Lesson Plan: Grade 10 Life Orientation – Careers and career choices

Lesson Plan Title: Grade 10 Life Orientation: Careers and Career Choices


Materials Needed:
– Whiteboard and markers
– Projector and laptop
– Internet access for research
– Printed handouts of various career profiles
– Post-it notes and pens
– Career guidebooks
– Reflective journals for each student


Learning Objectives:
1. Identify different career fields and associated pathways.
2. Understand the factors influencing career choices.
3. Evaluate personal interests, abilities, and values related to career choices.
4. Research and present information on a chosen career.
5. Develop a basic career plan.


Vocabulary:
1. Career: An occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life with opportunities for progress.
2. Aptitude: A natural ability to do something.
3. Skills: The ability to do something well; expertise.
4. Values: One’s judgment of what is important in life.
5. Job Market: The availability of employment and labor, in terms of supply and demand.


Previous Learning:
Learners have explored personal self-awareness, self-motivation, and goal-setting in previous lessons. These foundational skills are critical for making informed career choices.


Anticipated Challenges and Solutions:
Lack of Access to Information:
Solution: Provide printed handouts and access school resources for internet research.

  • Limited Awareness of Personal Strengths:
    • Solution: Include self-assessment activities to help students identify their strengths.

Beginning Activities (10% of time)

Introduction (6 minutes):
– Greet the class warmly and outline the lesson objectives clearly.
– Prompt learners to share what they already know about various careers and highlight key differences between them.

Activate Prior Knowledge (4 minutes):
– Conduct a brief discussion to connect previous lessons on self-awareness and goal-setting with the importance of understanding oneself before making career choices.

Middle Activities (80% of time)

Activity 1: Career Field Exploration (10 minutes):
– Introduce an overview of various career fields (e.g., science, arts, business, vocational).
– Divide the class into small groups, assigning each group a specific career field.
– Distribute career profiles related to each field for group analysis.

Activity 2: Factors Influencing Career Choices (10 minutes):
– As a class, brainstorm factors influencing career choices (e.g., personal interests, family expectations, job market conditions).
– Write these factors on the whiteboard and facilitate a discussion on how each factor impacts career decisions.

Activity 3: Self-Assessment (20 minutes):
– Provide self-assessment worksheets designed to help students evaluate their interests, skills, and values.
– Allow students to complete the assessments individually before discussing their findings in small groups.

Activity 4: Career Research Project (20 minutes):
– Instruct each student to select a career they want to research, using guiding questions (e.g., educational requirements, daily tasks, salary expectations, growth opportunities).
– Facilitate research using laptops or printed profiles, encouraging time spent in the computer lab or library.

Activity 5: Presentation Preparation (10 minutes):
– Guide students as they create a brief presentation on their chosen career, incorporating key findings from their research.

Guided Practice:
– Circulate around the room, providing assistance with research and presentation preparation.
– Offer feedback and additional resources as needed to support student learning.


End Activities (10% of time)

Consolidation Activity (6 minutes):
– Organize a session where students present their career research to the class.
– Encourage questions and discussion following each presentation to promote engagement.

Exit Ticket (4 minutes):
– Each student writes down one career they are interested in and one new insight they gained about that particular career.


Assessment and Checks for Understanding:

  • Observe group discussions and completion of self-assessments.
  • Review career research worksheets and presentation outlines for comprehension.
  • Monitor exit tickets to gauge understanding of career concepts.

Differentiation Strategies:

  • For struggling learners: Provide templates and concrete examples for the research project, offering additional guidance during group work.
  • For advanced learners: Encourage exploration of multiple careers, including interviews with professionals within those fields for deeper insights.

Teaching Notes:

  • Highlight the critical link between personal values and career satisfaction to stimulate reflection.
  • Offer additional resources, such as websites and career videos, for further exploration of various careers.
  • Be attentive to diverse career aspirations, prioritizing encouraging messages for all students, regardless of their confidence levels.

Inclusive Education Strategies:

  • Ensure cultural sensitivity by including examples of careers representing various community roles and aspirations.
  • Maintain accessibility of materials for all students, including those with disabilities.
  • Promote an environment of peer support and collaboration to foster inclusivity.

Cross-Curricular Integration:

  • Incorporate skills from English (research techniques and presentation skills) and Economic Management Sciences (understanding supply and demand in the job market).

Formative Assessment:

Throughout the lesson, implement questioning techniques, observe student engagement, and review written assignments to assess understanding and offer constructive feedback. Encourage self-reflection and peer feedback to enhance overall learning outcomes.


This refined lesson plan ensures clarity, alignment with CAPS, and engagement for all learners while respecting the original intent and structure of the plan.