Lesson Plan Originally Created By:
Sharon Varozza
Careers with Children Research
Part of Unit: Career Exploration: Types of Early Childhood Programs and Employability Skills
Lesson Plan Overview / Details
Students will explore the many varied careers associated with children, the education and training required and the personal skills employed within a given career choice.
After an introduction to the vast array of careers, students will have an opportunity to go to the computer lab for research of two child-related careers of their choice. Using a chart to document their research, students will evaluate the feasibility and personal motivation to pursue one of the careers researched.
Lesson Time
- Day One - short period
- 40 Minutes
- Day Two - block period
- 110 Minutes
Standards
California Career and Technical Education Standards
- ECDFS.A.A1.4 Know the functions and roles of the various careers in the child care and develo...
- ECDFS.FS.3.2 Understand the scope of career opportunities and know the requirements for educa...
California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)
2Consumer and Family Studies Standards Detail
40.2 Describe career pathways and strategies for obtaining employment and advancing in various pathways. ( ECDFS, FID, HTR – F3.0.2)
40.3 Research the benefits, educational requirements, work requirements, and costs of preparing for employment in a home economics careers and technology related field including teaching in California. ( ECDFS, FID, HTR – F3.0.3)
Objectives and Goals
- Describe careers in child related fields.
- Explain the education or training needed for child related careers.
- Research the benefits and costs of obtaining employment in a child related field.
- Evaluate personal interests pertaining to child related employment.
Activities in this Lesson
- Career Video - Hooks / Set
Start class with a video about child related careers from your video library or use one or more of the following video clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIywFNdflYs&feature=related Merritt Community College (California) Child Development Program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vayt0i1lxec&feature=related
Technical College for Child Development
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zFld9tFOBE Child Life Specialist Careers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtJxzDCQEso Future Educators Association
Cut apart the Child Related Careers handout so each student can be given one of the sample careers. Ask each student to talk with their group about their career and share anything they might already know about it.
Share with the class - Ask each student to share with the class anything they know or any questions they may have about their career.
Before students leave for the day, give each a copy of the full sheet of child-related careers to take home. Let them know that at the next class period they will be going to the computer lab to research two careers.
- Child Related Careers List [ Download ] null
- Second Day - Types of Careers - Lecture
Read as a class or individually about types of careers from Children: The Early Years by Celia Decker; pages 700-710 or Judy Herr's Working with Young Children; pages 18-22.
Check for understanding by asking questions of random students within each group.
Talk about the possibilities of child education after high school. Pass out the Child Development Matrix Permit and explain. Point out that if students complete the Careers With Children ROP program (including the large number of hours), they are eligible for the ROP Certificate which can (on the matrix) translate into teaching preschool right after high school as long as they are enrolled in ECE units in college.
- Permit Matrix Child Development [ Download ] null
- Computer Lab Research - Guided Practice
Ask each student to choose two child related careers that sound interesting to them. Students can choose from the list handed out the day before, or create their own career title if needed.
Allow at least one hour in the computer lab to research the chosen careers using the chart as a guide.
Circulate while students are working to help them find resources that fit their needs so this is truly a valuable research effort for their own personal interests. Talk to each student about their current career goals and/or if they already have a college they are interested in going to. Students are then able to search a particular college's website to see if that college offers what they are interested in.
Most students really enjoy this exercise in finding facts about their future pursuits.
- Careers with Children Research Chart [ Download ] null
- Sharing Research with Class - Closure
After returning from the computer lab, students are asked to share what they learned that will be useful to them about either one of the careers researched or one of the colleges researched.
Assessment
- Assessment Types:
- Projects,
Students will be assessed using their completion of the Careers with Children Research Chart. Their assessment will be based on completeness, effort, detail and thoughtful summary.
Timing of Lesson
I have taught this lesson at the end of the year as a culmination to Child Development studies. I have recently taught this lesson mid-year, at the end of the first semester. Since I typically teach quite a few seniors, they found this useful before the end of the year to make plans for their future. It also gives some motivation to be very serious about their studies for the remainder of the year if they have set a goal for themselves in a child-related field.
