Georgia Department of Education
Revised June 2012

ASPIRE

Organizing Topic: IEP Content

Title:How Will I Decide My Life’s Work?

Target Level: Grade 7 Time Frame: 30 -60 minutes

Objective:The student will choose a career path to investigate based on individual preferences.

Materials Needed:

  • Internet access for pertinent websites such as GAcollege411 at
  • Questionnaire that focuses on likes and dislikes related to career preferences.
  • Activity worksheets (attached).

Lesson Procedure

Instructions:

Activity 1:

Steps:

  1. Students will complete an exercise entitled “The Things I Like to Do.”
  2. List ten things you like to do.
  3. Beside each activity, code with the following letters.

P – withPeopleA – for Alone I – for Indoors O – for Outdoors

S – for SeatedM – for Movement D – for Daytime

N – for NighttimeH – for HandB – for Brain

Activity 2:

Steps:

  1. The students will complete a career-interest survey using GAcollege411 or paper/pencil format.
  • School counselors may have favorite survey instruments that they can share with teachers.
  1. Conduct a class discussion using the following questions:
  • How could the answers to the survey questions influence your career choice?
  • What are your best skills?
  • How could you use your skills to plan a career?

Activity 3:

Steps:

  1. Students should complete the activity sheet titled: “How Will I Decide My Life’s Work?”
  • Have students compare and contrast responses on activity sheet with the information from “Ten Things I Like to Do”.
  1. Using classified ads from the newspaper or from an online job search, have each student choose a three jobs of interest.
  • Clip or print these ads, then mount on activity sheet entitled “Would This Job Fit Me?”
  • Answer questions from activity sheet.
  1. Interview an adult working in a job that is similar to one of the jobs from the activity sheet

Activity Sheet(s):How Will I Decide My Life’s Work?,Would This Job Fit Me?, Ten Things I Like to Do?

How Will I Decide My Life’s Work?

When do you“losetrackoftime”? Think about what you are usually doing,andconcentrateonwhichskills you are using. These are the ones you are born to use.

1. What type of work have you done
already?
2. What about this work did you
enjoy?
3. What about this work frustrated
you?
4. Would you like to work alone or
with other people?
5. Would you like to work indoors or
outdoors?
6. Would you like to work seated at
a desk or be moving around?
7. Would you like to work day or
night?

Adaptedfrom:BarclayandCobb,J(Ed.).(2001).FullLifeAhead:A Workbook and Guide for Students & Families of Students with Disabilities. Montgomery,Alabama:SoutheastRegionalResourceCenter.

WouldThisJobFitMe?

Attachtwoclassifiedadsinboxbelow:

Answerthefollowingquestions:

1.Whydidyouchoosethese
jobs?
2. Do you think others who know
you would agree with your
choices? Why or why not?
3. Which job would you most like
to try?
4. What do you need to learn to
get a job doing the type of
work you’d like to try?
5. What will you do to begin
preparing for the work world?

Ten Things I Like to Do

Things I Like to Do Activities / Check Code Box
P / I / S / D / H / A / O / M / N / B
  • Beside each activity, code with the following letters.

P – with PeopleA – for Alone

I – for IndoorsO – for Outdoors

S – for SeatedM – for Movement

D – for DaytimeN – for Nighttime

H – for HandB – for Brain

Adapted from Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education Training and Technical Assistance Centers – I’m Determined Project. 2010 ASPIRE Student Led IEP initiative is funded by the Georgia State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), Georgia Department of Education through a grant from the Office of Special Education Programs, United States Department of Education and is a collaboration with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities.

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