Preparing career lessons for middle school students is about more than helping them choose a future job – it’s about giving them the skills and insights to guide them through high school and beyond.
In middle school, students begin forming their identities, and introducing them to various career paths opens their minds to possibilities they may not have considered. Career lessons for middle school students also teach essential life skills like goal setting, problem-solving, and self-awareness, laying the groundwork for future success.
While students in Ontario currently take Career Studies in Grade 10, it’s never too early to introduce career lessons for middle school students to get them thinking about their future careers and what might interest them.
Keep reading to learn about four exciting career lessons for middle school students you can use in your classroom to help students think about the skills they will need for the future and how to practice them now.
Benefits Of Career Lessons For Middle Schoolers
Career lessons for middle schoolers help to provide students with options about their futures. Students don’t always know what options exist beyond the jobs that members of their families have or the ones they interact with often, so it’s ideal to expand their learning with career research.
These career lessons for middle school students help students develop decision-making skills that will serve them throughout middle school, high school, and beyond.
No matter which career path they choose, the skills gained from these lessons – such as critical thinking, goal setting, and self-awareness – will be valuable at every stage of their lives.
4 Exciting Career Lessons for Middle Schoolers
Middle school teachers can incorporate specific lessons focusing on career-related skills and other essential life skills throughout the school year. These lessons can be taught during your English Language Arts classes, through the Student Success Teacher, or specific time allotted to homeroom activities.
Teach Email Skills at The Beginning of the Year
Kicking off the school year with a lesson on clear communication can set students – and teachers – up for success throughout the year.
This Email Etiquette Unit introduces students to digital citizenship, equipping them with the skills necessary to navigate the online world confidently and professionally. Through six engaging lessons, students will learn everything from crafting effective emails to properly using CC and BCC, attaching files, and managing their inboxes for organization and efficiency.
To extend this learning, consider making email writing a regular classroom practice. Instead of sending home weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly updates yourself, have students draft and send these emails to their parents, CC-ing you on each one. This not only reinforces their skills but also gives students responsibility and ownership.
No matter the career path, learning how to craft emails is essential, so make sure you add them to your career lessons for middle schoolers. You can find the Email Etiquette Unit on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Here’s what teachers have said about this unit:
“The perfect way to start out the new school year and get students on the right foot for future communications! I am looking forward to better emails from students throughout the year!” – Leah P.
“My students enjoyed using this resource because they actually write emails and could see the value of it in their daily lives. Because people tend not to write letters any more, writing emails and doing so with proper form and etiquette is something they can get behind.” – Colleen C.
You can learn more about teaching email skills in this blog post: 7 Reasons To Teach Email Writing Skills in Middle School.
Teach Students About the Trades
Introducing students to a wide range of careers is important, with career lessons for middle schoolers. Why not go beyond the more obvious jobs and introduce some “dirty jobs” to students when creating your list of careers?
Dirty Jobs are everywhere, but someone has to do them. It’s essential for students to know their importance. You can get a free Dirty Jobs Career Lesson when you sign up for the 2 Peas and a Dog email list.
This resource comes with a complete teacher’s lesson plan, video links to different Dirty Jobs segments, and a follow-up activity where students reflect on what they learned in the videos.
Learning about the trades is essential for students so that they are aware of all career opportunities available to them. Not all students will want to work a traditional job, and trade jobs have many benefits.
There is a lot of emphasis on post-secondary education in the form of college and university as students head toward the end of grade school. However, labour workers are highly valued in society, and this career path should not be overlooked. Learn more in this blog post: Fun Activities For Exploring The Trades.
Try a Career Project in the Spring
By the time April or May rolls around, students and teachers often need something fresh and engaging. A career research project could be just what they need!
Career exploration is about discovering potential paths and ruling out options that don’t align with students’ interests or goals. Brainstorm with students to create a list of diverse career choices for them to research, ensuring broad coverage of different fields.
Alternatively, you could allow students to choose their own careers to explore, which brings student voice into the project. While this option might lead to some repetition of careers, using a set list ensures a wider variety of industries are covered – perfect for creating a classroom career fair where students can showcase a broad range of careers.
Not only does a career research project help students build research and summary skills, but it also offers a valuable opportunity for students to reflect on their own skills, values, and interests, and it is a perfect addition to your career lessons for middle schoolers.
This ready-made, no-prep Career Exploration And Research Project is specifically designed for middle schoolers. It has everything you need to get started, sending students on a journey of self-discovery through engaging activities.
Start the lesson with an interactive online career quiz to pique students’ interest, followed by a brainstorming session that opens their eyes to a wide range of possibilities. Students will then dive into detailed research, create captivating career posters, and deliver oral presentations that bring their findings to life.
If students are in Grade 8, this project allows them to reflect on choices for high school courses for the following year and beyond. You can find the Career Exploration and Research Project on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Here’s what teachers have said about this project:
“This is a fantastic resource! My students have loved looking into different careers. I love that they are practicing their research skills without realizing it. Thank you!” – Jess H.
“My students really got into exploring a potential career. This resource is well and out and my students were able to follow.” – Kim C.
Learn more about how to explore careers with your students in this blog post: Middle School Career Exploration.
Resume Writing at the End of the Year
Students can create their own resumes at the end of the year, but that doesn’t have to be their first or only experience with this format. During a novel study or non-fiction exploration, having students create a resume for a character can serve as an excellent starting point for their own resume writing later on.
When students create their own resumes, it encourages them to reflect on the activities they’ll engage in over the summer. Are they playing on a sports team? What skills can they gain from that experience? Are they babysitting younger siblings or family members? How can that work help them develop valuable skills?
This is also a perfect opportunity to introduce students to the concept of transferable skills – that is, abilities that will be useful in any career. It could even inspire some students to pursue job shadowing, giving them real-world insights into the workplace.
For a deeper dive into this topic, add this Cover Letter And Resume Writing Unit to your career lessons for middle schoolers. In this innovative unit, students take on the role of hiring managers, allowing them to analyze cover letters and resumes to make informed hiring decisions. Then, they’ll apply what they’ve learned to write and format their own cover letters, resumes, and brag sheets, developing essential writing and real-world skills.
Here’s what teachers have said about this unit:
“Very thorough unit! This resource had everything I needed to teach the skills for resume writing and job searches. Thank you!” – Jennifer P.
“My boys enjoyed using this unit to learn about writing a resume and cover letter. The was well laid out and really easy to instruct them but they were able to independently work on majority of the lessons. They are at that age that they can start applying for jobs and this was really well presented that they now feel confident in applying for the jobs they wish to. Thankyou!” – Michelle B.
You can find the Cover Letter And Resume Writing Unit on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Find out more about resume writing in this blog post: The Benefits of Teaching Resume Writing in Middle School.
Extensions for Career Lessons for Middle Schoolers
Another way to integrate career lessons for middle schoolers into your classroom is by inviting guest speakers or organizing field trips throughout the year.
Start by considering your personal and professional contacts and the family, friends, and community members connected to your students. Who might be able to come in and share their journey to their current job or career?
Guest speakers don’t always need to be in traditional careers like doctors, lawyers, or accountants.
Instead, aim to showcase a diverse range of professions to broaden your students’ understanding of the many career paths available. A career as a forensic scientist, urban planner, animation artist, or renewable energy technician could interest students. Think outside of the box.
You could also set up a career day for your classroom. Learn more about how to do this in this blog post: How to Host a Career Day at Your School.
If field trips are possible, they can be another great option. Consider setting up a field trip to a local high school, possibly the one students are more likely to attend after middle school. Additionally, trips to post-secondary institutions, such as nearby colleges or universities, can be considered to give students a glimpse of their future options.
These choices might seem far away for students, but now is the time to create connections to people and connections within your students’ minds about what’s possible. Seeing a post-secondary campus in middle school can open up opportunities and make students see what is possible. This increase in student knowledge can only help as they shift their focus to high school.
Other field trip opportunities could include:
- Local businesses such as retail stores or manufacturing plants where they can learn about different roles and career paths in the industry.
- Healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes, where they can see the various careers in healthcare (nurse, physical therapist, etc.).
- Fire station or police department to see how first responders work.
- Nonprofit organizations where students can learn about careers in social work and community service.
- Science and technology centres where students can explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
- Local farms or agriculture centres where students can learn about careers in agriculture, animal husbandry, and environmental science.
- Construction sites will help give students insight into architecture, engineering, and skilled trades careers.
- A tour of a radio station, TV station, or media production company can show students careers in journalism, broadcasting, and digital media.
Any of these field trips can help students connect their classroom learning with real-world applications that can spark their interest in potential future career paths.
Career lessons for middle school students are essential for preparing students for their futures. By engaging them with diverse career paths and essential life skills, you’re helping them explore potential job opportunities and equipping them with the tools they’ll need to navigate the challenges ahead.
As educators, we have the unique opportunity to inspire students and broaden their horizons, helping them realize that the world is full of possibilities. Encourage your students to dream big and take the first steps toward a successful career.
Additional Information
- Real-World Skills That Can Be Taught in ELA Class
- 5 Reasons To Use Guided Career Exploration With Middle School Students
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