Career & College Readiness Lesson Plans
Learning the Skills to Pay the Bills
Career Planning
Grade Level 9
Overview
Students will learn about the benefits of participating in Career Technical Education
(CTE) and research to find CTE courses and/or career pathways that are available to
them.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Describe the purpose and benefits of CTE.

Complete an online search and identify CTE opportunities.

Generate a list of three potential careers and the appropriate pathways.

Compile a list of courses in the chosen career pathway.
Language Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Verbally share with classmates their understanding of CTE.

Describe career pathways that are available to them.
Standards Alignment




California Common Core State Standards: College & Career Readiness
Anchor Standards:
o RI. 4, 7; W. 6, 7, 9
California Career Technical Education Anchor Standards:
o 1, 2, 3
California Standards for Career Ready Practice:
o 1, 3
National Career Development Guidelines:
o PS2, PS3, CM1, CM2, CM3
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
Career Planning
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Learning the Skills to Pay the Bills
International Society for Technology in Education Standards:
o 2, 3
English Language Development Standards:
o Part I: 5, 6
o Part II: 1, 6, 7
Materials
1. Computer with Internet access for students
2. Computer with Internet access and projection capability for instructor
3. Projector and screen
4. Handouts

California Program of Study (link is in Online Resources)

California Career Technical Education Industry Sectors and Pathways
(pp. 6–7)
5. Online Resources

Career Technical Education
https://www.calcareercenter.org/Home/Content?contentID=113

CTE: General Public Fact Sheet
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/gi/

California Program of Study [PDF] (format 1)
https://www.calcareercenter.org/Uploads/Categories/165/Files/304/caprog
ramofstudy.pdf

California Career Center Course Planning Worksheet [PDF] (format 2)
https://www.calcareercenter.org/Uploads/Links/courseplanningworksheetfi
nal.pdf

University of California A–G Course List (search by school)
https://hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist#/list/search/all

California CareerZone
http://www.cacareerzone.org/
Academic Vocabulary

A–G Course Requirements: refers to the seven general subject area
requirements students must complete if they want to be admitted as freshmen to
the University of California or the California State University systems.
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
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Career Planning
Learning the Skills to Pay the Bills

Career Pathways: are high school sequenced curricular pathways that include
career-related and academic content standards to prepare students for success
in postsecondary education, careers, and lifelong learning.

Career Technical Education (CTE): is a dynamic and seamless learning
experience that provides students with mastery of the career and academic
knowledge and skills necessary to become effective, self-sustaining workers.
CTE classes and programs teach the high-demand skills needed to get a job in
today’s economy; they are designed to prepare students for occupations needed
in their communities and the state and to help students achieve their career
goals.
Activity
Students will research and identify what CTE courses and/or pathways may be offered
at their schools or locally and determine a possible pathway for success using survey
results.
Lesson Procedures
Lesson preparation:

Review the “Career Technical Education” Web page on the California Career
Center (Career Center) Web portal (link in Materials section).

Review the “CTE: General Public Fact Sheet” Web page on the California
Department of Education’s Web site (link in Materials section).

You may want to print out Program of Study worksheets to hand out to your class
(link in Materials section).

Create a model Program of Study. You may use any Program of Study
worksheet format that best suits your needs. Two formats are listed in the
materials section.
1. Introduce the topic by asking students what they know about CTE classes or career
pathways. Then have students go online to the Career Center’s “Career Technical
Education” Web page (link in Materials section) and read the information either
individually or as a group. Pass out the handout, “California Career Technical
Education Industry Sectors and Pathways”.
2. Point out that more than 11,000 CTE courses satisfy A–G requirements. Have
students go to the University of California A–G Course List Web page (link in
Materials section) and review the A–G approved courses at their high schools.
3. Ask students if they know what occupation they would like to pursue (they may have
identified this in a previous career exploration activity). For students without an
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
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Career Planning
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identified occupation, have them go to the California CareerZone and complete the
Quick Assessment activity which will then identify an occupation(s) of interest. To
get to the Quick Assessment, follow these directions:
a. Go to the California CareerZone (link in Materials section).
b. Choose “Assess Yourself”.
c. Choose “Quick Assessment”.
d. Follow the directions to complete the “Quick Assessment” then choose one or
two occupations from the results list to use for this lesson.
4. Based on students’ occupational interests and what they now know about their local
CTE and career pathway options, have students create an individualized Program of
Study. Explain that their Program of Study is their graduation and career-planning
tool; it keeps them on track for graduation and career readiness. Model a completed
Program of Study or course planning worksheet.
5. Provide students with hard copies of the California Program of Study or the Course
Planning Worksheet (links above).
6. For students with “My Stuff” accounts on the Career Center, instruct them to login
and update their coursework and career planning worksheets.
Estimated Time
One class session
Evaluation

Students develop a Program of Study/Coursework Planning Worksheet that
includes CTE courses that are relevant to them and available at their school site
or locally. NOTE: You may encounter students that do not have access to CTE
courses.

Students submit completed plan to instructor and to counselor.
Additional Resources

Explore Pathways
http://www.cacareercafe.com/explore/

Learning that works for California, Fact Sheet for Parents, students, and the
general public [PDF]
https://www.calcareercenter.org/Uploads/Links/cteLCAPparentsstudentspost.pdf
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
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Career Planning
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Learning the Skills to Pay the Bills
Learning that works for California, Fact Sheet for School Leaders [PDF]
https://www.calcareercenter.org/Uploads/Links/cteSupportingLCAPpost.pdf
Adaptations

Have students create PowerPoint or video presentations explaining how their
programs of study support their occupational goals.

Have students write reports explaining CTE and its impact on high school
graduation and/or college admission rates and/or employment opportunities.

Have students research California career pathways. Then have each student
design their own “dream pathway” based on the occupation they wish to pursue.
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
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Career & Education Planning
Learning the Skills to Pay the Bills
California Career Technical Education
Industry Sectors and Pathways
There are 15 industry sectors and each contains from three to seven pathways.
INDUSTRY SECTOR
PATHWAYS
Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Agricultural Business
• Agricultural Mechanics
• Agriscience
• Animal Science
• Forestry and Natural Resources
• Ornamental Horticulture
• Plant and Soil Science
Arts, Media, and Entertainment
• Design, Visual, and Media Arts
• Performing Arts
• Production and Managerial Arts
• Game Design and Integration
Building and Construction Trades
• Cabinetry, Millwork, and Woodworking
• Engineering and Heavy Construction
• Mechanical Systems Installation and
Repair
• Residential and Commercial
Construction
Business and Finance
• Business Management
• Financial Services
• International Business
Education, Child Development, and Family
Services
• Child Development
• Consumer Services
• Education
• Family and Human Services
Energy, Environment, and Utilities
• Energy and Power Technology
• Environmental Resources
• Telecommunications
Engineering and Architecture
• Architectural Design
• Engineering Technology
• Engineering Design
• Environmental Engineering
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
Career Planning
Learning the Skills to Pay the Bills
California Career Technical Education
Industry Sectors and Pathways, page 2
INDUSTRY SECTOR
PATHWAYS
Fashion and Interior Design
• Fashion Design and Merchandising
• Interior Design
• Personal Services
Health Science and Medical Technology
• Biotechnology
• Patient Care
• Health Care Administrative Services
• Health Care Operational Support Services
• Public and Community Health
• Mental and Behavioral Health
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation
• Food Science, Dietetics, and Nutrition
• Food Service and Hospitality
• Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation
Information and Communication
Technologies
• Information Support and Services
• Networking
• Software and Systems Development
• Games and Simulation
Manufacturing and Product Development
• Graphic Production Technologies
• Machining and Forming Technologies
• Welding and Materials Joining
• Product Innovation and Design
Marketing, Sales, and Services
• Marketing
• Professional Sales
• Entrepreneurship/Self-Employment
Public Services
• Public Safety
• Emergency Response
• Legal Practices
Transportation
• Operations
• Structural Repair and Refinishing
• Systems Diagnostics, Service, and Repair
California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards, 2013.
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education