Day 6 Instructional Procedures

1. Begin with a class discussion. Ask students to consider what they want for their futures.
2. Have students complete the Reality Check Worksheet by accessing the Education Quest: Reality Check Website.
   • Part 1: Students identify their preferred lifestyles and how much money it would take to sustain that lifestyle. They then explore different careers that could meet the financial expectations for their choices.
   • Part 2: Students research more details for the three careers chosen in Part 1.
3. Conduct a class discussion with the prompt: “How might you adjust your choices for lifestyle based on the career you are selecting?”
4. Using the information from Part 2, students create a career web concept map for their three selected careers, identifying:
   • needed education/training
   • potential earned income (low, medium, high)
   • annual projected openings
   • top three durable skills
5. After completing the worksheet, students can play the “Spent” Game if time allows. This game takes about 10 minutes.

Day 7 Instructional Procedures

1. Students choose one career they would like to explore further, using their Reality Check Worksheet, career web, or YouScience results.
2. Divide the class into groups of 3–4 students. Groups can be based on similar career pathways or clusters, with each student representing a different career within the group. If multiple students choose the same career, work with them to use one of their other options.
3. Students individually begin the Dive into a Career Worksheet by gathering information from the career exploration websites or other sources. Students also need to find or create five images relevant to their career selection.

Days 8–10 Instructional Procedures

1. Conduct a midway check-in. Meet with each group to review their Reality Check Worksheet and Dive into a Career Worksheet. Allow groups to identify additional information or resources they need.
2. At the teacher’s discretion, students who feel unsatisfied with their career choice may switch, though this should be limited to one change to avoid delaying progress.
3. Have student groups discuss what they find engaging about their career pathway. This discussion will help them choose a presentation method (video, poster board, infographic, brochure, slides, or game) that captures audience interest and communicates career information effectively.
4. Review the Presentation Rubric again with students to clarify expectations for their presentations.

Day 11 Instructional Procedures

1. Guide students through how to fill out an application using the Applying for a Job Slides.
   • This presentation can be teacher-led direct instruction using the slideshow, or the teacher can provide the links for students to access to explore on their own.
   • The teacher may need to help students gather information needed to fill out an application by using information found on their student accounts located on the district’s chosen student information system.
2. Have students practice with sample forms from the Job Applications Folder. Provide printed copies for students to choose from.
3. After completing applications, have students “trade and grade” for neatness, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and completeness.

Day 12 Instructional Procedures

Choose one of the following to help students investigate how to create a good résumé.

Option 1: Guest Speaker

1. Host a guest speaker who is a hiring manager or who works in HR to discuss what they look for in résumés when reviewing applicants.
2. Provide printed Resume Examples (good and bad) for students to examine with partners.

Option 2: Video

1. Watch the Résumé Mistakes Video.
2. Afterward, have students review printed Resume Examples (good and bad) with group members.

Day 13 Instructional Procedures

1. Introduce interview preparation with the Preparing for a Job Interview Slides. If a guest speaker was not used on Day 12, consider inviting one for interview skills.
2. Review typical prompts using the Common Interview Questions Website and the Mock Job Interview Questions. If the teacher deems it appropriate, students can reach out to local businesses of their career choice and ask what are their common interview questions.
3. Have groups construct a list of interview questions aligned with their pathway/cluster.
4. Show the Top Responses to Interview Questions Video to model effective answers.
5. Instruct students to go home with their group’s list of interview questions and think about how they would answer the questions if they were an applicant.

Day 14 Instructional Procedures

1. Organize mock job interviews for the students. Students can use their group’s question list from Day 13.
2. Have groups take turns asking and answering. To simulate an interview, students record partners’ responses.

Day 15 Instructional Procedures

1. Introduce students to CTSO opportunities in high school that connect directly to the skills they have been practicing in class. Use the CTSOs Handout to help students explore available organizations. Emphasize that participating in this PBL is one step closer to engaging in a high school CTSO competition.
2. Explain how CTSO events, such as those sponsored by FCCLA, can prepare students for future career opportunities, build confidence, and provide real-world practice applying what they have learned.
3. Choose one of the following ways to expose students to CTSO opportunities:
   • Option 1: Contact high school FCCLA (or other CTSO) advisors to arrange for students who have competed in related events to come present their work and share their experiences. These guest students could also serve as an audience when your students present their own work.
   • Option 2: If guest speakers are not available, show YouTube videos of students sharing their CTSO competition experiences. This can give your students a sense of what these events look like and how they might benefit from participation.
   • Option 3: If neither guest speakers nor videos are available, review CTSO competitions yourself with the class. Highlight the FCCLA examples.

Days 16–17 Instructional Procedures

1. Student groups will take the information from their career research and newly gained awareness of what it takes to become employed in their career pathway, and create a presentation to share with others who may be interested in the same pathway.
2. Remind students that this presentation serves as a comprehensive guide for their peers to be aware of a specific career pathway, explaining the various career options, job responsibilities, necessary education/training, salaries, and suggestions on how to make their applications, resumes, and interviews stand out from the crowd of applicants.
3. Groups choose the format that best communicates their findings (e.g., tri-fold poster, video, guidebook, infographic, brochure, slides, or game).
4. Encourage students to review the Presentation Rubric to ensure their presentations include the necessary information to fully represent their career pathway.

Day 18 Instructional Procedures

1. Have students walk through and review their peers’ presentations. Each group should have their materials out and ready (computer with slides, video cued, brochures printed, posters displayed, etc.).
2. Randomly assign students to review 2–3 presentations. While previewing, they will provide feedback using the Peer Assessment.
3. Choose one of the following methods to collect and share peer assessments:
   • Option 1: Students turn in their evaluations to the teacher, who provides points and distributes feedback to groups.
   • Option 2: Students take a picture of their completed assessments to submit as evidence for points, then immediately share their feedback with peer groups.
4. Have students complete a Self Assessment on their project.
5. Each group reviews their peer and self-feedback responses and discusses revisions they would like to make.

Day 19 Instructional Procedures

1. Groups revise and finalize their presentations based on feedback.
2. Ensure each group member has a role to fulfill when presenting to the public audience.

Instructional Procedures

1. Make prior arrangements for a public audience to attend. Invite participants such as school counselors, students from other classes, or community members who represent career pathways being presented.
2. Decide on the presentation delivery and timing.
   • Delivery options to consider:
     • Have groups present one at a time to the entire audience.
     • Use a speed-presentation format, with groups stationed around the room while audience members rotate between them.
   • Timing options to consider:
     • Schedule all presentations within a single class period.
     • Spread presentations across multiple class periods.
     • Host presentations in a larger school venue.
3. Provide the public audience with the Presentation Rubric to evaluate each group’s final product.
4. Use the Presentation Rubric along with the Self Assessment Form and Peer Assessment Form to complete final evaluations.
5. To assess career awareness, have students create a concept map showcasing as many careers as possible. See the Career Concept Map Example (Education). Teachers may require students to include details such as education/training, salary, and description, as well as how careers connect within the cluster.