’tused cooperative learning before, you will want to ease into it. For tips on how toorganize a cooperative learning experience, visit:http://ss.uno.edu/SS/homePages/CoopTips.html.

How long will this project take?The estimated time frame for completing the entire project is ten to twelve weeks.However, it is unlikely that any class will complete all three phases of this project.Furthermore, there are many variables (such as access to computers) that mayaffect the actual time it will take your class to complete the project.

Each section includes a suggested time frame, but you may have to adjust this tomeet your students’ needs. Once you begin this project, it is important to set up atime frame and stick with it. Planning when to have your culminating activity andgiving students a real deadline will help keep them focused throughout this project.

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How do I structure an interdisciplinary project in a high school?Experts agree that an interdisciplinary approach to learning can give students aricher understanding and increase their interest in a topic, as well as provide acontext for learning.1 One way of creating an interdisciplinary learning environmentis to have several teachers of different content areas collaborate in implementingthis project.

There are two ways to structure this collaborative teaching experience:

Ø One teacher coordinates the project and employs other teachers as resources.(The math teacher helps with the graphing and data related activities; thesocial studies teacher helps with primary source documents, etc.)

Ø Divide the project ahead of time among several teachers according to content.

One teacher should take the responsibility of coordinating the project. No matterhow you choose to structure the project, collaboration takes careful planning andcommunication. Use e-mail or arrange common planning time to organize eachphase of the project.

Even if collaborative teaching is not an appropriate choice for your school, you canstill do this project. Start by determining the goals and objectives that you want toaddress. Then establish which aspects of the project will help you meet thoselearning goals. If you only have one period a day with students, time may be animportant factor. Students may be able to complete part of the project outside ofclass time.

How many computers do I need?This project is designed to work in a wide variety of schoolsettings. You can complete this project whether you have onecomputer in the classroom, several computers in theclassroom, access to a computer lab or media center, or laptopcomputers. Many of the activities present options for workingwithout a computer. There are several things that you must dobefore your students can use the computer.

You should:

• Arrange computer(s) and desks (if possible) toaccommodate group work.

• Establish rules and procedures for using the computers and Internet.• Set up a time schedule for students so they know what they’re doing and

when it is due.• Demonstrate each program or activity on the computer to the whole class.• Limit students to one activity at a time.

1 For more information on the benefits of interdisciplinary instruction, visit:http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/8/c016.html. Also, see Jensen, E. Teaching with the Brain in Mind.

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Students should be prepared before going to the computer. You can assign one ortwo “computer savvy” students to help other students with simple tasks likeInternet searches or saving documents.

The following is a checklist of things that you should complete before introducingthis project to your students:

q Make sure any software that students will need is pre-installed on eachcomputer. Students should have access to basic tool software, such as wordprocessing and presentation software.

q Bookmark any articles or other Internet links students will be using.q Make sure necessary plug-ins (such as Flash and QuickTime) are loaded and

working.q Be sure to have all reading and project handout materials copied and

available for your students ahead of time.q Prepare for what to do if the technology doesn’t work. If the printer breaks or

your connection to the Internet goes down, you should have activities readyas substitutes.

What planning should I do with my students?Be sure to review the rubrics and any other assessments you will be using ahead oftime, so students know what is expected of them. This project encourages studentsto make choices among activities. Allow students to be creative in developing theirfinished products. This will give them a stronger sense of ownership and motivation.

How will students benefit from this project?Project-based learning, as exemplified by the activities suggested here, has manyadvantages. It appeals to a variety of learning styles, helps to motivate students,and promotes skill building by providing hands-on, real-time experiences.

Each phase of the project includes motivating and engaging tasks. As studentscomplete each section, they develop skills that will enable them to expressthemselves and communicate their ideas more effectively. Regardless of eachstudent’s individual abilities, all will learn and feel that their contribution isimportant and respected.

In addition, you can use this project as a template to create your own projectsdesigned to meet content specific needs. For more about adapting this project, seeAbout Project-based Learning in the Appendix.

Best of all, project-based learning is fun for students and exciting for teachers!

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PROJECT PROCEDURE

INTRODUCTION: FINDING WORK IS WORKEstimated Time Frame: 1 week

Expected Technology Outcomes for this Lesson:

Ø Web-based Research (Internet Explorer)Ø Chart or graph (Excel)

Initial PreparationsBefore you introduce this project to your class, you should read it completely andbecome familiar with its goals and activities. Read the handouts closely, and makesure you understand the sequence in which they are distributed. Visit therecommended web sites listed in the Appendix and become familiar with the topicsyour students will be encountering.

Introducing the project

Introduce the project to your students by explaining the project’s content and scopeand the related activities and goals. Use a graphic organizer, such as a tree map, tohelp your students visualize the various activities and associated deadlines. Stopfrequently to check for understanding. Ask your students to explain what they arebeing asked to do. You may wish to create a handout for the class to read and keep.

Keeping a project notebook

Have students maintain a project notebook just for work onthis project. Encourage students to keep all their notes,ideas, research, and sketches in this notebook. In addition,students should reserve separate sections of the notebookfor self-reflection and vocabulary.

Ø Self-reflection: Students should use this section oftheir notebook to reflect on what they’ve learned aftereach class session. Asking students to think abouttheir learning is an excellent way of getting them torealize just how much they’ve learned and to thinkabout what else they would like to know. To help students monitor, assess,and improve their own performance, use the Self Assessment Reflection,which can be found in the Appendix.

Ø Vocabulary: Students should use this section of the notebook for newvocabulary they encounter in the project. Tell your students that it is theirresponsibility to add at least four new words to their notebooks each week.They are to define each new word and use it in a sentence of their own.Reserve time each week to review these entries and tell your class that theywill need these words for one of the activities later in the project.

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When I Grow Up…Adults often ask children, even very young children, whatthey want to be when they grow up. Some children keepthese childhood dreams and follow them through toadulthood, but most change their minds many timesbefore deciding on (or settling on) a career. In this activitystudents will reflect on what they wanted to be when theywere younger and use this as a basis for exploringpossible career options. Ask students to “freewrite” intheir journals about their earlier aspirations. Be carefulnot to specify an age or to provide students with leadingstatements.

Teacher Tip: Freewriting is a brainstorming activity designed to elicitstudent ideas. It emphasizes content over structure and mechanics. Infreewriting, students are given a topic or subject and ask to write non-stop,everything they can think of related to the topic. In most cases, the teacherdoesn’t read the writing, but students use these thoughts and ideas for laterwriting assignments.

Initiate a class discussion, asking students to reflect on what they wanted to be. Ifnecessary, use some of the following questions to prompt the conversation:

• Why do you think you wanted to be a [insert profession]?• What appealed to you, as a child, about this profession?• What challenges would you face pursuing this profession?• Do you still want to be a [insert profession]? Explain why or why not.

Ask students to generate a creative response to this discussion, using theirfreewriting as a basis. The creative response may take a variety of formats, includingan essay, a poem, a drawing, a diary entry, or a letter. Encourage students to beimaginative in their responses.

Finally, each student will present his or hercreative response to the class. Studentsshould include a brief explanation of whatthey did in their presentation. Remindstudents that this type of sharing can bevery personal, and they should be respectfulof one another. In addition, if your studentsare not used to presenting in front of anaudience, you may have to model this forthem. Discuss criteria for presenting, suchas making eye contact and speaking slowly.Students will be making many presentationsduring this project, and it is important toprepare them.

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Key Word StrategyVocabulary is integral to learning that is self-extending. In order for students to beable to use and apply concepts learned in the classroom in new situations, theymust be able understand and use critical vocabulary in a meaningful way. Thisactivity will help improve students’ active comprehension of this vocabulary as theyread expository material for informational purposes.

This approach begins with a general discussion about the topic. Place the followingterms on the board or on chart paper and ask your students to add these terms totheir notebooks:

• Employee • Employer • Employment Rate • Interest Rate

• Minimum Wage • Underemployed • Unemployment Insurance • Workforce

After you have posted this list, ask students to speculate about the definitions of thewords and how they relate to the topic. Divide your class into groups of threestudents and ask them to write a sentence for each term. Tell your students thatthey can write whatever they know—or think that they know—about these terms intheir sentences.

Next, students should use a variety of resources to find the actual meanings of eachterm. Although dictionaries can be valuable resources, encourage students to beginusing Internet search engines. Sites such as http://about.com and http://aj.comcan provide information about a word in a meaningful context. Each group shouldwrite a definition for each term in their own words. They should also revise theirsentences, if necessary, for each of the terms.

When they have completed this task, ask each group to share its work with theclass. Use this as an opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings. You can use agraphic organizer like the one below in which students compare and contrast whatthey thought each term meant and what the term actually means.

Make sure that all students have a good understanding of the vocabulary beforemoving on to the next part of the activity.

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Current Job Trends“Work” is big news. Employment rates affect all aspects of the economy. In anygiven day you might find articles in newspapers and speeches by politicians thatexplain, excuse, or predict changes in these rates. It is important that your studentsdevelop an understanding of how the economy and terms such as employment ratesand underemployed2 have direct impact on their lives and their futures.

In this activity, students will evaluate the current job market and predicted trends.They will use a variety of resources, including newspapers, television newsprograms, and the Internet to assess employment options.

Research

What is the national unemployment rate right now? What is the projected nationalunemployment rate projected to be a year from now? How do the nationalunemployment rates vary by race or by gender? What is the unemployment rate forour local area? Why are these numbers important? These are some of the questionsyou can ask your students to begin a discussion about unemployment.

Before beginning to research, provide students with a copy of the PredictionWorksheet: The Current Job Market3 from the Appendix. This worksheet willprovide students with thought-provoking statements to help guide their research.Students should work cooperatively to complete the Before Reading portion of thehandout. You may use the same groups as for the vocabulary activity, or create newgroups.

Ask each group to find a news article that relates to one or more of the statements.Students can find articles from newspapers or use an Internet news source. A list ofInternet news sources can be found in the Appendix. Next, have students findstatistical data related to the same topic. For example, if a group chooses an articleabout more men taking “traditionally female” jobs after being laid off, they may lookfor statistics comparing unemployment rates between men and women. If a groupchooses an article about mass layoffs in their local area, they may look for statisticscomparing national unemployment rates with local ones.

Teacher Tip: You may have to help groups determine which statistics bestrelate to their article topic. Encourage students to visit the Bureau of LaborStatistics web site (http://www.bls.gov/) to find a wide variety of detailedstatistical information.

2 Underemployed refers to a person working in a job that does not utilize his or her full capacity.

These jobs tend to be low paying and usually require a lower level of education and experiencethan the person possesses.

3 Prediction Worksheets are an effective way to introduce a new topic to a class. This process helpsassess your students’ prior knowledge about a topic while at the same time providing them with anoverview of what they will be learning.

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Each group will demonstrate what they have learned from their research on adisplay board. The display should include the following:

• A brief summary of the article and how it relates to the topic. This summaryshould include an explanation of why the article is important and relevant.

• A graph demonstrating related statistical information. This graph shouldinclude a caption explaining how the statistics relate to the article above.

• A picture, photo, or other graphic related to the topic.

Teacher Tip: The Chart Wizard tool provides a quick and easy way to createa line or bar graph in Microsoft Excel. The Chart Wizard tool is located on thestandard tool bar. The first step is to select the data to be graphed. Once thedata has been selected, the Chart Wizard will step you through creating thechart. Upon completion, the finished chart will appear on the screen. Thechart can be re-positioned, resized, or pasted into a new document. See theAppendix for online tutorials to learn more about using Microsoft Excel.

Each group will provide a brief presentation of their display to the class.

Post-assessment and reflectionAt the end of each activity, students should be encouraged to add new vocabularyand to reflect on what they have learned in their project notebooks. Studentreflection is a very important component to project-based learning. In addition, youmay want to provide students with the following questions to prompt their writing:

Ø How will the economy be affected if unemployment rates rise or fallsignificantly?

Ø What are some factors that affect the unemployment rates?Ø How will the projected unemployment rates affect your ability to find and

hold a good job?

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PHASE ONE: WHERE AM I GOING?Estimated Time Frame: Two to Three Weeks

Expected Technology Outcomes for this Lesson:

Ø Web-based Research (Internet Explorer)Ø Table (Word)Ø Brochure (Word or Publisher)

Career ClustersAsk students to name different careers and you will probably receive stock answers:doctor, lawyer, teacher, banker, and the like. In this activity, students will be askedto expand their thinking to include a wider variety of career options, including manynew careers that result from technological advances and a changing society. UsingCareer Clusters, which categorizes occupations based on commonalities, studentsare able to connect what they learn in school with the knowledge and skills theyneed for success in careers. Making this connection to future goals can motivatestudents to work harder towards achieving those goals.

There is no set way to cluster careers. Some sources use as few as five or sixclusters, while others use as many as nineteen. In this activity we will use the 16clusters set forth by States’ Career Clusters: http://www.careerclusters.org/.However, you may want to use a fewer clusters. Additional resources for careerclusters can be found in the Appendix. Alternatively, you may want to use theclusters established by your state education department.

Begin by posting the following 16 career clusters:

1. Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources2. Architecture and Construction3. Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications4. Business, Management, and Administration5. Education and Training6. Finance7. Government and Public Administration8. Health Science9. Hospitality and Tourism10. Human Services11. Information Technology12. Law, Public Safety, and Security13. Manufacturing14. Marketing, Sales, and Service15. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics16. Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

Be sure to spend time reviewing each of these with your class to ensure thatstudents have a clear understanding of each cluster. You can find more detailedexplanations of each of these at the States’ Career Cluster web site.

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Brainstorming

Randomly divide the clusters among your cooperativegroups. You can use the same groups as in theintroductory activity, or create new groups of three tofour students. Make sure that all the clusters havebeen assigned. Tell students that their group shouldbrainstorm a list of as many occupations as they canfor each assigned cluster. For example, under HealthSciences, possible occupations might be:anesthesiologist, biochemist, dental hygienist,dentist, home health aide, registered nurse,paramedic, patient advocate, pharmacist, physician,radiologist, etc. Each career cluster and its occupations should be recorded on aseparate sheet of paper. Be sure to provide enough time for students to adequatelycomplete this activity.

Ask each group to pass its work to another group. Students should read throughthe responses of the previous group and then add additional occupations to eachcluster. You can shorten the time allotted, since students are adding to what ispresumably a somewhat comprehensive list. Continue rotating the clusters untileach cooperative group has had a chance to read through and add to the list ofoccupations for each cluster.

Teacher Tip: There may be disagreement as to which cluster a specificoccupation belongs. Tell students that if they think an occupation has beenlisted with the wrong cluster, to highlight it. At the end of the activity, reviewthe highlighted occupations and, as a class, come to a consensus as towhere the occupation rightfully belongs. If no consensus can be reached, usethe States’ Career Cluster web site, or other agreed upon resource, to make afinal determination.

Finally, to make sure that the list of occupations is as comprehensive as possible,ask each student to choose one of the clusters and to research additionaloccupations for that cluster. Encourage students to conduct research on theInternet to complete their lists.

Career Discovery

Each cooperative group will begin to explore two of the career clusters. This activityis not an in-depth research of the occupations (that will come later) but a genericlook at the occupations within a cluster. Allow groups to choose from the displayedlist of clusters. Cross off clusters as they are picked to insure that there are noduplications and that the majority of clusters are covered.

Ask students to look at the occupations for their chosen clusters. Whatcommonalities can they find among the professions? What are the differences?

Next, have students organize the occupations within each cluster intosubcategories. Allow each group to determine what subcategories make sense forthat cluster. For each occupation, students should determine typical places ofemployment and expected education and training required. Each group will create atable for each assigned cluster that demonstrates this information.

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Before students begin their research, you may want to model the process with them.You can use the following sample as a guide:4

Career Cluster: Health Sciences

Subcategory Occupation Typical Place ofEmployment

Expected Education and Training

Dentist Dental Office College + Dental School (3-4 Years)Registered Nurse Medical Office/

Hospital2 Or 4 Years Nursing College

Paramedic (EMT) Ambulance Co. High School + EMT CoursePharmacist (EMT) Pharmacy Pharmacy College (5-6 Years) +

InternshipPhysician Medical Office/

HospitalCollege + Medical School + Internship+ Residency

Diagnosis andTreatment

Psychologist Private Office/Hospital

College + Medical School + Internship+ Residency

Dental Assistant Dental Office High School + Vocational (3-9 Months)HealthAssistant Home Health Aide Clients Home High School + Vocational Training

Dental Hygienist Dental Office 2 Or 4 Years CollegePhlebotomist Hospital/ Lab High School + Vocational Training

HealthTechnician

RadiologyTechnician

Hospital/ Lab High School + 2 – 4 Years VocationalProgram

HospitalAdministration

Hospital College + Masters (2 Years)HealthAdministration

Medical Billing Medical Office/Hospital

High School + Technical Training

Although students may “think” they know about a career, make sure to emphasizethe importance of conducting research to verify the information they include in theirtables and to cite their sources. Tell students that these tables will be used asreferences for later work in the project.

Teacher Tip: The Insert Table button provides a quick and easy way tocreate a table in Microsoft Word. Click the Insert Table button, located on theTables and Borders tool bar. (If this tool bar isn’t showing, you can find itunder Toolbars in the View menu.) Determine the number of columns androws necessary. The table can be re-formatted using the various tools in thattool bar. See the Appendix for online tutorials to learn more about usingMicrosoft Word.

Each group should print out their table and provide a brief presentation of theinformation to the rest of the class. Afterwards, make copies of the finished tablesfor students to use as a reference.

4 Please note that this is an example, not a comprehensive list.

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Creating a Classroom Career CenterIn this activity, students will conduct in depth research on some of the occupationsthey discovered previously. Working cooperatively, based on areas of interest, yourclass will create a series of informational pamphlets. This research will helpstudents create a personal school-to-work plan to help them achieve their careergoals.

The Right Job for You

Finding the right job involves many decisions. Tell students that the first part of thisprocess is knowing what they want and determining what is most important tothem. To do this, provide students with a copy of the Personal Skills Inventoryhandout from the Appendix. Ask each student to complete this individually. Thisinventory can be a good starting point for a class discussion, but keep in mind thatsome responses may be personal and students may not want to share everything.Next, students should look at the occupations included on the career cluster tables.Ask students to find occupations that appeal to them based on their responses tothe Personal Skills Inventory.

If time permits, you may also want students to complete online career tests. Thefollowing web sites offer some interesting assessments:

• Career Zone: http://www.nycareerzone.org/ (enter one of the sites and clickthe Assess Yourself button)

• Discover Your Perfect Career: http://tools.monster.com/perfectcareer/• The Career Key: http://www.careerkey.org/english/• Future Proof Your Career:

http://www.futureproofyourcareer.com/page11.html (Note: this site tries tosell you an online course, but the personality test is free and informative.)

Based on their responses to the inventory and career assessments,students should determine which career cluster most appeals to them.

In their project notebooks, have them list five to ten occupationsthey would like to investigate further. It is likely that some

students may want to pursue occupations in different clusters,but for the purposes of this activity it is important that they

choose occupations in only one cluster.

Career Exploration

At this time, you should create new cooperativegroups, based on the occupations and clustersselected. Although the ideal size of a cooperativegroup is three to four students, you may choose tohave groups of two or groups of five in order toaccommodate student requests and personalitytypes. If you have more than one cooperativegroup working on the same cluster, make surethat each group focuses on differentoccupations.

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Each group will decide on three occupations to explore within their chosen careercluster. Encourage students to use the resources from the Career Cluster tables tohelp them begin their research. For each occupation, have students research thefollowing:

• The duties and responsibilities of the job• The work environment• The academic requirements (including licensing, if applicable)• The knowledge and skills required by the job• The expected salary and job prospects for the future• Similar or related jobs• Resources for more information

Each group will synthesize the information they have learned to create aninformative and appealing pamphlet. You may want to show students a variety ofinformational pamphlets. Discuss, as a class, the criteria for a good pamphlet.

Teacher Tip: You can create pamphlets quickly and easily using thebrochure templates in Microsoft Word. Open the Project Gallery and chooseone of the brochure templates. Follow the instructions in the BrochureWizard to customize your brochure. Then, add the content. See the Appendixfor online tutorials to learn more about using Microsoft Word.

Each group will present their pamphlet to the class. Afterwards, create a CareerCenter in your classroom and display the finished pamphlets and other resources inthis center. Students can use these resources in future activities.

Post-assessment and reflectionEach cooperative group should create three open-ended questions about its careercluster. The questions should be designed to determine if the rest of the classlearned from their presentation. Since this is the first time students are “testing”their classmates, they may need a lot of support. You can model the “do’s anddon’ts” of good questioning techniques. Post reminders of these conspicuouslyaround the room.

Remind students that their questions should focus on overall themes rather thanminute details. You may need to edit each group’s questions to make sure they areboth appropriate and clearly stated. Then, have all students respond to each of thequestions in their project notebooks.

At the end of each activity, students should be encouraged to add new vocabularyand to reflect on what they have learned in their project notebooks. You can use theSelf Assessment Reflection, included in the Appendix. In addition, you may wantto provide students with the following questions to prompt their writing:

Think about the occupations you researched:

Ø What is common to all three occupations? What is unique?Ø Which of these occupations do you find most appealing? What do you like

best about this occupation? What do you like least? Do you think this is theright career for you? Explain.

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EXTENSION ACTIVITY: GETTING THE JOB DONE, THEN AND NOW

Estimated Time Frame: Two to Three Weeks

Expected Technology Outcomes for this Lesson:

Ø Web-based Research (Internet Explorer)Ø Web Page (FrontPage or PowerPoint)

What impact has technology and changes in society had on careers? In this activity,students will use a variety of primary source documents to research occupations inthe past and compare them with similar occupations today. Your class will create aweb site of careers, then and now. Students will work in cooperative groups of threeto five students. Each cooperative group will contribute one web page to the classsite. You may maintain the same groups from previous activities or create newgroups based on interest.

Research

To begin, each group will focus their search on one occupation that has changedsignificantly over the past 100 years or more. Ask each group to submit a proposalthat states which occupation it will explore and why this occupation is a good choicefor this activity. Students should spend time exploring the documents created forthe classroom Career Center to help them determine which career to research.Encourage students to do some preliminary research before committing to a career,to make sure they can find enough information.

Connecting to Content: Connect this activity directly to your socialstudies curriculum by specifying a time period for students to research.If your class is studying medieval Europe, for example, students willresearch occupations from that era and compare them with similaroccupations today. Students can research multiple periods of time aswell. For example, if your class is studying US history, students canresearch the same occupation during the 1700s, the 1800’s, the 1900’s,and today.

The focus and depth of the research will depend on the occupation and time periodbeing studied. Students need to find ways in which the occupation has changedover time and ways it has stayed the same. You may want to provide students withresearch guide questions, such as those below. Assure students that these questionsare only a starting point for their research. They do not need to answer all thequestions:

• What were the duties and responsibilities of the job then? Now?• What training was required for the job then? Now?• What tools were used for the job then? Now?• What was the working environment for the job then? Now?• What status/reputation did the job hold then? Now?• What salary and benefits did the job offer then? Now?• What new technologies have impacted this occupation over time?• What changes in culture and society have impacted this occupation over

time?

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Groups should collect at least two primarysource documents from each time period tosupport its research. Primary sourcesinclude documents such asadvertisements5, letters, newspaper articles,photos and pictures, press releases, reports,memorandums. Links to online collectionsof these types of documents can be found inthe Appendix. In addition, encouragestudents to use web searches specific totheir topic. Furthermore, print resources inlibraries can be valuable resources as well.Provide students with copies of the DocumentAnalysis Worksheet, found in the Appendix,to help them review the quality and substance of their primary sources.

Compare, Contrast, Present

After students have completed their research, they should create a graphicorganizer, such as a Venn diagram, to demonstrate what they have learned. Thegraphic organizer should both compare and contrast, identifying how the professionhas changed and how it has stayed the same. Remind students that they shouldfocus on broad issues rather than details. Tell students that details supportingthese issues will be included in the web site.

Teacher Tip: You can make a Venn diagram, like the sample above, inMicrosoft Word. Traditionally Venn diagrams are created using twooverlapping ovals. However, students may find it easier to add text if theyuse rectangular shapes instead. Complete instructions can be found athttp://www.bigvisiondesign.com/dl/venn.htm. You can also create VennDiagrams online at http://www.venndiagram.com/ orhttp://www.teach–nology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/venn_diagrams/.

Groups will use their graphic organizers to help plan the contents of their web page.Tell students that they should begin their page with a brief introduction, since somevisitors might know very little about their topic.

5 Tell students that a classified ad from a newspaper is a primary source. Classified ads often contain

important information such as duties and responsibilities, skill requirements, salary, etc.

Nursing in the 1800’s• Was considered a “low” profession.• Only women were nurses.• Prior to 1860, nurses had no formal

training.• Their duties were limited mainly to

cleaning and feeding patients.

Nursing Today• Nurses are extensively trained. There

are multiple levels of certification.• Nurses take an active role in medical

treatment and decisions.• More and more males are becoming

nurses.

Similarities• Nurses help people

who are ill.• Nurses assist

doctors in healing.

First School for Nurses, 1861

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Students may want to include primary sources that can be visually represented(such as pictures, advertisements, report covers, etc.) as graphics. Make surestudents understand the significance of copyright and fair-use policies. This isespecially important if the web site will be published on the Internet. For additionalinformation about this topic visit the web sites listed in the Appendix.

Teacher Tip: You can use Microsoft FrontPage to create your web page.However, if you don’t have FrontPage or other web design software, you canstill create a simple web site. Many programs, such as Microsoft Word allowyou to save your documents as a web page. This feature allows students tocreate their document using an application with which they are alreadyfamiliar.

To create a single web page choose Save As Web Page from the File Menuafter completing the Word document. To put a class web site together, eachgroup creates a single page. Then use the Web Page Wizard. Click the AddExisting File button and add each group’s page to the site. See the Appendixfor online tutorials for more detailed instructions.

Each group should present its part of the web site to the class. Make sure thatstudents are aware that each member of the group will be responsible to present atleast one aspect of their collaborative work. This will insure that all students areintegral to the overall presentation. Provide time for questions and answers aftereach presentation.

Post-assessment and reflectionStudents should be encouraged to add new vocabulary and to reflect on what theyhave learned in their project notebooks. You can use the Self AssessmentReflection, included in the Appendix. In addition, you may want to providestudents with the following questions to prompt their writing:

Ø How did the use of primary source documents affect your research?Ø What impact do you think changes in technology and society will have on

these careers in the future?

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PHASE TWO: HOW WILL I GET THERE?Estimated Time Frame: Three Weeks

Expected Technology Outcomes for this Lesson:

Ø Web-based Research (Internet Explorer)Ø Consent Letter (Word)Ø Multimedia Presentation (PowerPoint)

1% Inspiration, 99% PerspirationIn an October 2002 survey, HotJobs.com6 found that 37 percent of employers statedthat being “a team player” was the quality they most valued in their employees. Thiswas followed by being dedicated to quality work (30 percent). Beyond job-specifictraining and abilities required, the fundamental qualities of a good employee are thesame across all industries. A successful person adheres to a few basic principles:work hard, show up on time, be polite and respectful, know what you are doing, andstick with it. In this activity, students will identify qualities employers commonlyseek in employees.

Begin by asking your students to imagine they are the bosses of important andsuccessful companies. What qualities would they look for in their employees? Askstudents to think of six qualities of a successful worker. Emphasize that theseshould be qualities other than technical skill and ability and should be applicable toalmost any job.

After giving students time to think independently, ask them to compare their listwith a partner in the class. Together, each pair should prioritize their list to sixqualities, in order from most important to least important. Have each pair sharetheir lists with the class. Use an informal voting system to create a class list of thesix most important qualities.

Finally, have students work in cooperativegroups to conduct surveys of employers. Eachgroup should survey at least ten employers fromat least six different career clusters. Studentscan speak with adults they know, visit localbusinesses, or call human resource departmentsin larger companies to ask what qualities theymost value in their employees. As a class,combine the results of each groups’ survey andcreate a bar graph7 demonstrating the results.

6 HotJobs.com is a Yahoo® service. For full details on this survey, visit:

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobseeker/about/press_releases/101602.html.7 For more information about creating a bar graph, see the instructions listed in “Teacher Tip:” on

page 12.

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Have students compare and contrast the class-generated list with the results of thesurveys and create a graphic organizer, such as a Venn diagram8, to represent theirconclusions. Students should present how their ideas about the qualities of a goodemployee were confirmed and how their ideas were changed, as a result of thesurveys.

Ask students to individually rate themselves (on a scale from one to ten) as“workers” at school according to these lists. What areas do they need the mostwork? Which areas are they already “well qualified?”

Why Are We Learning This?Almost every teacher has heard the complaint, “Why are we learning this? I’ll neverneed to know this in the real world.” In this activity, students will conduct interviewsto help them identify academic knowledge and technical skills required for aparticular career option, as well as recognize how concepts from mathematics,science, social studies, English language arts and other disciplines are applied inthese occupations.

Divide the class into groups of two to four students. Since each group will interviewan individual who is currently working in the career in which they are interested ora prospective employer of that field, make sure that students are groupedaccordingly.

Preparing for the interviews

A good interview relies on good questioning and listening skills. You will need tospend time teaching students to be active listeners and to respond to theirinterviewee. You should model the “do’s and don’t’s” of conducting interviews forstudents. Once again, post reminders around the room. Provide time in class forstudents to practice interviews with one another and to critique their owninterviewing skills. Be sure that your students understand the importance ofwaiting for a response after asking questions.

To get ready for their interview, students should prepare a list of questions to asktheir interviewee. Remind students that the focus of the interview is to identify theknowledge and skills required by the particular occupation. They should keep inmind that their preparation questions are a guide, and that they may need to adaptand adjust their questions during the interview process. Students may need toconduct research in order to prepare relevant questions. They can use thepamphlets created in phase one as a basis for this research. However, they will needto supplement this information with more in-depth understanding of the educationand training required by the profession.

Students should also prepare a consent form for their interviewees. This can bedone as a standard business letter in word processing program such as MicrosoftWord. The letter should state the purpose for the interview and how the interviewcontent will be used. Let your students know that they should show theinterviewees the results of the interview prior to publishing or presenting them.

8 For more information about Venn diagrams, visit the web resources listed in “Teacher Tip:” on page

19.

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Conducting the interviews

In most cases students will conduct these interview separately and outside of classtime. Because of this and a variety of other considerations, such as time limits andavailable technology, you may need to adjust the scope of this activity to meet theneeds and abilities of your students. Provide students with as much support in thisactivity as possible. You may want to help students select an appropriate person tointerview, schedule the interview, and prepare for the interview.

If the equipment is available, interviews should be recorded. Digital video recordingsare preferred. They can be edited and played during student presentations. Audio-recordings are also acceptable and short excerpts can be recorded into the computeras sound files. After the interview, students should transcribe the full interview intotext.

After the interview is completed, students will use the information from theinterview along with their prior research to create an academic plan for someoneinterested in pursuing that specific occupation. The plan should include the types ofcourses, technical training, certification exams required. The plan should alsoprovide resources such as schools or training programs where these courses can betaken.

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Presenting the Interview

After the interviews and academic plan have been completed, each group shouldcreate a simple PowerPoint presentation to display their finished work. Remindstudents that they should assume that their audience knows very little about theoccupation, so they should begin with a brief introduction. They should summarizethe information they learned in the interview and their research. If possible, theyshould also include one or two short clips (video or audio) of the actual interview.Make sure that each student in the group presents at least one aspect of thepresentation to the class. Provide time for questions and answers after eachpresentation.

Teacher Tip: You can give your multimedia presentation a professional lookusing the design templates in Microsoft PowerPoint. The design templatedetermines the font and fond size, color scheme, background, and layout of apresentation. PowerPoint uses a default (plain) template until you choose adifferent style. See the Appendix for online tutorials to learn more aboutusing Microsoft PowerPoint.

Each group should create a single page handout to accompany their presentation.This handout should provide their audience with an overview of the occupation, thebasic skills and knowledge required by the occupation, and a plan for appropriatetraining and education. The handout also should include a list of resources for moreinformation. After the presentation, copies of this handout can be included in theCareer Center.

Post-assessment and reflectionAt the end of each activity, students should be encouraged to add new vocabularyand to reflect on what they have learned in their project notebooks. You can use theSelf Assessment Reflection, included in the Appendix. In addition, you may wantto provide students with the following questions to prompt their writing:

Ø What are some of your personal qualities that would make you a goodemployee? What are some areas you need to improve?

Ø What new information did you learn from the interview? How does thisinformation impact your understanding of the career?

Ø Which of your current high school classes will most prepare you for pursuingthis career? What other classes might you want to take?

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PHASE THREE: WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!Estimated Time Frame: Two Weeks

Expected Technology Outcomes for this Lesson:

Ø Web-based Research (Internet Explorer)Ø Multimedia Presentation (PowerPoint)Ø Resume and Cover Letter (Word)

Key Word StrategyOnce again you will use key word strategies to help improve students’ activecomprehension of important vocabulary. Follow the instructions from the Key Wordactivity in the Introduction (page 9) for the following terms:

• Classified Ads • Cover Letter • Employment Agency • Entrepreneur

• Internship • Job Description • Networking • Resume

Make sure that all students have a good understanding of the vocabulary beforemoving on to the next part of the activity.

The Road To SuccessBy now your students have explored a variety ofcareer options and should have a realistic viewof the benefits and challenges associatedwith these occupations. In thisactivity, students will use what theyhave learned in the previous activitiesto evaluate their long-range goals. Theywill create a plan of action that outlinesspecific steps they need to take toachieve those goals. They will identifytechnical schools and/or college programsrelated to their career areas in order toachieve career-sustaining employment.

Begin by asking students to think about thefollowing question: Once you know what career path you want to follow,how do you get there?

Tell students that one way to answer this question is to develop a career plan. Acareer plan outlines the steps you need to take to reach your career goal. It isimportant to have a clear goal of what you want to be in order to create a careerplan. It is also important to remember that this plan should be re-evaluated andrevised (if necessary) regularly as you work towards your goal. Although eachstudent should create his or her own individual career plan, students with similargoals may find it beneficial to work together initially.

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There are five basic segments in a career plan. Review each of the segments in detailwith your class:

• Career Goal: A career goal helps you focus on what you want to do for aliving. It can be a specific job or it can be a particular field (such as medicineor education). Be as explicit as possible as to what you want.

• Requirements: What are the skills, education, and other requirements(such as licensing or additional training) needed to obtain your career goals.

• Current Skills: Evaluate your current school, work, volunteer, orrecreational activities. List any of these experiences that you think will bevaluable towards achieving your career goals?

• Plan to Reach Career Goal: Assess what you need to do to and how long itwill take to prepare for your career. Provide details about the type ofexperiences you will need to reach your career goals, including:

ê Training and education - What schools offer the kind of training youwill need to reach your goals? Find out what the admissionrequirements are and how much it will cost.

ê Job experience – Determine the types of jobs and/or internshipsthat will help you reach your goals. What steps should you take tosecure these positions?

ê Life experience – What clubs, activities, or volunteer work will helpyou reach your goals?

• Obstacles: This is your reality check. What obstacles might you encounterin obtaining your goals and what can you do to overcome these obstacles.

Students should present their career plan as a slide show using MicrosoftPowerPoint. They can create one or more slides for each segment of their plan.Students should print their presentation as a handout (3 slides per page). Thisformat includes writing space next to each slide. Students can use this as areflective journal as they work towards achieving their goals.

Extension Activity: Do you have students who want to own their ownbusiness? You can encourage these young entrepreneurs by adaptingthis activity to meet their personal needs. Students should still evaluatetheir goals, requirements, and current skills. In addition, they shouldcreate a business plan that outlines what they want to do, what trainingthey should pursue, and what obstacles they will encounter. It isimportant that students account for how they will raise enough moneyto start the business.

There are many online tools to help create a business plan. Studentsshould also interview people who own similar business to find out whatis required.

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Time Machine to SuccessIn this activity, students will learn to use a variety of resources to help them achievecareer-sustaining employment. They will research available jobs that meet theircareer goals, write a resume and cover letters for the job, and go through a mock-jobinterview.

Begin by reading students the following scenario:

Imagine yourself in the future. You have followed your career plan and received thetraining, education, and experience you need to achieve your goals. It is now time toget the job of your dreams. Now what do you do?

Have students brainstorm answers to this question. Create a simple graphicorganizer listing student responses. For each response, ask students what resourcesthey can use to help them with their search. You may need to prompt students toget complete responses.

Next, ask students to begin researching the current job market for employmentopportunities in their chosen field. They should find at least two “ideal” jobs theywould want.

In addition to finding job listings in classified ads (on line or in the newspaper),encourage students to seek out their dream jobs. Tell students that sometimes thebest jobs are not advertised and many successful people seek out and pursue jobsthey want before they become available. It is through recommendations, referrals,recruiters, or direct contact with the candidate that often fills these jobs. For moreinformation about finding these “hidden jobs” visithttp://jobstar.org/hidden/index.cfm.

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Creating a resume and cover letter

Each student should create a resume for his orher dream job. Explain that a resume is a oneor two page summary of your education,skills, accomplishments, and experience.The purpose of the resume is not to get ajob, but to get considered for a job. Asuccessful resume will result in a jobinterview.

Begin by showing students a variety ofsample resumes. You can find sampleresumes at any of the resume web siteslisted in the Appendix. Ask students toidentify the features of the sample resumes.These features include:

• Objective – This section clearly defines your careergoals. It should concise, targeted, and focus on how you benefit theemployer.

• Education – This includes technical schools, night school, as well as collegeand university. It should list the names and location of the schools, majorand minor (if applicable), and grade point average.

• Experience – This includes paid jobs, academic projects, internships, orvolunteer work. It should list the month/years you worked, position, nameand location of employer, and responsibilities and duties.

• Honors – This includes academic awards, scholarships, professional awards,or community awards.

• Skills – This includes specific skills (such as computer, languages, etc.) thatare applicable to the job.

• Activities – This includes academic, professional, or communityorganizations in which you are currently a member.

Teacher Tip: You can create a resume quickly and easily in Microsoft Word.Open the Project Gallery and choose one of the resume templates. Follow theinstructions in the Resume Wizard to customize your resume. See theAppendix for online tutorials to learn more about using Microsoft Word.

Each student should also create at least two cover letters. Explain to students thata cover letter is like a “road map” to their resume. It directs prospective employers towhat you want to emphasize. A good cover letter answers the question “How can Ihelp you?” It should use terms and phrases that are meaningful to the prospectiveemployer. Show students sample cover letters, but point out that students shouldwrite these letters in their own words.

Each of the cover letters should be specific to the jobs students found in their jobsearch. Although some of the information may be similar in each cover letter, acustomized cover letter should show that you know something about the companyand the industry.

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Putting Your Best Foot Forward: The Job Interviews

The purpose of a good resume and cover letter is to obtain a job interview, but howcan you prepare for the interview itself? A job interview is usually a brief, yetcritically important meeting between you and a prospective employer. How can youknow what your interviewer wants or expects? How can you prepare to speak, act,and appear as professional as possible?

Begin by asking your students “What makes a good interview?” Have students workin cooperative groups of four to five students to answer this question. Studentsshould first brainstorm ideas and then conduct research to find out what employerslook for in an interview. Each group should develop a list of at least ten tips to asuccessful interview. Tips could include things such as arriving on time, dressingprofessionally, and asking educated questions. Each group should create a posterdemonstrating their interview tips.

Finally, the class will conduct several mock interviews. Ask two or three students tovolunteer as the interviewees. Encourage students to dress and act as if this were areal interview. You will act as the prospective employer and ask students a series ofgeneric questions commonly asked in interviews:9

• What is your greatest strength?• What is your greatest weakness?• What are some things you would like to avoid in a job? Why?• Tell me about a time you had to resolve a problem or overcome an obstacle.• How do you cope with frustration or stress?• Tell me about a difficult decision you had to make and what made it

difficult.

After each of the interviews, ask students to critique the interview. Which responsesand behaviors worked well in the interview and which should be modified? Studentsshould analyze both verbal and nonverbal cues. Nonverbal responses might includeeye contact, handshakes, and sitting calmly. Verbal cues include, not onlyresponses to questions, but also greeting and thanking the interviewer.

Post assessment and reflectionAt the end of each activity, students should be encouraged to add new vocabularyand to reflect on what they have learned in their project notebooks. You can use theSelf Assessment Reflection, included in the Appendix. In addition, you may wantto provide students with the following questions to prompt their writing:

Ø How will creating a detailed, realistic career plan help you achieve yourcareer goals?

Ø What are some things you can do now to help you prepare for a successfulcareer after high school?

Ø If a friend asked you for advice about finding a job, what would be the mostimportant things you could tell him or her?

9 For more ideas about interview questions, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~libpers/interview.html or

http://www.geocities.com/aer_mcr/libjob/interview.html.

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CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Now that the project is completed, it is time to celebrate student achievement. Thisis one of the more important aspects of the project as it gives your students anopportunity to share their accomplishments and what they have learned with eachother as well as with other classes, teachers, administrators, and parents.

Teacher Tip: Consider inviting someone from the business community toact as keynote speaker. Ask this person to provide students with aninformative and motivating introduction to the day’s activities.

Student work that was created digitally should be presented digitally wheneverpossible. Samples of student brochures, letters, resumes, and graphic organizersshould be attractively displayed in the room chosen for the event. You may want todelegate one area for display and one area for presentations.

It is important that each student be given a chance to present at least one project orpart of a project in his or her own words. However, you should try to keep eachpresentation brief (4-5 minutes). Allow students to choose what they would like topresent. Keep the day flowing by alternating different presentation types. Somestudents may even want to write short skits or plays to present some of the thingsthey have learned.

Students should never “read” their work to the audience. Instead, have themsummarize or discuss what they learned and how they accomplished their task.Discuss the assessment process with students ahead of time. Provide time forrehearsals so that everyone is fully prepared.

Involve your students in planning the day as much as possible. Students should feelthat this is their day! Some possible student responsibilities could be:

Ü Create an invitation and/or posters for the event todistribute to other classes, teachers, administrators,and parents.

Ü Secure a location for the event. Confirm thedate, time, and place of the event. Decoratethe room where you are holding the event.

Ü Plan and prepare refreshments for theaudience.

Ü Establish an agenda or schedule ofpresentations.

Ü Write memos informing other teachers,administrators, or custodial staff of anyschedule or room changes caused by theevent.

Finally, have fun. This is your reward for a job well done!

ABOUT PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Project-based learning is a comprehensiveapproach to instruction. As studentsparticipate in engaging, multi-facetedinvestigations, they develop an array ofinterdisciplinary skills. Project-basedlearning allows teachers to create taskswhose complexity and openness mimicproblems in the real world. Studentscollaborate with peers to tackle real-worldproblems.

The key components to project-based learningare: clear objectives, student autonomy,investigative activities, and real world results:

Ø Teachers clearly define the instructional objectives: The first step to creatingyour own project is to define your objectives. Knowing where the lesson isgoing is more important to reaching the destination than any other singlevariable.

Ø Students direct their own work and take control over their own learning:Students work independently as well as participate in flexible cooperativegroupings. Rather than divide students by abilities, allow students withsimilar interests to work cooperatively. As the range of materials andinterests of the students develop and expand, so will the need for differentkinds of collaborations and group interactions.

Ø Students conduct multi-faceted investigations: Students use authentic tools(including technology), seek resources, and solve problems in response to anoverall challenge. Students learn that knowing how to find information andmaking connections is more important than memorizing the facts. They useprimary source documents, conduct experiments, construct models, andconduct interviews and surveys.

Ø Students create real-world products: Students make choices about how todemonstrate learning and are accountable for the choices they make.Products can include multimedia presentations, letters, posters, brochures,newsletters, maps, videos, and more.

Career Network is an example of project-based learning with all of its components.You can use this project as a model to create your own projects based on specificcontent and curriculum by adapting many of the activities.

PREDICTION WORKSHEET: THE CURRENT JOB MARKET

Before beginning your research of this topic, read the statements listed below. Thinkabout whether the statements are true or false. Place a check in the appropriate boxunder the Before Research heading. After completing your research, think aboutwhat you learned and decide if the statements are true or false. Place a check in theappropriate box under the After Research heading.

Before Research After Research

True False Statements about the Topic True False

The national unemployment rate hasincreased over the past year.

Experts predict the national unemploymentrate will increase over the next year.

The national unemployment rate is higherfor blacks than for other races.

The national unemployment rate is thesame for men and women.

The unemployment rate for our local area ishigher than the national unemploymentrate.

The national unemployment rate forunskilled workers is higher than for skilledworkers and professionals.

After Research

After completing your research, compare your BeforeResearch answers to the statements above with your AfterResearch answers. Explain which of your answers wereconfirmed and which needed to be changed.

PERSONAL SKILLS INVENTORY

Complete the following statements by checking the box which best describe you:

I would prefer to work …q In a large corporationq In a small businessq In a government agencyq In a nonprofit organizationq For myself (my own company)

I would prefer to work…q Outdoors most of the timeq Outdoors some of the timeq Indoor most of the time

I would prefer to work…q In a cityq In the suburbsq In the country (rural)q On or near the oceanq In a different country

I would prefer a job that allows me…q To stay in this areaq To travel sometimes in my jobq To travel often in my job

I work best with…q Animalsq Artistic materialsq Childrenq Computersq Informationq Machinesq Musicq Numbersq People who need my helpq Plantsq Toolsq Words

I work best with…q Lots of other peopleq In a small groupq By myself

The statement that best describes myfinancial goals is…q “Money isn’t as important as

being happy in my work.”q “I want to make a lot of money,

even if I don’t like my job.”

The most important thing in my job willbe… (Check the 3 most important)q That I make a lot of moneyq That I have time with my familyq That I contribute to society or

help peopleq That I have flexibility in my hoursq That I have job securityq That I have plenty of vacation and

other benefitsq That I get recognition for my workq That I enjoy my work and like

what I doq That I have high status or respect

because of my job

After graduating high school I plan to…q Start working right awayq Attend a vocational or technical

schoolq Attend a two year collegeq Attend a four year collegeq Graduate college and attend a

professional school or completepost-graduate work.

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions:

1. What is my favorite subject in school? Why?2. What is my favorite after-school activity? Why?3. What do I do best?4. What are my best qualities as a student or as a person?5. Who are the adults I respect most? Why?6. If I could change one thing about myself, what would it be?

Personal Skills Inventory (page 2)For each skill, rank your degree of competence, as you would compare yourself with others. Whenselecting “Above Average,” try to think of specific instances where you used the skill.

SkillNeverDone

NeedsWork

AverageAboveAverage

Analyzing situations or dataAssembling equipmentCalculating (mathematical)Coaching, guiding, teaching, or tutoringCompetitivenessCompiling Data or factsComputingConstructing objects or buildingsCoordinating activities or eventsCounselingCreating new ideas, inventions, or artistic creationsDecidingDelegating tasks or responsibilitiesDesigning products or systemsDisplaying ideas or productsEditingEnergy levelEstimatingEvaluating performance, programs, or eventsFlexibilityFluency (language other than English)Fund RaisingGroup facilitatingHandling complaintsInterviewingMeasuringMotivating self and othersObservingOperating machines or vehiclesOrganizing people, information, or eventsPatiencePlanning (budgeting, scheduling)PerseverancePromotingRecording or Record keepingRepairingResearchingSelf-starterSellingServingSketching, drawing, paintingSpeaking in publicSupervisingWriting

INTERNET RESOURCES

Internet News Sources• CNN: http://www.cnn.com/• The New York Times Online: http://www.nytimes.com/• MSNBC News: http://msnbc.com• ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/• Yahoo News: http://news.yahoo.com/

Career Statistics and Information Resources• Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://bls.gov• Department of Labor: http://dol.gov• America’s Career InfoNet: http://www.acinet.org/acinet/

Online Tutorials• Actden in the Classroom: http://www.actden.com• Computer Concepts and Applications: http://itech.pjc.edu/llemley/cgs1570/notes/index.htm• Wesleyan Online Tutorials: http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/tutlist.htm• TechKNOW Associates Tips and Tutorials: http://www.techknowassociates.com/tips

Career Clusters• States Career Clusters: http://www.careerclusters.org/• Career Zone: http://www.nycareerzone.org/• Baltimore County Career Clusters:

http://www.bcplonline.org/centers/career/cconnect/clusters/index2.html• Career Plan Initiative: http://www.albany.edu/twoyear/careerplan/

(download the document Commencement Level A)

Primary Source Document Collections• Repositories of Primary Sources:

http://www.uidaho.edu/special–collections/Other.Repositories.html• History On-Line: http://ihr.sas.ac.uk/search/• American Memory: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ammemhome.html• The Valley of the Shadow: (American Civil War): http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/intro.html• Modern Records Centre (Warwick England):

http://www.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/index.shtml

Copyright and Fair Use Information• Stanford University Copyright and Fair Use: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/• Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Materials:

http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/ccmcguid.htm• Copyright and Fair Use in the Classroom and on the Internet:

http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.html

Resumes and Cover Letters• JobStar: http://jobsmart.org/tools/resume/index.cfm• Monster Resume Samples: http://resume.monster.com/resume_samples/• Resume Writing: http://www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html• Job Web Resume Guide: http://www.jobweb.com/Resumes_Interviews/default.htm

PEER EVALUATION FOR A PRESENTATION

Name of presenter:

Title or topic:

1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points SCOREVoice, Tone, and Volume

I couldn’t hear you atall.

I couldn’t hear youmost of the time.

I heard you most ofthe time.

I heard you very welland you spoke with

confidence.

Eye Contact

You didn’t look at theaudience at all.

You looked at theaudience once in a

while, but nevermade eye contact.

You looked at theaudience often andmade some eye

contact.

You looked at theaudience most of thetime and made good

eye contact.

Content

You had few factsrelated to your topic.

You had somefacts related to your

topic, but theyseemed

unorganized.

You had many factsrelated to your topic,but they were notwell organized.

You had manyinteresting facts relatedto your topic and they

were very wellorganized.

Visual Presentation

Your multimediapresentation wasn’t

finished or didn’tsupport your topic.

Your multimediapresentationprovided little

support for yourtopic.

Your multimediapresentation helpedme understand your

topic better.

Your multimediapresentation was

creative and helped meunderstand your topic

much better.

Scale4-6 points 7-9 points 10-13 points 14-16 points

This presentationneeds a lot of work.

This presentationneeds some work.

This presentation ispretty good.

This is an excellentpresentation.

Comments:

Name of Reviewer:

SELF ASSESSMENT REFLECTION

Name

Assignment:1. What were you supposed to do? (Be specific)

2. What was your favorite part?

3. What was your least favorite part?

4. If you had this task to do over, what would you do differently? Why?

5. What grade do you think you deserve? Explain why.

DOCUMENT ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

Adapted from the U.S. National Archives & Records Administration:http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/document.html

Name: Date:

TYPE OF DOCUMENT (Check one):

q Advertisement q Census report q Congressional record

q Letter q Map q Memorandum

q Newspaper q Patent q Picture

q Press release q Report q Telegram

q Other (describe)

UNIQUE PHYSICAL QUALITIES OF THE DOCUMENT (Check one or more):

q Handwritten q Interesting letterhead q Notations

q Seals q Stamped q Typed

q Other (describe)

DATE(S) OF DOCUMENT:

AUTHOR (OR CREATOR):

FOR WHAT AUDIENCE WAS THE DOCUMENT WRITTEN?

DOCUMENT INFORMATION (There are many possible ways to answer A-E.)

A. List three things the author said that you think are important:

B. Why do you think this document was written?

C. What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? (Use quotesfrom the document.)

D. List two things the document tells you about life in the United States at the timeit was written:

E. Write a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document: