Unit Summary
In first grade, students are making the transition from learning
about building character to career awareness. According to the
Georgia Department of Education, elementary school counselors
should focus on the following tasks:



Teaching students about different kinds of work
Helping students learn about goal setting and decision
making
Helping students learn what it means to be a good worker





Grade Level: 1st
Subject: Guidance
Topics: Careers
Higher-Order Thinking
Skills: Evaluating Data, Analyzing
Data, Applying, Understanding,
and Remembering Information
Key Learnings: Being a good
worker, different kinds of work,
setting goals and making decisions
Time Needed: 14 weeks, 1x/week
for 50 minutes
This unit will begin with students learning what a career is and

how careers are grouped together based on similar tasks or job
functions. In addition, the school counselor will introduce the
first 3 career clusters: (a) Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, (b) Transportation,
Distribution, and Logistics, and (c) Law, Public Safety, and
Security.
Assessment:
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/care
Curriculum-Framing Questions
ers/cclusters/student/introclusters.
 Essential Question
shtml
Who am I?
Standards:
“By answering this question, students learn about themselves
http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20and become aware of the world of work. During the earlier
14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf
http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculumgrades, students begin to think about the concept of
Instruction-andwork/vocation and the numerous work opportunities
Assessment/CTAE/Pages/Careeravailable in their future. Students take required careerDevelopment.aspx
related assessments during the middle grades to assist with
Resources:
identifying personal strengths and weaknesses as well as likes
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/careers/
and dislikes. At the elementary level, it is important that
cclusters/student/introclusters.shtml
students are exposed to all career options, especially those
considered to be nontraditional.”
(from the Georgia Dept. of Education website http://www.gadoe.org/CurriculumInstruction-and-Assessment/CTAE/Documents/Elementary-Career-Guidance-document.pdf)
 Unit Questions
What is a career?
What kind of knowledge and skills do adults need for each career cluster?
What factors influence the career that a person chooses?
 Content Questions
What careers are found in the “Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources” cluster?
What careers are found in the “Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics” cluster?
What careers are found in the “Law, Public Safety, and Security” cluster?
Assessment Processes
Learn how a variety of assessments and activities are used to: (a) develop a sense of self and
areas of interest, (b) develop and acquire positive attitudes, and (c) develop a sense of career
awareness and the relationship with academics and personal interests.
Instructional Procedures
Specific Activities
1. What is a career? (powerpoint)
a. The school counselor will show the students the “What is a career?” powerpoint
presentation. The presentation specifically defines the term career in “kid-friendly”
language and gives examples of careers. It also explains in a simple way that in order
to do a career people need education, training, and guidance to do a good job.
2. Career Cluster Series (website)
a. From Glencoe
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/careers/cclusters/student/introclusters.shtml
b. The school counselor will display the above website on the ActivBoard, so that each
student can get specific information about the 3 career clusters covered in this unit.
i. Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/careers/cclusters/student/clusters/agriculture.
shtml
ii. Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/careers/cclusters/student/clusters/transportat
ion.shtml
iii. Law, Public Safety, and Security
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/careers/cclusters/student/clusters/law.shtml
3. Paws in Jobland (interactive website)
a. The lesson will wrap up with students going up to the ActivBoard and clicking on
each of the 3 career clusters on the Paws in Jobland website.
b. Paws (the dog) describes each career and the specific jobs in that cluster.
c. Students then get to do a matching activity where they match the job description to
the specific job.
Standards
Career Cluster/Guidance 1st GRADE
NCDG
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
CM3.K4 (NCDG)
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
CM3.K4 (NCDG)
Law, Public Safety, and Security
CM3.K4 (NCDG)
The activities below, when coupled with the cluster activities, represent a comprehensive
elementary career development program. (from HB 713)
Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 ED1.K1
Cooperating Crayons PS1.K3; PS2.K2
Tools of the Trade ED1.K1; CM3.K1; PS4.K1
From GA Dept. of Education website http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-andAssessment/CTAE/Documents/Elementary-Career-Guidance-document.pdf
Prerequisite Skills

Students may need mini-lessons on using the ActivBoard and understanding PowerPoint.
Differentiated Instruction—students in special education or resource classes will be given
extra assistance with these concepts in their classroom. Many of the lessons taught in
Guidance (or Specials) are reinforced within the general teacher’s classroom.
Resource Student

Provide additional adult assistance
Allow extra work time
 Make task modifications as needed
Gifted Student


Pair these students with resource students and English Language Learner students to help
them understand the powerpoint and websites used in this Unit.
English Language Learner





Ask the ELL teacher to support instruction
Ask the ELL teacher to help students translate basic terms into an English/first language
glossary, explain difficult concepts, and help the student complete assignments and conduct
research
Pair the student with other common first language speakers who have greater English
proficiency for tasks that require reading and writing
Adapt assignments
Allow more time as necessary