Online Lesson

To Be or Not To Be?

Introduction:

Have you thought about what you would like to be when you grow up? What do you know about careers and jobs that interest you? This lesson will give you a chance to learn about different careers. You will be able to start thinking about what you want to be or maybe you will decide what you do NOT want to be!

Task:

This lesson guides you through web sites that examine careers in various fields. But first you must fully understand what the terms labor , wage , and human capital mean. Then you will be asked to choose one of three careers to explore: veterinarian, ballet dancer or space walker. You will also collect information, including information about wages and salary, on another career that you would like to learn more about.

Process:

1. Use the EconEdLink Glossary to learn the meaning of labor, wage, and human capital .
2. Choose one of the occupations listed below to see what a day in the life of a person working in that occupation is like. After you have visited one of these sites, answer the online questions that follow.
   
   

   Veterinarian

   A day in the life of a veterinarian : A routine day in the life of a veterinarian from The University of Georgia.
   [Questions]
   

   Ballet Dancer

   A day in the life of a ballet dancer : Find out what a routine day is like in the life of a ballet dancer.
   [Questions]
   

   Astronaut

   A day in the life of a space walker : A routine day in the life of an astronaut from NASA.
   [Questions]
    
3. What do you want to be? To learn more about careers, go to the following two web sites and answer the questions on the To Be or Not to Be worksheet.

Site 1:

BLS Kids Site Choose a subject area (Musical Arts, Math, Science, P.E./Outdoors, Social Studies, Reading) that interests you in school from the BLS Kids Site and read about a career within various subject areas.Advertising

Site 2:

America's Career InfoNet (ACINet) America's Career InfoNet This site is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and career videos are available for almost 300 occupations from the site's Career Resource Library. You can view a video of the career you are considering.

Conclusion:

This lesson guided you through web sites that present information on careers you may choose as an adult. You also have learned what the terms labor , wage, and human capital mean. You have learned that people invest time and money in an education to gain skills to improve their chances in the labor market. You also have explored jobs that interest you, and you now have a better understanding of what those jobs are like. You have started to think about what you want to be, or maybe you have decided what you do NOT want to be!

Extension Activity:

Job Genie http://www.whatdotheydo.com/ Here you can find descriptions of different occupations, with stories that describe the day-to-day tasks for each occupation.

Exploring Jobs: