Career Explorations!

Time: 60 minutes
Grade: 8th grade
Domain: Career Development

ASCA Standards:
Mindset Standards:
M 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-
term career success
Behavior Standards:
B-LS 5. Apply media and technology skills
B-LS 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions
B-SMS 3. Demonstrate ability to work independently
B-SS 1. Use effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills

CSCA Standards:

Demonstrate knowledge of the factors involved in making career decisions.

This standard involves the ability of the learner to apply knowledge and skills to career selection.
It involves researching careers and the world of work; resources for researching; the use of
technology; self knowledge; academic preparation needed for careers; and matching personal
qualities, interests and abilities to career pathways.

Objective:
 Students will explore and record information on three different careers of interest for
themselves.

Essential Questions:
 What is pertinent information to help me make an informed decision about a career?
(Student)
 What are resourceful websites that I can utilize to help me make informed decisions
about my career choices? (Student)

Materials:
 Chromebooks
 Career Activity Sheets
 Appropriate websites for career explorations

Introduction:
 The school counselor will pass out the students’ O*Net Profiler results from the previous lesson
as well as The Career Activity Sheet. He/she will facilitate a discussion of what the students did
during their last lesson and then will introduce The Career Activity Sheet.

Activity:
Step 1: The school counselor will then explain The Career Activity Sheet. Pertinent information
that needs to be recorded on this sheet is:
 Career
 Education Level
 Salary
 Job Outlook (growth)
 Necessary Skills

Step 2: The school counselor will have the students look to see the top three careers that they
recorded on this sheet and transfer these top three careers to their Career Activity Sheet.

Step 3: The school counselor will then give the students a list of appropriate websites for the
students to go on. He/she will write these websites on the board. These websites are inclusive of:
 https://www.onetonline.org (the school counselor will let the students know they have to
do an “occupation search”)
 https://www.bls.gov/k12/students.htm (students will be told to click on “Career
Exploration!”)
 https://www.learnhowtobecome.org
 https://www.mynextmove.org
 https://www.careeronestop.org (the school counselor will have the students click on
“Explore Careers.”

Step 4: The school counselor will give the students thirty minutes to explore these careers and to
record the relevant information of their career sheets. He/she should walk around and answer any
questions that the students.

Step 5: Once the students have had a chance to explore and record their information, they will
then be assigned into small groups to discuss their findings amongst each other.

Step 6: The school counselor will bring the students back together for the closing of the lesson.

Closure:
The school counselor will close the lesson by facilitating a discussion about the activity. He/she
will ask the essential questions of:
 What are your thoughts/reactions to participating in this activity?
 Did you like participating in this activity? Why or why not?
 Were you surprised about anything career wise from doing this activity?

Assessment:
The facilitated discussion will serve as form of assessment of what the students learned from the
lesson. Each student will have to contribute their opinion to the conversation to gain participation
credit for this lesson.