College and Career Fair Preparation: A MS Career Lesson
Title of Lesson: Prep for College and Career Fair
Course Name: Guidance
Grade Level: 8
Author’s Name: Donald Swartz
School District: Cornwall-Lebanon School District
| PA Academic Standards for Career Education and Work | |
| 13.1. Career Awareness and Preparation 13.1.8.A.: Relate careers to individual interests, abilities, and aptitudes 13.3. Career Retention and Advancement 13.3.8.G.: Identify formal and informal lifelong learning opportunities that support career retention and advancement. | |
| Learning Objectives | |
Students will be able to:
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| Conceptual Background | |
| This lesson links previous lessons about a student’s Spark (passion) and the career suggestions provided by PACareerZone.org from completed interest inventories to the College and Career Fair where students are able to speak with several postsecondary educational institutions as well as several area employers.Knowledge of PACareerZone.org and its components and completion of your own interest inventory is useful prior to the start of the class. Spark surveys that were completed during a 6th grade lesson are needed for distribution. Any new student from the time the first Spark survey was completed will complete their first one. | |
| Instructional Procedure | |
| 4 Minutes | Students complete Spark survey. |
| 2 Minutes | Disseminate previously completed Spark surveys from 6th grade to students. |
| 5 Minutes | Discuss Spark surveys in reference to connection to careers and consistency of Sparks over time. Ask questions about the characteristics and traits of the instructor (ie. school counselor). Compare those traits and characteristics to the suggested career on PaCareerZone.com. |
| 1 Minute | Project PACareerZone with the teacher/counselor interest survey results. |
| 5 Minutes | Discuss connection of interests, aptitudes and job market to career decision making process. |
| 10 Minutes | Discuss one example of suggested careers for information on education, training, PA salaries, etc. |
| 12 Minutes | Connect educational and occupational opportunities for this job to those that will be at the College and Career Fair. |
| 10 Minutes | Show assignment paper for field trip to students and discuss expectations for completion. |
| Formative Assessment | |
| Completion of second Spark survey Observation during class discussion Completion of assignment during College and Career Fair | |
| Materials Needed | |
| PACareerzone.org See additional student handouts below. | |
| References | |
| “Sparks: How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers.” Sparks: How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers, by Peter L. Benson, 1st ed., Jossey-Bass, 2008, pp. 54–56. | |