#2265. When I Grow Up...

Reading/Writing, level: Elementary
Posted Fri May 25 09:45:20 PDT 2001 by Rebekah Manwiller (BekahManwiller@cedarville.edu).
Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH, USA
Materials Required: Bulletin board, books on varying professions, crayons/markers, stapler, paper
Activity Time: 30-45 minutes
Concepts Taught: Practice researching, reading, and writing skills while considering future jobs

Objectives:
· Students will practice their writing skills by writing about what they want to be when they grow up.
· Students will practice small motor skills by coloring a picture of what they want to be when they grow up.
· Students will learn about their profession of choice by researching it.
Materials Needed:
~ Bulletin Board
· Paper
· Pencils
· Crayons/Markers
· Stapler (or other ways to attach finished products to bulletin board)
· Books on various professions
THE LESSON:
Introductory Activity -- Lead a group discussion on different jobs. . .have the students discuss things like what jobs their parents have and what they think they want to be when they grow up. Show the students the blank bulletin board. Explain that we are going to fill it up with their writings and pictures.
Step 1: Have each student think about what they want to be when they grow up. Explain that we are going to write about what we want to be, draw pictures, and display them for the whole school to see.
Step 2: Once the students have decided what they want to be, have them get a book on that profession (if you don't have one from that particular profession in the room, they may go to the library to get one). Using this book (and any other information they know about the profession), have each student write a paragraph on what they want to be when they grow up. (*Note: For struggling students, you can make the writing assignment shorter; for advanced students, you can have them write more).
Step 3: Have each student draw a picture of themselves in their chosen profession.
Step 4: Once they have completed their drawing and writing, put them together and post them on the bulletin board.
Challenge (Extension) Activity:
Put all of the writings together in a class book about jobs.
Invite other classes to come take a look at your bulletin board.

Evaluation:
· Students will write a paragraph about what they want to be (information will be factual, gained from research in books).
· Students will draw a picture of themselves in their chosen profession.

Checklist:
Were all students successful and on-task?
What went well about the lesson?
What didn't go well?
What will I do differently next time?

BULLETIN BOARD PREPARATION:
Before class, have a bulletin board ready with the title "When I grow up, I want to be a..." written at the top.
After students finish projects, post them on the bulletin board for others to see.