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Dog Gone Job!

Key Economic Concepts:

• Division of Labor
• Specialization

Description:

Dog Gone Job! demonstrates how job specialization increases productivity

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:

Demonstrate how job specialization increases productivity

Introduction:

This lesson is a natural extension to the lesson "Woof! Woof! At Your Service" or may be implemented independently. Explain to students that they will be talking about types of jobs within a business that that they will watch a video clip taken in a kennel. Ask students to list "jobs" that they observed in the kennel and what that worker does at the kennel

Resources:

• The Washnigton Post: Students can use this website to search for job announcements.
  www.washingtonpost.com/ ^[1]
   
• Shrewsbury Public Schools: Critter Clinic.
  http://schools.shrewsbury-ma.gov/egov/apps/directory/list.egov?path=divs&action=621&fDD=57-621 ^[2]
   

Process:

 Activity 1:

Have students watch the following slide show of the daily activities at a kennel. Instruct them to pay close attention to the types of jobs they see people doing.

Visit Kennel Inn

 As a class, discuss the jobs that were observed in the video:

• Manager - [hires other workers, makes work schedules, pays the employees, buy the supplies]
• Groomer - [trims the animals' fur and nails, combs the animals fur]
• Walker - [takes the dogs for a walk, plays with the dog]
• Trainer - [teaches dogs tricks and obedience skills]
• Sales person - [sells supplies to customers, uses the cash register]

Ask the students what other jobs may exist at the kennel. What might that person do?

• Janitor - [cleans the kennels]
• Guard - [watches the dogs at night]
• Driver - [shuttles dogs to the Airport and homes]
• Massage therapist - [rubs dogs to help them relax]
• Veterinarian - [treats sick dogs]
• Day care provider - [interacts with dogs during the day to keep them happy and healthy].

Activity 2:

Explain to students that workers are sometimes "specialized" and that they have special skills. This allows a worker time to get very good at one skill instead of learning all of the skills needed to operate a kennel. Ask the students what they think might happen if all of the workers had to know how to do all of the jobs in a kennel? What would happen if all of the employees had to learn how to care for sick animals?

Have the students complete this comparing two workers' jobs. They will need to have an understanding of Venn Diagrams before they can complete the activity.

Conclusion:

Have students think about these questions:

What do you think might happen if all of the workers had to know how to do all of the jobs in a kennel?

What would happen if all of the employees had to learn how to care for sick animals?

Have students list ways in which job specialization is a benefit. You can prompt their answers by asking the following questions:

• How might job specialization help a worker get better at a job? (More time to become proficient in a particular skill)
• Do you think a worker who specializes at their job will make more or fewer mistakes? (Fewer mistakes)
• Would it take more or less training time to train a worker in one specialized job or many different jobs? (Less training time)
• Who do you think would finish their job more quickly: a specialized worker or a non-specialized worker? (A specialized worker can finish job more quickly)

Alternatively, ask students to list ways in which job specialization is not a benefit:

• What do you think a worker may feel doing the same job every day? (Workers may tire of their jobs more easily)
• What would happen if the groomer were out sick one day? (No other workers may be able to take the groomer's place)

Assessment Activity:

Have students write a job announcement for a position at the kennel. They can refer to local papers or online national newspapers such as www.washingtonpost.com ^[1] (along the right-hand navigation bar) for examples of job announcements. Have students list the tasks, which that particular worker needs to be able to do.

Extension Activity:

• Related lesson plan: "Woof, Woof! At your Service!"
• Have students look at the types of veterinary jobs at http://schools.shrewsbury-ma.gov/egov/apps/directory/list.egov?path=divs&action=621&fDD=57-621 ^[2] . Ask student to list the jobs and try to determine how each of the veterinarians specialize in their work. Ask them:
  • Why would it be good to have a veterinarian who specializes in emergency medicine?
  • How might their job be different from that of a veterinarian researcher?
  • What might a public health veterinarian do? How is that different from a traveling veterinarian.

Links Used:

1. ^{^ ^} "www.washingtonpost.com/" - (www.washingtonpost.com)
2. ^{^ ^} "http://schools.shrewsbury-ma.gov/egov/apps/directory/list.egov?path=divs&action=621&fDD=57-621" - (schools.shrewsbury-ma.gov)

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