When will I ever use this in real life?
In this lesson for grade seven, students research careers and determine how people with these occupations use English, math, and science skills.
A lesson plan for grades 6–8 English Language Arts and Guidance
Provided by CareerStart
Learning outcomes
Students will gain an understanding of how core curriculum areas (English, math, and science) are relevant to “real life.”
Teacher preparation
Time required for lesson
Approximately 50 minutes. Homework time may be needed for extension activity.
Materials needed
- Computers with internet access to access the Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Optional: If you don’t have access to computers, you may print overviews of the careers discussed in this lesson and hand them out to students.
- Graphic organizer
Activities
- Ask students if they ever wonder how all the “stuff” they learn in school will ever apply in real-world jobs. Facilitate class discussion on this topic as a means of introducing the lesson.
- Hand out the graphic organizer. Have students choose three careers from the following list, and access the linked information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook:
- Taxi Drivers and Chauffers
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Correspondents
- Medical Transcriptionists
- Market and Survey Researchers
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
- Conservation Scientists and Foresters
- Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
- Fitness Workers
- Fire Fighting Occupations
- Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers
- Drafters
- Desktop Publishers
- Construction and Building Inspectors
- Atmospheric Scientists
- Actors, Producers, and Directors
- After students choose their three careers, ask them to determine the connection each one has to the three areas: English, math, and science. Instruct students to read through the career information, completing the graphic organizer as they work. As the students work, prompt them to imagine performing the tasks the occupation requires without a given background skill in place (a cashier, for example, who isn’t able to give correct change.)
- Have students brainstorm a list of careers they did not look at. Ask students to discuss two of their brainstormed careers and share examples of core skills being used in each of the careers. Some examples of skills might include communication abilities, problem-solving, and cause/effect relationships. Write ideas on the board as students supply them.
- Extension activity: Have students work in small groups to write and act out skits that show an absence of core skills in a given occupation (as in the cashier example above).
- Parent activity: Ask students to interview their parents to find out how they use English, math, and science skills in their jobs.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 7
- Goal 2: The learner will synthesize and use information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of informational works.
- summarizing information.
- determining the importance of information.
- making connections to related topics/information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- generating questions.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
Guidance (2001)
Grade 6–8
- Goal 5: Employ strategies to achieve future career success and satisfaction.
- Objective 5.05: Establish how changing economic and societal needs influence employment trends and future training.
- Objective 5.06: Demonstrate awareness of the education and training needed to achieve career goals.
