Career Exploration Project: Researching Your Future
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Career Exploration Project: Researching Your Future

Grade 9English3 days
★★★★★
4.0 (1 rating)
This 9th-grade English project guides students through an in-depth exploration of potential career paths. Students research a career of their choice, examining required education, skills, challenges, and rewards. They also assess the job market outlook and reflect on how well the career aligns with their personal interests and skills, culminating in a portfolio showcasing their findings and reflections.
Career ExplorationJob Market AnalysisSkills AlignmentEducational RoadmapPersonal ReflectionCareer ChallengesCareer Rewards
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can you align your skills and interests with a fulfilling career path, navigate its challenges, and contribute to an evolving job market?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What are the typical responsibilities of someone in this role?
  • What education or training is required for this career?
  • What are the potential challenges and rewards of this career?
  • How does this career connect to my interests and skills?
  • What is the job market outlook for this career field?
  • What steps can I take now to prepare for this career?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Research career options.
  • Identify required education or training.
  • Understand career challenges and rewards.
  • Connect career to personal interests and skills.
  • Assess job market outlook.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Career Fair Flash Forward

Begin with a 'Career Fair Flash Forward' where students dress up and act as professionals in their dream careers, even if they know little about them. This immersive activity sparks curiosity and highlights the need for research to realistically portray their roles. The event culminates in a Q&A session where the 'professionals' are stumped by detailed questions, emphasizing the importance of thorough career investigation.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Career Choice Justification

Students brainstorm and select a career of interest, explaining their initial reasons for choosing it.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Brainstorm a list of potential careers that align with your interests.
2. Choose one career from your list to research further.
3. Write a paragraph explaining why you chose this career and what interests you about it.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA one-page document outlining the selected career and initial interests.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsResearch career options.
Activity 2

Educational Roadmap

Students research the educational requirements, necessary certifications, and skills needed for their chosen career.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Research the typical educational path for your chosen career (e.g., Bachelor's degree, vocational training).
2. Identify any certifications or licenses required for the career.
3. List the key skills (hard and soft) that are essential for success in the career.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed outline of the educational path and skill set required for the selected career.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsIdentify required education or training.
Activity 3

Challenges and Rewards Analysis

Students explore potential challenges and rewards associated with their chosen career through research and, if possible, interviews.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Research the typical challenges faced by professionals in your chosen career.
2. Identify the potential rewards and benefits of the career (e.g., salary, personal satisfaction, impact).
3. If possible, interview someone working in the field to gain firsthand insights into the challenges and rewards.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA balanced assessment of the challenges and rewards in the career.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsUnderstand career challenges and rewards.
Activity 4

Personal Alignment Reflection

Students reflect on how their personal interests, skills, and values align with the requirements and nature of their chosen career.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. List your key personal interests, skills, and values.
2. Analyze how your interests and skills align with the responsibilities and tasks of the chosen career.
3. Write a reflection essay discussing the alignment and potential areas for personal growth.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA personal reflection essay detailing the alignment between personal attributes and career demands.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsConnect career to personal interests and skills.
Activity 5

Job Market Forecast

Students investigate the current and future job market trends for their chosen career, including potential growth, competition, and technological impacts.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Research the current job market outlook for your chosen career (e.g., growth rate, demand).
2. Analyze potential future trends and technological impacts on the career field.
3. Write a report summarizing your findings, including potential opportunities and challenges in the job market.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA job market analysis report, including data on growth projections and potential challenges.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAssess job market outlook.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Career Exploration Portfolio Rubric

Category 1

Career Choice and Initial Interest

Focuses on the alignment between the selected career and the student's initial interests, as well as the clarity and depth of the justification provided.
Criterion 1

Relevance and Justification

Demonstrates the depth of career exploration and the clarity of initial interest articulation.

Exemplary
4 Points

The career choice is highly relevant to the student's expressed interests, showing a clear and thoughtful connection. The justification is compelling and insightful.

Proficient
3 Points

The career choice is relevant to the student's expressed interests. The justification is clear and provides a solid rationale.

Developing
2 Points

The career choice has some connection to the student's expressed interests, but the justification is vague or superficial.

Beginning
1 Points

The career choice appears arbitrary with little to no connection to the student's expressed interests. The justification is missing or unclear.

Category 2

Educational Roadmap and Skill Identification

Evaluates the student's ability to identify and articulate the necessary educational qualifications, certifications or licenses, and key skills required for their chosen career.
Criterion 1

Research Quality and Accuracy

Assesses the thoroughness and accuracy of the research conducted on the educational requirements, certifications, and skills needed for the chosen career.

Exemplary
4 Points

The outline provides a comprehensive and accurate depiction of the educational path, certifications, and key skills, demonstrating in-depth research.

Proficient
3 Points

The outline provides a detailed and mostly accurate depiction of the educational path, certifications, and key skills.

Developing
2 Points

The outline provides a basic depiction of the educational path, certifications, and key skills, but may contain some inaccuracies or omissions.

Beginning
1 Points

The outline is incomplete or contains significant inaccuracies regarding the educational path, certifications, and key skills.

Category 3

Challenges and Rewards Analysis

Focuses on the student's ability to critically examine the potential difficulties and benefits associated with their chosen career path.
Criterion 1

Balanced Assessment of Challenges and Rewards

Evaluates the depth of exploration into potential challenges and rewards and the ability to provide a balanced assessment.

Exemplary
4 Points

The assessment offers a nuanced and insightful analysis of both challenges and rewards, demonstrating a deep understanding of the career. Interview insights (if included) are exceptionally well-integrated.

Proficient
3 Points

The assessment offers a clear and balanced analysis of both challenges and rewards, demonstrating a good understanding of the career. Interview insights (if included) are well-integrated.

Developing
2 Points

The assessment identifies some challenges and rewards, but the analysis is superficial or unbalanced. Interview insights (if included) are minimally integrated.

Beginning
1 Points

The assessment is incomplete or fails to adequately address both challenges and rewards. Interview insights (if included) are missing or irrelevant.

Category 4

Personal Alignment Reflection

Assesses the student's ability to connect their personal interests, skills, and values with the requirements and nature of their chosen career.
Criterion 1

Depth of Personal Reflection and Alignment

Measures the degree of alignment between personal attributes and career demands, along with the depth of reflection on potential personal growth areas.

Exemplary
4 Points

The essay provides a sophisticated and insightful reflection on the alignment, identifying specific areas for personal growth with a clear plan for development.

Proficient
3 Points

The essay provides a thoughtful reflection on the alignment, identifying relevant areas for personal growth.

Developing
2 Points

The essay touches on the alignment, but the reflection is superficial and lacks depth. Areas for personal growth are vaguely identified.

Beginning
1 Points

The essay fails to adequately address the alignment or provide meaningful reflection on personal growth.

Category 5

Job Market Forecast

Focuses on the student's understanding of the current and future job prospects for their chosen career, including potential growth, competition, and technological impacts.
Criterion 1

Job Market Analysis Quality

Assesses the quality of research and analysis regarding the current and future job market trends for the chosen career.

Exemplary
4 Points

The report provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the job market, including well-supported projections and a nuanced understanding of potential challenges and opportunities.

Proficient
3 Points

The report provides a detailed analysis of the job market, including relevant data on growth projections and potential challenges.

Developing
2 Points

The report provides a basic overview of the job market, but may lack depth or contain superficial analysis.

Beginning
1 Points

The report is incomplete or contains significant inaccuracies regarding the job market outlook.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

How has your understanding of your chosen career path evolved throughout this project?

Text
Required
Question 2

To what extent do you feel prepared to pursue the educational and skill-based requirements of this career?

Scale
Required
Question 3

What is the most significant challenge you anticipate facing in this career, and how might you prepare for it now?

Text
Required
Question 4

Now that you have completed your research, how well do your personal interests and skills align with the demands of this career?

Multiple choice
Required
Options
Very well aligned
Moderately aligned
Slightly aligned
Not well aligned
Question 5

Based on your job market forecast, how optimistic are you about the future prospects of this career?

Scale
Required