Pathway Pursuit: Crafting My Future Career Journey

9th Grade

Project
4 weeks

Pathway Pursuit: Crafting My Future Career Journey

Cassandra Mortier

Purpose

The project invites high school freshmen to actively explore and envision their future selves by investigating potential college and career paths. Through engaging with community partners, students will gather insights and experiences that align with their interests and skills. By creating and presenting a dodecahedron, vision board, and Google slide presentation, students will articulate their personalized career aspirations. This hands-on project aims to foster self-discovery and strategic planning for life beyond high school.

Learning goals

The learning goals for this project are to develop skills in career exploration and self-assessment, including identifying personal interests and strengths. Students will learn to conduct interviews and engage with community professionals to gain insights into various career paths. They will also enhance their ability to create and deliver professional presentations using digital tools, and reflect on how potential career choices align with their desired lifestyle.

Standards

Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Products

Students will create a dodecahedron summary project that visually represents their career exploration journey. They will design a vision board that illustrates their future self, incorporating images and text that align with their career aspirations. Additionally, students will develop a professional Google Slide presentation, complete with hyperlinked resources, to showcase their findings and career path plans. These projects will be displayed in the classroom and at the spring exhibition, with QR codes linking to their presentations for interactive viewing.

Launch

Begin the project by facilitating a dynamic "Career Exploration Fair" where students rotate through stations to interact with CTE guest speakers, college and career counselors, and community members from various fields. Encourage students to conduct brief interviews with these professionals, focusing on understanding their career paths, required skills, and daily responsibilities. This engaging activity will spark curiosity and set the stage for students to reflect on their own interests and potential career paths.

Exhibition

Students will showcase their dodecahedron projects and vision boards during a classroom exhibition, inviting peers, teachers, and community partners to engage with their work. Each display will include QR codes linking to students' Google Slide presentations, allowing attendees to explore their career path research in depth. The event will feature interactive sessions where students present their findings and reflections, facilitating dialogue with visitors. The exhibition will also be part of a larger spring site-wide event, providing a platform for students to share their future aspirations with a broader audience.

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Career Exploration Fair: Students participate in a Career Exploration Fair where they interact with CTE guest speakers, college and career counselors, and community members. They conduct brief interviews and gather information about different career paths, skills required, and daily responsibilities.	Interest and Skills Inventory: Students complete an interest and skills inventory to identify their personal strengths, preferences, and potential career paths that align with them.	Reflection Journal Entry: Students reflect on their experiences from the Career Exploration Fair and the results of their interest and skills inventory. They write a journal entry discussing new insights and potential career interests.	Introduction to Google Slides: A workshop on creating professional Google Slide presentations, focusing on design principles, content organization, and hyperlinking resources.
Deliverables	1. Reflection Journal Entry: A written reflection that captures their thoughts and learnings from the Career Exploration Fair and skills inventory. 2. Interest and Skills Inventory: A completed inventory form that highlights students' identified interests and skills.
Preparation	1. Organize Career Exploration Fair: Coordinate logistics and invite CTE guest speakers, college and career counselors, and community members for the fair. 2. Prepare Interest and Skills Inventory: Develop or source a suitable interest and skills inventory tool for students to complete. 3. Set Up Reflection Journals: Provide students with physical or digital journals for their reflection entries. 4. Plan Google Slides Workshop: Prepare a lesson plan and resources for teaching students how to create professional presentations using Google Slides.

Week 2	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Career Research: Students choose three career paths of interest identified from the previous week's exploration and conduct research on each. They gather information on required education, skills, job outlook, and lifestyle considerations.	Guest Speaker Sessions: Invite one or more community partners to speak about their careers. Students prepare questions and engage in a Q&A session.	Vision Board Workshop: Students begin creating a vision board that visually represents their future selves and career aspirations. They incorporate images, keywords, and quotes that align with their chosen career paths.	Reflection Journal Entry: Students reflect on their research and guest speaker insights, discussing how their understanding of their chosen careers has evolved.
Deliverables	1. Career Research Summary: A written summary detailing key findings for each of the three career paths researched. 2. Initial Vision Board Draft: A preliminary version of the vision board with initial images and text.
Preparation	1. Organize Guest Speaker Sessions: Coordinate with community partners to schedule virtual or in-person visits and prepare students to engage with the speakers. 2. Provide Research Resources: Curate a list of reliable sources and databases for students to use in their career research. 3. Prepare Vision Board Materials: Gather digital tools or physical materials such as magazines, glue, and poster board for the vision board workshop. 4. Set Up Reflection Journals: Ensure students have access to their journals for the week's reflection entry.

Week 3	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Dodecahedron Design: Students begin designing their dodecahedron summary project, focusing on one face for each career path researched. They incorporate key findings, personal reflections, and visual elements that represent each path.	Peer Review Session: Students participate in a peer review session, providing and receiving feedback on their dodecahedron designs and initial vision boards. They engage in discussions to refine their work based on constructive criticism.	Google Slides Development: Students continue developing their Google Slide presentations, incorporating hyperlinked resources and organizing their content to effectively convey their career exploration journey.	Reflection Journal Entry: Students reflect on the feedback received during the peer review and how it influenced their project revisions. They also consider how their understanding of their career paths has deepened.
Deliverables	1. Dodecahedron Design Draft: A draft version of the dodecahedron design with initial content and visual elements for each career path. 2. Updated Vision Board: A refined version of the vision board, incorporating feedback and additional elements. 3. Google Slides Draft: A draft version of the Google Slide presentation, including initial slides and hyperlinked resources.
Preparation	1. Prepare Dodecahedron Templates: Provide templates or guidelines for students to use in their dodecahedron designs. 2. Organize Peer Review Session: Set up a structured peer review session, including guidelines and rubrics for feedback. 3. Facilitate Google Slides Development: Offer support and resources for students as they develop their slide presentations, including troubleshooting technical issues. 4. Ensure Reflection Journals Accessibility: Confirm that students have ongoing access to their journals for reflection entries.

Week 4	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Final Dodecahedron Assembly: Students finalize and assemble their dodecahedron projects, ensuring each face accurately represents their researched career paths with visual elements and insights.	Vision Board Completion: Students complete their vision boards, adding any last-minute touches and ensuring all elements cohesively illustrate their future selves and career aspirations.	Google Slides Finalization: Students finalize their Google Slide presentations, ensuring all content is well-organized, hyperlinks function correctly, and the presentation is polished for exhibition.	Presentation Rehearsal: Students practice presenting their projects, focusing on clear communication, engagement with the audience, and smooth transitions between different aspects of their work.	Reflection Journal Final Entry: Students write a final journal entry reflecting on their growth throughout the project, what they learned about themselves and their career interests, and the skills they have developed.
Deliverables	1. Completed Dodecahedron: A fully assembled and refined dodecahedron project ready for display. 2. Final Vision Board: A completed vision board that visually represents students' career aspirations and future selves. 3. Finished Google Slides Presentation: A professional and interactive Google Slide presentation, ready for visitors to explore via QR codes. 4. Reflection Journal Final Entry: A comprehensive reflection on the entire project journey, personal insights, and future steps.
Preparation	1. Provide Final Assembly Materials: Ensure students have all necessary materials and tools to complete their dodecahedron assembly. 2. Set Up Presentation Space: Arrange the classroom or exhibition area for an optimal display of student projects, including QR code printing and placement. 3. Organize Presentation Rehearsal: Schedule time for students to practice their presentations and provide guidance on effective communication techniques. 4. Ensure Technology Access: Confirm that all necessary technology, such as projectors or laptops, is available and functioning for the exhibition. 5. Prepare Feedback Forms: Develop forms for visitors to provide feedback during the exhibition, allowing students to receive constructive input from peers and community members.