Developmental Guidance

Career Lesson--6th-7th grade

 

Objective

To learn about careers through experimentation and activitiesÑbased on HollandÕs RIASEC model.

 

Materials

Written description of each career grouping

Sewing supplies (thread, fabric, needles, buttons)

Paper

Pencils

Stuffed animal

One-page story with errors

Puzzle

Cookies & juice

 

Procedure/Activities

Divide students into six groups in six areas of the room.  Each group will be at a station representing each career grouping.  Each group spends 5-10 minutes at each station doing the task that is required.  Groups will rotate so that all students get an opportunity to visit each station.  This can be done in one 60-minute lesson or be broken down into two 30-minute lessons.

The tasks at each station:

Social

Students eat cookies and drink juice, while discussing the subject written on the card by teacher/counselor for the entire time they are at the station (ideas for card: current events, school policies, etc.)

Enterprising

Students choose any object from the classroom and work together to come up with a commercial or campaign to sell the product.

Conventional

Students in this station individually proofread a short story with many spelling and grammatical errors (may need many copies of this so students can write on the paper).

Artistic

Students draw a stuffed animal (or another object used as a model).

Realistic

Students sew a button on a piece of fabric.

Investigative

Students work as a group to put together a puzzle without talking.

 

At end of lesson, students will write what they liked best and what they liked the least about each activity.

 

 

Conclusion

Students clean up last station they were at.  Give the class an opportunity to share their reactions to the activities.

 

Homework/Follow-up

A possible assignment might be for students to further research the career cluster they liked most and come up with some jobs that fit into that group of careers.

 

Submitted by:          Melanie Parkinson

                                    Professional School Counseling Program

                                    Minnesota State University, Mankato

                                    Interning 2002-2003

                                    Highwood Hills Elementary School (Saint Paul, MN)

                                    Harding High School (Saint Paul, MN)