Final+Assessment+Career+Project+2012-Period+7


 * CP English III Final Assessment: A Career Exploration Project **


 * Introduction ** : Do your grandparents and other relatives keep asking you, “What do you want to be when you “grow up”?” As juniors, you will soon be thinking about what college to go to, what your major will be, and what your career goals are. After doing this project, you may finally have an answer (for yourself AND your grandparents!) either about what you want to do or, perhaps just as importantly, what you do NOT want to do!


 * Purpose/ Goal: ** Your goal is to **learn about one career in depth and share your knowledge and experiences with your fellow students**. You will be applying skills you have been polishing over the course of your high school career: researching, reading, writing, presenting, and critically viewing and listening. At the end of your project, you and your classmates should have a good understanding of the following “**essential questions**” regarding your chosen field:


 * What job might fit my personality and interests?
 * What do professionals in this field like or dislike about their careers? //(What are the highlights of this job? What are the drawbacks?)//
 * What is a “day in the life” of a person working in this field like? //(What are the daily tasks this person performs?//
 * What type of person is best suited to this career? (//Personality traits, temperament, etc//.)
 * What is the current and projected outlook for this position (job availability, average income, job advancement opportunities, or geographical considerations)?
 * What are the educational and/or professional requirements for this career? //(What type of school and program must you attend? Do you need a license or degree for this career? What colleges offer programs to meet certification?)//

Use your computer or video cam to record your video interview. You will use information and segments of this interview in your paper and in your presentation.
 * Task **:
 * ** Step 1 ** : Define a career you want to explore. This could be a career in which you envision yourself, OR a career that you find interesting, challenging, or creative. **Please note that you must interview or shadow a working professional, so you should choose a career accordingly!** Network with your friends, parents, or relatives to find someone you can interview. Please see me if you need help finding a professional person in your selected career. **You need to secure a date for your interview and complete a proposal sheet BEFORE proceeding with your research. The proposal is due no later than Thursday, May 10. (20 points)**
 * ** Step 2 ** : Once you have secured a date to do your interview or shadowing experience and turned in the proposal, start researching your chosen career using the Internet and/or library databases. Use the essential questions above to guide your research. A list of good resources is provided below as a place to start.
 * ** Step 3 ** : Interview or “shadow” a professional in your selected career, again using the essential questions as the basis for your interview. Be prepared and create a list of good questions to ask. **(*Questions will need to be submitted & approved PRIOR to your interview, no later than Wednesday, May 16th. The questions will be worth 10 points.)**
 * ** Step 4 ** : Synthesize your research into both a paper (with reflection) and iMovie (or Keynote) presentation. Writing will include a personal reflection on this project (//Did anything surprise you? What did you learn from this experience, about yourself and/or the career you researched? Is this a career that interests you more (or less) since your research has been completed?)//


 * Final Product (two parts): **
 * 1) A 3-5 page research/reflection paper and Works Cited page (properly cited and documented) that answers all of the essential questions above. (Graded using NJ State Holistic Rubric). **DUE WEDNESDAY, 5/30.** (50 points)
 * 2) A 3-5 minute iMovie presentation (similar to the //Road Trip Nation// models) in which you share your findings with the class. This should include your interview, research and findings, and a thorough introduction to your project-detailed rubric to follow (50 points) **PRESENTATIONS WILL BEGIN ON THURSDAY, 5/31.**

Some Beginning Resources/Materials:


 * Appropriate library internet/data base sources (Ebsco, NewsBank, etc.)
 * Road Trip Nation: []
 * Monster.com: []
 * Occupational Outlook Handbook: []
 * New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Time, PBS, NPR, MSN, or CNN.
 * Your professional contact person
 * Your guidance counselor