Governor's Institute for Career Education and Work
Career Dream Day
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Governor’s Institute for Career Education and Work Activity
by Elaine Durham
and Joseph Schaeffe
| Title |
Career Dream Day |
| Standards Addressed |
- 13.1.8 E Analyze the
relationship between school subjects and extra-curricular activities to
career preparations.
- RWSL 1.8 A, B, C
|
| Brief Overview |
Students will learn how school
subjects, sports and clubs help in career preparation. |
| Grade Level |
8th |
| Content Area(s) |
Language Arts |
| Other standards supported |
ASCA, PSCA, NCDG |
| Prep Time |
Several sessions over a number
of weeks. |
| Implementation Time |
55 minutes (Three 15-minute
sessions, with five minutes between sessions). |
| Learning Objectives |
Students will be able to
identify several ways people prepare for their careers. |
| Materials Needed |
Signs for Career Dream Day
speaker locations. |
| Detailed Activity Steps |
- Approximately 20-25 career
speakers will need to be recruited to speak to students on Career
Dream Day. The speakers should represent common careers, familiar to
third grade students.
Suggestions for recruiting speakers:
Request for speakers made in school newsletter.PTO –
make appeal among members and/or have them assist in locating speakers.
Contact local service organization, such as the Lion’s Club or Rotary
organization – make appeal among members and/or have them assist in
locating speakers.
Contact local businesses, found in Yellow Pages, for possible speakers
in specific career fields.
- Once recruited, the speakers
are sent letters, giving them the specific details for the Career
Dream Day itinerary. The letter will inform the speakers they will
need to tell the students how their school and extra-curricular
activities have helped them to prepare for their careers.
- The counselor will go into
individual classes prior to Career Dream Day to help the students
prepare for the speakers. The discussion would focus on why people
have jobs, the skills required for different jobs and how to acquire
these skills, dream jobs for each student, and what they are learning
in school and in after-school activities will help to prepare them for
their dream job.
- Sometime prior to the
activity, the students are given a list of the careers that will be
represented on Career Dream Day and asked to identify those jobs they
would like to learn more about.
|
| Theory basis |
Trait and Factor Theory |
| Evaluation/Assessment |
For English class, students
write a 250-word essay, identifying how their school subjects, sports
and clubs help to prepare them for the specific careers represented in
the sessions they attended. |
| Comments |
This activity works best when
coordinated by several individuals (i.e., teachers, counselors,
community representatives). |
| Enhancement Activities |
Students would take an interest
inventory after attending the three Career Dream Day sessions to see how
it aligns with their career choice. |
| Adaptation for at risk kids |
No adaptations needed. |
| Resources |
E.K. Powe Elementary School
Counseling (Durham Public Schools, Durham, NC) website: http://powe.dpsnc.net |
