Career Research

EQ - How do I know whether a career is right for me?

1. Alice in Wonderland - Quote Analysis
• “Alice came to a fork in the road. 'Which road do I take?' she asked.
• 'Where do you want to go?' responded the Cheshire Cat.
• 'I don't know,' Alice answered.
• 'Then,' said the Cat, 'it doesn't matter.” 
2. Decision Making Matrix Review
3. Quiz
4. Introduction to Career Research Project
1. Graduation Project Breakdown
2. *Handout* - Project Advanced Organzier
5. Q & A Session
6. Teacher Demo
1. Login to www.careercruising.com
2. Click the "Assessments" Tab at the top of the page
3. Complete Matchmaker (3 sets of questions)
4. Complete Skills Assessment
7. Select a career from the personalized list and begin your research
8. Presentation Preparation

**Life Map (Long-term assignment)**

Using the Decision Matrix

EQ - How can I decide which career option is right for me

1. Activator
• If you could plan an afternoon trip for this class, what would in include?
• Determine 2 different options for this trip
• Use the decision matrix to determine the best choice for the class
2. Small Group Practice
3. Individual Practice (if necessary)
4. Splashdown – The characteristics of career selection
5. Create a decision matrix using the factors of careers selection
6. TOD - Today's Meet
• List the 3 most important factors of career selection to you. Explain.
• Describe 2 factors that are not important to you. Explain. 
• What makes your top choice the most important to you?

 Career Cruising - Access Link

Factors of Career Selection

EQ - What factors should be considered when choosing a career?

1. Activator -  The Starting Line (Soul Pancake)
2. Review Monetary Goal
• How many of you have included monetary goals in your “Starting Line” writing?
• Discussion Question - What makes these goals important to you?
3. Collaborative Pairs
• Brainstorm 4 ways to generate money
• Which way is the most common
• What is the difference between a job and a career?
4. Splashdown – Make a list of important factors when considering a career path? 
5. Class discussion – Factors of consideration when choosing a career
• *Handout – Factors to Consider in Career Selection
6. Rank ‘Em
7. Collaborative Pairs – Create a pneumonic device
8. Summarizer - Muddy Points Grab Bag 
9. Intro to Decision Making Matrix *Handout to homework*

 **Homework - Create an outline for a decision matrix using the factors to consider in career selection AND your personal rankings for each. **

Tax Return Preparation

EQ - How do I prepare a tax return?

1. Activator: Costs of doing taxes
2. Vocabulary Preview - The Language of Taxes
3. Start Here
4. Simulation 1 - W-4
5.  Simulation 2 - W-2
6. Simulation 3 - W-2 & 1099 INT - 1040EZ 
7. 1040EZ Form 
8. Tax Table
9. 1099-Int Form
10. Table Quiz - Key Terminology
11. Completing a 1040EZ

Minimum Wage Laws

EQ - How do current minimum wage laws affect your pay?

1. Activator: LINK
1. List - TPS- What do you know about minimum wage?
2. Inquire - TPS - What questions can be formed from this list?
3. Read "The Impact of $9 Minimum Wage"
4. Collaborative Groups - Discussion - What's the big deal about minimum wage?
5. Note - Make Notes about your discussion.  Look for answers to our inquiry questions, connections to what you already know or heard about in our discussion, and new questions that arose as you read.
6. Know -  Write a short explanation (140 characters or less) of what you now know about minimum wage.
7. Discussion - How has your understanding of minimum wage changed as a result of the reading and discussion?
2. Developmental Activity - Can You Survive?
1. TPS - Before you begin
1. Explain your opinion of a job that will pay your $9/hr.
2. Would you be able to provide for yourself at this hourly rate?
2. The Experience - Can You Survive?
3. TPS - What was this experience like for you?
4. Has your perception changed?  Why or why not?
3.  Additional Reading - Federal Minimum Wage Laws

Calculating Pay

EQ - How does the Federal Government spend our tax dollars?

1. Activator: An aggregate view of federal income tax dollars
2. Assignment Review
1. Answer the EQ
2. Describe your opinion on how our federal income are dispersed.
1. Do you think the allocation is appropriate? Why or why not?
2. If you could change anything regarding how tax dollars are spent, what would you change?  Explain.
3.  Class discussion

EQ - What considerations factor into the calculation of a paycheck?

1. Activator - KWL Paycheck Withholdings
2. Paycheck Terminology
1. Hourly vs. Salary
2. Defining Pay Periods
3. Social Security
4. Medicare
5. FICA
3. Getting Paid Math *TPS
4. KWL Update
5. TOD - Half sheet summary
1. Formulate an answer to the EQ