Purdue University
What a Waste of Food!
Follow the life of an apple from harvest to the consumer. A three-part lesson describes the different steps to get an apple from the farmer to your kitchen and the approximate waste that happens at each step. They discuss the process and...
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The Negotiations of Interviewing
Sometimes the interview process includes negotiating for what you want. Here's an activity that guides job seekers to achieve The Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). Participants take on the role of job seekers and...
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Speed Interviewing
An important part of the job search process is the personal interview. Help pupils prepare with speed interviewing activity—teams of three-act as a job seeker, interviewer, and observer. Every three minutes, participants rotate roles and...
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Customized Resumes
Resumes are key to the job search process. Class members examine sample job postings and critique sample resumes to understand how to craft a strong resume.
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Egg-streme Sports
Here's a new twist in the egg drop competition. Using only six inches of tape, four straws, and 2 pieces of newspaper, teams build a structure that keeps an egg from breaking when dropped. What's different about this project is that the...
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Reality Check
Talk about a reality check! High schoolers complete a lifestyle survey indicating their preference for housing, entertainment, etc., and then calculate the salary required to support those choices. Finally, they research the types of...
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Evaluating Your Brand
After completing an evaluation worksheet that asks learners to rate their skills honestly, individuals create an action plan that includes specific steps to improve in these areas.
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Professional References
To gain an understanding of the importance of professional references, class members engage in two projects. First, individuals examine an online review site (Yelp, for example), paying particular attention to the positive and negative...
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Social Media Pit Stop
Think before you post! Employers are watching! That's the takeaway from an activity that asks learners to rate their social media posts using a scale developed by recruiters. The activity ends with scholars brainstorming ways to improve...
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Let’s Take a Selfie
Professional or unprofessional? That is the question addressed by a lesson plan on workplace attire. Class members examine images posted on job search sites like Linkedin and those posted by celebrities. They consider the implications of...
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Workplace Personalities
Being able to get along with a variety of personalities in the workplace is a key job skill. To gain insight into the importance of this skill, class members take on roles of various personality types and work in groups to try to build a...
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words
A short video demonstrates the importance of non-verbal communication in the forming of first impressions. Viewers observe the facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and appearance of job seekers in an interview, then discuss...
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Thank You Letters
An important step in the job search process is sending a thank you note to any professional that has been of help. First, pupils discuss the etiquette of thank you notes, then draft a practice letter.
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30 Seconds
Attention spans are short, but memories are long. Job seekers are challenged to develop a 30-second commercial that highlights their strengths in a job interview.
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Networking BINGO
A Networking BINGO game asks participants to find scholars who share a variety of the same interests and characteristics. Categories include everything from shoe size, to biggest fear, to intended college major.
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30 Seconds
Thirty seconds are all scholars have to develop an engaging commercial to showcase their talents and experience within a specific occupation. Pairs work collaboratively to keep each other on time to deliver information speedily and ask...
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Plan a Vacation
Challenge scholars to plan a vacation with a $5,000 budget. Learners review costs of transportation, meals, and entertainment while considering the number of people and destination. Worksheets provide information and well-organized...
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Miniature Gulf Coast Project
Scholars show what they know about data collection and analysis with an activity that examines a smaller population of Houghton, Texas. Independently or in pairs, learners identify their research question, gather, graph, and analyze...
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On the Job
Four lessons spotlight a variety of professions while boosting listening and observational skills and making inferences. Lesson one challenges pupils to group cards based on a commonality then justify the relationship they see. Lesson...
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A Colony for Lunar Living
Two lessons explore the possibility of living on the moon. First, scholars read various scenarios to identify which careers would best transfer to life in space. Finally, pupils examine a website to locate items made for outer space,...
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Simple Machine Scavenger Hunt
How are simple machines used in professional settings? To find out, scholars examine various pictures, cross-reference a list of simple machines, and write or verbally share how those items are used in specific jobs.
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Discover Your Interests
Career exploration is the focus of a lesson that encourages pupils to choose a profession based on their strengths and interests. Following a thoughtful discussion covering different character traits, class members complete an interest...
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Egg-streme Sports
Challenge small groups to build a structure that catches a raw egg without breaking—working collaboratively and applying mathematical and engineering principles. Pretending the frame was made by a business, scholars create a marketing...
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Reality Check
Scholars complete the Reality Chech handout that identifies their potential salary given a specific profession. Pupils examine the lifestyle options and choose what they wish to have; however, each item costs money and, depending on how...