Career Guidance Lesson Session 1

Grade Level: 6-8 (ID Levels)

Time: 30 minutes
Purpose: Learn different work readiness social skills.
VSCA Standards:
MC4. Understand that behaviors such as punctuality, courtesy, proper dress and
language, and hard work are essential to success in the job market
MC6. Demonstrate employability skills such as individual initiative, teamwork, problem
solving, organization, and communication
Measurable Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Learn workplace etiquette
2. Learn employment communication skills
Materials:
Work Related Vocabulary cards
Clock picture. Lazy picture, Beast picture
(5 minutes) Anticipatory Set: Since this is our first meeting, I will explain who I am
and why I am there (to help them learn about careers). I will explain Ill be there for
three sessions to talk about how to behave at a job, why school is so important to get a
job, and lastly to look at lots of different careers.
(7 minutes) Activity 1:
Ask the questions Do you have to be at school at the same time every day? Is it
important to be here on time? What happens if you are not on time?
Explain that this is true when they work too. If their schedule reads they have to work
from 12:00-4:00, they need to be on time; actually being a few minutes early to be ready
to work at 12:00. (Display picture of digital clock showing what time they need to be
there)
Ask the questions Do you have to be nice to your teachers? Do you treat them with
respect? What happens if you dont?
Explain that this is true when they work too. If they are rude to their boss, they can get
it trouble. Even if they dont like everyone they work with, they still have to be nice to
them. (Display picture of the Beast from Beauty and the Beast to explain that you have
to be nice to people even if they seem mean.)
Ask the questions Do you have to do work at school? What if its hard or boring, do you
still need to do it? What happens if you dont?
Explain that this is true when they work too. If they are lazy and dont do what they
asked to do, they can get in trouble. If they do a poor job or messy job, that can get them
in trouble too. (Display picture of someone being lazy)
(15 minutes) Guided Practice: We will perform role playing with communication
cards. I will pass out cards with work-related vocabulary. These will be divided in
different areas: socialization, core vocabulary, & site-specific vocabulary. They will
pretend with me. I will ask them to read the words. I will discuss what the cards mean
and how they apply to a work setting.
(2 minutes) Closure: Talk about how they are only in middle school but they are already
learning about how to behave at work, dont the feel so amazing and smart?

(3-5 minutes) Evaluation Measure: Ask if to raise hands if they remember any of the
words we talked about. Count how many they can recall.
Teacher Extension: Email teachers the full list of workplace vocabulary & talking points
and see if they can incorporate phrases in different lessons throughout the day.

What is your name?

How are you?

Like

Break time

Want

Watch

Show you

Need help

Supervisor

Good job

Is this OK?

Understand

Finished

Straighten

Fill

Sort

Stock

Stockroom

Label

Wash hands

Replace

Meat cooler

Price gun

Front desk

Phrase

Talking Points

What is your name?

Is this a good thing to ask customers? Not

usually, this is what you would say to your coworker. If it is a customer you see all the
time, maybe.
This is a polite phrase you would use with
everyone. It makes you appear very nice.
When is it ok to say if you like something? It
is a good thing to say to your boss, let
him/her know when you like a part of your
job.
Who knows what this means? Should you
constantly ask when it is?
If you dont understand something, ask your
boss if you can watch someone do it. It may
be easier for you to understand then.
This is a good phrase to use with your
customer. If they ask where something is, I
will show you.
This is important for you to use! If you need
help, say so. Dont expect that others will
know when you need help, you need to say it.
This is another word for boss. This is the
person who is in charge, kind of like your
teacher.
This is a phrase you want to hear from your
supervisor! S/he should tell you when you do
a good job, but dont be afraid to ask them if
they think you are doing a good job!
It is always fine for you to ask your boss or
customers this! It helps you to understand if
they are happy.
Never be afraid to use this word. It is OK to
say, I dont understand. It is also fine for
you to ask the customer if they understand.
When you have completed a task that a
supervisor has give you, go tell them! Let
them know you are finished, then they will
know it is time to assign you another job.
This means to clean up, make things look
neat. So if you are looking at a shelf, make all
the products look nice. If it is a rack of
clothes, make sure they look good.
If you are told to fill a bin, what does that
mean? Take things from the back (or a box)
and put them in the bin.
Sort is similar to straighten. If a shelf is

How are you?

Like

Break time
Watch
Show you
Need help
Supervisor
Good job

Is this OK?
Understand
Finished

Straighten

Fill
Sort

mixed up, sort the products out, put all the

items of one type together. And all the items
of another type together.
This means stuff! The stuff you sell. So at a
grocery store, product means groceries. At a
clothing store, product means shirts, pants,
etc.
Stock is similar to product, but it can be used
two ways. Stock can mean the actual things a
store sells, or it means to put things on a shelf.
At a grocery store if you are told to stock the
shelves, that means put things on the shelf
That can mean put stickers on items. Or put
signs up about the stock.
Why would this be important in work?
Because you must be clean! You cant get dirt
on your items. Or if you work at a restaurant,
you can get germs in the food!
This means to take something away and put
another thing in its place.
This is a fancy refrigerator for meat. They are
used in grocery stores and restaurants.
This is used to put price tags on things or to
tell you how much something costs. People
who work a stores use these.
This would be the main desk at an office,
school, or big store.
This is the room behind the store where extra
stuff is kept. So when a store runs out of an
item, you can go back to the stockroom and
get more.

Product

Stock

Label
Wash hands

Replace
Meat cooler
Price gun
Front desk
Stockroom

Career Guidance Lesson Session 2

Grade Level: 6-8 (ID Levels)
Time: 30 minutes
Purpose: Learn how school subjects relates to career.
VSCA Standards:
MC1. Identify the relationship of course content, educational achievement, and career
choices
MC5. Demonstrate understanding of the education and training needed to achieve
career goals
Measurable Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Name different careers that use the subjects they study
Materials:
Richard Scarrys What Do People Do All Day? book
Counting Money worksheet
(7 minutes) Anticipatory Set: Read What Do People Do All Day? Point out different
careers, and explain what classes are used for each career. For example:
Dressmaker math to measure
Farmer science to learn how seeds grow
Construction workers math to measure, science to learn how things work
Postal worker reading to know where a letter goes, social studies to read map
Baker reading to read recipes, math to measure, science to know what
ingredients go well together
EVERYONE math to count their money!
(5 minutes) Guided Practice 1: Ask how many students have ever had a morning
where they didnt want to go to school. Ask if they know why school is important and
why they are here?
It helps prepare them for work in so many ways.
Learning how to work with a teacher is like learning how to work with a supervisor
(boss)
Learning how to talk to your friends in a polite way is like learning how to work with
customers and co-workers
You learn how to read which is needed in so many jobs (to read signs, menus,
instructions)
You learn how to count and do math. If you need to set a table for four, how many forks
is that? How many knives? Spoons?
You learn how to measure which is used is so many careers. How much paint do you
need to paint this room? If someone wants their haircut one inch, how much is that?
You learn how to count money which is used in so many jobs, and used to ensure you got
paid
(10 minutes) Activity 1: Have students fill out the Counting Money worksheet.
Review answers together.
(3 minutes) Guided Practice 2: Talk to the students about how some jobs require more
training and education than others. Open the book and discuss the jobs we looked at

before:
Dressmaker learn how to sew in Family & Consumer Science, can do more
training classes in high school, and can even go to college for fashion
Farmer some learn how to work in fields from parents, others go to college
Construction workers learn technical training in high school, trade school, or on
the job
Postal worker can learn how to do on the job
Baker learn how to bake in Family & Consumer Science, can do more training
classes in high school, and go to culinary school
EVERYONE math to count their money!
(2 minutes) Closure: Check in to ensure they understand how what they learn in school
can help them in careers. Do they see the connections?
(3 minutes) Evaluation Measure: Ask students if they know where their Mom or Dad
works. Can we figure out what class helped them?
Teacher Extension: When presenting a lesson, try to name a career in which this skill is
useful over the next week.

Career Guidance Lesson Session 3

Grade Level: 6-8 (ID Levels)
Time: 30 minutes
Purpose: Learn about careers in the areas that interest them
VSCA Standards:
MC2. Identify personal preferences, skills, and interests that influence career choices and
success
Measurable Objectives:
Students will learn:
1. What interests them and how it relates to a career
Materials:
Water Jobs, Plant Jobs, Dirt Jobs worksheets
Working with Animals, Working with Pets, Where Would You Work with
Animals worksheets
(5 minutes) Anticipatory Set: Start by doing an inventory. Ask who likes animals?
Who likes to be outside? Who likes to play with kids? Who likes to eat yummy food?
(5 minutes) Guided Practice 1: People often choose where they work based upon what
they like. Someone who loves to make and eat food may work in a restaurant or a
grocery store. Someone who loves to be with kids will work at a preschool or be a
teacher. Some people love computers so they find a job where they are on computers all
day.
(7 minutes) Activity 1: Ask who loves to be outside? Say were going to look at
worksheets that have jobs where you can work outside. Fill out Water Jobs, Plant
Jobs, and Dirt Jobs worksheets together.
(7 minutes) Activity 2: Ask who loves animals? Say were going to look at worksheets
that have jobs where you can work with animals. Fill out Working with Animals,
Working with Pets, Where Would You Work with Animals worksheets together
(2 minutes) Closure: Explain that there are so many jobs out there they can do when
they grow up. They are just beginning to explore all the different career opportunities.
(3 minutes) Evaluation Measure: Ask them to raise hands if they learned of a new job
from these lessons. Ask them to raise hands if they think they know what job may
interest them. Ask them to raise hands if they know why their school is important for
getting a job. Count these answers to use for data.
Teacher Extension: Email teachers VA Career View link
http://virginiacareerview.com/k5/careers/computer-career-games so the students
can play these games during free time and learn more about careers.

References
Gerver, M., Shanley, J., OCummings, M. (n.d.). Early Career Awareness and Development for
Students with Disabilities in Elementary and Middle Schools, EMSTAC Extra.
Retrieved from: http://www.emstac.org/resources/transition.pdf
Levinson, E. M., Palmer, E. J. (2005). Preparing Students With Disabilities for School-toWork Transition and Postschool Life, NASP Online. Retrieved from:
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Transition%20Planning%20WEB.pdf
National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (2008). Employment communication
skills using dual communication boards, Employment Skills. Retrieved from
http://www.nsttac.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdf/71.pdf
Scarry, R. (1968). What Do People Do All Day? New York: Random House.
Virginia Career View Virginia Tech (n.d.) Counting Money. Retrieved from
http://virginiacareerview.com/resources/pdf/k-5/Add%20It%20Up.pdf
Virginia Career View Virginia Tech (n.d.) Outside Jobs Career Book. Retrieved from
http://virginiacareerview.com/resources/pdf/K-5/Outside%20Jobs.pdf
Virginia Career View Virginia Tech (n.d.) Working With Animals Career Book. Retrieved from
http://virginiacareerview.com/resources/pdf/K-5/Working_With_Animals.pdf