Finding Employment: A HS Family and Consumer Sciences Lesson

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Kelly Galbraith, Cynthia Miller

Title of Lesson: Finding Employment

Course Name: Family and Consumer Sciences: Independent Living

Grade Levels: 9-12

Author’s Name: Cindy Miller

School District: Northern Lebanon School District

PA Academic Standards for Family and Consumer Sciences
11.1.  Financial Management
  • 11.1.9.B. Explain the responsibilities associated with managing personal finances (e.g., savings, checking, credit, non-cash systems, investments, insurance, health insurance, retirement).
  • 11.1.9.E. Compare the influences of income and fringe benefits to make decisions about work.
  • 11.1.12.E. Compare and contrast factors affecting annual gross and taxable income reporting requirements (e.g., W-2 form, W-4 form, Income tax form).
PA Academic Standards for Career Education and Work
13.2. Career Acquisition (Getting a Job)
  • 13.2.11.B. Apply research skills in searching for a job. (CareerLinks, Internet, Networking, Newspapers, Professional associations, Resource books, Media & Social Media).
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
  • Select a career for which they are qualified to support themselves independently upon graduation. (This is for a semester-based project.)
  • Compute the weekly, monthly and yearly gross income for the chosen job.
Conceptual Background
Information needed prior to instructing this lesson:
  • Lesson plan is based on 42-minute class period.
Instructional Procedure
DAY 1
5 MinutesIntroductory Question
Ask the class the following introductory question: “Why do I need a job in today’s society?” Students should turn and talk with an elbow partner.  Whole class debrief.
5 MinutesBrief Discussion
All of us have skills. Class discussion about personal skills (i.e., working with tools, coordinating outfits, computers, working well with others, prefer working alone).
5 MinutesStudent Self Assessment: “What skills do I have?”
Students will compose a personal list of 3-5 skills.
5 MinutesWhole Class Brainstorm
The teacher will ask “how and where am I able to find employment?”  Based on student responses, the teacher will chart a list on the board.  
20 MinutesStudent Research
Students will search Internet sites and/or newspapers and choose three possible jobs for which they are qualified upon graduation.  Students will begin to create a Google Doc listing details about each of the three jobs including, but not limited to the following: company name, address, job title, salary, and other benefits.
2 MinutesWhole Class Debrief
What have you noticed so far about the job search process?
DAY 2
7 MinutesWhole Class Discussion
“What are the some of the employment benefits you found in your research yesterday? (Income, health care, retirement, vacation, etc.)  Teacher will provide explanations as needed.
10 MinutesStudent Research
Students will complete a Google Doc listing details about each of the three jobs they have chosen including, but not limited to the following: company name, address, job title, salary, and other benefits.
18 Minutes Computing Income
The teacher will provide an explanation of computing gross weekly, monthly and yearly income.  Students will return to their research and will compute weekly, monthly, and yearly income for all three employment opportunities.
5 MinutesStudent Decision and Reflection
Students will choose a job for their semester-long project, and they will write a brief paragraph stating three reasons why they chose the job they did.
Formative Assessment
Students will:
  • Be able to accurately compute weekly, monthly, and yearly salaries for their chosen job opportunity.
  • Identify at least three reasons for selecting one of the job opportunities they found.
Materials Needed
Laptops (1 per student)
Local newspapers and websites (Merchandiser, The Lebanon Daily News, The Patriot News, Indeed.com, etc.)


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