Scholarships for Post-Secondary Options
Practicum in Information Technology
Lesson Plan
Performance Objective
Upon completion of this lesson, each student will create an organized structure and the files needed to
apply to multiple scholarships.
Specific Objectives
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Students will locate five scholarships that they meet the requirements for.
Students will create an organized file system for the documents required by the scholarship.
Students will write three essays appropriate to submit with scholarship applications.
Students will request and collect at least three references to be submitted with scholarship
applications.
Students will write thank you letters to anyone who writes references.
Students will create a calendar to track the due dates of the scholarships.
This lesson should take eight to 10 class days to complete.
Preparation
TEKS Correlations
This lesson, as published, correlates to the following TEKS. Any changes/alterations to the activities may
result in the elimination of any or all of the TEKS listed.
Practicum in Information Technology
130.280 (c)
(2) The student identifies various employment opportunities in the information technology field.
The student is expected to:
(A) improve on a personal career plan along with education, job skills, and experience
necessary to achieve career goals.
(B) develop a resume’ and portfolio appropriate to chosen career plan, including letters
of recommendation; and
(C) illustrate interview skills for successful job placement.
(3) The student applies academic knowledge and skills to research and develop projects. The
student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate proper use of written, verbal, and visual communication
techniques consistent with information technology industry standards;
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English Language Arts and Reading, English IV (One Credit), Beginning with School Year 2009- 2010
110.34.
(15) Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts. Students write expository and procedural or work- related
texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes. Students are
expected to:
(B) write procedural and work-related documents (e.g., résumés, proposals, college applications,
operation manuals) that include:
(i) a clearly stated purpose combined with a well-supported viewpoint on the topic;
(ii) appropriate formatting structures (e.g., headings, graphics, white space);
(iii) relevant questions that engage readers and address their potential problems and
misunderstandings;
(iv) accurate technical information in accessible language; and
(v) appropriate organizational structures supported by facts and details (documented if
appropriate).
(16) Writing/Persuasive Texts. Students write persuasive texts to influence the attitudes or actions of a
specific audience on specific issues. Students are expected to write an argumentative essay (e.g.,
evaluative essays, proposals) to the appropriate audience that includes:
(A) a clear thesis or position based on logical reasons with various forms of support (e.g., hard
evidence, reason, common sense, cultural assumptions);
(B) accurate and honest representation of divergent views (i.e., in the author's own words and
not out of context);
(C) an organizing structure appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context;
(D) information on the complete range of relevant perspectives;
(E) demonstrated consideration of the validity and reliability of all primary and secondary
sources used;
(F) language attentively crafted to move a disinterested or opposed audience, using specific
rhetorical devices to back up assertions (e.g., appeals to logic, emotions, ethical beliefs); and
(G) an awareness and anticipation of audience response that is reflected in different levels of
formality, style, and tone.
(18) Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Students write legibly
and use appropriate capitalization and punctuation conventions in their compositions. Students are
expected to correctly and consistently use conventions of punctuation and capitalization.
(19) Oral and Written Conventions/Spelling. Students spell correctly. Students are expected to spell
correctly, including using various resources to determine and check correct spellings.
Tasks
Day 1: Scholarship & Funding Opportunities
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Teacher presentation on scholarships and demonstration of finding scholarships.
Students will identify two sources of scholarships.
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Day 2: Getting Organized
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Teacher presentation on scholarship process and organizations.
Students will identify two additional sources of scholarships.
Students will create a digital system to organize and track scholarship applications.
Students will identify the common elements of scholarship applications, including but not limited
to, transcripts, resumes, essays, photographs, and letters of recommendation.
Day 3: Keeping Track of Time
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Teacher presentation on time keeping and calendaring.
Students will identify one additional source of scholarships.
Students will create a plan for five scholarships with a calendar timeline to complete and submit
the materials.
Day 4: Resumes
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Teacher presentation on writing resumes.
Students will write resumes.
In partners, students will edit and review resumes.
Day 5: References
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Teacher presentation on getting personalized references.
Student will write an email that can be used to solicit references.
Students will contact at least three individuals for reference letters for each scholarship.
Day 6- 8: Writing essays
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Teacher presentation on writing scholarship essays.
Students will write and edit one essay per day.
In pairs, students will review and revise edits.
Essays can be written in class or assigned as homework.
Day 9: Collecting Transcripts
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Students will collect necessary transcripts from high school or college programs.
Students will work on documentation in folder system.
Students will be editors for each other’s work for proof and review.
Students will contact/follow-up with individuals for reference letters.
Students will scan and organize reference letters.
Students will write thank you letters to references.
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Day 10: Finalize Project
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Students will finalize project.
Students will complete a self-evaluation of the project using the rubric.
Students will submit final USB flash drive or link to collaborative drive.
Accommodations for Learning Differences
It is important that lessons accommodate the needs of every learner. These lessons may be modified to
accommodate your students with learning differences by referring to the files found on the Special
Populations page of this website (cte.unt.edu).
Preparation
• Find scholarships that would be appropriate for your cluster area.
• Find scholarship listings for your local community.
• Pull example resumes.
• Each year, ask students for samples to share with other students.
Instructional Aids
• Scholarship websites
• Grading rubric
• Internet
Materials Needed
• USB flash drives or collaborative drives
Equipment Needed
• Computers (for students to complete project)
• Projector (for digital presentation)
• Scanner to scan recommendation letters
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Outline
MI
Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Explain different types of funding
a. Apply for Financial Aid
b. Scholarships
c. National Grants
d. Pell Grants
e. Service Commitment:
AmeriCorps, PeaceCorps,
ROTC, Military
f. Local schools / living at home
What Kinds of Scholarships
a. University / College
b. National
c. State
d. Organizational
e. Local
Scholarship Searches & Strategies
a. Search sites & aggregators
b. Professional organizations
c. Local organizations
d. School counselors
e. Lists
f. Emails
Scholarship Process
a. Key components
b. Personal information
c. Resume
d. Academic information
e. Community information
f. Essay
g. References
h. Transcripts
i. Due dates
Organization
a. File types
b. USB flash drives or
collaboration drives
Instructor Notes
Talk through the different types
of funding for post-secondary
education. Open the discussion
to see what the students have
thought about using.
Give examples of the different
types of scholarships someone
may find at each level. Add
appropriate examples from your
own industry.
Help students find scholarships
that would be beneficial to
them.
By looking at the scholarships
that they found, have a
discussion about the common
elements that students have
found.
Based on your school’s security,
find out what collaborative
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VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
Keeping Track of Time
a. Start early
b. December due dates
c. Documentation of enrollment
/ grades
Resume
a. Content types
b. Writing tips
c. Example
d. Content Ideas
Reference letters
a. Reference process
b. Get more letters than you
need
c. Write thank you notes
Scholarship Essays
a. Good writing
b. Flow / structure
c. Memorable
d. Tell your story
e. Share your heart
f. Stand out from other students
g. Essay ideas
Transcripts
a. Ordering and organizing
Finalize Project
a. Self-review
b. Finalize project pieces
c. Submit
drives are available.
Show different types of calendar
templates. Allow students to
use what they will actually
follow – even their smart
phones.
Provide examples of student
resumes.
Help students brainstorm whom
they could ask to be a reference.
Essays may take more or less
time in the classroom
depending on your own
schedule and how much writing
they can do at home.
Check with your own school
about the transcript request
process.
Give a copy of a rubric to each
student for a self-evaluation.
Multiple Intelligences Guide
Existentialist
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Kinesthetic/
Bodily
Logical/
Mathematical
Musical/Rhyth
mic
Naturalist
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Verbal/Linguistic
Visual/Spatial
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Application
The application for this lesson is outlined in the Scholarship Planning Project and Rubric at the end of
this lesson.
Extension
Create a bulletin board to share the successes of each scholarship received. One idea is to have fake
checks that can be put up on the board. You can also track how much total funding each class receives.
Summary
Review
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What do you think scholarship committees are looking for when they review resumes, essays,
and letters of recommendations?
Where are the best places to find scholarships?
Evaluation
Informal Assessment
• Instructor will observe students during Independent Practice.
• Instructor will assist students as needed.
Formal Assessment
• Use the Scholarship Planning Rubric to evaluate.
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Scholarship Resources Handout
You can search for scholarship listings and find many sites that include listings of scholarships. Here are
a few to get you started.
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Every Chance Every Texan
o http://www.everychanceeverytexan.org/funding/aid/faidalpha.php
My College Options (Texas)
o https://www.mycollegeoptions.org/TX/0/Texas/search-results-scholarship-search-bylocation.aspx
College Scholarships (Texas)
o http://www.collegescholarships.org/states/texas.htm
College Scholarships (Subjects)
o http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/subject-specific.htm
Big Future by the College Board
o https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search
Student Scholarships
o http://www.studentscholarships.org/
Some school districts have great scholarship listings too:
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Austin ISD
o https://www.austinisd.org/scholarships
Arlington ISD
o http://www.aisd.net/AISD/Default.aspx?alias=www.aisd.net/aisd/scholarships
Mesquite ISD
o http://www.mesquiteisd.org/college-scholarships/
Fort Worth ISD
o http://www.fwisd.org/files/_FFAsx_/a22733bd372513063745a49013852ec4/scholarship
_senior.pdf
Houston ISD
o http://www.houstonisd.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=110473
Waxahachie ISD
o http://schools.wisd.org/default.aspx?name=whs.scholarships
Scholarship Aggregators
There are many sites that help you find scholarships. You can use them to help find the scholarships,
but we recommend that you use it only as a directory and submit directly to the organization instead of
through the aggregator site. There are many scams where you have to pay to get scholarships. You
should never have to pay anything to receive a scholarship.
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Scholarship Project
For this project, you will be setting up your own plan to apply for scholarships that you meet the
requirements for. You will collect files and documents to do this.
There are two options for completing this task.
A) Collaborative Drives – This option is valuable if you want to be able to work with your teachers
and parents. You can share documents and get help with reviewing documents very easily.
B) A USB flash drive – If your school limits the access to a collaborative drive or file sharing, then a
USB flash drive is a good way to bring the documents back and forth to school and home.
Requirements
1. Identify at least five scholarships for which you meet the requirements.
2. For each scholarship, create a folder in either a USB flash drive or virtual drive. Name that folder
to correspond to the name of the scholarship.
a. In each folder, create a document named REQUIREMENTS that lists with each of those
requirements.
3. Create a folder called ESSAYS.
a. In this folder, you will put any essay that you have written as a scholarship essay or for a
class that could be used as content in a scholarship essay.
b. Review the current essays in “Apply Texas” if you are planning on attending school in
Texas.
c. Include at least three different essays in your folder.
4. Create a folder called RECOMMENDATIONS.
a. In this folder, you will file any letters of recommendations that you have been able to
collect. These are best if they have been signed, scanned, and can be reprinted or sent
digitally if needed.
b. Include at least three letters of recommendation.
i. A teacher
ii. An administrator
iii. A member of the community
5. Create a folder called RESUMES.
a. In this folder, you will file a copy of your resume. Some scholarships will require different
lengths. Therefore, if you create a new version, keep any copies in this folder and save
with the name of the file relevant to the type of resume that it is (For example, “OnePaged Resume” or “Two-Paged Resume).
b. Include at least one resume in this folder.
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6. Create a CALENDAR to document the due date of each scholarship.
a. If you are using a collaborative drive with a calendar app, you can make this in a shared
Calendar that you can share with your family.
b. If you are using digital file share site or a USB flash drive, you can make a calendar in a
table in a document, spreadsheet, or a calendar template for a slide.
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Scholarship Planning Rubric
0
Poor/Not Evident
Scholarships were
identified, however,
they were not an
appropriate match for
the qualifications of
the student.
The drive is not
organized.
1
Needs Improvement
Four scholarships were
identified that match the
qualifications of the
student.
2
Exemplary
Five scholarships were identified
that match the qualifications of the
student.
The drive includes a folder
for each scholarship.
Requirements
The requirement
listing is not included.
Essay 1
The first essay is
missing or is too short
to be considered for a
scholarship.
Essay 2
The second essay is
missing or is too short
to be considered for a
scholarship.
Essay 3
The third essay is
missing or is too short
to be considered for a
scholarship.
Recommendations
Zero to one
recommendation
letters are included.
A resume is not
included in a folder.
Some requirements for
scholarships are missing in
the folder structure.
The first essay does not
align well to the prompt or
may not be appropriate yet
without revision for
scholarship consideration.
The second essay does not
align well to the prompt or
may not be appropriate yet
without revision for
scholarship consideration.
The third essay does not
align well to the prompt or
may not be appropriate yet
without revision for
scholarship consideration.
Two recommendation
letters are included.
The drive includes a well-organized
structure with a folder for each
scholarship.
Requirements for each scholarship
are listed in each folder.
Scholarship
Identification
Folders Created
Resumes
Calendar
A calendar is not
included.
Writing
The writing needs
significant revisions
with many errors in
grammar or
mechanics.
A resume is included in a
folder that needs revisions
to be able to appropriately
highlight the student’s
academic career for
scholarship consideration.
A calendar is created to
document due dates for
each of the scholarships
identified, but the
formatting is not clean and
professional.
The writing needs revisions
with some errors in
grammar or mechanics.
The first essay aligns well with the
prompt and would be an
appropriate essay to submit for
scholarship consideration.
The second essay aligns well to the
prompt and would be an
appropriate essay to submit for
scholarship consideration.
The third essay aligns well to the
prompt and would be an
appropriate essay to submit for
scholarship consideration.
Three recommendation letters are
included.
A resume is included in a folder that
appropriately highlights the
student’s academic career for
scholarship consideration.
A professional, well-formatted
calendar is created to document
due dates for each of the
scholarships identified.
The writing is exemplary with no
errors in grammar or mechanics.
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Peer Review for Essay
Writer: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Peer Reviewer: ____________________________________________________________________________
Essay Prompt: _____________________________________________________________________________
Scholarship Organization: ____________________________________________________________________
Yes/No
Notes
Does the essay meet the prompt?
Does the essay meet the goals of
the scholarship organization?
Does the essay convey a personal
tone and voice?
Does the essay maintain good
organization, structure, and flow?
Does the essay maintain correct
writing grammar and mechanics?
Is the essay unique and
memorable?
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