CAREER EXPLORATION LESSONS FOR SIXTH AND SEVENTH

CAREER EXPLORATION LESSONS

FOR SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADES

Table of Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 5

ABC’s of Skills...............................................................................................................7

Achieving Your Career ..................................................................................................11

Ask an Employer ......................................................................................................... 15

Avoiding Termination ................................................................................................... 19

Becoming A Proactive Worker ..................................................................................... 25

Body Language ............................................................................................................29

Preparing for Career Exploration ..................................................................................35

Career Exploration .......................................................................................................39

Career Fair ...................................................................................................................43

Career Terminology .................................................................................................... 49

Conflict Resolution ......................................................................................................53

Dealing With Difficult Coworkers ................................................................................57

Dress for Success ........................................................................................................ 61

Ethics ..........................................................................................................................65

Express Yourself ..........................................................................................................69

Future Career Choices: Conducting a Job Search ....................................................... 73

Getting Along With Your Boss...................................................................................... 77

Job Interviews ............................................................................................................. 81

Know Your Rights ........................................................................................................85

Learning Styles: Which One Am I ................................................................................89

Learning Styles: Auditory ............................................................................................. 97

Learning Styles: Tactile ...............................................................................................101

Learning Styles: Visual ............................................................................................... 105

Mapping Your Future ................................................................................................. 109

More Than the Minimum ............................................................................................119

Office Etiquette ..........................................................................................................123

Organization in the Workplace ...................................................................................127

Overcoming Weaknesses ............................................................................................ 131

Personal and Professional Email Addresses ............................................................... 135

Personal Strengths ..................................................................................................... 139

Resume Writing ......................................................................................................... 143

Self-Assessment of Skills and Abilities ...................................................................... 149

Telephone Etiquette ................................................................................................... 155

Time Management ..................................................................................................... 159

Tomorrow’s Jobs ....................................................................................................... 165

Occupations with the Fastest Growth ......................................................................... 166

Understanding Benefits ............................................................................................... 171

Where Do I Want To Be ..............................................................................................177

Writing Professional Emails ........................................................................................181

You Are Unique ......................................................................................................... 185

What Have You Learned ............................................................................................ 189

5

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Introduction

Exploring endeavors to develop citizens who are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit;

have a high degree of self-reliance, evidenced in such qualities as initiative, courage, and

resourcefulness; have positive personal character; have the desire and skills to help others;

understand the principles of global social, economic, and government systems; are knowl-

edgeable about and take pride in their American heritage and understand our nation’s role

in the world; have a keen respect for the basic rights of all people; and are prepared to par-

ticipate in and provide leadership for a global society.

Exploring has been developed to help fulfill this commitment to teaching all young people

the importance of character development, social skills, life skills, good citizenship, and

physical fitness. This is a classroom-based program to help students begin an in-depth

assessment of their character and personal career search. It supplements and enriches the

standard curricula and the student’s career awareness.

The program takes the students through a step-by-step, developmental, decision-making

process, helping each student become aware of their own strengths and uniqueness.

Exploring provides the student with caring mentors and role models from the community,

and gives each student an opportunity to learn the relevance of education and the neces-

sity of staying in school. It enhances the students’ awareness of what they need to learn in

order to become productive members of society and why that is important to them. It also

provides the students with examples of moral and ethical choices in the working world.

Program Methods

The sixth and seventh grade program features age-appropriate, theme-oriented lesson plans

to be used in the classroom to guide students through career exploration. There are 36 les-

son plans and five revised lesson plans in this teacher’s guide. They may be conducted by

an Exploring representative, community role model, business leader, or classroom teacher.

Exploring incorporates an action-learning process and uses techniques such as role- playing,

small group discussions, and scenario analysis. During the career exploration lesson plans, the

students engage in critical thinking as they delve into such topics as workplace communica-

tion, job searches, and professional behavior analysis.

Lessons are designed to reinforce career education skills in various areas, such as critical

thinking, behavior analysis, conflict resolution, problem solving, workplace expectations,

and communication skills.

We suggest that at least one lesson be used each week. The discussion topics and activities

in each lesson relate to one or more curricula subjects and should be helpful in meeting

your school district’s educational and developmental subjects.

In some instances, a lesson plan will offer more activities than time allows. It is at the dis-

cretion of the teacher to select which activities to conduct during the time allotted, or to

decide to continue the lesson at another time.

Lesson plan topics are greatly enhanced by inviting community role models to share their

expertise with the class.

7

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Explain to students that in addition to knowledge gained through the classroom, skills are

also very important in achieving success in a career. Ask the students if they can name the

differences between knowledge and skills.

Tell the students that everyone has different skills. There are some things you do better

than your friends and there are some things they do better than you. Even though you can

practice some skills and improve them, others are part of your personality. You may have a

friend who is naturally good at multiplying. No matter how much you study and take notes

in math class, they are still able to do it faster than you. That doesn’t mean you aren’t good

at multiplying, though.

Tell students that they will be using today’s worksheets to learn about skills, and that they

may discover they have more skills than they realize.

Activity 1: Divide the students into small groups for the first worksheet. Pass out the

ABC’s worksheet. Explain that they are to come up with skills that start with each letter

of the alphabet. Although the students are working as a group, each student in the group

should fill out their own worksheet. They will need the completed worksheet for the sec-

ond activity.

Activity 2: If the students have moved to work as a group, have them return to their original

seats to complete the My Skills worksheet. Pass out the My Skills worksheet and explain

to students that they are to use the skills from the first worksheet and pick at least four of

those skills that they believe they possess. The students should list the skill and then briefly

explain how it is useful.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed their own worksheets accu-

rately and thoroughly.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Were you able to develop a skill

for each letter of the alphabet? Were you surprised at the number of skills you possess?

New

ABC’s of Skills

Career Education Focus:

1. Listing skills necessary for a career

2. Understanding diversity in the workplace

3. Applying skills to a career

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. Differentiate between knowledge and skills

2. Compile a list of skills

3. Examine the usefulness of skills

Materials: ABC’s worksheet, My Skills worksheet, pens and pencils

8

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

ABC’s

Working together as a group, come up with at least one skill for every letter of the

alphabet. Although you are working as a group, each person should fill out their

own worksheet.

A-

B-

C-

D-

E-

F-

G-

H-

I-

J-

K-

L-

M-

N-

O-

P-

Q-

R-

S-

T-

U-

V-

W-

X-

Y-

Z-

9

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

My Skills

Using the list of the skills that your group came up with, pick out four skills you

think you have from that list and give an example of how that skill is useful.

Skill 1 ________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Skill 2 ________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Skill 3 ________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Skill 4 ________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

11

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about how to plan to achieve your desired career. Today stu-

dents will be learning about part of the planning that goes into selecting a career.

Begin the discussion by asking students to name an exotic place they would like to visit. Let

the group offer a few suggestions and choose one that is far away and not easily accessible

(i.e., Hawaii, Italy, etc.). Ask the students how they would plan a trip from the classroom to

this destination. Explain that to get there in the shortest time, they need a map to pick the

route that is best for them.

Explain to students that just as they need a map when they take a trip, they also need a

map to plan their journey from middle school to achieving the career they desire. Tell the

students that, for example, a student may know they want to have a career where they

“do something with computers.” Explain that depending on what they want to do, there

are different routes for them to take after high school. For example, if they want to design

websites, they may want a two-year degree at a vocational school. If they are interested

in pursuing more, they may obtain various certifications. If they are interested in possibly

managing or owning a technology company, they would want to get at least a four-year

degree at a university.

Activity 1: Pass out the How Do I Become A...? worksheet. Explain to students they are to

use an internet search engine like Google to research the education requirements and nec-

essary skills for a career they are interested in pursuing. Encourage students who don’t have

an idea for a career to pick something that interests them and research it.

New

Achieving Your Career

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing research skills

2. Identifying requirements for potential careers

3. Identifying actions that can be taken now to prepare for careers

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. Understand the importance of proper planning

2. Research potential careers

3. Learn to plan now for future careers

Materials: How Do I Become A…? worksheet, Planning for my Career worksheet, pens

and pencils, internet access

12

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Planning for My Career worksheet. Explain to students they are to

use the space provided to write down ideas about exploring different careers.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed both worksheets accurately

and thoroughly.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion. How did you choose which career to research? Share

what you can do now to prepare for the career you chose.

Resource Help: Adult volunteers to guide and supervise students as they access

the internet

13

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

How Do I Become A...?

Use the internet to research what kind of education requirements there are for a

career you are interested in. Also, try to find out what kind of skills you might need

for that career.

Example:

I want to be a(n) teacher __________________________________________________________________

Education Requirements:

Bachelor degree in the area I want to teach _____________________________________________

Teaching certification _____________________________________________________________________

Master degree to increase income and teach at a college _____________________________

Skills I Need:

math skills to keep track of students’ grades ___________________________________________

public speaking so I can talk in front of class of students _____________________________

creativity so I can come up with activities for students ________________________________

I want to be a(n) ___________________________________________________________________________

Education Requirements:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Skills I Need:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

14

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Planning for My Career

It’s never too early to start preparing for a career that interests you. Although it

might seem like a long time before you will be able to start your career, there are

things you can do right now to prepare yourself. You can do research and find

out what your different options are for your career, or even volunteer somewhere

to find out if you would really enjoy a particular career. Use the space below and

write a few sentences explaining what you can start doing now to explore a career

that interests you.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

15

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Arrange for a business person from the community who employs teenagers to talk

to the students as a guest speaker. Be sure to provide a copy of the What Did I Learn

worksheet as soon as possible before the presentation to the guest speaker so they

can cover those questions.

Before the presentation, students should complete the What Do I Want to Learn worksheet.

Activity 1: Before the guest speaker begins the presentation, have the students complete

the What Do I Want to Learn worksheet. Explain that in the first column, students should

list facts they already know about working as a teenager. In the second column, students

should list questions they hope will be answered by the speaker. In the third column, the

students should list facts they have learned from the speaker.

Activity 2: After the guest speaker finishes the presentation, have the students complete the

What Did I Learn worksheet. After students have had time to complete the worksheet, ask

for volunteers to share their answers with the class.

Reflection: Conduct a class discussion on lessons learned.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

New

Ask an Employer

Career Education Focus:

1. Understanding what is expected of teenagers in the workplace

2. Identifying ways to gain experience as a teenager

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Examine questions they have about working as a teenager

2. Listen to a guest speaker

3. Examine what they have learned about working as a teenager

Materials: What Do I Want to Learn worksheet, What Did I Learn worksheet,

pens and pencils

16

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

What Do I Want to Learn?

What Do I Know? What Do I Want

to Learn?

What Did I Learn?

17

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

What Did I Learn?

1. What are specific concerns employers have about teenage employees?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What are the benefits of employers hiring teenage workers?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. How is the experience gained by working beneficial for teenagers?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

4. What are some obstacles specific to teenage workers?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

5. What skills do employers expect teenagers to have when they

begin working?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

6. What qualities do employers look for in potential employees?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

18

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

7. What do employers view as negative qualities?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

8. How can you make your resume stand out from other applicants?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

9. What can you do during the application process to increase your chances

of getting an interview?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

10. How can you stand out during the interview process?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

19

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Explain to students that this lesson will discuss activities and behaviors in the workplace

that lead to being terminated. Tell the students that part of being a working adult is recog-

nizing the responsibility that comes with your career.

Discuss the following behaviors/activities that can lead to termination:

1. Taking office supplies, such as pens or paper

2. Using company money or resources for personal use

3. Not learning what your responsibilities or duties are

4. Complaining about your job or coworkers

5. Writing about your job on blogs or social networks

6. Letting your personal life interfere with your job

7. Taking long lunches or leaving early; calling in sick too often

8. Gossiping

9. Using your work computer for personal use—instant messaging, internet

Ask students for ideas of more behaviors that would not be appropriate for the workplace.

Also ask the students if there are any behaviors they want to discuss to determine whether

they are appropriate.

Activity 1: Pass out the Inappropriate Behaviors worksheet. Explain to students they are to

read the list of behaviors and circle the ones they believe are not appropriate for the work-

place. After students have had time to complete the worksheet, discuss it with the class and

clarify any misconceptions they may have about any of the behaviors.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying proper behavior for the workplace

2. Developing professional standards

3. Analyzing inappropriate workplace behavior

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Assess activities and behavior that lead to being terminated

2. Evaluate inappropriate behaviors in the workplace

3. Evaluate inappropriate behaviors

Materials: Inappropriate Behavior worksheet, Correcting Behaviors worksheet,

pens and pencils

New

Avoiding Termination

20

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Correcting Behaviors worksheet. Explain to students they are to

read the scenarios and correct the behaviors they think are not appropriate. After students

have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their answers.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What are some inappropriate

behaviors in the workplace? What are appropriate behaviors in the workplace?

21

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Inappropriate Behaviors

Circle behaviors you think are inappropriate for the workplace.

• Arriving to work 15 minutes late.

• Bringing a doctor’s note to work after you have called in sick.

• Offering to help your coworker with a project.

• Instant messaging your friends when you don’t have any work to do.

• Complaining to your coworkers about your boss.

• Asking your boss if you can talk to them about a problem you’re having in

the office.

• Calling in sick because you were up late the night before.

• Telling your coworker you can’t help them because it’s not part of your job.

• Waiting until your lunch break to talk to your coworker about your plans for

the weekend.

• Writing a message on Facebook or tweeting about your coworker who

was fired.

• Asking your boss if you can help with anything when you have finished

your work.

22

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Correcting Behavior

Read the following scenarios and use the space provided to write what the worker

did wrong and what they should have done instead.

Shannon was on her way back to work from her lunch break. As she drove back,

she noticed her favorite store was having a sale. She stopped at the store and

browsed for a while before eventually returning to work. Shannon ended up being

30 minutes late.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Jacob has been frustrated with his new boss at work. He thinks his boss doesn’t

like him because he won’t trust Jacob with more responsibility. After one of

Jacob’s coworkers was given a promotion instead of Jacob, he logged onto his

Facebook page and posted a message describing how mean his boss was.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Tom is taking college classes at night while working in the office during the day.

One day he didn’t have his homework ready for class, so while at work he did his

homework at his desk. When he was about to leave for class, he realized he didn’t

have a pen or notebook for class, so he went to the supply closet in the office and

took a pen and notebook to use in class.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

23

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Michael is working on an important project at his desk that he has to finish by the

end of the day. He stops to check his email and sees he has an email from his best

friend. Michael notices that his boss has gone to lunch, so he logs onto his instant

message program and talks to his friend for the next hour until his boss gets back

from lunch.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

25

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Explain to the group that there will be times in their career when they will have to make a

decision to be proactive or reactive. Ask the group if they know the definitions of “proac-

tive” and “reactive.” Explain that “reactive” refers to an action caused by being stressed or

upset. Explain that “proactive” refers to an action done in anticipation of a future problem

or need. Ask for a volunteer from the group to restate the definitions in their own words to

ensure they understand.

Tell the students that even though they are learning about being proactive to help them deal

with difficult situations in their career, the same principles can be applied now to conflicts

with their teachers and/or classmates at school. Ask the students to volunteer experiences

they have had with conflict at school—without naming names. Ask them to share with the

group, if they feel comfortable, how they dealt with the conflict. Share examples from your

personal experience about times that you have had to deal with a difficult situation in work

or school. After sharing with the group what the conflict was, ask the group if they can

come up with both proactive and reactive ways to deal with the conflict.

Explain to the students that it is important to learn to be proactive in order to be mature and

professional. Tell the students that many times one reactive response leads to even more

reactive responses from other people, but a proactive response can stop a conflict before it

gets out of hand.

Activity 1: Pass out the Proactive or Reactive worksheet. Explain to students that they

need to read both of the scenarios and determine if the person acted proactively or reac-

tively. Tell them to write their answer in the space provided and explain why they chose

their answer.

New

Becoming A Proactive Worker

Career Education Focus:

1. Analyzing workplace conflict

2. Contrasting appropriate and inappropriate workplace behaviors

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. Differentiate between “proactive” and “reactive”

2. Examine and analyze conflict scenarios

3. Rewrite reactive statements as proactive statements

Materials: Proactive or Reactive worksheet, Be Proactive Instead worksheet,

pens and pencils

26

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Be Proactive Instead worksheet. Explain to students they should

read each reactive statement and rewrite it to make a proactive statement. Use the sample

group of answers if the students are struggling with the exercise.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed both worksheets accurately

and thoroughly.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What does it mean to be

proactive? What does it mean to be reactive? Why is it better to be proactive?

27

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Proactive or Reactive

Read the following scenarios and decide if they were handled in a proactive or

reactive way. Explain why you picked your answer.

Kate and Juliet have been best friends for several years. One morning when they

are riding the bus to school, Kate is excited to tell Juliet about her birthday pres-

ents from the night before. Juliet acts happy for Kate and the two spend the bus

ride talking about Kate’s birthday presents. Later that same day, Kate overhears

Juliet telling one of their other friends about how rude Kate was for “bragging”

about her birthday presents during the entire bus ride.

During the bus ride home, Kate apologizes to Juliet for spending the bus ride that

morning talking about her new things without letting Juliet know she overheard her

earlier. Kate then asks Juliet what she wants to talk about on the way home.

Was Kate proactive or reactive? How can you tell?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Best friends Jack and John are on the school basketball team. One day at prac-

tice, all of the other players come up to Jack and tell him they heard that he

doesn’t like any of them. Jack tells them he wants to be friends with them and has

never said anything bad about them. The other players tell him what John told

them, that Jack didn’t like any of them.

Jack is angry at John for spreading a rumor about him. He decides he is going to

get back at John by spreading a mean rumor about him.

Was Jack proactive or reactive? How can you tell?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

28

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Be Proactive Instead

Rewrite each of these reactive statements into a more positive, proactive decision.

I’ll try if I have time.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

That’s just the way I am.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

I can’t to do this.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

You ruined my weekend.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Possible answers to the preceding statements:

I’ll try if I have time. (I will make time for this because it’s important.)

That’s just the way I am. (I can work toward being a better and more

mature person.)

You don’t know what you’re talking about. (I should listen because you may know

more about this than I do.)

I can’t do this. (I will practice and keep trying until I can do this.)

You ruined my weekend. (I can still have a good weekend even though you are in a

bad mood.)

29

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about the effects of body language in the workplace. Explain

to students they must be aware of their body language so they do not send the wrong sig-

nals to their coworkers and boss. Ask the students if they can think of positive and negative

examples of body language.

Discuss the following examples of body language and how they are interpreted:

• Standing with your hands on your hips—Aggressive

• Standing upright—Confidence

• Arms crossed on your chest—Defensive

• Resting your hand on your cheek—Thinking

• Touching or rubbing your nose—Doubt, lying

• Resting your head in your hands—Boredom

• Tapping your fingers—Impatience

• Biting your nails—Nervous, insecure

• Playing with your hair—Insecure

• Rubbing your eyes—Disbelief, doubt

Activity 1: Before the lesson begins, make copies of the Guess My Emotion worksheet

provided. Divide students into small groups and provide each group with a list of emotions

cut into strips. Each student will take two strips. Instruct the students not to show anyone

else in their group which strips they have. Students will take turns acting out the emotions

they were given to their group. The rest of the group will try to guess what emotions the

student is attempting to convey. The instructor should monitor each group to make sure all

students have an opportunity to act out their selected emotions before time is up. After the

groups have finished, conduct a discussion about what students learned during the activity.

New

Body Language

Career Education Focus:

1. Understanding the effects of body language

2. Identifying appropriate behavior for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Discuss different types of body language and their effects

2. Model communicating nonverbally

Materials: Guess My Emotion worksheet, Find My Group worksheet, Nonverbal Com-

munication worksheet, pens and pencils

30

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Before the lesson begins, make copies of the Find My Group worksheet pro-

vided so there will be one per student. Put the list of emotions in a box or bag and have

each student draw one out. Tell the students their goal is to find everyone else in the room

with the same emotion as them without talking. They must use nonverbal communication to

find the other students with the same emotion as them. After the students have completed

this activity, pass out the Nonverbal Communication worksheet. Explain to students they are

to answer the questions based on their experiences during this lesson. After students have

had enough time to complete the worksheet, conduct a class discussion about what they

have learned.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What can nonverbal

communication say about you? How can nonverbal communication be helpful?

What types of nonverbal communication can be negative?

31

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Guess My Emotion

Cut out a copy of each emotion for every group so that each student will receive

two emotions. Instruct them not to show anyone else their paper.

Happy Frustrated

Mad Sleepy

Bored Impatient

Sad Nervous

Confidence Lying

32

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Find My Group

Happy

Frustrated

Mad

Sleepy

Bored

Impatient

Sad

Nervous

Confidence

Lying

Nonverbal Communication

1. What emotions were the easiest for you to communicate through body lan-

guage? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What emotions were the hardest for you to communicate through body lan-

guage? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. During the group activities, which types of body language were the easiest for

you to understand? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

33

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

4. During the group activities, which types of body language were the hardest

for you to understand? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. What ways can body language affect a workplace either positively

or negatively?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. What else have you learned about body language in today’s lesson?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

35

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Explain to students that during the next lesson, they will begin to explore various careers.

Briefly discuss the following topics with students as examples of topics they will cover dur-

ing this unit:

• Learning what is appropriate behavior in the workplace

• Exploring different career options

• How to look for a job

• Identifying your personal strengths

• Learning how to interact and communicate with coworkers

• How to set goals now for their future careers

Allow the students a few minutes to discuss any career goals they have already set

for themselves.

Activity 1: Pass out the Self-Survey worksheet. Explain to students this worksheet will help

them focus on what they hope to gain during this series of lessons about career explora-

tion. Tell the students to answer the questions as thoroughly as they can. After the students

have had enough time to complete the worksheet, read through the questions and give stu-

dents opportunities to share their answers with the class.

Activity 2: Pass out the Self-Survey II worksheet. Explain to students this worksheet will

also help them start thinking about their future career and what they would like to learn dur-

ing this series of lessons. After the students have had enough time to complete the work-

sheet, ask for volunteers to share what they have written.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned and expectations for the upcoming

Career Exploration lesson. How did this exercise help you? What do you expect in the

upcoming Career Exploration lesson?

New

Preparing for Career Exploration

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying prior knowledge of career exploration

2. Identifying questions about career exploration

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Establish expectations for this series of lessons

2. Recognize questions they hope to answer during this series of lessons

Materials: Self-Survey worksheet, Self Survey II worksheet, pens and pencils

36

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Self-Survey

1. What kind of careers are you interested in exploring?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why do these careers interest you?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. What do you hope to learn about these careers during this series

of lessons?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. What questions do you have about careers that you hope to answer during

this series of lessons?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

37

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Self-Survey II

Read the following statements and circle whether or not the statement applies

to you.

I want to go to college after high school. YES NO

I want to go to vocational/technical or trade school. YES NO

I want to start working after high school. YES NO

I have family or friends encouraging me to attend college. YES NO

When I have a job, I want to work with my hands. YES NO

I want to work inside or in an office. YES NO

I want to work outside. YES NO

I want to work with people. YES NO

1. Do you have any hobbies or interests that could relate to a career that inter-

ests you?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Does anyone you know have a career that interests you? If so, what

questions could you ask them to learn more about the career?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

39

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Procedures:

Tell the students they will be exploring careers during this lesson. Encourage them to

explore careers they have not previously researched, and explain that they may develop

new interests as they research careers.

Discuss the following questions with the students:

1. What is career exploration? Why is it important to begin exploring careers now?

2. What career fields already interest the students?

3. Do any students know someone who works in the field that interests them?

4. Do students have any questions about a career field that they hope to answer during the lesson?

Activity 1: Pass out the Career Exploration worksheet. Have students access the

following website: www.bls.gov/k12/index.htm. Tell the students they are to pick

one of the 12 career groups listed that interests them. They should then pick a career in that

group to research, and use the information on the corresponding page to answer the ques-

tions on the worksheet. After students have had time to complete

the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share what they have learned.

A

ctivity 2: Pass out the What Have You Learned worksheet. Tell students they are to use

the information from the career they chose on the first worksheet to answer these ques-

tions. After students have had time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to talk

about whether they became more or less interested in the career after researching it.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly and

accurately in their own words.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What career did you choose to

explore and why? Describe what you learned about the career you chose.

New

Career Exploration

Career Education Focus:

1. Exploring potential careers

2. Identifying diverse career options

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology

Lesson Objectives:

1. Discuss careers in a field that interests them

2. Examine a possible career in their chosen field

3. Evaluate what they have learned about the career they have researched

Materials: Career Exploration worksheet, What Have You Learned worksheet, pens and

pencils, internet access

40

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Career Exploration

In your own words, answer the following questions about the career you chose.

1. What career did you choose to explore? Why did you choose this career?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What does a person with this job do?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. What kind of education would you need to have this job?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Approximately how much money would you make with this job?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. How many of these jobs are there in the United States?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. What is the future for this job? Will it become more or less popular? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

7. What are jobs that are similar to this one?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

41

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

What Have You Learned

1. What interested you about the career you chose to explore?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What did you learn about the career?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. After exploring the career, are you more or less interested in the

career? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

43

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Career Fair

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about career fairs. Ask the group if they know the definition of

a career fair. If they do not know, explain that a career fair is when a group of businesses

gather in one location open to the public to meet with job seekers. Tell the students many

colleges will host career fairs for businesses interested in hiring new college graduates. This

lesson will prepare the students for success when they attend a career fair.

Discuss the following strategies for success at a career fair:

* If necessary, sign-up for the fair. Some career fairs require registration ahead of time and will

not admit anyone who isn’t registered. If possible, also submit your resumes to the career fair

ahead of time.

* Bring enough resumes. Make sure that you have enough resumes to hand out to any compa-

nies that interest you.

* Dress professionally. It is possible that some companies may conduct interviews at a career

fair, so be prepared to look professional.

* Research what companies will be represented at the career fair. By finding out who will be

present at the fair ahead of time, you can visit every company that interests you while saving

time looking for a company that isn’t present.

* Be prepared for “mini-interviews.” If there is a large crowd at the career fair, you may only

have a couple of minutes to make an impression. Be ready to make yourself stand out in a

short amount of time.

* After the job fair, follow-up with companies that interest you. Make contact with a specific

person from the company at the job fair and check-in with them a few days later. This will

help you stand out from the crowd.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing a professional work ethic

2. Preparing for career situations

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Assess strategies for success at career fairs

2. Prepare for a mini-interview

3. Research potential companies for a job fair

Materials: Promoting Yourself worksheet, Company Research worksheet,

internet access

44

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 1: Pass out the Promoting Yourself worksheet. Explain to students they are to

answer the questions as if they are preparing for a two-minute mini-interview with a com-

pany at a job fair. For this activity, the students can assume the company is in any field that

interests them. After students have had time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers

to share their answers. Encourage students to address the class as if they are speaking to a

potential employer at a job fair.

Activity 2: Pass out the Company Research worksheet. Explain to students they are to

research three different companies on the internet as if they are preparing for a real job

fair. Encourage students to choose companies in fields that interest them. Once students

have had time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their answers with

the class.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What did you learn about your-

self by doing this exercise? Why is it important to research a company before applying

for a job?

45

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Promoting Yourself

1. What qualities do you have that you would want to tell a potential

employer about?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What would make you a good fit for this company?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why are you interested in working for this company?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. What makes you stand out from other potential employees at the job fair?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. Write down two questions you could ask the company to demonstrate you

researched and prepared for the job fair.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. Why do you think it’s important to follow up with the business a few

days later?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

46

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Company Research

Company 1

Company Name ___________________________________________

What type of company is this? How do they make money?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Why are you interested in this company?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some questions you could prepare before the job interview to ask a

company representative?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Find at least three facts about this company that you could use at the job fair to

show the company representative you have researched their company.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

47

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Company 2

Company Name _________________________________________________

What type of company is this? How do they make money?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Why are you interested in this company?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some questions you could prepare before the job interview to ask a

company representative?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Find at least three facts about this company that you could use at the job fair to

show the company representative you have researched their company.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

48

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Company 3

Company Name _______________________________________________

What type of company is this? How do they make money?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Why are you interested in this company?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some questions you could prepare before the job interview to ask a

company representative?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Find at least three facts about this company that you could use at the job fair to

show the company representative you have researched their company.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

49

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Career Terminology

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion on the importance of understanding career terminology. Ask

students for examples of areas that have their own “lingo,” such as the internet and sports.

Ask students to share experiences when they have not understood instructions or a situation

because they were unfamiliar with the terminology being used. Give examples of why it is

important to understand commonly used terms in career exploration, such as knowing the

difference between full- or part-time employment and internships, or being able to properly

fill out a job application.

Explain different strategies students may use to find out definitions for terms they are unfa-

miliar with, such as:

• Looking up the definitions in a dictionary

• Using an online source, such as www.dictionary.com or www.m-w.com

• Using a search engine, such as Google, to look up unfamiliar words or phrases

Activity 1: Pass out the Career Definitions worksheet. Explain to students they are to use

the internet to look up definitions for each of the words and phrases listed. After students

have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their answers.

Activity 2: Pass out the Career Crossword worksheet. Explain to students they are to use

the vocabulary words they have learned today to fill in the puzzle.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students found appropriate definitions for the Career

Definitions worksheet. Check to make sure all students correctly filled out Career Crossword.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What are benefits? Why are they

important to consider when looking for a job? What is the difference between an intern and

job shadowing?

Career Education Focus:

1. Understanding commonly used career terms

2. Developing professional communication skills

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Establish importance of understanding career terminology

2. Define commonly used career terms

3. Solve a puzzle using career definitions

Materials: Career Definitions worksheet, Career Crossword worksheet, pens and pencils,

internet access

50

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Career Definitions

Look up definitions for each of the following words related to career exploration on

the internet.

background check:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

benefits:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

contract:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

cover letter:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

intern:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

interview:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

job shadow:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

51

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

mentor:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

references:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

resume:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

52

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Career Crossword

1

4

2

5

8

9

10

7

3

6

Across:

4. Used by employers to make sure you were telling the truth on your resume

(two words)

5. A temporary position, usually during a summer or semester, that

provides experience

6. Attached to your resume, this letter describes your strengths and experience

(two words)

8. A meeting between you and your potential employer to show why you would

make a good employee

9. Payment for your work other than money, such as vacation time and insurance

10. An experienced worker you can go to for advice

Down:

1. An agreement between you and your company

2. A group of people who will tell a potential employer about your strengths

and experience

3. Brief visits to a business where you observe workers and ask questions

7. A summary of your education, accomplishments, and experience

53

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Conflict Resolution

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about conflict in the workplace. Begin by asking students if any

of them have experienced conflict that was difficult to resolve. Ask the students if they have

any ideas about how to properly resolve conflict.

Discuss the following types of positive and negative conflict resolution:

• Accommodate (neutral)—One person gives in to another, whether they want to or not. They

do this because they believe ending the conflict is more important than winning. This is a

positive technique because the conflict is resolved, but the accommodator may eventually

become frustrated with “giving in” to every conflict, thus leading to negative outcomes.

• Avoidance (negative)—This is most often a negative solution. Both sides avoid the conflict,

which can be helpful in minor conflicts. But for an important conflict, this is a negative solu-

tion because people try to avoid the issue, even though it won’t go away and will eventually

grow into a larger problem.

• Collaborative (positive)—This strategy involves a group of people working together to reach a

solution that meets the needs of everyone involved. It is most useful when there is a group of

people involved in the conflict, when previous attempts to resolve the conflict have failed, or

when the conflict is important and must be resolved.

• Competitive (negative)—This strategy is most often used by a boss or supervisor. They

use their power to make a decision when there is an emergency and the conflict must be

resolved immediately. This style may be used after other styles have failed. This leads to

a negative outcome in conflicts that are not emergencies, because people affected by this

decision can have their feelings hurt and become resentful.

• Compromise (positive)—This strategy attempts to partially satisfy everyone involved in the

conflict. It requires everyone involved to give up something in order for everyone involved to

get something they want. This strategy is useful when a deadline is approaching and there is

not a clear decision of what is best for everyone.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying appropriate workplace behavior

2. Understand mature techniques to resolve conflict

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Appraise techniques to resolve workplace conflict

2. Resolve conflict scenarios

3. Evaluate what they have learned about conflict resolution

Materials: Conflict Scenarios worksheet, Conflict Resolution Journaling worksheet, pens

and pencils

54

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 1: Pass out the Conflict Scenarios worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

each scenario and use the techniques they have learned to resolve the conflict. Tell the

students to list which technique they would use and then explain how they would use that

technique to resolve the conflict. Explain to students there may be more than one method

to resolve the conflict. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet,

conduct a class discussion about how they resolved the conflicts.

Activity 2: Pass out the Conflict Resolution Journaling worksheet. Explain to students they

are to answer each question using information they have learned from this lesson. Tell the

students that since the answers should be based on their own thoughts and experiences,

there are no right answers. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet,

conduct a class discussion about each of the questions. Since the students’ answers may

be personal, they may not want to share their answers.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Why is conflict resolution impor-

tant in the workplace?

55

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Conflict Scenarios

Your supervisor called a staff meeting to discuss a major project you will be work-

ing on with a coworker. Your supervisor is a “baby boomer” (born 1946-1964), you

are “Generation X” (born 1965–1980), and your coworker is a “millennial” (born

1981-1999). As the meeting begins, you quickly discover that each employee views

the project differently, and has a different work style and ethic. The discussion

becomes heated and progress is not being made because of conflicting work

styles and communication difficulties between the different generations. How can

the conflict be resolved?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

You and a coworker, Juliet, are planning an office birthday for your boss. You

have picked out all the decorations and it is time to order the cake. You think your

boss would want a chocolate cake, but Juliet insists on ordering an ice cream cake

because it is her favorite. The two of you discuss it for awhile, but neither one of you

will give in and you are both becoming frustrated. How can this conflict be resolved?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

You work in an office with cubicles. The coworker next to your cubicle,

Milton, listens to the radio all morning, which is very distracting for you. When

you try to explain your problem to your boss, he tells you he doesn’t have time to

deal with it right now. He says that you and Milton need to resolve the problem

together. How can this conflict be resolved?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

56

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Conflict Resolution Journaling

After learning the different types of conflict resolution, which technique do you

feel most comfortable using? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

How can you begin using these conflict resolution techniques in your life now?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you think of a recent conflict that would have had a more positive outcome if

you had used one of the techniques? Describe it and what technique you would

use without using anyone’s real name.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

How can learning these conflict resolution techniques benefit you when you begin

your career?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the most important thing you have learned about conflict resolution in

today’s lesson?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

57

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Dealing With Difficult Coworkers

Procedures:

Tell the students this lesson will explore strategies to deal with difficult coworkers. Ask the

students if they have ever had to work together on a project with someone who was diffi-

cult. Allow students to share their experiences, but remind them to not use anyone’s name.

Discuss the following examples of strategies with the students:

• Forgive the coworker if they did something to hurt you

• Decide if it is really important for the coworker to know you are right

• Don’t respond or wait to respond if someone says something negative

• Don’t talk with a coworker about your negative feelings for another coworker

• Try to understand how your coworker feels

• Try to understand how other people see your actions

• Look for lessons to be learned through the conflict

• Ask yourself what is the worst case scenario if you do or do not respond

• Avoid heated discussions or raising your voice

• Step outside or close your office door for a few minutes to calm down

• Be nice to someone, even if they aren’t nice to you

Activity 1: Pass out the Handling a Difficult Situation worksheet. Explain to students they

are to read the scenarios and use the space below to explain what they think the person

should have done differently. After the students have had enough time to complete the

worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their answers.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying how to handle office conflict

2. Developing professional maturity

3. Preparing for difficult situations in the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Discuss how to interact with difficult coworkers

2. Critique scenarios with difficult coworkers

3. Formulate plans to handle difficult coworkers

Materials: Handling a Difficult Situation worksheet, What Would You Do? worksheet,

pens and pencils

58

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the What Would You Do? worksheet. Explain to students they are

to read the scenarios and use the strategies they have learned to answer how they would

resolve the scenarios. After the students have had enough time to complete the worksheet,

ask for volunteers to share their answers.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What will you take away from this

lesson that will help you in the workplace?

59

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Handling a Difficult Situation

Read the following scenarios and analyze John’s reaction to his coworkers. Use the

space below the scenarios to write what John should have done differently.

John works in a cubicle between Claire and Kate, who are best friends. Whenever

Claire or Kate wants to say something to the other, instead of getting up and going

to the other person’s cubicle, they raise their voice and talk back and forth from

their own cubicles. One day while they were talking back and forth, John became

frustrated because he couldn’t concentrate on his work. He stood up and said,

“You two need to shut up because some people are trying to work.”

What should John have done differently?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Richard leaves his cell phone on his desk during the day. He keeps the ring tone

volume turned up all the way so he can hear it ring if he is away from his desk.

One day he left it on his desk while he went to lunch. Jacob is in the cubicle next

to Richard, and every few minutes when Richard was at lunch, his cell phone rang

and Jacob had to listen to the ringtone play over and over because Richard wasn’t

there to answer it. Finally, Jacob had enough, and he walked over to Richard’s

desk and took the battery out of the cell phone.

What should Jacob have done differently?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

60

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

What Would You Do?

Read the following scenarios and use the space below to write what you would do

to resolve the conflict.

Every morning when you are beginning to work, your coworker Juliet comes to

sit in your cubicle with you. Even though you are trying to respond to emails and

return phone messages, Juliet spends at least 30 minutes telling you about every-

thing she did the night before. Lately, you have noticed your boss watching the two

of you every morning and you are afraid of getting in trouble for talking too much

during work.

Using the strategies you learned in this lesson, how would you resolve

the situation?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Your cubicle is next to Miles. During the afternoon while you are trying to work, he

listens to music through his computer speakers. At first you didn’t mind because

the music wasn’t very loud. But lately he has been playing the music louder, and

some of the music has offensive lyrics.

Using the strategies you learned in this lesson, how would you resolve

the situation?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

61

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Dress for Success

Procedures:

Explain to students that proper dress includes clothing that is clean, not torn, fits properly,

is not revealing, and does not have offensive writing. It should not be something you would

wear to the beach, to do yard work, or exercise.

Tell students that each workplace is unique in their dress code. Depending on the specific

dress code for their environment, they will need to follow the code for business formal,

business professional, business casual, or casual.

Business formal is at the highest level of the dress code. It is conservative, usually a dark

business suit, dress shirt with a tie, and dress shoes. For women it is a suit with a skirt,

hose, and closed toe/heel shoes.

Business professional dress is generally used for interviews, office visits, and career fairs.

You should wear a conservative suit with the jacket and pants or skirt matching in both fab-

ric and color. A dress is also acceptable.

Business casual is the most common dress code you will see. It should be conservative and

nice. Button down shirts, pants, blouses, sport coats and skirts are appropriate. Business

casual shoes do not include athletic shoes or flip flops. Skirts should be knee-length or lon-

ger. Hats are not appropriate in the workplace.

Casual wear is the most difficult dress code to understand. It should still be work-appropri-

ate, which means neat and conservative. Jeans are ok with polo shirts or button-downs. A

t-shirt may be acceptable if it is in good condition and does not have a slogan or ad on it.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing awareness of expectations in the workplace

2. Identifying appropriate dress for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Compare types of dress code.

2. Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate dress for the workplace.

Materials: Dress for Success worksheet, Appropriate Clothing for the Workplace work-

sheet, pens and pencils

62

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 1: Pass out the Dress for Success worksheet and have students complete it.

Activity 2: Pass out the Appropriate Clothing for the Workplace worksheet and

have students complete it. Ask for volunteers to share their answers and discuss any

inappropriate responses.

Assessment: Make sure students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on material covered. Have you ever had a job that

required a uniform? Defend the need for a dress code or the lack of a dress code in

certain businesses.

63

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Dress for Success

Find the 15 items listed below in the word search puzzle. These items may be worn

in the workplace.

U P S D S S G H D P T R G Q L

K C B T S H G X A A K I S T X

B N X E O D I K S N A E J I S

W Z R S V O W R K T T T U U V

X D A Y R S B R T S P P N S H

F M Q Y O E P T C B X A D V I

A M T C R Q F T X L V Y C V G

J H K I R N O A J C T Z K Q L

V S W F B G J V O W T U H Q E

Y G Y V T E C V N L E L P S P

O I D Q U I L Z Q G K A O J J

R E T A E W S T P O C H G K O

P O G T S K I R T B A F Q Y O

V V N R E W K N O G J A M K W

V E J E R T L K P O L O S O M

BELT

BOOTS

DRESS

HOSE

JACKET

JEANS

LOAFERS

PANTS

POLO

SHIRT

SKIRT

SOCKS

SUIT

SWEATER

TIE

64

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Appropriate Clothing for the Workplace

Circle 10 items that are not appropriate for the workplace.

Jeans

Skirt

Offensive T-shirt

Slacks

Flip flops

Athletic shoes

Revealing clothing

Ripped jeans

Shirt with company logo

Sweatpants

Sweater

Turtleneck

Short shorts

Suit

Dirty shirt

Uniform provided by employer

Tank top

Hat

Slacks

Dressy capris

65

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Ethics

Procedures:

Begin the class discussion by asking the students if they know what ethics are. Explain that

ethics are deciding what is right or wrong, as well as knowing responsible and appropriate

ways of conducting yourself.

Discuss the following steps to make an ethical decision with the students:

1. Identify the problem.

2. List all facts that affect your decision.

3. Identify people who would be affected by your decision.

4. Identify what each person would want you to do.

5. List at least three pros and cons for each option.

6. Choose the best, most ethical option.

Ask the students if they have ever had an ethical problem that was hard to resolve. Ask for

volunteers to share their experiences. Be sure to tell the students not to use anyone’s real

name. Ask the students how it would have been easier to resolve the problem using the

steps they have learned.

Activity 1: Pass out the What Would You Do worksheet. Explain that students are to fol-

low the steps they have learned to resolve the ethical problem on the worksheet. Tell the

students to write under each step how they have applied that step to the problem. After

students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, lead a class discussion about

the problem.

Career Education Focus:

1. Understanding how to resolve ethical issues at work

2. Developing professional behavior standards

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Discuss how to resolve ethical problems

2. Assess steps taken to resolve ethical problems

3. Journal responses to questions about ethics

Materials: What Would You Do worksheet, Ethics Journal worksheet, pens and pencils

66

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Ethics Journal worksheet. Explain to students they are to journal their

thoughts about each question. Remind students there is not a right or wrong answer; they are

simply to write what they think about each question. After students have had enough time to

complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their thoughts.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What are ethics? Express what hav-

ing good ethics says about you as a person.

67

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

What Would You Do?

Follow the directions for each step to make the best decision in resolving the ethi-

cal problem.

Your teacher gave you a take-home test that you were supposed to finish over the

weekend. You spent the weekend at your friend’s house and forgot about the test.

You realize when you get to class on Monday that you didn’t finish your test. The

person who sits in front of you has lost their test, but you find it under your chair.

You know that you can erase their name and write yours on the test, and turn it in

and no one will know what you’ve done.

1. Identify the problem.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. List all facts that affect your decision.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Identify people who would be affected by your decision.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Identify what each person would want you to do.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. List at least three pros and cons for each option.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. Choose the best, most ethical option.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

68

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Ethics Journal

Use the spaces below to journal your thoughts about each question. Explain why

you chose your answer.

Is it ethical to cheat on a test or homework?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Is it ethical to tell your teacher if you know one of your friends cheated on a test?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Is it ethical to brainstorm ideas for a research paper with your friends?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Is it ethical to study for a test with a group of your friends?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Is it ethical to copy and paste paragraphs from an encyclopedia in your research

paper, as long as you properly cite your source?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Express Yourself

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about the differences between verbal and written communication.

Tell students today they are going to learn about verbal and written communication. Ask

students for examples of when they would communicate verbally or in writing. Ask students

which type of communication they prefer.

Tell students it is important for them to be able to communicate both verbally and in writ-

ing, no matter which style they prefer. Explain that there will be circumstances in school

and in their careers where they will not be able to choose how they communicate. Lead a

discussion about possible scenarios at school or work when students would not be able

to choose how they communicate. Examples could include oral projects (verbal), and

responding to emails sent by teachers or employers (written).

Activity 1: Pass out the Express Yourself worksheet. Explain the instructions to students

and give them time to complete the worksheet individually. Afterward, ask for volunteers to

share their answers.

Activity 2: Pass out the Miscommunication worksheet. Explain the instructions to stu-

dents and give them time to complete the worksheet individually. Tell students they will be

describing a situation where someone misinterpreted something they said. Make sure the

students understand they should not use anyone’s real name. Afterward, ask for volunteers

to share their responses. Again, remind students not to use anyone’s real name.

Assessment: Check to make sure students have completed both worksheets with answers

that demonstrate an understanding of the subject.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Compare and contrast verbal and

written expression. Explain how you might tell if you are being misunderstood.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing communication skills for the workplace

2. Identifying different types of communication

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Compare the differences between verbal and written communication

2. Assess whether they communicate better verbally or in writing

3. Evaluate previous miscommunication experiences

Materials: Express Yourself worksheet, Miscommunication worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Express Yourself

Are you better at expressing yourself verbally or in writing? Provide examples of

times you have used your preferred communication style.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Why do you think a person might be more comfortable expressing themselves

either verbally or in writing?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Miscommunication

Think of a time when someone misinterpreted what you said. Describe the situation.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Why do you think there was miscommunication? What could you have done dif-

ferently to make yourself understood?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

73

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Revised

Future Career Choices: Conducting a Job Search

Procedures:

Divide the class into two groups. Designate some students to use the available computers to

conduct their job search while the other students use the newspapers. After a period of time,

have the computer group switch with the newspaper group. By doing this, all students will

have access to both media to conduct their job search.

Activity 1: For the completion of this activity, each student should imagine that they are

25 years old. Lead the class in a discussion of how to conduct a job search. Ask: “What

are your personal qualities that will influence your choice of job? What are your likes and

dislikes with regard to work activities?” Pause for several minutes to allow each student to

make a list of at least five personal qualities that will influence their job choice. The per-

sonal qualities might include a preference for working outside, with people, with comput-

ers, with numbers, or in an academic environment; using their hands; earning a high salary;

having summers off; constructing buildings; writing reports; supervising people; conducting

investigations; etc.

Activity 2: Have students access the following website: www.careerbuilder.com.

If there are not enough computers available for each student, the students may use

the classified ads section from the newspapers.

Career Education Focus:

1. Demonstrating the use of various technologies

2. Knowing the value of lifelong learning

3. Demonstrating critical thinking

4. Analyzing and evaluating academic and career skills needed in several occupational clusters

5. Differentiating among personal qualities that are needed to obtain and retain jobs in spe-

cific career clusters

Related Standards: English/language arts, career education, mathematics, science, technology

Lesson Objectives:

1. Model experiences that simulate a job search

2. Formulate the importance of education and its relationship to jobs and salaries

3. Appraise their strengths and weaknesses that correspond with jobs that interest them

Materials: Computers with internet access, 10 copies of the local newspaper—

particularly the job announcement section, Conducting a Job Search worksheet

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Instruct the students to enter information into the box at the top-left titled “Find a Job.” In

the “Keywords” field, they should enter careers they would like to research. In the “Location”

field, they can enter either where they live now or an area they are interested in moving to.

They may use the “Careers by Category” drop-down box to narrow their search.

Students should use the information they find to complete the worksheet Conducting a

Job Search.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Discuss the importance of

searching for a job that interests you. Describe other ways to find a job besides news-

papers and computers.

Resource Help: Career counselors, guidance counselors

Assessment: Grade the worksheets for completeness of the assignment and the clarity and

quality of the work.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Conducting a Job Search

1. Identify three jobs that interest you. Clip the three job announcements from

the newspaper or print a copy of the job announcements from the computer.

Attach the three announcements to this sheet before submitting the com-

pleted work to your teacher.

Job 1 ________________________________________________________________________________

Job 2 _______________________________________________________________________________

Job 3 _______________________________________________________________________________

2. For the three jobs that you selected, give an explanation as to why you

selected each job.

Job 1 ________________________________________________________________________________

Job 2 _______________________________________________________________________________

Job 3 _______________________________________________________________________________

3. Choose one of the jobs from above as your first choice for work. Write a

brief description of the job.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Why did you select that job as your first choice? Identify at least two

characteristics of this position that appealed to you.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. Given the job that you selected above, what steps must you complete to be

prepared for this position in the future?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

77

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Getting Along With Your Boss

Procedures:

Ask the students if they have ever had a teacher who they felt treated them unfairly. Explain to

the students when they begin their careers, they may encounter bosses who may treat them

in ways the students feel is unfair.

Discuss the following types of bosses and strategies to deal with these bosses:

The Over-Attentive Boss

• Always watches your work

• Constantly gives you advice

• Makes you nervous by their constant attention, causing more mistakes

How to deal with the over-attentive boss:

• Ask coworkers you trust if they have similar experiences with the boss

• Ask the boss if you can report your progress to them

• Make a list of finished assignments each day or week for the boss

The Mean Boss

• Insults or belittles you

• Criticizes you in front of others

• Always assigns you the most undesirable tasks

How to deal with the mean boss:

• Meet with the boss when you are both in good moods to discuss your relationship.

• They may not realize how you feel, so cite specific examples of when you feel you were

treated unfairly.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying appropriate workplace behavior

2. Understanding how to work with different personalities in the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Evaluate different types of difficult bosses

2. Generate strategies to deal with difficult bosses

Materials: Ten Ways I Can Work Better With My Boss worksheet, How to Work With

Your Boss worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

• If they do not take your feelings seriously, speak to their boss.

• If the negative behavior continues, you may have to find another job.

The Unreasonable Boss

• Expects your job to be more important than anything else in your life, including school and

your family.

• Constantly gives you unreasonable amounts of work that you are unable to finish by staying

late or taking home with you.

How to deal with the unreasonable boss:

• Meet with your boss one-on-one to discuss how you feel about how you have been treated.

• Use specific examples of time where you feel you were given unreasonable amounts of work.

• If you still feel they treat you unreasonable, talk to their boss.

The Missing Boss

• Assigns you tasks and disappears without explaining directions

• Leaves you in charge without properly training you

How to deal with the missing boss:

• Ask your coworkers for help with simple tasks.

• Ask your boss if you can schedule time before or after work for more training.

• Ask your boss for periodic progress reports.

Activity 1: Pass out the Ten Ways I Can Work Better With My Boss worksheet. Explain to

students they are to list 10 ways they can be a better employee. After students have had

time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their ideas.

Activity 2: Pass out the How to Work With Your Boss worksheet. Explain to students they

are to read about each type of boss and identify two ways to work better with that type of

boss. After students have had time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share

their answers with the class.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Evaluate why it is important to get

along with your boss. Review the four types of bosses discussed today.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Ten Ways I Can Work Better With My Boss

Think of 10 ways you can be a good employee. Your ideas may include things that

make you look good and ways you can make your boss look good.

Example: Be a

good listener when your boss is speaking.

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________________________________

10. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

How to Work With Your Boss

Read the brief description about each type of boss and write down two ideas of

how you can work better with that boss.

A. The over-attentive boss keeps close watch over all information and

resources. The boss wants constant progress updates, wants to make all

decisions, and may be unwilling to listen to employees’ ideas. This type of

boss tends to question employees about their decisions, their work style, and

the results.

List two ways you can deal with this type of boss:

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

B. The mean boss uses negative criticism to manage employees. It is not

unusual for this boss to be feared and disliked by the employees.

List two ways you can deal with this type of boss:

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

C. The unreasonable boss is a workaholic and may not have a life outside the

office. This boss expects their employees to work just as hard as or harder.

The expectations of this boss may be unrealistic because the bar is set high

and the employee is expected to succeed.

List two ways you can deal with this type of boss:

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

D. The missing boss has little or no interaction with employees. This boss is

rarely seen until the project is complete. You may feel frustrated due to lack

of direction, feedback, and constructive criticism.

List two ways you can deal with this type of boss:

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

81

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Job Interviews

Procedures:

Tell the students this lesson will explore what to expect when interviewing for a job. Ask the

students if any of them have ever been through an interview process. If no one has, ask them

to share what they know about interviews.

Discuss the following interview topics with the students:

1. Dress appropriately for the interview

2. Use proper language (i.e. no slang, no profanity)

3. Arrive early to the interview

4. Research information about your potential job

5. Research information about the company interviewing you

6. Do not eat, drink, or chew gum during the interview

7. Stay calm, relax, and be yourself

Activity 1: Pass out the Interview Preparation worksheet. Explain to students they are to

answer the questions on the worksheet as if they are being interviewed for a job. After the

students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their

answers or discuss any questions they had about the interview process.

Activity 2: Divide students into pairs. If there is a student without a partner, allow one

group of three. Explain to the students they are to pretend to interview their partner for a

job. The student conducting the interview should record their partner’s answers on their

own worksheet. After students have completed an interview, they are to role-play the inter-

view from the opposite perspective. Make sure students have enough time to both interview

their partner and be interviewed.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed the Interview Preparation worksheet

thoroughly and accurately. Make sure all students have interviewed their partner for the

Interview Role-Play worksheet.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Why are good interview skills

important? What advice would you give a friend interviewing for a job?

Career Education Focus:

1. Preparing for future job interviews

2. Developing proper social skills for career success

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Break down the interview process with students

2. Illustrate proper answers to typical interview questions

3. Role-play interview situations

Materials: Interview Preparation worksheet, Interview Role-Play worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Interview Preparation

Answer the following questions as you would in a real job interview.

1. What is your greatest strength?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is your greatest weakness?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. What motivates you?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. How do you handle stress?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. What are your hobbies?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Interview Role-Play

Now it’s your turn to interview someone. Ask these questions to your assigned

partner as if you are interviewing them for a job.

1. What is your greatest strength?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is your greatest weakness?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. What motivates you?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. How do you handle stress?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. What are your hobbies?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

85

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Know Your Rights

Procedures:

Begin the lesson by explaining to the students that just as there are rules all employees must

follow, there are also rules all employers must follow. Tell the students this lesson will focus

on topics that employers are not allowed to ask their employees.

Discuss why each of the following topics is inappropriate:

• Race

• Age

• Religion

• Where an employee is from

• Marital/family status (i.e., who the employee lives with)

• Disabilities

Discuss the follow strategies for employees to use when asked inappropriate questions:

• Provide an answer that you feel like sharing.

• Ask the employer to rephrase the question. They may not have intended to ask the question

in a way that made you uncomfortable.

• Explain to the employer that you don’t feel comfortable answering the question.

Activity 1: Pass out the Legal or Not worksheet. Explain to students they are to circle the

questions they think are inappropriate for their employer to ask. After students have had

time to complete the worksheet, lead a discussion through each question to make sure the

entire group understands what is and isn’t appropriate.

Career Education Focus:

1. Understanding your rights as an employee

2. Identifying appropriate behavior for the workplace

3. Learning how to deal with difficult situations in the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Appraise illegal questions for employers to ask

2. Construct strategies to deal with inappropriate questions

Materials: Legal or Not worksheet, Interview Scenarios worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Interview Scenarios worksheet. Explain to students they need to

read each scenario and use the space below to write how they would respond to the situ-

ation. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, lead a class discus-

sion about their responses.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Explain why these types of ques-

tions are inappropriate for an interview. How did you feel during the interview scenarios?

Did the questions make you uncomfortable?

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Legal or Not?

Circle the questions below that you think are not okay for an employer to ask you.

What do you know about our company?

How old are you?

Where were you born?

Do you like to read?

With whom do you live?

Where did you go to school?

Why are you in a wheelchair?

What are your hobbies?

Are you married?

What are your favorite TV shows?

Do you go to church?

Do you live with your parents?

How far would your drive to work be?

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Interview Scenarios

You are interviewing with an educational program that wants to hire someone to

mentor high school students after regular school hours, and the interview is going

well. The individual that will be your supervisor has said, “Your resume is just what

we are looking for and your answers this morning indicate that you have the expe-

rience we need in this position. Do you have any children at home?”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

The individual being interviewed is in a wheelchair. Although he is a great candi-

date for the job, the person conducting the interview seems hesitant when asking

questions. Finally the interviewer asks, “Are you able to use your legs at all? Do

you have any other limitations?”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

A college student is being interviewed by a local discount store that is open seven

days a week. The student has indicated his schedule is flexible and will work when

needed. The individual conducting the interview asks, “Will church be a problem

for you on Sunday?”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

89

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Learning Styles: Which One Am I

Procedures:

Explain to the group there are three major types of learning styles: auditory, visual, and

tactile. During the next series of lessons, they will explore each learning style to determine

which ones are most beneficial to them.

Define each type of learning style for the students. “Auditory” is learning with sound,

speech, dialog, or noise. “Visual” is learning with sight, mental imagery, or video. “Tactile” is

learning with “hands-on” activities.

Ask the students for examples of each of the types of learning styles in the classroom.

Examples you could provide would be: auditory—listening to lectures, reading out loud in

the classroom, and group discussions; visual—drawing maps, outlining processes, taking

notes, and watching videos, tactile—lab classes, taking field trips or visiting museums, and

playing learning games.

Tell the students that during the next few lessons, they will learn more about each of the

learning styles. This will prepare them for success in the classroom and the workplace.

Activity 1: Pass out the Finding My Learning Style worksheet. Explain to students that this

worksheet will give them an idea of which of the three types of learning styles is best for

them. Tell the students to read each question and circle the answer that best applies to

them. When they are done, they need to add up their answers for each letter and write their

answers in the space provided. After students have had time to complete the worksheet,

ask for volunteers to share their answers. Ask the students if they scored highest in the area

they thought they would or if they were surprised by their result.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing awareness of different learning styles

2. Preparing for diverse abilities and personalities in the workplace

3. Identifying career abilities and skills

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Recognize three types of learning styles

2. Appraise their type of learning style

Materials: Finding My Learning Style worksheet, How Do I Learn? worksheet,

pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the How Do I Learn worksheet. Tell the students to read the Visual

Learner page and circle all that apply to them. Count how many traits they circled and write

the number at the bottom of the page. They should do the same for the Auditory Learner

and Tactile Learner sheets. After students have had time to complete the worksheet, ask for

volunteers to share their answers and whether or not the results of the two activities match.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Compare and contrast the three

learning styles we discussed today. How will knowing your learning style help you in

school? When looking for a job/career?

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Finding My Learning Style

Circle the answer that best fits you.

1. I do best on tests that include:

a. Short definitions, fill in the blank, or multiple choice

b. Diagramming, reading maps, or showing a process

c. Writing responses to lectures or oral exams

2. I do worst on tests that include:

a. Long or essay questions

b. Listen and respond

c. Reading passages and writing answers

3. I study best by:

a. Taking lots of breaks and studying while listening to music

b. Using flashcards and highlighters to review notes

c. Studying with a group of friends

4. In class, I:

a. Have a hard time sitting still

b. Copy what is on the board in your notes

c. Like to read out loud and speak in class

5. To find out how something worked, I would:

a. Watch a video or demonstration about it

b. Read about it or listen to someone explain it

c. Figure it out on my own by taking it apart

Add up your answers for each letter and write them next to the letters below.

A ____

B ____

C ____

If you answered mostly As, you scored the highest for tactile learning. If you

answered mostly Bs, you scored the highest for visual learning. If you answered

mostly Cs, you scored the highest for auditory learning. It is possible to have more

than one type of learning style.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

How Do I Learn

This activity reviews the three types of learning styles. Read the Visual Learner

sheet and circle all traits that apply to you. Then read the Auditory Learner sheet

and circle all that apply to you. Finally, read the Tactile Learner sheet and circle

all that apply to you. Count the circles on each sheet and write the number of the

bottom of each page. Which learning style has the highest number on the bottom

of the page? Does it match the result of the previous learning style activity?

The Visual Learner learns through seeing...

These learners can either process information randomly or absorb what unfolds in

sequence before their eyes. They need to see the teacher’s body language and facial

expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at

the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people’s heads).

DO YOU…

• Have a strong sense of color

• Follow written directions well

• Process what you hear slowly

• “Translate” word messages into pictures or images

• Closely watch a speaker’s body language and facial expressions

• Get very distracted by noise or people talking in the background

• Use mental pictures to remember things

• Know something by seeing it

• Conjure up the image of a form by seeing it in your “mind’s eye”

• Have a vivid imagination

• Often stare and need something to watch

• Not talk at length

• Become impatient or lose focus when extensive listening is required

• Prefer the visual arts and media

• Often prefer to take notes or draw pictures to absorb information

• Like to write on the blackboard

• Remember quickly and easily what is read

• Learn better after seeing or writing something

• Get called a “bookworm”

• Love to read books, journals, magazines

• Perform hands-on tasks well

How many did you circle? _____

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

The Auditory Learner learns through listening...

The auditory learner needs to be able to focus on what is being said, and may find

taking in information through the other senses at the same time distracting. The

auditory learner processes new information in the order in which it is presented,

but also benefits from verbal discussion following the presentation.

They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through, and

listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying

meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed, and other

nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard.

DO YOU…

• Tend to remember and repeat ideas that are verbally presented

• Learn well through lectures

• Listen well

• Reproduce symbols, letters, or words by hearing them

• Like to talk

• Enjoy plays, dialogues, dramas

• Learn concepts by listening to tapes

• Enjoy music

• Repeat or fulfill verbal instructions

• Learn best through verbalization

• Hum or talk to yourself or others

• Usually not remain quiet for great lengths of time

• Talk at length, just to hear yourself talk!

• Like to use other people as a sounding board

• Enjoy question/answer sessions

• Find small group discussions stimulating and informative

• Prefer to discuss things with others

• Like to participate in class discussions/debates

• Like to make speeches and presentations

• Do well in tasks requiring phonetic analysis

• Have difficulty copying from the blackboard

How many did you circle? _____

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Tactile Learners learn through moving, doing, and touching...

These students like a “hands-on” approach to learning. They learn best by doing,

being directly involved in their learning. They process information as their body

moves. Because the entire body is involved, this type of student takes longer to

process new information.

DO YOU…

• Involve the sense of touch in learning

• Like to do artwork

• Like to piece things together

• Enjoy doodling

• Like to trace words and pictures

• Enjoy tasks requiring manipulation

• Often like to chew gum while studying

• Often fidget or find reasons to move

• Have problems paying attention to visual or auditory presentations

• Want to be “doing” something

• Try things out

• Like to manipulate objects (eg. mold a piece of clay to learn a new concept)

• Gesture when speaking

• Have trouble listening

• Respond to music by physical movement

• Learn better when able to move during learning

• Like to move hands (doodling, tapping) while learning

• Like to take frequent study breaks

• Use bright colors to highlight reading material

• Like to listen to music while studying

• Like to skim through reading material to get a rough idea what it is about

before settling down to read it in detail

How many did you circle? _____

97

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Procedures:

Begin the lesson by asking the class to name the three types of learning styles that were

covered in the previous lesson. Ask the class what they remember about auditory learning

from the previous lesson. Ask for volunteers to raise their hands if they scored highest as

auditory learners on the previous worksheet.

Tell the class this lesson will explore auditory learning. Discuss the following traits of audi-

tory learning with the students:

• Auditory learners comprehend reading better with white noise in the background

• Auditory learners use phrases such as “I hear you, “It rings a bell,” and “That clicks”

in conversation

• Auditory learners benefit from putting information into a song, rap, or poem

• Auditory learners like to read aloud in class or raise their hand to speak in class

• Auditory learners understand directions better when they are read to them rather than reading

them on their own

Learning Styles: Auditory

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing awareness of different learning styles

2. Preparing for diverse abilities and personalities in the workplace

3. Identifying career abilities and skills

4. Adapting your strengths for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Recall information about auditory learning from a previous lesson

2. Characterize auditory learning

3. Rewrite visual and tactile learning scenarios for auditory learners

Materials: Visual to Auditory worksheet, Tactile to Auditory worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 1: Pass out the Visual to Auditory worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

the scenarios which describe visual learning situations in the classroom and adapt them for

auditory learners. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for

volunteers to share their answers.

Activity 2: Pass out the Tactile to Auditory worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

the scenarios which describe tactile learning situations in the classroom and adapt them for

auditory learners. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for

volunteers to share their answers.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Evaluate your classroom—is it more

of a visual, tactile, or auditory classroom? Defend your answer.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Visual to Auditory

Read the following scenario describing a classroom lesson for visual learn-

ers. Use what you have learned about auditory learners to adapt the lesson for

auditory learners.

The teacher is allowing students to review for tomorrow’s test during today’s class

time. Students are to be quiet and remain seated.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Tactile to Auditory

Read the following scenarios describing a classroom lesson for tactile learners.

Use what you have learned about auditory learners to adapt the lessons for audi-

tory learners.

During class, students are divided into groups of two. The groups will role-play a job

interview, with one person conducting the interview and one person being interviewed.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

In science class the teacher is reading from the book and reviewing the assignment

with the students. After reviewing each section of information, the teacher stops

and conducts an experiment to demonstrate the lesson just reviewed. When pos-

sible, the teacher allows a student to conduct the experiment instead.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Learning Styles: Tactile

Procedures:

Begin the lesson by asking the class to name the three types of learning styles that were

covered in a previous lesson. Ask the class for volunteers to tell what they remember about

auditory and visual learning from the previous lessons. Ask the class what they remember

about tactile learning from the previous lesson. Ask for volunteers to raise their hands if

they scored highest as tactile learners on the previous worksheet.

Tell the class this lesson will explore tactile learning. Discuss the following traits of tactile

learning with the students:

• Tactile learners can remember complex directions once they have acted them out

• Tactile learners benefit from role playing in the classroom

• Tactile learners enjoy lab classes, such as science

• Tactile learners use flash cards and memory games when they study

• Tactile learners study with music or television playing in the background

• Tactile learners can’t sit still for long and have to take breaks when they study

Activity 1: Pass out the Auditory to Tactile worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

the scenarios which describe auditory learning situations in the classroom and adapt them

for tactile learners. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for

volunteers to share their answers.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing awareness of different learning styles

2. Preparing for diverse abilities and personalities in the workplace

3. Identifying career abilities and skills

4. Adapting your strengths for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Recall information about tactile learning from a previous lesson

2. Characterize tactile learning

3. Rewrite auditory and visual learning scenarios for tactile learners

Materials: Auditory to Tactile worksheet, Visual to Tactile worksheet,

pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Visual to Tactile worksheet. Explain to students they are to read the

scenarios which describe visual learning situations in the classroom and adapt them for tac-

tile learners. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for volun-

teers to share their answers.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Describe how a tactile learner learns

best. Select activities you have done in class that would be geared to tactile learners.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Auditory to Tactile

Read the following scenarios describing a classroom lesson for auditory

learners. Use what you have learned about tactile learners to adapt the lessons

for tactile learners.

Students are in Mrs. Green’s classroom studying geography. She is reading to the

class from the textbook. She also asks for volunteers to read to the class.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

During Mr. Jones’ class, students were divided into study groups to prepare for

class presentations. After collecting information for their presentation, each group

presented an oral report on their assigned subject.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Visual to Tactile

Read the following scenarios describing a classroom lesson for visual learners. Use

what you have learned about tactile learners to adapt the lessons for

tactile learners.

The teacher is allowing students to review for tomorrow’s test during today’s class

time. Students are to be quiet and remain seated.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

The English teacher assigns an essay to be written during class time. After writ-

ing the essay, the student must take the last paragraph of the essay and dia-

gram the sentences.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Learning Styles: Visual

Procedures:

Begin the lesson by asking the class to name the three types of learning styles that were

covered in a previous lesson. Ask the class for volunteers to tell what they remember about

auditory learning from the previous lesson. Ask the class what they remember about visual

learning from the previous lesson. Ask for volunteers to raise their hands if they scored

highest as visual learners on the previous worksheet.

Tell the class this lesson will explore visual learning. Discuss the following traits of visual

learning with the students:

• Visual learners like to create diagrams, concept maps, and webs to help them

remember information

• Visual learners understand information better when it is presented in graphs, pie charts,

and other colorful pictures

• Visual learners learn better from watching videos than students who are auditory or tactile learners

• Visual learners copy everything a teacher writes on the board

• Visual learners use highlighters and markers in their notes

• Visual learners circle and underline words

Activity 1: Pass out the Auditory to Visual worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

the scenarios which describe auditory learning situations in the classroom and adapt them

for visual learners. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for

volunteers to share their answers.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing awareness of different learning styles

2. Preparing for diverse abilities and personalities in the workplace

3. Identifying career abilities and skills

4. Adapting your strengths for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Articulate information about visual learning from a previous lesson

2. Discuss visual learning

3. Rewrite auditory and tactile learning scenarios for visual learners

Materials: Auditory to Visual worksheet, Tactile to Visual worksheet,

pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Tactile to Visual worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

the scenarios which describe tactile learning situations in the classroom and adapt them for

visual learners. After students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for vol-

unteers to share their answers.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Describe how a visual learner learns

best. Describe some activities you have done in class that would be geared to visual learners.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Auditory to Visual

Read the following scenarios describing a classroom lesson for audi-

tory learners. Use what you have learned about visual learners to adapt the

lessons for visual learners.

Students are in Mrs. Green’s classroom studying geography. She is reading to the

class from the textbook. She also asks for volunteers to read to the class.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

During Mr. Smith’s class, students were divided into study groups to prepare for

class presentations. After collecting information for their presentation, each group

presented an oral report on their assigned subject.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Tactile to Visual

Read the following scenarios describing a classroom lesson for tactile learners. Use

what you have learned about visual learners to adapt the lessons for visual learners.

During class, students are divided into groups of two. The groups will role-play a job

interview, with one person conducting the interview and one person being interviewed.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

In science class the teacher is reading from the book and reviewing the assignment

with the students. As she reviews each section of information, she stops and con-

ducts an experiment to demonstrate the lesson she just reviewed. When possible,

she allows a student to conduct the experiment for her.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Revised

Mapping Your Future

Procedures:

A teacher-led discussion should begin this lesson and should emphasize the value of

all work. The discussion should stress that careers and job choices should be made on

the basis of the individual’s strong personal interests. Students should be advised that

research findings have determined that adults are most successful in careers and jobs

where they are happy doing the work. Therefore, each student should begin their inquiry

into career and job prospects on the basis of personal interests. The questions for the oral

discussion might include: What are your personal interests for a job? What kind of work

do you think that you would like to do? What do you enjoy spending your time doing? In

what areas do you consider yourself talented? Do you have talents or areas of strength

that your parents or other adults have noticed or commended?

In addition to the emphasis on personal interests as the driving factor in career and job

choices, students should be advised about being realistic in the selection of their future

career or job. It is important to emphasize that students should give consideration to

more than simply an interest in a single subject or interest area in making a career choice.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing knowledge and skills in career awareness

2. Demonstrating awareness of job-seeking and job and/or postsecondary education applica-

tion skills

3. Completing steps in goal setting

4. Analyzing and evaluating academic and career skills needed in several occupational clusters

5. Describing how career development is a continuous process with a series of choices

6. Applying research skills for career exploration

7. Exploring the 16 career clusters

Related Standards: English/language arts, career education, social studies,

and science

Lesson Objectives:

1. Examine occupations and career clusters and identify at least two career or occupational

areas of interest

2. Understand that all legal work is valuable

3. Recognize the relationship between school-related learning experiences and

preparation for future careers and job opportunities

Materials: internet; Career Cluster Research worksheet if internet access is

available; Determining Career Clusters of Interest to Me worksheet if internet

access is unavailable

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Further, students should be advised that many of the glamorous careers, such as those of

a rock star, professional athlete, movie star, rap singer, and basketball or football star, are

extremely difficult to attain. Students should be advised that the chances of getting these

glamorous jobs are very slim because of the rare combination of opportunity and physi-

cal attributes that result in such rare accomplishments.

Activity 1: Have students log onto the following website: www.careerclusters.org/12clusters.cfm

Explain they are to research each career cluster listed on their Career Cluster Research

worksheet. They may either summarize the career cluster in their own words or list jobs

they think would fit into that career cluster. Tell the students they also should indicate

whether or not the career cluster interests them.

Activity 2: Use the Determining Career Clusters of Interest to Me worksheet if internet

access is unavailable. By reading and responding to the series of questions on the work-

sheet, each student should be able to determine the one or two career or occupational

clusters that match their interests. The last question requires students to offer evidence as to

how his or her career or job choices are a good match.

Reflection: Conduct a class discussion on lessons learned. Choose two career clusters that

interest you and explain why. Rank the clusters from your favorite to least favorite. Compare

with a friend.

Resource Help: Library media specialist or computer laboratory specialist who can provide

students with access to online computers, guidance counselors, or career education counselors

Assessment: Grade the worksheet, assessing its completeness and the overall quality of the

final product. Bonus points might be awarded for satisfactory completion of learning task.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Career Cluster Research

Access the following website: www.careertech.org/career-clusters/glance/clusters.html.

Use the information on this page to write either a brief description of each career

cluster in your own words or examples of jobs that fit into that career cluster.

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Architecture and Construction

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Arts, A/V Technology and Communications

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Business, Management and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Education and Training

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Finance

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Government and Public Administration

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Health Science

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Hospitality and Tourism

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Human Services

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Information Technology

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Manufacturing

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Marketing

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this career cluster interest you? _____________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Determining Career Clusters of Interest to Me

By reading and responding to the series of questions that follow, determine the

one or two career or occupational clusters that match your interests. The last

question requires you to offer evidence as to how your career or job choices are

a good match.

1. Which subjects or school-related activities interest you the most? Circle one

or two subjects. In the “other” spaces at the bottom, you can write in other

activities at school.

Mathematics

Social studies

Science

English/language arts

Physical education

Health

Art

Music

Computer technology

Recreational time

Tech education (woodworking or mechanical shop activities)

Other _____________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

2. Given the choice(s) in question one, now select the career or job options that

relate to your interest based upon your favorite school-related activity. Circle

or write in your job or career option.

Jobs for kids who like...

Related School Subjects Job and Career Options

Music/arts Rock star

Dancer

Photographer

Curator

Cartoonist

Disk jockey

_____________________________________________________

Science Pharmacist

Chemist

Doctor

Nurse

Pilot

Computer repairer

_____________________________________________________

P.E./outdoors Professional athlete

Recreational therapist

Carpenter

Surveyor

Zookeeper

_____________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Related School Subjects Job and Career Options

Social studies Lawyer

Police officer

Politician

Real estate agent

Urban planner

Clergy

_____________________________________________________

Reading Reporter

Teacher

Librarian

Secretary

Writer

_____________________________________________________

Math Engineer

Accountant

Cashier

Architect

Computer scientist

Mechanic

_____________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

3. Write a short paragraph to support your conclusions about your preferred

school-related activity and your choice of job. In other words, describe how

you know that this career or job choice fits you. (You might describe your

grades in a subject, your interest in doing the kind of work activities in a sub-

ject, how you look forward to a particular class, or experiences you’ve had

that are related to the career area.)

_______________________________________________________________________________________

119

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

More Than the Minimum

Procedures:

Explain to the group that when they begin a career, they have to make a decision similar to

one they have to make in the classroom. They will have to decide whether to do the mini-

mum needed to pass the class or keep their job, or whether to make an effort to excel. Give

examples of how students can do more than the minimum to impress their teachers and

employers, such as showing up early for work and volunteering for extra work.

Explain to the group how making an effort to excel in the classroom—and, in the future, in

their careers—can be beneficial. Use examples such as studying to get higher grades, so that

doing bad on one test won’t hurt their grade as much, and being early to class to show the

teacher how dedicated they are. Ask for volunteers to share examples of when they have

put out extra effort and how they were rewarded.

Activity 1: Pass out the Putting In More Effort worksheet and have the students complete

it. Students should read the scenario and then write an example of what the student could

have done to have a more positive outcome. After the students have had time to complete

the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their answers and lead the students in a discus-

sion about the different answers.

Activity 2: Pass out the Personal Survey worksheet and have the students complete it.

Students should provide short answers that draw on their personal experiences. After the

students have had time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their answers

and lead the students in a discussion about the different answers.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed both worksheets with

answers that demonstrate an understanding of the subject.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What is your least favorite

subject in school? Appraise how you might need these skills in a future job.

Career Education Focus:

1. Strengthening decision-making skills

2. Identifying cause/effect relationships

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Debate the idea of “putting in more effort” to reach positive resolutions

2. Rewrite scenarios with negative outcomes

3. Complete a personal survey

Materials: Putting In More Effort worksheet, Personal Survey worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Putting In More Effort

Read the following scenarios and decide how the person could have put in more

effort to reach a positive solution.

Charlie has never been very good at math. Some of his friends pick up on math

concepts pretty easy, but Charlie always struggles with his math homework. He

knows that as long as he gets at least a “C” in math, his parents won’t ground

him. He never goes to tutoring or asks his teacher for help. Charlie tries to do his

homework, but he doesn’t really understand and usually doesn’t do very well. At

the end of the year, Charlie has a “D” in math and his parents ground him for the

entire summer.

How could Charlie have put in more effort and reached a more positive outcome?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Claire likes playing basketball and really wants to join the team at school. She has

never played for the school before, but has always had fun playing basketball with

her friends and family. Claire’s dad offered to get a basketball goal for their drive-

way and help her practice during the summer so she’ll be ready for tryouts when

school starts. She decides she would rather spend the summer hanging out with

her friends than practicing. When school starts back, Claire isn’t ready for tryouts

and doesn’t make the basketball team.

How could Claire have put in more effort and reached a more positive outcome?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Personal Survey

Think of a time in your life when you made the decision to only do the minimum

to resolve a problem. Explain what made you decide to only do the minimum and

the consequences of your decision.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Think of a time in your life when you made the decision to put in more effort and

go above the minimum to resolve a problem. Explain what made you decide to put

in the extra effort and the consequences of your decision.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

123

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Office Etiquette

Procedures:

Tell the students this lesson will explore behaviors that are and are not appropriate for the

workplace. Ask students if they can think of behaviors that are not appropriate for an

office setting.

Discuss the following office etiquette examples with the students:

• Do not use speakerphones or computer speakers if others can hear

• Avoid strong perfume or cologne

• Shower or bathe daily and arrive wearing a fresh change of clothing

• Avoid eating food with strong smells

• Do not gossip

• Do not excessively talk about your personal life unless asked

• Mind your own business

• Do not take anything from someone else’s desk without permission

• Do not enter someone else’s office or cubicle without permission

• Do not be loud and disruptive

• Always dress appropriately for your office

• Always be on time

Activity 1: Pass out the Is it Good Etiquette worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

each statement and determine if it is appropriate behavior. If they believe it is good office

etiquette they should place an X under yes. If not, they should place an X under no.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing awareness of expectations in the workplace

2. Developing appropriate behavior for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Discuss appropriate behavior for the workplace

2. Distinguish appropriate/inappropriate behavior for the workplace

Materials: Is It Good Etiquette worksheet, Right or Wrong worksheet,

pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Right or Wrong worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

each phrase and determine whether or not it is proper office etiquette. If they believe the

phrase is appropriate for the office, they should circle it. After students have had time to

complete the worksheet, discuss each statement with the students to make sure each stu-

dent understands why the behaviors are or are not appropriate.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Generate a definition of

etiquette. What makes office etiquette different?

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Is It Good Etiquette

Read the following statements and check yes if it is good office etiquette or no if it

is not.

YES NO

Your coworkers were talking about how much they enjoy music.

To give everyone a special treat, you turn your computer speakers

up loud enough for everyone to hear your music. ___ ___

Yesterday was your birthday and one of your gifts was new

cologne. To make sure everyone will notice it, you wear a little

extra to work the next day. ___ ___

You went to the gym before work and played basketball too

long. Unfortunately, this meant you didn’t have time for a shower. ___ ___

You started a new diet that requires you to eat some foods with

very strong odors. Is it appropriate to eat this food at your desk? ___ ___

You overheard your coworker in the next cubicle talking on

the phone. She mentioned “getting a divorce,” but you are

not sure if she is getting a divorce or someone else. The urge

to gossip about the phone conversation wins. ___ ___

One of your coworkers does not allow anyone in the office to

finish a personal story. She constantly interrupts the story to

make the conversation about her personal life. ___ ___

The air conditioning in the office is broken again and you are

frustrated. You want to buy a bottle of water but you need

one more dime. You see one on a coworker’s desk in the

cubicle next to yours so you decide to “borrow it.” ___ ___

Tomorrow is the first day of your vacation and you are

counting the minutes! You catch yourself talking and

laughing louder than usual. ___ ___

You overslept this morning, so you wore wrinkled clothing

to work. ___ ___

It doesn’t matter how early you get up, you can’t get to work

on time. ___ ___

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Right or Wrong

Read the following scenarios and circle the ones you think are examples of proper

office etiquette.

1. Interrupting someone who is on the phone.

2. Calling your boss when you are going to be late.

3. Calling your friends during the day.

4. Listening to music through your speakers during the day.

5. Complaining to everyone else in the office.

6. Telling the office about how you spent your weekend.

7. Walking into your boss’s office without being invited.

8. Wearing too much perfume.

9. Making fun of a coworker.

10. Talking on your speakerphone.

127

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Organization in the Workplace

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion with the students about how to be organized in the workplace.

Ask students if any of them have ever missed an appointment or lost an important piece

of paper. Explain to students that it’s important to stay organized in the workplace to show

your boss and coworkers that you are a mature and responsible employee. Make sure stu-

dents understand the difference between being neat and being organized—it doesn’t matter

whether your desk or office is clean if you don’t know where anything is.

Discuss the following ways to stay organized in the workplace:

• Avoid clutter. Only keep items on your workspace that you use regularly. Keep other items in

your desk or storage space.

• Keep your schedule updated every day. Choose one calendar and only use that one. If you

try to use a paper calendar, one on your phone, and one on your computer, it will be more

difficult to keep them synchronized.

• Clean your desk at the end of every day and every week. This will prevent clutter from

building up.

• Always file paperwork under a specific file. Never use a “miscellaneous” folder, because you

will forget what is filed there.

• Once a month, examine your organizational plan to see if any changes need to be made.

Decide what works and what doesn’t to became as organized and efficient as possible.

Activity 1: Pass out the Improving Organization worksheet. Explain to students they are to

read the scenarios and form a plan to improve organization. Remind students there may be

more than one right answer. After students have had enough time to complete the work-

sheet, conduct a class discussion about their answers. Allow time for students to share dif-

ferent ideas for each scenario.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying appropriate workplace behavior

2. Developing a professional work ethic

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Examine ways to became organized in the workplace

2. Assess scenarios to determine ways to improve organization

3. Develop plans to become more organized

Materials: Improving Organization worksheet, Organization Survey worksheet, pens

and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Organization Survey worksheet. Explain to students there are no

right or wrong answers for this worksheet. They should answer each question honestly so

they can understand how organized they are and what they can do to improve. After stu-

dents have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their

answers with the class. Since the students’ answers may be personal, they may not want

to share.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Describe your locker. Describe

your study space at home. What can you do to improve your organization?

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Improving Organization

You often feel rushed while on the job. What can you do to avoid this feeling?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

You frequently forget to take care of something important. How can this be fixed?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

It takes forever to find the document you want on your computer. How can you

speed up the search?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Whenever your boss asks you for a client’s phone number or address, you have to

spend several minutes searching while your boss watches. What can you do to be

ready the next time your boss needs someone’s contact information?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Your boss has put you in charge of an important project, but every few days you

have to ask your boss to repeat the directions. What can you do to remember the

directions so you don’t have to keep asking your boss?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Organization Survey

On a scale of 1 to 10, how organized do you think you are? Why did you give

yourself this rating?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Before this lesson, did you think you needed to become more organized? Why or

why not? Did this lesson change your opinion?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Has being disorganized ever caused you to miss an event or not complete an assign-

ment? What could you have done to be more organized in that situation?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

What specific ideas for organization do you plan to start using in your daily life?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

How can being organized benefit you right now, outside of school?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

How can becoming organized now benefit you when you begin your career?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

131

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Overcoming Weaknesses

Procedures:

Explain to students they will be discussing how to turn weaknesses into strengths. Tell the

students that everyone has weaknesses, and it is important for them to learn how to over-

come their weaknesses to succeed in the workplace.

Discuss the following steps to overcoming weaknesses:

• Identify what your weaknesses are

• Understand how these weaknesses can have a negative impact

• Identify ways to turn the weaknesses into strengths

• Start applying these changes

• Be open to constructive criticism

• Stay motivated and work hard, because change won’t happen overnight

Activity 1: Pass out the Strengthening Weaknesses worksheet. Explain to students they

are to come up with a way to turn each listed weakness into a strength. Once students

have had time to complete the worksheet, discuss possible answers for each weakness

with the group.

Activity 2: Pass out the Analyzing My Weaknesses worksheet. Explain to students they

will journal about their weakness on this worksheet. After they list a weakness, they will

then answer questions about that weakness. After students have had enough time to com-

plete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to discuss their answers with the class. If students

do not feel comfortable discussing their weaknesses with the class, begin the discussion

by discussing one of your weaknesses and how you would have answered the questions

on the worksheet.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What did you learn about yourself

in this lesson? Are we judged by our weaknesses? The most important thing I learned in

this lesson is _________________.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying strengths and weaknesses to succeed in the workplace

2. Developing skills for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Recall how weaknesses affect the workplace

2. Communicate ways to turn weaknesses into strengths

3. Appraise weaknesses

Materials: Strengthening Weaknesses worksheet, Analyzing My Weaknesses worksheet,

pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Strengthening Weaknesses

Read the following weaknesses and use the space provided to write what you

could do to turn those weaknesses into strengths.

Weakness Strength

I am always running late.

I wait until the last minute to do

my homework.

I failed an assignment instead of asking

for help.

My feelings are hurt when someone

criticizes me.

I sometimes lose my homework.

I don’t work well on group projects with

my classmates.

I sometimes have a bad attitude with

my teachers and classmates.

I often lose my temper.

I have to do things my way.

I give up when an assignment becomes

too difficult.

I am usually not open to doing things

differently than what I normally do.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Analyzing My Weaknesses

My first weakness is

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

The weakness could be a problem in the workplace, because

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

I can work to improve this weakness by

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

My second weakness is

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

The weakness could be a problem in the workplace, because

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

I can work to improve this weakness by

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

My third weakness is

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

The weakness could be a problem in the workplace because

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

I can work to improve this weakness by

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Personal and Professional Email Addresses

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about the difference between personal and professional email

addresses. Conduct a class discussion about what is and is not appropriate when creating a

professional email address.

Explain to students that today you are going to talk about how to create email addresses

that are appropriate for the people you may be emailing. Ask the group to raise their hand if

they already have an email address. Do not ask them to say their email address out loud.

Ask the students if they know what the difference is between a personal email address and a

professional email address. Ask for examples of the different ways they might communicate

using each type of email address. If necessary, provide examples such as using your personal

email address to communicate with friends, classmates, and family. Explain that professional

email addresses should be used to communicate not only with employers and coworkers, but

also teachers and colleges.

Activity 1: Pass out the Personal vs. Professional worksheet and have students complete it.

After giving students a few minutes to work individually, go over the correct answers with

the group. Ask students after each answer if any of them disagree with the correct answer.

Allow students to explain their answers. Explain to the students why the correct answer is a

better choice.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying appropriate email addresses for the workplace

2. Developing professional communication standards

3. Developing appropriate behavior for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. Critique differences between personal and professional email addresses

2. Critique email addresses to see if they are professional

3. Compose personal and professional email addresses

Materials: Personal vs. Professional worksheet, Creating an Email Address worksheet,

pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Create an Email Address worksheet and have students complete

it. Students are to come up with personal and professional email addresses for the people

given. Explain that some answers may be duplicates, but there is more than one right

answer. After giving students a few minutes to work individually, lead a class discussion

where students are given an opportunity to volunteer their answers for each question.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed both worksheets. The Per-

sonal vs. Professional worksheet should be graded for accuracy. The Create an Email

Address worksheet should be checked to make sure all students completed it with answers

that demonstrate an understanding of the subject.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Think about your personal email

address. What does it say about you? Is it something your coworkers need to know?

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Personal vs. Professional

Looking at the email addresses below, circle whether each is a personal or profes-

sional email address.

iloveanimals@ Personal Professional

john.doe@ Personal Professional

mickey1994@ Personal Professional

imafootballstar@ Personal Professional

doe_john@ Personal Professional

ishopuntilidrop@ Personal Professional

janekdoe@ Personal Professional

blueeyes@ Personal Professional

iluvmountaindew@ Personal Professional

john76262@

Personal Professional

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Create an Email Address

Use the facts listed below each of the following names to create a personal and a

professional email address. Use your imagination and be creative.

1. George Washington

• Favorite sport is baseball

• Likes to read

• Birthday is February 22, 1732

Personal Email Address _____________________________________________________

Professional Email Address ________________________________________________

2. Thomas Jefferson

• Likes to write

• Is an artist

• Lives in Charlottesville, VA, 22901

Personal Email Address _____________________________________________________

Professional Email Address ________________________________________________

3. Abraham Lincoln

• Likes to go fishing

• Is very tall

• Is very friendly

Personal Email Address _____________________________________________________

Professional Email Address ________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Revised

Personal Strengths

Procedures:

Tell students: “Today we’re going to look at some descriptions of feelings and some traits

associated with them. Knowing these feelings and traits can help you discover your

personal strengths. It can also help you identify areas you can improve in your life. We all

believe certain things about ourselves. These beliefs help make us who we are or who we

believe ourselves to be. Sometimes we feel we are great; sometimes we feel we aren’t good

at anything. This outlook can make us feel better or worse. We can put ourselves down or

build ourselves up. We learn to label ourselves and others as we learn labels from people

and the world around us. If we believe the labels, we often start to act in ways that make

the label true. We need to be careful of labels, especially negative ones. You can always

change negative traits to positive ones by recognizing them, working hard, and making pos-

itive changes. Let’s look at how we view ourselves.”

Activity 1: Pass out the Getting to Know Myself worksheet and have students complete it.

Have the students also complete the six summary questions. Allow eight minutes for the

analysis and synthesis of the responses to the six summary questions.

Activity 2: Engage in class discussion of the summary questions. Invite the students to

move around the classroom in order to organize in small groups based upon similar inter-

ests and strengths.

Assessment: Determine the extent to which each student has accurately summarized their

responses to the two summary questions. Determine the extent to which the students have

organized appropriately into small groups.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying personal interests, abilities, and skills through assessment

2. Understanding the relationship between academic skills and personal interests, and related

career considerations

Related Standards: Health, reading and language arts, social studies,

character education

Lesson Objectives:

1. Complete Part I of an assessment to determine strengths and areas of interests

2. Complete Part II of an assessment to determine preferences and strengths in school subjects

3. Assess the results of the assessments to determine personal strengths and interests

4. Develop problem-solving skills and engage in decision-making

Materials: Getting to Know Myself worksheet

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Getting to Know Myself

Part 1

My Personal Strengths and Interests

Given the following list of statements, respond by indicating whether each statement

is “like me” or “unlike me.” Place an “X” in the appropriate column.

Like Me Unlike Me

I am shy. ___________________ ___________________

I am dependable. ___________________ ___________________

I am easy to like. ___________________ ___________________

I often worry. ___________________ ___________________

I make up my mind easily. ___________________ ___________________

I like to talk in front of the class. ___________________ ___________________

I get upset easily. ___________________ ___________________

I often get discouraged at school. ___________________ ___________________

I am proud of my schoolwork. ___________________ ___________________

I am popular with my peers. ___________________ ___________________

My parents usually

consider my feelings. ___________________ ___________________

I usually succeed in most things. ___________________ ___________________

My peers often pick on me. ___________________ ___________________

My parents expect too much of me. ___________________ ___________________

I am often proud of myself. ___________________ ___________________

I like to be alone. ___________________ ___________________

I would like to do better in school. ___________________ ___________________

At home, people often ignore me. ___________________ ___________________

I like to be called on in school. ___________________ ___________________

I am easy to persuade. ___________________ ___________________

I like to lead the group. ___________________ ___________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Part II

My Areas of Interests and Strengths in School

Given the following list of statements, respond by indicating whether each state-

ment is “like me” or “unlike me.” Place an “X” in the appropriate column.

Like Me Unlike Me

I like reading. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in reading. ___________________ ___________________

I like math. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in math. ___________________ ___________________

I like physical education. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in physical education. ___________________ ___________________

I like science. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in science. ___________________ ___________________

I like grammar and

language arts. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in grammar and

language arts. ___________________ ___________________

I like social studies

(history and geography). ___________________ ___________________

I do well in social studies

(history and geography). ___________________ ___________________

I like computers. ___________________ ___________________

I work well on computers. ___________________ ___________________

I like health. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in health. ___________________ ___________________

I like art. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in art ___________________ ___________________

I like music. ___________________ ___________________

I do well in music. ___________________ ___________________

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Summary:

1. My personal interests and strengths are:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. My interests and strengths in school are:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Something I am proud of myself for being able to do well is:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Something I wish I could do better is:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. Something I want to accomplish in the next year is:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. Something I want to accomplish before I graduate from high school is:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Resume Writing

Procedures:

Tell the students they will learn how to create their first resume. Ask the students to explain

what they already know about resumes.

Discuss the following guidelines for creating a professional resume:

• Use a plain font and plain white or off-white paper

• Make sure all your contact information is current, including phone numbers, physical

address, and email address

• Use a professional email address

• Never use false information

• List any volunteer activities or organizations

• List any coursework that relates to the potential job

• Always use proper language; never use slang

• Use “action verbs” to describe yourself and your skills

Activity 1: Pass out the Personal Survey worksheet. Explain to students that they will

answer the questions about themselves and then use that information to write their first

resume. After the students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, begin the next

activity, Your First Resume.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying skills for the workplace

2. Developing professional writing skills

3. Composing a resume

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology

Lesson Objectives:

1. Examine how to write a resume

2. Complete personal survey

3. Write a resume

Materials: Personal Survey worksheet, Resume Template worksheet, pens and pencils,

computer access

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Assign students to computers. Explain that they are going to use the informa-

tion they have written in the Personal Survey worksheet to write their first resume. Guide

students through the process of using the Resume Template worksheet. After students have

had enough time to complete their resume, ask students to discuss what they have learned

about writing resumes.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed the Personal Survey worksheet. Make

sure all students have created a resume in Microsoft Word.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What is the purpose of a resume?

How can you make your resume stand out?

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Personal Survey

Answer the following questions about yourself. This information will help you write

your first resume.

1. What is your name?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is your address?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What is your phone number?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is your email address?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

5. Write two sentences describing yourself and the kind of job that

interests you.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

6. Describe your skills and abilities.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

7. List your extracurricular activities at school, such as clubs and athletics.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

8. List any activities or organizations you participate in outside of school.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

9. List any previous work or volunteer experience you may have.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

10. List any awards or honors you have received.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Resume Template

Begin this activity by opening Microsoft Word. Use the following example to cre-

ate your resume. You should follow the outline below and use the information from

Activity 1 to complete your resume.

[ NAME ]

[ ADDRESS ]

[ CITY ], [ STATE ] [ ZIP ]

[ PHONE ]

[ EMAIL ]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Objective

[Describe yourself and the type of job you are interested in.]

Skills

• List skills and abilities

Extracurricular Activities

• List extracurricular activities in school

Organizations or Clubs

• List activities or organizations you participate in outside of school

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Work or Volunteer Experience

[ Name of Organization ]

[ Dates ]

[ Job Title ]

• [ Duties ]

[ Name of Organization ]

[ Dates ]

[ Job Title ]

• [ Duties ]

Awards or Honors

• List award or honor

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Revised

Self-Assessment of Skills and Abilities

Procedures:

Tell the students they are going to learn about assessing skills and abilities in themselves. Ask

the students if any of them have ever participated in a talent show. If so, let them explain what

a talent is and what they did during the talent show. Explain to the students that during this

lesson they are going to learn about assessing skills and abilities in themselves.

Discuss the following points with the students:

• Define aptitude.

• What is an example of a skill you have?

• What is an example of a talent you have?

• How do skills and abilities influence your choice of a career or job?

• What can you do now to develop your skills and abilities in preparation for your future career

or job choice?

Activity 1: Have students complete the Self-Assessment of Skills and Abilities worksheet.

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying personal interests, abilities, and skills through assessment

2. Demonstrating skills in decision making

3. Demonstrating critical thinking

4. Differentiating among personal qualities that are needed to obtain and retain jobs in spe-

cific career clusters

5. Describing the importance of academic and occupational skills to achievement in all

career areas

Related Standards: English/language arts, social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. The students will identify their individual skills and abilities through a self-assessment

2. Through critical analysis, each student will identify three career or job choices that corre-

spond with their identified strengths

3. The students will conclude that their aptitudes are an important factor in determining their

choice of vocation

Materials: Self-Assessment of Skills and Abilities worksheet

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Skills and Career Matching worksheet. Explain to students they

are to match the career to the correct skill description. Tell the students that each skill and

career will only be used once.

The answers are:

1. c

2. d

3. e

4. b

5. g

6. i

7. h

8. f

9. a

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Does everyone have the

same skills and abilities? Do your skills and abilities match the careers in which

you are interested?

Resource Help: Guidance counselors, career education counselors

Assessment: Grade the self-assessment for completeness and quality of answers. Review

the self-assessment to determine if the career and job choices realistically correspond with

the identified strengths of the student. Bonus points might be awarded for satisfactory com-

pletion of the learning task.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Self-Assessment of Skills and Abilities

Directions: For each aptitude, circle the number indicating your perception of your

ability. Base your answers on your knowledge of your past performance in that area.

Skills and Abilities Description Poor Good

Very

Good

General intelligence (G) Understands instructions

(orders, facts, and the

reasons for them). Able to

reason. Closely related to

school grades.

1 2 3

Verbal (V) Understands the meaning of

words and ideas. Uses them

to communicate information

and ideas clearly.

1 2 3

Numerical (N) Does math quickly

and correctly.

1 2 3

Spatial (S) Can look at flat drawings

and pictures and see them

in three dimensions (high,

wide, deep).

1 2 3

Form perception (P) Notices details in things or

pictures. Notices differences

in shape and color.

1 2 3

Clerical perception (Q) Notices details and finds

mistakes in numbers, words

(spelling), and punctuation

in written materials, charts,

and tables. Avoids mistakes

when copying things.

1 2 3

Motor coordination (K) Moves eyes, hands, and

fingers together to do a job

quickly and accurately.

1 2 3

Finger dexterity (F) Moves the fingers to work

with small things quickly

and correctly.

1 2 3

Manual dexterity Moves the hands with

ease and skill. Uses the

hands in placing and

turning motions.

1 2 3

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

On the basis of your self-assessment completed above, identify the skills and abil-

ities that you noted as your strengths. These would be areas for which you rated

yourself with a “3” rating.

Skill/Ability _______________________________________________________________________

Which career choices or jobs do you believe that you might be most suited for?

Career or job choice no. 1:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a statement about why you made this career or job choice.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Career or job choice no. 2:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a statement about why you made this career or job choice.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Career or job choice no. 3:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a statement about why you made this career or job choice.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Skills and Career Matching

Match the Skills and Abilities category from the first activity to the career it best

matches. You can only use each Skills and Abilities category once.

1. ____________________ Notices details in things or pictures. Notices differences in

shapes and color.

2. ____________________ Moves the fingers to work with small things quickly

and correctly.

3. ____________________ Notices details and finds mistakes in numbers, words

(spelling), and punctuation in written materials, charts, and tables. Avoids

mistakes when copying things.

4. ____________________ Can look at flat drawings and pictures and see them in

three dimension (high, wide, deep).

5. ____________________ Moves the hands with ease and skill. Uses the hands in

placing and turning motions.

6. ____________________ Understands instructions (orders, facts, and the reasons

for them). Able to reason. Closely related to school grades.

7. ____________________ Moves eyes, hands, and fingers together to do a job

quickly and accurately.

8. ____________________ Understands the meaning of words and ideas. Uses them

to communicate information and ideas clearly.

9. ____________________ Does math quickly and correctly.

a. accountant

b. architect

c. art critic

d. computer technician

e. editor

f. lawyer

g. mechanic

h. surgeon

i. teacher

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Telephone Etiquette

Procedures:

Tell the students this lesson will explore what is appropriate when talking to your friends on

the phone and what is appropriate when using the telephone at work. Ask students if they

can think of examples of something that would be appropriate when talking to a friend that

would not be appropriate when talking to someone in the workplace.

Discuss the following phone etiquette examples with the students:

• Make sure you speak clearly

• Always identify yourself and your company

• Don’t keep someone on hold too long. Offer to call someone back later rather than keeping

that person on hold

• Always return phone calls promptly

• Never interrupt the person

• Do not make or receive personal calls at work without permission

• Do not eat or chew gum while talking on the phone

• Always use a pleasant and friendly voice

• Answer the phone promptly when it rings

Activity 1: Pass out the Employee Phone Etiquette worksheet. Explain to students that they

should read the telephone conversation and use the space below to rewrite the conversa-

tion using proper telephone etiquette. After students have had enough time to complete the

worksheet, ask for volunteers to explain what the store employee should have done differ-

ently. Ask for volunteers to reenact the correct conversation in front of the class.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing awareness of expectations in the workplace

2. Identifying appropriate behavior for the workplace

3. Developing professional communication for the workplace

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Discuss proper telephone etiquette

2. Reconstruct a telephone conversation

3. Interpret proper and improper telephone etiquette

Materials: Employee Phone Etiquette worksheet, Right or Wrong worksheet,

pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Right or Wrong worksheet. Explain to students they are to read

each phrase and determine whether or not it is proper telephone etiquette for the work-

place. If they believe the phrase is appropriate for the workplace, they should circle it. After

students have had time to complete the worksheet, discuss each statement with the stu-

dents to make sure each student understands why the behaviors are/are not appropriate.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Compare the different types of

phone etiquette for home, job, and personal (cell) phones.

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Employee Phone Etiquette

Read the following conversation that took place on the telephone between a cus-

tomer and employee. Use the space below to rewrite the conversation using appro-

priate language and telephone manners.

Ms. Knowitall: “Hello?”

Mrs. Smith: “Hello. I bought a coat at your store yesterday and it doesn’t fit.”

Ms. Knowitall: “You should have tried it on before you bought it.”

Mrs. Smith: “I just want to know if I can exchange it for a different size.”

Ms. Knowitall: “I don’t know. That isn’t part of my job. I work in the office. You

need to call someone who sells the coats.”

Mrs. Smith: “Can you ask someone?”

Ms. Knowitall: “It’s time for my lunch. Call back later”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Right or Wrong

Read the following phrases and circle the ones you think are examples of proper

telephone etiquette in the workplace.

Slamming the phone on the receiver when you hang up

Answering the phone before it rings more than three times

Spitting out your gum before you answer the phone

Waiting a couple of days before returning a missed call

Using slang

Identifying yourself and your company

Arguing with a caller

Answering the phone with a pleasant voice even if you’re in a bad mood

Leaving someone on hold too long

Waiting until your lunch break to make a personal call

Calling someone very early in the morning or late at night

Rushing the caller to get off the phone

Helping the caller even if it isn’t your job

159

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Revised

Time Management

Procedures:

Explain the kinds of activities that typically fit within each of the categories on the daily log.

Instruct the students in the use of a clock or watch to determine the approximate beginning

point for each activity and how to calculate the total amount of time spent within each category.

Explain to the class that the sequence of activities might be different within their lives and

households. Each student should derive their best estimate of the amount of time spent

within each category. Emphasize that it would be incorrect to exceed 24 hours within a day.

Activity 1: Using the Log of Three Days of Daily Activities worksheet, students should pre-

pare a log of activities over a three-day period. They should analyze the activities according

to broad categories such as work (schoolwork related), leisure (fun and relaxation), family

(dinner, family communications, supportive activities), and rest time.

Reflection: To review the students’ time management evaluations, conduct a class discus-

sion about their effective use of time, effective planning for the use of time, and balance in

the use of time between work and leisure activities.

Assessment: Collect the journal entries and record a grade for completeness. How do you

use time effectively? How do you balance school, friends, and home activities?

Career Education Focus:

1. Demonstrating skills in time management

2. Preparing for workplace readiness

3. Recognizing that time is a resource

4. Demonstrating responsible and appropriate use of time as a resource

Related Standards: English/language arts—writing; mathematics—measurement, calcula-

tions; social studies—activities of daily living

Lesson Objectives:

1. Recognize the importance of time management

2. Establish how to manage their time more effectively

3. Evaluate their use of time over a designated period of time

Materials: Log of Three Days of Daily Activities worksheet

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Log of Three Days of Daily Activities

Day 1

Time Activity Hours Minutes Notes

Get dressed in the morning

Travel to school

Class activities

Lunch

Recess at school

Travel home from school

Rest and relaxation

Study and complete

homework

Complete home chores

Family time

Dinner

Rest and relaxation

Sleep/bedtime

Total amount

of time

Day 2

Time Activity Hours Minutes Notes

Get dressed in the morning

Travel to school

Class activities

Lunch

Recess at school

Travel home from school

Rest and relaxation

Study and complete

homework

Complete home chores

Family time

Dinner

Rest and relaxation

Sleep/bedtime

Total amount

of time

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Day 3

Time Activity Hours Minutes Notes

Get dressed in the morning

Travel to school

Class activities

Lunch

Recess at school

Travel home from school

Rest and relaxation

Study and complete

homework

Complete home chores

Family time

Dinner

Rest and relaxation

Sleep/bedtime

Total amount

of time

Summary: Determine your response to each of the following questions.

Total time

1. How many total hours are there in one full day? _________________

2. How many total hours are there in three full days? _________________

3. How many minutes are there in one full hour? _________________

4. How many minutes are there in one full day? _________________

5. How many total minutes are there in three full days? _________________

In-school time

1. How much time was spent during day one for class activities?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. How much time was spent during all three days for class activities?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. How much time was spent for student and homework during the day?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Home study and chores

1. How much time was spent during day one for home study?

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. How much time was spent during day two for home chores?

____________________________________________________________________________________

3. How much time was spent on studying and homework for your three days of

record keeping?

____________________________________________________________________________________

4. What percent of your three days was spent on studying and homework?

____________________________________________________________________________________

Leisure time

1. How much time was spent for leisure during day one? _____________

2. What percent of your three days was spent in leisure time? _____________

Sleep time

1. How much time was spent for sleep on day two? _____________

2. What percent of your three days was spent sleeping? _____________

Evaluate your use of time

1. Over the three-day period, did you spend more time involved with in-school

class activities or leisure time? ______________________________________________

Explain ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Over the three-day period, would you describe your amount of leisure time as

“too much,” “just about right,” or “too little” for you? ________________________

Explain ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

3. Over the three-day period, did you spend more time involved with home

study or leisure time activities? _________________________________________________

Explain ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

4. Describe the kind of home chores that you completed.

____________________________________________________________________________________

5. How might your home chores prepare you for work in a future career?

____________________________________________________________________________________

6. After analyzing your time log, are there any activities that you think you spent

too much or not enough time on?

____________________________________________________________________________________

7. Did you make any changes to your routine during the three days?

If so, explain.

____________________________________________________________________________________

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

8. What have you learned about your routine and how you spend your time?

Were you surprised by the results of your time log?

____________________________________________________________________________________

165

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Tomorrow’s Jobs

Procedures:

Explain to the students that although employment is expected to increase, it will not be

evenly distributed across all occupational groups. Changes in consumer demand, technol-

ogy, and other factors will contribute to the change.

Inform the students that half of the occupations on the list are related to health care. Health

care is experiencing rapid growth, due in large part to the aging baby boomer generation.

As health care costs continue to rise, work is increasingly being delegated to lower-paid

workers in order to cut costs. Tasks that were previously performed by doctors, nurses,

dentists, or other health care professionals are increasingly being performed by physician

assistants, medical assistants, dental hygienists, and physical therapist aides.

Advise students that post-secondary education continues to be a priority. Of the 20 fastest

growing occupations, 12 are in the associate degree or higher category.

Activity 1: Pass out the Occupations with the Fastest Growth chart. Explain to students this

worksheet will give them an idea of jobs with rapid growth in the next decade. Ask the stu-

dents to read the chart and select three jobs they are interested in.

Activity 2: Distribute the budget template to the students. Ask the students to complete the

sheet to the best of their ability. The students should then compare their monthly expenses to

their monthly income and determine if their selected job can support the lifestyle they want.

Activity 3: Hand out the Educational Plan worksheet to students.

Assessment: Ensure that students have completed all activities.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What surprised you about Activity

Chart 1? What surprised you about Activity Chart 2?

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying careers that will experience the most rapid growth

2. Reviewing median wages for jobs

3. Defining educational requirements for rapid growth jobs

Related Standards: English/language arts and social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. Evaluate the Occupations with the Fastest Growth chart and select three that interest

the students

2. Use the salary of one of the occupations the students selected and create a budget

3. Research classes that will apply to the career the students selected

Materials: Occupations with the Fastest Growth chart, Budget worksheet, Educational

Plan worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Occupations with the Fastest Growth

Occupations Percent

change

Number of

new jobs

(in

thousands)

Wages

(May 2008

median)

Education/

training

Biomedical

engineers

72 11.6 $77,400

Bachelor’s

degree

Network systems

and data

communications

analysts

53 155.8 71,100

Bachelor’s

degree

Home health aides

50 460.9 20,460

Short-term,

on-the-job

training

Personal and home

care aides 46 375.8 19,180

Short-term,

on-the-job

training

Financial examiners

41 11.1 70,930

Bachelor’s

degree

Medical

scientists, except

epidemiologists

40 44.2 72,590 Doctoral degree

Physician assistants 39 29.2 81,230 Master’s degree

Skin care specialists

38 14.7 28,730

Postsecondary

vocational award

Biochemists and

biophysicists

37 8.7 82,840 Doctoral degree

Athletic trainers

37 6.0 39,640

Bachelor’s

degree

Physical therapist

aides 36 16.7 23,760

Short-term,

on-the-job

training

Dental hygienists 36 62.9 66,570 Associate degree

Veterinary

technologists and

technicians

36 28.5 28,900 Associate degree

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Occupations Percent

change

Number of

new jobs

(in

thousands)

Wages

(May 2008

median)

Education/

training

Dental assistants

36 105.6 32,380

Moderate-term,

on-the-job

training

Computer software

engineers,

applications

34 175.1 85,430

Bachelor’s

degree

Medical assistants

34 163.9 28,300

Moderate-term,

on-the-job

training

Physical therapist

assistants

33 21.2 46,140 Associate degree

Veterinarians

33 19.7 79,050

First professional

degree

Self-enrichment

education teachers 32 81.3 35,720

Work experience

in a related

occupation

Compliance

officers, except

agriculture,

construction, health

and safety, and

transportation

31 80.8 48,890

Long-term,

on-the-job

training

SOURCE: BLS Occupational Employment Statistics and Division of

Occupational Outlook

168

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Monthly Budget

Budget Expenses

Expense Amount

Books, magazines, newspapers

Cable/satellite television

Car insurance

Car payment

Cellular phone

Charitable donations

Childcare

Clothing

Credit card payments

Dental care

Dining out

Electricity and gas

Garbage and recycling

Gasoline

Gifts

Groceries

Health club

Health insurance

Homeowner’s/renter’s insurance

Household furnishings

Life insurance

Membership fees

Miscellaneous

Movies and video rentals

Music downloads

Online/internet service

Other entertainment and leisure

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Expense Amount

Other utilities/bills

Payroll taxes

Pet supplies and medical care

Public transportation

Rent or house payment

Sporting events

DVDs and CDs

Telephone

Toys and games

Travel

Water and sewer

Total Expenses

Take your yearly salary and divide by 12. This is your monthly income before any

taxes or expenses are taken out. List your monthly income below.

Monthly income __________________

Monthly expenses (use the total from chart) __________________

Balance (subtract expenses from income) __________________

If your balance is a negative number, then you spent more money than

you earned!

170

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 3

Educational Plan

List 15 classes that would benefit you in one of the three occupations you chose.

________________________________________________________________

171

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Understanding Benefits

Procedures:

Lead a class discussion about the different types of benefits that may be offered with differ-

ent careers. Ask the students if they know what benefits are, and have them give examples.

Explain to students that the value of benefits could add as much as 30 percent to the total

amount of compensation for a job.

Discuss the following types of benefits with the students:

• Medical insurance

– Discuss the different amounts of coverage. For example, what percentage of medical bills

does the insurance cover?

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• Vacation time

– Discuss how much vacation is given at the start of employment and how often more vaca-

tion time is accrued.

• Paid holidays

– Discuss typical holidays that are covered (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day,

Memorial Day, Labor Day, and New Year’s Day)

• Sick days

• Personal time

Activity 1: Pass out the Adding Benefits worksheet. Explain to students they will have to

add up the various benefits for each job. They will then compare each job to decide which

is the best one. After students have had time to complete the worksheet, lead a discussion

about their results.

Career Education Focus:

1. Understanding how benefits work

2. Identifying non-financial forms of compensation

Related Standards: English/language arts, mathematics

Lesson Objectives:

1. Compare and contrast different types of benefits

2. Evaluate how important benefits are to them

Materials: Adding Benefits worksheet, Benefits and You worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Benefits and You worksheet. Explain to students they will use

the space provided to journal about how important each benefit would be to them. After

students have had enough time to complete the worksheet, lead a class discussion about

their opinions.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Raise your hand if you knew about

these benefits before today’s class. Which benefits are most important to you? Why?

173

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Adding Benefits

Chloe recently graduated from college and has been applying for several different

jobs. She recently had interviews for two jobs. Using the information you are given in

each scenario, determine which job would benefit her the most.

Job 1:

This job is with a local discount store. Because she recently graduated from col-

lege, her beginning salary is $14 per hour. She works eight hours a day, five days a

week, for a total of 40 hours per week. Below is a list of the benefits her employer

provides her. Complete the calculations to determine how much her salary plus

benefits will equal.

2,080 hours per year

x $14 per hour

________________________________ total salary

10 vacation days per year

x $112 daily salary

________________________________ total vacation benefits

5 personal days per year

x $112 daily salary

________________________________ total personal benefits

8 sick days per year

x $112 daily salary

________________________________ total sick days

________________________________ total salary

x 0.07

________________________________ retirement benefit

Annual salary ______________________

Vacation benefits ______________________

Personal benefits ______________________

Sick days ______________________

Retirement benefit ______________________

Life insurance + $20,000

Total salary and benefits ______________________

(add above fields)

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Job 2:

This job is with a local manufacturing company. Although she recently graduated

from college, her beginning salary will only be $10 per hour. She will work eight

hours a day, five days a week, for a total of 40 hours per week. She will also earn

approximately 500 hours of overtime per year. Her hourly pay for overtime is $15.

Below is a list of the benefits her employer provides her. Complete the calculations

to determine how much her salary plus benefits will equal.

2,080 hours per year

x $10 per hour worked

_______________________________ total salary

15 vacation days per year

x $80 daily salary

_______________________________ total vacation benefits

5 personal days per year

x $80 daily salary

_______________________________ total personal benefits

11 sick days per year

x $80 daily salary

_______________________________ total sick days

_______________________________ total salary

x 0.07

_______________________________ retirement benefit

500 hours of overtime per year

x $15 overtime pay rate

_______________________________ overtime benefit

Annual Salary ______________________

Vacation benefits ______________________

Personal benefits ______________________

Sick days ______________________

Retirement benefit ______________________

Life insurance + $5,000

Overtime benefit ______________________

Total salary and benefits ______________________

(add above fields)

175

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Benefits and You

Use the space provided to write how important each benefit is to you. Consider

how having/not having this benefit could affect your decision to accept a job offer.

Vacation Time

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Personal Days

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paid Sick Days

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paid Holidays

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Health Insurance

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are there any other benefits that are important to you that have not been dis-

cussed already?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

177

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Where Do I Want To Be

Procedures:

Explain to the group that if there is something they want to happen in the future, they have

to work to make it happen. They can’t wait for it to happen to them; they have to make it

happen. Part of having a successful future is thinking about exactly what you want your

future to be.

Have the group close their eyes. Tell them you want them to picture themselves at their high

school graduation. Tell them to think about anything they want to have accomplished by

then. Tell them to think about where they see themselves going after graduation. Ask ques-

tions for the group to think about as they visualize their future. Topics to ask could include

whether or not they are going to college, what college they are going to be attending, and

what their major is going to be.

Ask for volunteers to share what they visualized for themselves. To start the discussion, use

yourself as an example and share something that you want to have accomplished five years

from now. Tell the group that you are never too old to plan for your future.

Activity 1: Pass out the Where Do I Want to Be In Five Years worksheet. Tell the students

they are going to write down what they have just visualized for themselves. Explain that

what they write down does not have to just be about school and their career. They should

write down anything they feel is important to them to know about where they want to be in

five years.

Career Educations Focus:

1. Preparing for the future

2. Listing short-term goals

3. Listing long-term goals

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. Visualize their future career

2. Predict their goals for the next five years

3. Predict their goals for the next 20 years

Materials: Where Do I Want to Be In Five Years worksheet, Where Do I Want to Be In

20 Years worksheet, pens and pencils

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Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Where Do I Want to Be In 20 Years worksheet. Tell the students

that now they are going to visualize even further into their future. Explain that since they are

thinking so far ahead, it may be harder to visualize as many different things, but they should

concentrate and try to think of at least a few different goals or accomplishments they want

to have completed in the next 20 years. Again, remind them that these accomplishments do

not have to be limited to academic and career goals.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed both worksheets accurately

and thoroughly.

Reflection: Lead a group discussion about lessons learned. Analyze the differences between

your answers to Activity 1 and Activity 2. Why do you think there are different responses for

different people?

179

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Where Do I Want to Be In Five Years

Think about where you want to be in five years. You will be almost ready to gradu-

ate from high school. Where will you go from there? Will you attend college or

technical school? What career or major will you be pursuing? What changes will

you have made? How will you be the same?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

180

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Where Do I Want to Be In 20 Years

Think about where you want to be in 20 years. What kind of a career do you want to

have? Will you still live where you do now or do you want to move somewhere else?

Do you want to get married? Do you want to have a family? What will be different

about you in 20 years? What will have stayed the same about you?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

181

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

Writing Professional Emails

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about the differences between a casual and professional email.

Conduct a class discussion about what is and is not appropriate when writing a profes-

sional email.

Explain to students that today you are going to talk about how to write a professional email.

Ask the group for examples of what they think is and is not appropriate when writing a pro-

fessional email.

Discuss the following guidelines for writing a professional email:

• Use a professional email address

• The subject line should let the recipient know what the email is about

• Always use proper grammar (capitalization, punctuation, correct spelling, etc.)

• Never use internet slang, racial or discriminating comments, or slurs

• Always take responsibility if asking for help or an extension

Activity 1: Pass out the Editing Email worksheet and have the students complete it. Explain

to the students they are to rewrite the email provided so it looks professional. Give students

a few minutes to complete it individually. Afterward, ask for volunteers to share a change

they made to the email. If a chalkboard or whiteboard is available, the instructor may

rewrite the email using information provided by the students.

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing professional communication standards

2. Developing appropriate behavior for the workplace

3. Strengthening editing skills

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology

Lesson Objectives:

1. Compare and contrast the differences between a casual and professional email

2. Rewrite a casual email to make it sound professional

3. Compose a professional email

Materials: Editing Email worksheet, Writing Professionally worksheet, pens and pencils,

whiteboard or chalkboard if possible

182

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the Writing Professionally worksheet and have the students complete

it. Explain to the students they are to use the information provided to write a professional

email to a teacher. Give students a few minutes to complete it individually. Afterward, ask

for volunteers to read the emails they have written. Lead a discussion about the differences

in the emails the students have written, keeping in mind there is more than one correct way

to write the email.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed both worksheets with

answers that demonstrate an understanding of the subject.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Evaluate each email. How are they

different? How are they the same?

183

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Editing Email

Read the following email written by a student to his teacher. Use the space below

to rewrite the email to make it sound professional.

To: Dr. Jane Jones ([email protected])

From: [email protected]

Subject: hey

can u tell me what im supposed to do on number 7 on tha assignment???? i no

how to do the first 6 but i cant figgure out 7. i paid attention in class on fri but i

had a LONG weekend and forgot how to do it lol. pleeeeease help !!!

Johnny

To _________________________________________________________

From ______________________________________________________

Subject ___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

184

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

Writing Professionally

Use the information provided to write a professional email from a student to

his teacher.

Robert Smith is a college student. He missed a math test last Friday because he

overslept after working late the night before. He needs to email his teacher, Dr.

Jane Jones, to find out if he can make up his test.

Robert has two email addresses—r.smith@college.edu, which was assigned to

him by the college, and no1yankeesf[email protected], which he has used since

high school.

To: [email protected] __________________________________________

From __________________________

Subject __________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

185

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

New

You Are Unique

Procedures:

Conduct a class discussion about what it means to be unique. Give students an

opportunity to explain what qualities they have that makes them unique. If students

are not talking, give examples of what makes them unique to encourage them to actively partici-

pate. Explain that people are unique through their interests, personalities, or past experiences.

Explain to students that it is important to understand what their own interests and strengths

are when it comes time to plan for their career. Students should experiment with their own

interests now and find out what things they enjoy and are skilled at doing. Explain that once

students find out what they excel at and have fun doing, then they can begin to explore

careers related to that activity.

Activity 1: Pass out the Exploring Your Interests worksheet and have students complete it.

Explain that one way to explore your interests and “test” a career is to volunteer. Students should

follow the examples given and write at least four places they would be interested in volunteering

in the left column. In the right column, they should write the reason they are interested in volun

-

teering at that place. If they are interested in a career related to that business, they should write

that also. Ask for volunteers to share their answers with the group.

Activity 2: Pass out the I Am Unique Because... worksheet and have students complete it.

Explain that it’s important to really know yourself before you decide on a career and that part

of knowing yourself is knowing what sets you apart from your friends and classmates. Give

students a few minutes to complete the paragraph individually. Ask for volunteers to share what

they have written. If necessary to encourage the group to actively participate, share what you

feel makes you unique.

Assessment: Check to make sure all students have completed both worksheets accurately

and thoroughly.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. What did you learn about yourself

in this lesson? Could any of your interests lead to a career choice?

Career Education Focus:

1. Developing self-esteem for the workplace

2. Understanding diversity in the workplace

3. Exploring potential careers

Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies

Lesson Objectives:

1. Defend their unique qualities

2. Explore their interests

3. Relate their interests and unique qualities to potential careers

Materials: Exploring Your Interests worksheet, I Am Unique Because... worksheet, pens

and pencils

187

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Exploring Your Interests

I would like to volunteer at Because

An animal shelter I love animals and want to be a vet

A nursing home I like caring for the elderly and want

to be a nurse

____________________________ ________________________________

____________________________ _______________________________

ACTIVITY 2

I Am Unique Because...

Complete the sentence and then write at least four more sentences to finish

the paragraph.

I am unique because ____________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

189

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Career Education Focus:

1. Identifying knowledge gained about career exploration

2. Identifying plans to continue career exploration

Related Standards: English/language arts

Lesson Objectives:

1. Express what the students have learned during the career exploration lessons

2. Compare and contrast students’ current knowledge to previous knowledge about careers

3. Develop a plan to continue exploring future careers

Materials: Self-Survey worksheet, My Plan worksheet, pens and pencils

New

What Have You Learned

Procedures:

Tell the students this is the last lesson. Lead a class discussion and have students share

what they have learned about the following topics:

• Personal strengths

• What behavior is and is not appropriate in an office setting

• Interacting with coworkers

• Communicating professionally

• Choosing the right career

• Setting goals

Allow time for students to share with the rest of the class other information they have

learned about career exploration. Ask for volunteers to share the following information with

rest of the class:

• Careers they have become interested in after exploring them during this unit

• The most surprising thing they learned during this unit

• Their plans to continue career exploration on their own

Activity 1: Pass out the Self-Survey worksheet. Explain to students they are going to

answer questions about themselves based on what they have learned. After students

have had enough time to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share what they

have learned.

190

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

Activity 2: Pass out the My Plan worksheet. Explain to students they are to come up with a

plan to continue exploring careers that interests them. After students have had enough time

to complete the worksheet, ask for volunteers to share their plans with the class.

Assessment: Make sure all students have completed both worksheets thoroughly

and accurately.

Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. How many of you have changed

your career goals during this lesson? What made you change?

191

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 1

Self-Survey

1. What kind of careers are you interested in exploring? Have you changed your

mind since you began learning about career exploration?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why do these careers interest you?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. What did you learn about these careers during these lessons?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the most important lesson you have learned about careers?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

192

Career Exploration Lessons for Sixth and Seventh Grades

ACTIVITY 2

My Plan

1. How do you plan to continue exploring careers on your own?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What goals have you set for yourself regarding your future career plans?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Are there any questions that you still have about careers that were not

answered? How will you find the answers?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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