Lesson Plans -- Pre-employment Transition Skills

1 Lesson Plans -- Pre-employment Transition Skills Job Exploration and Counseling The skill of learning about yourself in relation to the world of employment , while exploring occupational interests. Developing strategies to actualize work goals. Life Skills Resource Room 1. Picture interest Career Survey 1. Histogram Career Family Tree Name of Activity: Picture interest Career Survey Target Audience: Life Skills or Resource (students who prefer or need visuals) Duration of Activity: This inventory can be used once or repeated periodically to see if student interests have changed. Region (can circle both): This tool can be used either for students in Urban or Rural settings.

2 Review/Summary: This is an informal career interest survey that can be administered to a group or an individual student to get a sense of what types of jobs they may prefer. The visuals aren t as clear as they could be so it is important to explain each of the occupations represented. This discussion, however, while it can take a while is good in that students can learn about different occupational options at the same time. This item can be checked out for review by your local TNF and purchased at: The cost is about $ for 60 booklets. Name of Activity: Histogram Career Family Tree Target Audience: While this activity is listed under the area of Resource, it can easily be adapted to use with students who need more structure and support.

3 Duration of Activity: This activity can take place during a class period but may take longer for some students. Also, if students need to consult their families for information, it could be completed in two different class periods. Region (can circle both): This activity can be used either for students in Urban or Rural settings. Review/Summary: A histogram or career family tree is a hands on activity that gives students an opportunity to reflect on the career or occupational choices made by family members and how it may influence their career choices. The web has a wealth of examples such as the one below. The idea is to have students identify the careers or occupations of each of their immediate and extended family members then reflect on those choices asking themselves questions such as: Would I like to do that job?

4 Why or Why Not? Is there a pattern? What might I like about that job? Dislike? This activity also gets students talking to family members about their jobs asking what they like or dislike. While there are several readymade worksheets suitable for this activity, teachers can simply ask students to make posters of their own using a tree and branches as a structure. Oregon Transition Community Network: A Prezi Presentation: An Online Wizard: 's%20 Get%20 A Google Search for career family tree will net lots of templates and examples. 2. Unique Learning System Name of Activity: Unique Learning System- Job interest Surveys within the Transition Passport Target Audience: Lifeskills Duration of Activity: As appropriate to students, can follow guidance under Monthly Instructional Topics for suggested placement in the Transition Passport Region (can circle both): This tool can be used either for students in Urban or Rural settings.

5 Review/Summary: This is an informal survey, with 26 surveys, four jobs per Students can make the choice whether or not they interested or would like to learn more. Could be used in conjunction with Job Tour review and summary log 2. Career Jeopardy Game Name of Activity: Career Jeopardy Game Target Audience: This activity is listed under the resource level student but could be used for students with more significant needs. The website has games for elementary as well as secondary students. The elementary games provide information in basic, easily understood language. Duration of Activity: This activity can be conducted during a single class period and there are enough of them, could be used over time with students to explore several occupational types.

6 Region (can circle both): This tool can be used either for students in Urban or Rural settings. Review/Summary: This is a great activity for those days were students need a more relaxed interactive activity. Students enjoy the game as they learn about different career options. It is played just like Jeopardy on television only the categories correspond to training required. Teachers can adapt this activity by teaching each of the occupations in the game first or downloading the PPP and adding visuals. Many examples and versions of the Career Jeopardy Game can be found online and are free for use in education. Career Jeopardy Game (Minot Public Schools) (also located within the Transition Passport).

7 For example: Students expressing interest or would like to learn more about stocking shelves and cleaning in a gift shop, can schedule a tour of local gift shops and complete Job Tour Review activity sheet, that includes, jobs they witnessed, what they liked, didn t like, possible job consideration. This website has information about several career clusters and corresponding Career Jeopardy Games. At the bottom of the page you will find several elementary level games which include careers suitable to most any age. The language is simpler on these games. A template for making your own game: 3. Brigance Transition Skills Activities 3. Career interest Inventory Name of Activity: Brigance Transition Skills Activities-Student Book: Educational and Career interest Discussion Topic 8 What kinds of jobs interest you?

8 Target Audience: Life Skills Duration of Activity: As appropriate to students (20-40 minutes) Region: This tool can be used either for students in Urban or Rural settings. Review/Summary: Informal activity. Students list things they like to do well. List variety of jobs and the student then circles the jobs that meet their likes. This activity encourages students to learn about jobs (previously unknown) that align interests hobbies with jobs. Name of Activity: Web Based Career interest Inventories Target Audience: Since many of these inventories are text based, they would likely be better for those students with some reading Skills . The reading levels of these tools vary.

9 That being said, they could easily be adapted by providing reading support or text readers for students. Duration of Activity: These inventories can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour to complete depending on the length and/or students reading speed. Region (can circle both): This tool can be used either for students in Urban or Rural settings. Review/Summary: These inventories help students identify interests and what career options match their interests. They match tasks required by a particular occupation to tasks a student indicates they refer. Students typically answer a series of questions asking what their working preferences are. For example: working alone, being with people, working with my hands, working outside, inside etc.

10 The student s responses are then compared to the Skills or tasks required with specific occupation netting possible career options for the student to explore further. It is important in using these activities, to emphasize to students that these are just occupations that use the Skills they indicated they preferred to use. They still need to decide if that is an occupation they might be interested in exploring more. Follow up activities could include: written reflections, posters, essays, or outlines related to specific occupations or outcomes. These inventories are helpful when trying to identify student preferences in terms of employment . These are examples and many more can be found on the web by doing a search for career interest inventories.