LEARN NC

CareerStart lessons: Grade eight

1.1 Comparing resumés

By Andrea Fedon, Gail Frank, and Cindy Neininger

Provided by CareerStart

Essential question: How can you use various perspectives in order to analyze text in a group setting?

Learning outcomes

Students will gain experience developing opinions and supporting them using examples from text.

Teacher planning

Materials needed

Time required for lesson

One class period

Activities

  1. Activating strategy: Have the students journal or write a quick response to the following prompt: You are thinking of applying for a summer job this year. What skills, talents, and experiences do you have that make you a good candidate for the job of your choice?
  2. Arrange students in small groups of approximately three people.
  3. Explain to the students that they are members of a college newspaper staff in search of a sports writer. Tell them that the applicants have been narrowed down to two candidates, and that they are responsible for deciding which is more suitable for the job.
  4. Have each student take on one of three roles in each group:
    • One member of the group will be the reader. The reader will read the two resumés aloud so that other group members can be informed of the skills and talents that the applicants have to offer.
    • One member will be the group recorder. The recorder will take notes on what the group likes or dislikes about each candidate on the graphic organizer.
    • One member will be the reporter. The reporter will be responsible for sharing the group’s final decision with the rest of the class and provide an explanation.

    Each member of the group will participate in discussion and deliberation in order to find the best possible candidate for the job.

  5. Hand out copies of the two sample resumés and the graphic organizer.
  6. Give the students time to discuss the candidates’ qualifications. As they work, monitor student discussions, asking questions to encourage students to support their opinions with details from the resumés.
  7. After students have decided on which candidate they’d like to hire, have each group present its choice to the class, citing at least two examples from the winning resumé that influenced the group’s decision.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 8

  • Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives through analysis of personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
    • Objective 1.03: Interact in group activities and/or seminars in which the student:
      • shares personal reactions to questions raised.
      • gives reasons and cites examples from text in support of expressed opinions.
      • clarifies, illustrates, or expands on a response when asked to do so, and asks classmates for similar expansion.