Session 1   Why Do People Work?

 

Session Objectives

            Students will brainstorm reasons that people hold jobs.

                        Collaborative effort to create a poster that lists reasons why people work.

 

            Students will recognize why everyone has responsibilities.

                        Presented scenario will help students to appreciate the benefits of work.

 

Activities

            15 minutes. Counselor will write the word “work” in the center of a poster board. Students will be invited to write reasons why people work on the poster. Be sure to include reasons they may do chores around their homes. Ask students to rank the reasons from most important to least important. Point out that everyone has responsibilities both in the classroom and at home even if you don’t receive pay for doing them.

 

            15 minutes. Pose the following scenario.

There was a young person who did not have a job. He/she had all the time in the world to do anything that he/she wanted. He/she slept in as late as he/she desired. Upon waking he/she would say “I wonder what I will do today? I don’t have a job, so I can do whatever I want. This is great!!!”    But is it? With no job, there is no money…..what could this person do all day?  What would you do?

 

 

Behavioral Outcomes

            Students will recognize that people work to fulfill needs – both physical and emotional.  Students will also see that they work by helping out with chores at home.

 

            Students will realize that without a job there is not enough money to do whatever they please.

 

 

 

Needed Materials

            Poster board or bulletin board paper

            Markers

 

 

Process Question

            How do you feel about what we talked about today?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 2   Good Workers

 

 

Session Objective

            Students will recognize the attributes of a good worker.

                        Collaborative effort to make a poster of good work habits.

 

 

Activities

            15 min. Counselor will explain to the class that good work habits are important to any job they may have in the future. These good habits start in school. Explain that many people are fired from their jobs because of poor work habits.  Ask students to give examples of good work habits. List their offerings on poster board or bulletin board paper. Examples may include; being on time, good attendance, neat and accurate work, dependability, honesty.

 

            15 minutes. Distribute copies of “Good Worker” handout for students to complete. Students are asked to identify why 10 given traits are important at school and on the job. They are then asked to rank the traits 1 – 10 from most important to least important.

 

 

 

Behavioral Outcomes

            Students will recognize qualities that are needed to be considered a good worker. They will understand how these qualities relate to both the world of school and the world of work.

 

 

 

Needed Materials

            Poster board or bulletin board paper

            markers

            “Good Worker” handout

            pencils

 

 

Process Question

            Which qualities of a good worker do you already possess?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 3  Introduction of Career Pathways

 

 

 

Session Objective

            Students will classify various careers as belonging to one of the following 6 categories:

            Business, Management, & Technology (Business Path)

            Arts & Communication (Creative Path)

            Natural Resources/Agriculture (Nature Path)

            Industrial & Engineering Technology (Fixing and Building Path)

            Human Services (Helping Path)

            Health Services (Health Path)

 

 

 

Activities

            20 mins. Counselor will introduce the 6 career pathways using a chart and examples of careers that would fall into each category. Students will offer other examples of careers for each pathway.

 

            10 mins. Counselor will post signs, that have one of each of the 6 career pathways written on them, in various locations around the room. Students will draw slips of paper with careers printed on them. Each student must decide which career path that their “pick” belongs to and then stand near the sign that corresponds.   

 

 

 

 

Behavioral Outcomes

            Students will be able to place the different careers into the appropriate category.

 

 

 

Needed Materials

            Poster of the 6 career pathways

            Signs listing each of the 6 career pathways separately   

Pre-made slips of paper with various careers printed one to a slip

Paper and pencil

 

 

Process Question

            Pick one career that interests you the most from each category. Using those 6, rank them for most interesting to least interesting.

 

 

Sessions 4   Working Conditions

 

 

 

Session Objective

            Students will recognize working conditions that they would and would not find acceptable.

 

 

 

 

Activities

            30 mins. Students will fill out an interest survey that relates to preferences in work environment and their personal preferences for activities.  Because this is being used in the 3rd and 4th grades, the counselor should read the survey to the children and make sure that they understand the concepts that the students are being asked to rate.

 

 

 

 

Behavioral Outcomes

            Students will gain an understanding of their own preferences in relation to work environment and areas of interest.

 

 

 

Needed Materials

            Survey forms

            Pencils

 

 

 

Process Question

            What have you learned about yourself by participating in this activity?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sessions 5 – 10   Internet Research – and final project

 

 

 

Session Objectives

            Students will use these sessions to research careers that match their preferences from the previous activity.

 

            Students will create a written document that describes aspects of a particular career that interests them the most.

 

 

 

Activities

            30 mins. Students will use the Internet to research various careers using a WebQuest.  Hopefully two sessions will be sufficient to complete the research. The remaining sessions will be spent organizing the information and completing the task of creating the written document using Inspiration software and Microsoft Word. If there are not sufficient computers in the classroom, then the project could be completed in a more traditional manner with creation of a graphic organizer to collect data and then writing a report or making a poster with that information. See the webquest for final project requirements.

 

 

 

Behavioral Outcomes

            Students will choose a career that interests them. Students will create a project that show understanding of the responsibilities, benefits, and disadvantages of their chosen career.

 

 

 

Materials Needed

            Internet access for the classroom members

 

 

 

Process Question

Process questions for each session will vary according to how well the research and creation phases are progressing. Students may have difficulty narrowing down a choice to one career. The counselor could assist by reminding the student to refer to the interest survey when looking at the job responsibilities, benefits, and disadvantages.

 

 

 

 

Note to educators –

 

To conclude this career exploration unit you may consider using the “business lunch” during which the students will dress as their intended career and discuss aspects of the profession they have chosen. As an alternative you might have the students dress as their chosen career and then become exhibits in a “wax museum.”  Students would assume the role of mannequins. Other classrooms could visit the museum and when each “exhibit” is activated the student could give his/her report about the chosen career.