Developed by: Heather Waldron

University of Tennessee

Level: 6-8
My Career Dictionary

Standards


Learning

Expectations / This activity will help students acquire competencies which relate to the following standards:
4. Career Awareness and Employment Readiness Skills
5.Career Information and Career Goals
The student will:
4.6 Demonstrate ability to work in teams.
5.2Explore career clusters.
5.4Recognize that careers require a variety of skills, education and interests

General Approach

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The general approach is that children will cut out of magazines and/or draw pictures to represent jobs in each of Career Zone’s six career clusters.

Activity Steps

Activity Steps, continued

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  1. For each team, fold 2 sheets of light construction paper down the middle and staple. Each team should now have an 8-page booklet.
  2. Divide students into teams of two or three members.
  3. Give each student a copy of the Career Clusters (before).Give each team a blank dictionary.
  4. Talk to students about the lesson: There are all kinds of jobs that people do. What we are going to do today is divide the jobs into six categories, or clusters. What I want each team to do is label each page with a different cluster from your worksheet. (Show model) Then I want you to decide on two or three different types of jobs that might fit in each cluster. You cut a picture out of a magazine and glue it to your page. I will give you about 20 minutes for cutting pictures and gluing. Decide as team what jobs you choose and which cluster to put them in.
  5. Students do activity. Be available for questions. Walk around room to monitor progress.
  6. When activity winds down, ask students from each team to share with the class a job from each cluster. Keep going until all jobs are shared. Start with a different team for each new cluster.
  7. Pass out Career ClusterWorksheet (After). If computers are available, students can use on-line version to link to jobs themselves.
  8. If computers with Internet access are available, send students to NY Career Zone. Students can check their own jobs against the categories on the site.
  9. Talk to students about why jobs fit where they do.
  10. Summarize learning by asking questions: Where would a teacher fit? How about an astronaut? Where is a waiter? What jobs did you think of that can fit into more than one category?
  11. Ask students if they have any more questions.


Time Required
/ This activity may require approximately one 35-minute session.

Resources Needed

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  1. Career Cluster worksheet before (no jobs listed)
  2. Career Cluster worksheet after (jobs listed)
  3. Scissors & magazines to be cut up
  4. Glue, tape, or paste
  5. 8-page booklet made of 2 pages of construction paper
  6. Model dictionary
  7. Computers with internet access, if available


Performance

Indicators / Students will be able to:
List various jobs in school and community.
Relate career information to interests and abilities.
Categorize jobs into career clusters.