So You Want To Be A...

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Students explore various occupations, research their personal career choice, and create a Career Character Poster.

OBJECTIVE

Students Will:

1. Design a Career Character Poster.
2. Research occupations of interest.
3. Write about their future career choice.
4. Present a first-person narrative about their chosen occupation.

MATERIALS

1. I use the book, Career Day by Anne Rockwell, in this lesson. You may substitute another title that features a variety of occupations.
2. Books, magazines, encyclopedias, appropriate Web sites, and other print materials about various jobs and careers (See My Booklist)
3. Large sheets of poster board
4. Chart paper and/or butcher paper
5. Various craft materials to add depth to the posters: yarn for hair, buttons and fabric for clothing, cotton for background clouds, etc.
6. Various colored markers
7. Scissors
8. Job Research
9. Overhead projector
10. Old newspaper
11. Writing paper

SET UP AND PREPARE

1. Schedule computer time for each group on Days 2-3.
2. Copy the Job Research printable for each student.
3. Make a transparency of the Job Research printable.
4. Gather a large sheet of poster board for each student. If desired, you may want to pre-cut three holes in the poster board: one for the student's face and two for the arms. The armholes should be at shoulder height.
5. Gather a variety of print materials (children's magazines, books, posters, etc.) that contain pictures of workers involved in their job. If you want your students to do research on the Internet, look for appropriate Web sites prior to Days 2-3. Display so that each group can use them for research.
6. Be prepared to divide class into small groups based on each student's career choice for the research activity.
7. Create a K-W-H-L chart on chart paper or on butcher paper entitled Careers.Use this Graphic Organizer as a reference if needed.
8. Preview this lesson and prepare a Career Character Poster of yourself in your chosen career as an educator. Add as much character and background detail as possible.
9. Create a chart with the following questions:
   • What career did you select?
   • Why did you select this particular career?
   • What type of educational requirements does this occupation have? High School/College?
   • What are some details about this career?

REPRODUCIBLES

1. Job Research
   

DIRECTIONS

DAY 1

Step 1:  As students come into the classroom, wear your Career Character Poster.  Talk about who the character is on the poster (a teacher) and how that is your chosen career.  Explain that they will be learning about different careers over the next few days. Ask them to share what they want to be when they grow up. Discuss the various jobs that they know about, that their parents have, and the jobs of some of the people on the school campus.  Record all responses on chart paper.  Record a working definition of the term occupation on the chart paper as well.

Step 2:  Introduce the K-W-H-L Careers chart to the students.  Explain that this is a graphic organizer that will help them better understand the many things they will learn about different careers.  Share what each letter represents and the process of completing the chart.

• K represents what they already know about careers. 
• W represents what the students want to know. 
• H represents how they will find the answers to their questions.
• L represents what they learned about careers. 

Step 3:  Complete the K and W sections of the chart.  Ask students what they know and want to know about careers in general or about a specific one.  Write all responses on the chart.

Step 4:  Share the book Career Day.  Instruct students to take a close look at the illustrations and listen to the job descriptions outlined throughout the text.  They just might find answers to some of the questions they posed earlier.  If so, then record any answers they discover from the book in the L section of the chart.  Share that they will have more opportunities to research their questions and other careers over the next few days.

DAYS 2-3 

Step 1:  Tell students that today they will be going on a job hunt!  Ask for volunteers to share what that might mean.  Instruct them to think about an occupation they would like to pursue when they grow up. To facilitate this process, allow them time to browse the provided print material about careers.  You may want to rotate the print material from table to table or row to row, depending on the set up of your classroom.

Step 2:  When finished, ask for a few volunteers to share which career they chose.  You may need to assist some students in the decision. Note each student's choice and form small groups of 2-4 students who have chosen the same or similar careers.

Step 3: Inform the groups that they will now begin to research for more information about their career. Ask the students to help complete the H section of the K-W-H-L chart by naming a list of resources that would assist them in gathering information about their career.  Recall some of the resources the class has used this past year like the Internet, encyclopedias, books, magazines, etc.  Decide on a couple of resources that you would like the groups to use and share with them.  For example, if you would like them to use the Internet or encyclopedias, model your expectations.

Step 4: Display the Job Research transparency.  Using teaching as your career, model for the students how you would complete the Job Research printable. Discuss the following questions with the groups:  What facts might be important to know in making a career choice? What are the job responsibilities of a teacher?  Would I need to attend college?  If so, how long would it take? What is the average salary of a teacher in our state?  Discuss how each student will find the information to complete the printable within their group.

Step 5:  As students are conducting their research, circulate around the classroom and provide assistance when needed.  Allow ample time until each student has completed the Job Research printable.

DAYS 4-5

Step 1: Once again, wear your Career Character Poster as the students enter the classroom.  Inform students that today they will create their own Career Character Poster, a poster that displays the details of the job they have chosen to study.  Briefly review your poster and how you drew a life-size picture (with cut-outs of the head and arms) of what you look like as a teacher and how you included some details from your occupation in the background.  Explain to them that they will "become" that career person they studied as they give an oral report about the information they gathered while wearing their own poster on our Class Career Day! 

Step 2: Cover the desks/tables with old newspaper before beginning this project.  Have students assemble into their groups.  Distribute a sheet of poster board to each student and the craft materials to each group.  Instruct students to draw the career character's body, clothing, hair, etc. on the sheet of poster board.  Show how the craft materials can enhance the character's clothing, hair, etc.  Encourage them to add background detail and write the name of the career being represented across the top of the poster.  You may want to ask students to bring a special prop from home that is representative of their career on the day of the oral report.

DAYS 6-7

Step 1: Inform students that today they will write a first-person narrative about the occupation they studied.  The narrative will answer several important questions.  Share the chart with the questions.

• What career did you select?
• Why did you select this particular career?
• What type of educational requirements does this occupation have? High School/College?
• What are some details about this career?

Step 2:  Distribute writing paper and allow students time to write their narratives.  Circulate the classroom, providing assistance when needed. 

Step 3:  Allow students to peer edit the narratives.  You may want to quickly read through them before the oral reports, correcting necessary errors.  If time permits, allow students to type their final draft to be read during the presentations.

Step 4:  When their narratives are complete, they're ready for presenting at Class Career Day.  Students should wear the poster, hold the prop, and read the narrative.  Plan a question-and-answer session if desired.

Step 5:  Close the lesson by returning to the K-W-H-L chart and asking the students to share all they learned during these last few days about careers as you complete the L section.  Discuss how any unanswered questions can be addressed and how students may be motivated to find out even more information beyond the assignment.  Post this graphic organizer and the Career Character Posters throughout the room.

SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS
Some students may require additional help during the research and writing phase of this lesson. Have these students work together and support them, either individually or within their group.

LESSON EXTENSION

1. Guide students through the steps of completing a Classified Ad for the occupation that they selected.
2. Invite school personnel or other community workers to be guest speakers, sharing information about their careers based on the Job Research printable.
3. Allow students to read their narratives and wear their Career Character Poster at your school's Career Day.

ASSESS STUDENTS
Teacher Observation:Observe students' ability to select and research their selected occupation.

Written Outcome:Evaluate each student's narrative.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Complete a Career Character Poster.
2. Write a first-person narrative.
3. Research a chosen occupation.

HOME CONNECTION
Have students interview their parents about their jobs or careers, using the information from the Job Research printable.

EVALUATE THE LESSON

1. Were the students able to independently research their selected occupations?
2. Did you offer enough resources?
3. Did the K-W-H-L chart help motivate my students and give them a purpose for reading and researching?
4. What would you do differently to improve this lesson next year?

 

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