Ohio Standards Connections:

ELA standards:

 

 

Research:

 

Students will develop a plan for gathering information.

 

Students will identify appropriate source and gather relevant information from multiple sources.

 

Students will select an appropriate structure for organizing information.

 

 

Students will analyze and organize important information.

 

Students will use bibliography to acknowledge sources.

 

Students will present information in written report form.

 

Writing Process:

 

Students will clarify ideas for writing assignments by using graphic organizer.

 

Students will organize writing with an effective introduction, body and conclusion.

 

 

 

Students will group related ideas into paragraphs.

 

Students will use revision strategies to edit their writing.

 

Students will apply tools to judge the quality of writing; use conventions for correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammatical structures.

 

Reading process:

Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, skimming, scanning, note taking what has been read in text.

 

Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by evaluating whether or not text suits focus points for note taking.

 

Students will use text features, such as chapter titles, headings and subheadings, index, table of contents and search engines to locate information.

 

Mathematics

 

Mathematical Process Standard:

 

Clarify problem-solving situation and identify potential solution processes; consider different strategies and approaches to a problem, restate problem from various perspectives.

 

Use more than one strategy to solve a problem.

Use deductive thinking to construct informal arguments to support reasoning.

 

Relate mathematical ideas to one another and to other content areas.

 

Recognize and use mathematical language and symbols when reading, writing, and conversing with others.

 

Measurement units:

select appropriate units for measuring derived measurements.

 

Science:

 

Science and Technology:

 

Explain how needs, attitudes and values influence the direction of technological development in various cultures.

 

Recognize that science can only answer some questions and technology can only solve some human problems.

 

 

 

 

 

 (grade 8): Examine how science and technology have advanced through the contributions of many different people, cultures, and times in history.

 

Scientific Ways of Knowing:

 

Describe how the pursuit of scientific knowledge is beneficial for

any career and for daily life.

 

 

Science and Society: Research how men and women of all countries and cultures have contributed to the development of science.

 

Social Studies:

 

Economics:

 

Explain why most decisions involve trade-offs and give examples.

 

Art:

Connect visual art to various subject areas through interdisciplinary projects

 

 

Technology Standards:

 

Evaluating sources:

 

Distinguish when current copyright dates of sources are important in answering an information need.

 

Compare multiple sources.

 

Technology and Information Literacy:

 

Develop open-ended research questions about a defined information need.

 

Select and evaluate relevant information about a specific topic in several sources.

 

Select information from different types of subscription sources to meet an information need.

Compile information learned about a topic from a variety of sources.

 

 

 

Evaluate how information was found.

 

Electronic Resources:

 

Examine information in different types of subscription databases to locate information for a curricular need.

 

Research Tools:

 

Use content-specific tools, software, and simulations to support learning.

 

 

Productivity Tools:

 

Select an appropriate software tool to create and publish print information.

 

Develop an understanding of, and be able to, select and use physical technologies:

 

Describe how licensure and certification are an integral part of careers

 

Describe why it is important for personnel to update knowledge and skills.

 

Identify and explain the appropriate tools, machines, and electronic devices used to produce and/or reproduce design solutions.

 

 

 

 

 

Keyboarding:

Develop speed and accuracy when keyboarding, and transition to a word processing document.

 

Understanding Operations:

Explain the purpose and different functions of software programs.

 

Technology and Society Interaction:

 

Determine steps necessary to respect intellectual property rights.

 

Demonstrate legal and ethical practices when completing projects/ schoolwork.

 

 

 

Lesson Summary:

Briefly describe the procedures and purposes of the lesson.

Students need to think about what they want to do in life, but many don’t until they begin scheduling for their high school classes.  This project is designed to be a problem-based learning unit that gives the students an opportunity to discover information useful in planning their futures.  This is a cross-curricular project that involves every academic area.  After taking an interest survey to help them define an area of work, Language Arts students will choose a profession within their career family to investigate, research, write a paper, and make a poster displaying varying aspects of this career.  Photos and summary statements on the poster help illustrate the duties, working conditions, educational requirements, tools used, and expected salary range.  Math classes will make a budget using the salary for their career, and make a graph of their budget to include on the poster board.  Social studies classes will research the various jobs held by U.S. Presidents prior to their election.  Science classes will research a tool related to their career.  Art classes research art careers and create a business card for a chosen art career.  Family & Consumer Science classes focus on giving oral presentations about their career, the job application process, and tips on interviewing.  Posters are displayed at a “Career Fair” at the end of the project.


Estimated Duration:

Include an estimate of the time needed for instruction.

4 weeks

 

 

 

Commentary:


Pre-Assessment:

Identify strategies to pre-assess student knowledge of the selected standard(s), benchmark(s) and indicator(s). Data from pre-assessment helps educators select specific instructional strategies and determine appropriate complexity and pacing for the lesson. Pre-assessments may be as informal as a reflection on students’ prior learning, a conversation about concepts or warm-up problems at the beginning of class that are not scored. They may be more formally structured, such as a quiz or an assigned writing topic.

Scoring Guidelines:

Define scoring guidelines for the pre-assessment, which may take the form of teacher judgment, a checklist or another scoring format. Scoring guidelines should reveal whether or not student has met the indicator or benchmark so that instruction can be modified and targeted to learners accordingly.

     Students will take the interest survey found at www.mapping-your-future.org.  Based on the results of the survey (i.e. Realistic, artistic, social, enterprising, investigative, and conventional), students will then go to The Career Interests Game web site at http://career.missouri.edu/holland for career choices based on the results of their survey (The list of possible choices is longer than those found at mapping-your-future.com).  Students will choose a career to research from the ones suggested.

Teachers should conduct ongoing teacher assessment and student self assessment throughout instruction. These can be planned or conducted as opportunities for observation or reflection arise. If planned, describe here.

Student Research Checklist serves as an ongoing assessment of what sources have been consulted and which search terms have been successful.  Bibliography template serves as listing of which sources have had useful information

Post-Assessment:

Identify strategies to assess student learning as a result of the lesson. Data that results should help to plan subsequent instruction.

Scoring Guidelines:

Define scoring criteria for the post-assessment, which may take the form of a rubric or another scoring format. Scoring criteria should reveal whether or not student has met the indicator or benchmark so that instruction can be targeted accordingly. If possible, assessment and scoring criteria should be developed to reflect student process as well as product.

Original rubric from Day 1 is used for final scoring of poster, graded by all cluster teachers.  Individual academic areas score their individual projects according to teacher-developed rubrics for the research paper, budget, job application, interview, business card, and worksheets for social studies and science.

 

 

 

 

Instructional Procedures:

Describe the instructional steps that will be taken to implement the lesson.

Day 1, Period 1: Language Arts Teacher and Librarian     Two 42-minute class periods in Computer Lab.

Language Arts teacher passes out rubric for the cluster career project requirements.  In addition to a 3-5 page research paper with 3 sources, students will also create a poster board with a brief summary statement of the job duties, education requirements, and salary range; pictures of a typical work place or a prominent person within that career performing duties associated with this career; a picture of a tool or piece of equipment used within that career; the budget circle graph created in math class.  Social Studies and Science assignments will be completed in those classes and are not part of the poster project.

 

Language Arts classes go to the computer lab and take the interest survey found at www.mapping-your-future.org.  Based on the results of the survey (i.e. Realistic, artistic, social), students will then go to The Career Interests Game web site at http://career.missouri.edu/holland for career choices based on the results of their survey (The list of possible choices is longer than those found at mapping-your-future.com).  Students will choose a career to research from the ones suggested.

 

Students create a research web using Inspiration software.  This is the students’ first experience using the program themselves, so the Librarian directs them through the steps.  Written directions are provided for those who catch on quickly and need to move ahead. 

At the center of the web is the name of the chosen career.  Links are added for the main topics to be researched:

Duties – Working Conditions – Education – Salary – Outlook

Students are then directed to go back to each of these ideas, and link more specific questions students may have about their career. 

Links are created off “Working Conditions” for “Is there a dress code?  Are uniforms required?” – “Is the work mainly inside or outside?” – “What are the safety issues?” – “What are the physical demands of the job?” – “Will I work alone or with others?”

Links off “Education” may include “Is college required?” – “Is a license or certification required?”

Links off “Salary” include “Benefits.”

Links off “Benefits include “Medical Insurance” – “Sick Leave” – “Vacation” – “Stock Options”

Students print their outline.

 

 

 

Day 2: Two 42-minute periods in Library 

Career FLIP-IT note taking sheet is passed out.  Students fill in Focus points from their outline: Job Duties, Working Conditions, Education, Salary, and Job Outlook.

Career Bibliography-Template sheet is passed out.  Students are directed to look at the Student Research Checklist on the back of their FLIP-IT note taking sheet.  These two sheets parallel each other.  As each source is pointed out and explained, the bibliographic citation information required is reviewed.  Students are encouraged to keep track of what sources they have used by indicating on the checklist the date a particular source was used and the search term that was successful.  The correct search term for careers is usually not limited to one – “Lawyer” might also be found under “Attorney;” “Day Care Worker” might be found under “Child Care Worker” or “Preschool Teacher.”

Students begin research.  Every student should have one 42-minute class period using OCIS (Ohio Career Information System) on the computer during the research process.

Books about careers from the library collection have been pulled from the library shelves and moved to a cart to make them easier for students to locate: The Career Discovery Encyclopedia, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Vocational Biographies, and books in the library collection about individual careers.  

 

 

Rather than using search engines that will take them to sites for job seekers and employers, students are encouraged to go to bookmarked websites for Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov.oco; Job Profiles http://www.jobprofiles.org; America’s Career InfoNet http://www.acinet.org/acinet;  and Career Explorer http://www.careerexplorer.net.  Once these web sites have been exhausted, students may conduct a search engine search for their career if time permits.

Day 3: Two 42-minute periods in Library

Students continue research using at least 3 different sources.  Students do not print information from sources, but may print pictures for their poster board.  Research should be completed at the end of this double-period.  If needed, students may go to public library or continue research at home on the Internet.

Day 4-5-6: in Language Arts Classroom

Students write their research paper from their notes, in accordance to conventional writing process, and peer-edit. 

Students write summary statements for their poster boards.

Day 7-8: two 42 minute periods in Computer Lab

Students type their final papers, bibliography, and summary statements for poster board.

 

Differentiated Instructional Support

Describe how instruction can be differentiated according to learner needs, to help all learners either meet the intent of the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the specified indicator(s).

Special Education Language Arts – two 42-minute class periods in the Library

Developmentally Handicapped Special Education students will research a career using a special worksheet asking them to list 3 duties, education, special qualifications, salary, job outlook, working condition, and dress code for a chosen career.  The source of their information will be noted.

Besides using the OCIS database, special education students will be directed to the Occupational Outlook for Kids website at http://www.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm, which has an easier reading level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Extension

These are ideas for all students to continue learning on this topic -- in class or outside of class.

Language Arts teachers can give students poem formats to create poems about their careers.  These can be used on the poster boards or shared with the class.

Cinquain format:

Painter  (Career name)

Brushes, rollers  (Tool,Tool)

Paint, stain, varnish  (3 words – duties of the job)

Apprenticed, training on-the-job, earning $13.10/hour, standing, climbing, bending  (Eight words giving salary, education required, and working conditions)

Student name

 

 

Wishing upon a poem format:

Pattern: Line 1 – I wish I were

              Line 2 – Who you would like to be

              Line 3 – Where would you like to be

              Line 4 – What would you like to be doing, usually  

                                an “ing” word

               Line 5 – How would you be doing it

 

 

Parts of Speech Poetry format:

Pattern:  1 article – 1 noun

               1 adjective – 1 conjunction – 1 adjective

               1 verb – 1 conjunction – 1 verb

               1 adverb

               1 noun that relates to the noun in the first line

 

 

Preposition Poetry:

Pattern:   noun

               Verb, verb, verb

               Prepositional phrase

               Prepositional phrase

               Prepositional phrase

               Noun

 

 

 

 


Homework Options and Home Connections

Describe work that will be assigned to students outside of the classroom.

Elements of the poster board are created in school, but the final creation of the Career poster will be an at-home project.


Interdisciplinary Connections

Tell how the lesson can be integrated with other content areas to strengthen student learning.

Math:

Once research is completed, Math teacher will have students determine a budget based on the salary for the career researched:

Students figure weekly, monthly, and yearly salary.

Students look at apartment rental booklets for local area to get idea of price range of apartments.  They choose an apartment with a rent their monthly salary will support.  Apartment costs are deducted from monthly salary.

Utility costs are estimated for gas, water, electricity, phone, cablevision.  Costs are deducted from monthly salary.

Students use newspaper to determine cost of a car they like – monthly car payment is calculated.  Monthly estimate for gas/oil/maintenance is calculated.  Car costs are deducted from monthly salary.

Students look at grocery ads to estimate cost of food per month.  Students also estimate costs for clothing and entertainment. 

When all costs are estimated, they must not exceed salary.  If they do, adjustments must be made – a cheaper apartment or car, fewer movies or new clothes and CDs.

When budget meets 100% of monthly salary, students create a graph to visually show how a salary will be spent each month.  Final budget graph is included on the career poster board.

Social Studies:

Students will come to the Library for two 42-minute class periods to research U.S. Presidents, focusing on the various ways these men made a living before they were elected president.  Students will write 10 clues based on the facts researched that will be used in a game in class with classmates.

Science:

Students will come to the Library for one 42-minute class period to research a tool used in their career.  They will use the Grolier set on Inventions & Inventors, books in the library about machines and inventions, or Internet sites to locate information about when their tool was developed, who invented it, and how it has changed to what we use today.  A picture of the tool will be printed to use on the Career poster board.

Art:

Students read about an art career in Vocational Biographies and complete a worksheet about it.  They will draw a picture for that career, scan it, and use PrintMaster Deluxe software to import the drawing and create a business card for them in this future art-related career.  Business cards will be printed and cut so one can be given to the teacher.

Family and Consumer Science:

Students will fill out an actual job application, with cover letter, for an area business, like McDonalds or Taco Bell.  They will practice interviewing techniques.  Each student will give an oral presentation about their career to the class.


Materials and Resources:

 

For teachers

 

List the materials needed for the teacher.

 

Access to the computer lab and the Internet, Inspiration, OCIS, PrintMaster Deluxe

FLIP-IT sheet for Careers

Career Student Research Checklist

Career Bibliography Template

Access to Library for career research, president research, scientist research, with relevant books for research pulled for students

Poetry formats for extension activity

For budget:

area Apartment guides (available at most banks and grocery stores)

classroom set of daily newspaper for car costs

for business cards in art: card stock

for application process: examples of applications from area businesses

For students

List the materials needed for the students.

Returned, signed Acceptable Use Policies

Bookmarked Web sites:

Occupational Outlook Handbook     http://www.bls.gov/oco

Occupational Outlook for Kids http://www/bls/gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm

Job Profiles – personal narratives - has tools and equipment listed for many jobs    http://www.jobprofiles.org

America’s Career InfoNet     http://www.acinet.org/acinet

Career Explorer     http://www.careeresxplorer.net

OCIS – Ohio Career Information System, available through our counselors.

Write out directions for students on how to access OCIS

Poster Board – standard size – any color

Reference Books:

The Career Discovery Encyclopedia Occupational Outlook Handbook      Vocational Biographies

 


Key Vocabulary

List key terms that need to be defined prior to or as part of instruction.

Career/job ; salary ; benefits ; annual/hourly ; licensing/certification ; resume; application ; interview

 

 

 

 


Technology Connections

Suggest ideas for integrating technology into the lesson.

A picture of each student can be taken with a digital camera.  Students can either paste up their face on a picture of someone working in their chosen career, or use computer software to paste up their face on a picture of a person working in their career.  This picture would be displayed on the poster board.

 

Students use Inspiration software with direction for the first time.

 

Students use pre-selected Career websites and data bases to research their career.  While web-sites mirror information found in print sources, point out that Internet sources contain the most current information.

 

Word Processing skills are practiced.


Research Connections

Include research that supports the content or methods of instruction within the lesson.

Graphic organizers as a visual tool for gathering, sifting, sorting, and sharing information that allow students to “see” and construct meaningful patterns:

Freeman, Greg.  “Electronic Graphic Organizers,” available at: http://www.graphic.org/elect.html, accessed February 22, 2004.

“Graphic Organizers,” North Central Regional Educational Laboratory,  available at: http://www/ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr1grorg.htm, accessed February 22, 2004.

FLIP-it! Information Literacy strategies helps students narrow a topic being researched; identify key search terms; evaluate search strategies, resources, and data; identify necessary data and take notes; site sources; organize the information gathered; evaluate results.

Yucht, Alice H.  FLIP-it! An Information Skills Strategy for Student Researchers.  Linworth, 1997.

Yucht, Alice H.  “FLIP-it!”  available at http://www.aliceinfo.org/FLPT_infoskills.html.  Accessed February 22, 2004.

Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning.  ALA/AECT, 1998.

Problem-based Learning is students seeking information and analyzing possible solutions to real-world problems that are a priority to them.  There is no simple solution. Students must construct learning as they gather information, process this information, select a solution, and share their results with others.  Research is conducted within multiple disciplines, and the boundaries between these disciplines are not rigid.  Students assume greater responsibility for their own learning.

Nagel, Nancy.  “Real Problem Solving and Real Learning,” The Constructivist Classroom, November, 1999.  available at: http://www.ascd.org/publications/class_lead/199911/nagel.html.  Accessed February 22, 2004.

Jones, Diana.  “What is PBL?”  California State University Instructional Technology Initiatives.  Available at: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/clrit/learningtree/PBL/WhatisPB:.html.

“Problem Based Learning,” SCORE History Social Science.   Available at: http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/problearn.html.  Accessed February 22, 2004.


General Tips

Record observations and suggested modifications to facilitate instruction and student learning in the lesson.

Pre-select and bookmark Career web sites to avoid students going to Internet sites designed for employers or job seekers.

Warn students to consider various names their career may have – attorney/lawyer; doctor/physician – so they can better search on Internet sites or in using indexes.


Attachments

List and attach any additional materials created for the lesson, including student handouts, blackline masters, overheads, etc.

FLIP-it note taking sheet with Student Research Checklist

Careers Bibliography Template