Formative Assessment
Provide students an informational text article on things to consider when choosing an area of study or career. After reading the article, use the following questions to help the students understand the concepts that will be required to complete the activity. The teacher should also use guiding/reflective questions to elicit student thinking.
- When is a good time to think about what you want to do in the future?
(When you are in high school, you need to begin considering your options for after you graduate.) - How do you decide what types of classes to take in high school?
(Find out what types of classes and specialized programs your high school to see what interests you. Speak with your parents and guidance counselor to make informed decisions.) - What types of options do you have after graduation?
(Technical schools, community colleges, four-year universities, etc.) - What if I don’t know what I want to do?
(It’s ok to not know but it is important to try new things. You may try many different things before your figure out what you love.) - Is there a way to narrow down my options?
(There are many resources on the internet to help you figure out your interests. Search for “career advice.”)
Through the modeling component, the teacher can monitor student progress by asking the following questions:
- What types of things would you look for in a career?
(Pay, difficulty, security, stress, etc.) - What types of things do you think other people look for when choosing a career?
(Does it vary from your previous answer?) - How does career option affect what types of magnet programs a high school offers?
(High schools want to prepare students for a successful life after they graduate.) - What other things must a high school consider when choosing a magnet program?
(Cost, teacher availability, student interest, etc.) - When looking at the given career choices and data, how will removing an item affect the results?
(Answer may vary. For example, if you remove a line cook’s salary from the culinary category, it will significantly raise the average salary for that category.)