MarcoGram June 2004 -- It's Off to Work We Go

It's Off to Work We Go
Some people work to live, while others live to work. Whatever their motivation, people spend most of their time doing some sort of work, such as housework, homework, volunteer work or career-related work. This month, the MarcoGram features activities about jobs and work, including developing a job-search strategy, writing résumés and practicing good time-management skills. Use the warm-up activities below to jump-start discussions about career goals, then scroll down for links to more lessons and resources.

Photograph of Depression-era job seekers courtesy of American Memory and Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society (DN-0051331).

1. A résumé is like an abbreviated autobiography -- it describes a person's work history, including past responsibilities, skills, level of education and other career-related information. Most employers request to see a person's résumé to see if the job seeker's qualifications match those required for the available position.

What types of jobs do you do after school? (Answers will vary by age group, but can include setting the table, babysitting, walking the dog, taking out the trash, mowing the lawn.) What kinds of skills do those jobs require? (Responsibility, strength, attention to detail, creativity, etc.)

Show students some sample résumés available through Job Star, a Partner-approved Web site. Ask students to recall what they've learned during the past school year, including extra-curricular activities. Did they learn how to play a new sport, administer first-aid, bake a cake, act in a play, drive a car, write a term paper? Have students practice writing their own résumés. Encourage them to use the dictionary or thesaurus to find appropriate action words and descriptors.

Explore career opportunities and practice reading and writing skills in:

"Book Report Alternative: Characters for Hire! Studying Character in Drama" (9-12) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Book Report Alternative: Creating Careers for Characters" (6-8) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Geography and Your Dream Job" (6-8) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Hey, Get a Job!" (6-8) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"Map Projections and Careers in Geography" (9-12) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"What Do Scientists Do?" (6-8) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

Image of employment poster courtesy of American Memory and the Work Projects Administration Poster Collection (Digital ID: cph 3b53089).

2. Although women had earned the right to vote by the 1920s, they still experienced discrimination in the workplace. In June 1963, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, making it illegal for employers to pay a woman less than what a man would receive for doing the same job.

Why do you think women and men were not paid equal wages? Do you think men and women are paid equally today? Why or why not?

Begin the activity by directing students' attention to the help-wanted section of an 1892 issue of the Chicago Tribune, available through American Memory (scroll to bottom half of page). Note how the paper organized the job postings based on gender. What types of jobs were men offered? What types of jobs were women offered? Next, direct students to statistics on occupations for women, available from the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor, a Partner-approved Web site. Use a graphic organizer to track rates of change for selected occupations and ask students to share their perceptions about job opportunities that are currently available to women.

Learn about women's struggle for equality in the workplace in:

"A Suitable Job for a Woman" (5-8) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"Who Were the Foremothers of Women's Equality?" (6-8) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"Women in Medicine: Past and Future" (9-12) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Women's Equality: Changing Attitudes and Beliefs" (6-8) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

3. Many service jobs require employees to wear special uniforms. These uniforms help customers and the public quickly recognize the person, the company he or she works for and the job he or she can perform. Some uniforms also are designed to provide safety for the workers.

Name some people who might wear special uniforms to work. (Answers can include police officers, firemen, military personnel, chefs, athletes, doctors, lifeguards, construction workers.) Why do you think they have to wear uniforms?

Show students pictures of uniformed people at work, taken from a magazine or as depicted in What Do People Do All Day, a storybook by Richard Scarry. Ask students to identify what tasks or jobs the people are performing, based on their clothing and surrounding environment. Then, ask students what jobs they'd like to have when they grow up. Students can draw self-portraits depicting themselves in their favorite occupations.

Identify community helpers and service occupations in:

"I Can Dream Anything!" (K-2) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

4. An important job skill is time management, which includes not only understanding when projects are due, but also knowing how to schedule time to complete the project efficiently and effectively.

How long does it take for you to complete your assigned homework each night? Why? What can you do to manage your time more effectively?

Ask each student to create a daily schedule. Older students can do weekly schedules. How much of the day or week is devoted to schoolwork or chores? How much is devoted to play and to rest? Older children can use math skills to convert their answers into percentages, and younger children can use the opportunity to learn more about telling time.

Practice good time management in:

"City Hopping: Planning a Business Trip" (3-5) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Student Contracting" (6-8) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Take a Walk Through My Day" (K-4) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts