Teaching the Career Exploration Project

Career Exploration Lesson Plan

• Students will access government resources to complete the career assignment.
• Students will understand the scope of information for their chosen career.
• Students will think critically and use the information ethically and effectively.

• Teaching the Career Exploration Project- LibGuide (http://kwlibguides.lonestar.edu/teaching-career-exploration)
• Career Exploration Project (student edition) – LibGuide (http://kwlibguides.lonestar.edu/career-exploration)
• Career Exploration worksheet (available in the LibGuide)
• MLA Citation Guide (available in the LibGuide)
• Using MLA Style-Visual Guide (available in the LibGuide)
• Career Book Collection, in the Library (optional)

1. Give out the handout
   1. Place to take notes for the project.
   2. Place to store and locate where and when you found the information:
      1. Note the title or name of the career, place, and today’s date.
2. Explain the assignment and the information needed to accomplish the task:
   1. How many resources is required?
   2. What type of sources are you allowed to use?
   3. When is the assignment due?
   4. Set the day’s goal. Eg: Collect 80% of the information that you need for this assignment by the end of the class.
3. Highlight the career book collection, in the Library. (Optional)
   1. Collection is set up for easy to browse. Show some examples of types of resources found in the collection. For example, find books on a(n):
      1. Specific job,
      2. Industry,
      3. Interest or skill.
   2. Students may check out books with their Library Card/Student ID Badge at the Circulation Desk for two weeks.
4. Access the digital information
   1. Find the library on the Lone Star website.
   2. Under Research Guides, click on LSC-Kingwood.
   3. Open the Career Exploration guide.
5. Explain: why is it important to explore a career?
   1. Play video (Optional):
      1. Steve Job’s 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech
         [15 mins.; LibGuide>Home>Getting Started], or
      2. Seinfeld: George Costanza ponders about potential jobs
         [2:24 mins.; LibGuide>Check Up> Step 4: Reality Check].
   2. Talking point ideas (from the guide):
      1. Career path and choice of a major;
      2. Average workday;
      3. Earnings and Unemployment rates by education attainment;
      4. Registered Apprenticeship programs
6. Hands-on Activity: Occupational Outlook Handbook
   1. Give students time to write down notes
   2. Highlight some context for the information; how was the data collected; why certain pieces of information may be important. For example:
   3. What they do: specialties
   4. Work Environment: industry and schedule
   5. How to become one: accredited programs; licenses, certifications, registrations; qualities
   6. Pay: Difference between median and pay; industries (compare to environment); union memberships
   7. More Information: professional organization
7. Hands-on activity: MyNextMove or CareerOneStop
   1. Highlight:
      1. Local, state, and national salary ranges
      2. Locate schools in the state or locally with a program for chosen career
8. Play the Seinfeld: George Costanza ponders about potential jobs (optional).
   [2:24 mins.; LibGuide>Check Up> Step 4: Reality Check]
9. Self-Reflection: Reality Check
   1. Texas Reality check
   2. Show and share with peer. –How does that influence your choice?
10. Paper writing directions
    1. Citations: Why do I have to do this?
       1. Discuss the reasons to give credit to the source(s);
       2. Follow up on the worksheet citation section-putting details into context;
       3. Guides on Write Your Paper page:
          1. Outline ideas,
          2. Citations for commonly used sources,
          3. Edit titles, publication date, and date of access,
          4. Formatting tools –with videos.
11. Review and wrap-up
    1. Review assignment.
    2. Locating guide.
    3. Citations.
    4. Questions.