Career Development-Fourth Grade

These career development are recommended for 4th grade.  I love combining the Arts into my lessons, so whenever I have the chance I try to include acting, music and movement.  In 4th grade, I start by telling the students that over the next few weeks, we will be Exploring the World of Work.  I then ask them to share with me some of their interest and to share what would they like to be when they grow up.  I review what a career cluster is and that their are 16, but for the purposes of elementary, we generally focus on 6.  After this brief introduction, I let them know that in this lesson, we are going to learn a little more about the Human Services cluster by performing The Human Services Reunion, A Skit About Jobs In Teaching, Counseling, Law And Other Occupations Needing Employees With People Skills.  I cannot link to the play, however, you can purchase a copy of Skits, Raps, & Poems For the School Counselor by David S. Young, for your copy and many others.

When I go into the classrooms, I try to use different people to come up and read and help out because everyone wants to do it, but when doing skits, I've found that isn't the best method.  Generally, I will get with the teacher before hand and ask for a list of the students that can play certain parts well.  I look for those students that can read fluently and have personality and can project their voice.  This helps everyone stay focused and connected with the skit.

At the end we process the skit and discuss more about human services.  I then give them a copy of the Career Pathways inventory (the same one used in the 3rd grade lesson) and have them take it again.  Once they have completed it, I give them their folder from their 3rd grade year and have them compare/contract the new worksheet with the old one.  We then discuss if they notice any differences and why.  If I have a new student who didn't attend my school the previous year, I simply have them look on with someone else. 

For the 2nd lesson, we move into the computer lab.  Much with 3rd grade, my 4th graders explore a site called Coin Climb.  This site was given to me by our State Department.  I am in South Carolina and our state department provides us with career resources...SCOIS in particular.  For anyone reading this who is from a different state, I would suggest you check with your State Department to see what resources are available to you. 

In the event that your state doesn't have career resources available for elementary, there are tons of sites that you can access from the internet.  I also created several Kahoot.It Games that can be played.  I took Career Bingo and made it into a Kahoot It because its more exciting for my students. I place them in groups of 4 or 5 and we play the game!! They love it!! Click on the link below! If you don't already have an account, you will have to sign up for one!! Its very simple and best of all, its FREE!!  No hassle, no daily e-mails, completely FREE!! Check it out!

I have more than one Kahoot available for careers and other topics, so if you are interested, search my name and they should populate!!!

I hope this helps!!!