Overview

Estimated Time: 1 Class Period (50 Minutes)
Unit: Career In Focus
Lesson: 1.1
Theme: Discovering Career Interests

Students begin exploring how their interests, experiences, and personal preferences connect to future career opportunities. Through self-reflection, a career interest inventory, and exploration of career clusters, students begin identifying career pathways that align with who they are today while recognizing that these interests may continue to grow and change.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson students will:

Complete a career interest inventory.
Explore their top three career clusters.
Identify careers that match their interests.
Reflect on how career interests can change over time.
Record their first portfolio artifact to be used to create their Portfolio in Unit 3.

Indiana Standards

PCC-1.2: Analyze personal aptitudes, traits, interests, attitudes, and skills
PCC-1.3: Determine personal priorities and goals for life and career
PCC-2.3: Evaluate selected careers and pathways for education requirements, working conditions, benefits, and opportunities for growth and change
PCC-2.4: Use appropriate technology and resources to research and organize information about careers
PCC-4.2: Analyze choices, options and consequences of life and career decisions

Before You Begin:

Student Materials

Device with internet access
Portfolio

Teacher Materials

Career Interest Reflection activity
Career Interest Inventory
"What You Want to Be / What You Wanted to Be" activity
Internet access
Indiana Career Explorer
O*NET

Lesson Flow

Opening Discussion

15 min

Career Interest Inventory

20 min

Career Reflection

15 min

Student Work Products

Students will complete:

What You Want to Be / What You Wanted to Be
Career Interest Inventory
Career Interest Reflection

These artifacts become part of each student's Portfolio in Unit 3.

External Resources

Indiana Career Explorer Assessment
O*NET Career Clusters
Career Cluster Videos

Teacher Tips

Students are often hesitant to choose a single career. Reinforce that this lesson is about exploration rather than making a permanent decision. Encourage curiosity, discussion, and thoughtful reflection rather than finding the "right" answer. Students should understand that career interests naturally evolve as they gain new experiences.

Portfolio Connection

At the conclusion of this lesson, students should have:

Their top three career clusters
Three careers of interest
A completed career reflection
A starting point for future career exploration

Lesson 1.1 - Career Interests Snapshot & Resources