Introduction

Teacher Information

Introduction

This lesson was developed as part of the Warrensburg, Missouri School District's WebQuest Academy project, a State funded Competitive Technology Grant.

This lesson was intended to give students the opportunity to find out their interests, to explore many career paths, to do a concentrated search and study on a single career path, to introduce and begin practicing writing resumes and cover letters, and to actually do a job shadowing experience where the student would be observing and interviewing a person who is in the career path they are interested in.

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Learners

This lesson was developed for 9th-12th grade students in a special services english class. This lesson could easily adapted for most upper level english or family and consumer science classes.

Students will have to have a very basic knowledge on how to operate a computer. They will also need to know how to write a research paper and how to use a free web based e-mail program (hot mail, n2mail, etc).

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Curriculum Standards

In this WebQuest, the students will:

Complete an interest inventory.
Research careers on-line.
Complete a worksheet that indicates five possible career choices.
Narrow their choice to one career path and do an in-depth research of the career.
Complete an outline worksheet of the career path for their paper.
Write an example resume on-line and an example cover letter.
Contact a job coordinator or a person whose occupation interests them to arrange a job shadowing experience and interview.

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Process

This WebQuest was designed for students to do individually.

The amount of time needed to complete this WebQuest will vary depending on your class and your students' abilities. The class that this WebQuest is designed for will probably take 3-4 weeks to complete. The following is the agenda for my class:

Prior to participation in this Webquest :

Show the students how to receive a free web-based e-mail account and how to use and access it.
Review or teach how to write a research paper.
Show how to use the word processor in your computer lab.

During participation in this WebQuest:

Have area job coordinator give presentation and information about their job and what services they provide for students.
Have local professionals give presentations about their career paths
Follow curriculum in the classroom about career exploration.
Review or teach how to write a business style letter.
Participate in WebQuest in your computer lab.
Address specific concerns your students may have about this activity.

Post participation in this WebQuest:

Have students write a one paragraph or one page reflection of the WebQuest they participated in. Specifically addressing if they're still interested in the career path they researched even after the job shadow experience.
Have students review their scoring guide.

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Resources Needed

Materials and resources needed for this WebQuest:

E-mail accounts for all students.
Word processor for report and cover letter.
An area job coordinator to arrange job shadow visits and to provide consultation on portfolios.
A group of computers in which every student would have access to one.

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Evaluation

Use the following scoring guide to evaluate your students or to use as a guide if you need to modify to fit the abilities of your students.

Career Exploration Portfolio

Evaluator: Career Path:

Student:

Exploratory Worksheet Inc. Poor Avg. Good Excellent

Student chose five different career paths. 1 3 5 7 10

Student explained why they chose those career paths. 1 3 5 7 10

Student used complete sentences. 1 3 5 7 10

Student used correct punctuation and capital letters. 1 3 5 7 10

Paper

Student explained why this career interested them (used the interest inventory). 1 3 5 7 10

Student gave a description of the job. 1 3 5 7 10

Student explained the qualifications needed for the job. 1 3 5 7 10

Student explained the job outlook for the future. 1 3 5 7 10

Student maintained a flow from writing about one subject to another. 1 3 5 7 10

Student maintained a flow within a paragraph. 1 3 5 7 10

Student used complete sentences
1
3
5
7
10

Student used correct punctuation and capital letters.
1
3
5
7
10

Student used correct spelling
1
3
5
7
10

Resume

Student used the Career Help template to write a resume. 1 3 5 7 10

Student used correct spelling. 1 3 5 7 10

Cover Letter

Student used an example cover letter to make their own. 1 3 5 7 10

Student used business style letter format to write a cover letter. 1 3 5 7 10

Student maintained a flow in the cover letter. 1 3 5 7 10

Student used complete sentences. 1 3 5 7 10

Student used correct spelling.
1
3
5
7
10

Student used correct punctuation and capital letters.
1
3
5
7
10

Job Shadow

Student contacted Jeff Huffman to arrange a job shadow experience through e-mail.
1
3
5
7
10

Student completed a 2-3 hour job shadowing experience.
1
3
5
7
10

Student completed and filled out a job shadow questionnaire.
1
3
5
7
10

Total: ________

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Conclusion

It is the intention of this activity to help students get prepared for the "real world". As educators, we need to use as many resources as possible to achieve this goal. Hopefully this web site will help you help your students!!

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Career Exploration Portfolio
Evaluator:	Career Path:
Student:

Exploratory Worksheet	Inc.	Poor	Avg.	Good	Excellent
Student chose five different career paths.	1	3	5	7	10
Student explained why they chose those career paths.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used complete sentences.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used correct punctuation and capital letters.	1	3	5	7	10
Paper
Student explained why this career interested them (used the interest inventory).	1	3	5	7	10
Student gave a description of the job.	1	3	5	7	10
Student explained the qualifications needed for the job.	1	3	5	7	10
Student explained the job outlook for the future.	1	3	5	7	10
Student maintained a flow from writing about one subject to another.	1	3	5	7	10
Student maintained a flow within a paragraph.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used complete sentences	1	3	5	7	10
Student used correct punctuation and capital letters.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used correct spelling	1	3	5	7	10
Resume
Student used the Career Help template to write a resume.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used correct spelling.	1	3	5	7	10
Cover Letter
Student used an example cover letter to make their own.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used business style letter format to write a cover letter.	1	3	5	7	10
Student maintained a flow in the cover letter.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used complete sentences.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used correct spelling.	1	3	5	7	10
Student used correct punctuation and capital letters.	1	3	5	7	10
Job Shadow
Student contacted Jeff Huffman to arrange a job shadow experience through e-mail.	1	3	5	7	10
Student completed a 2-3 hour job shadowing experience.	1	3	5	7	10
Student completed and filled out a job shadow questionnaire.	1	3	5	7	10
Total: ________