Teaching Tips 2.0 - Opportunity Occupations Student Activities

Access teacher resources associated with Teaching Tips 2.0 here.

Student Activities

Reading Reflection: Questions for students to answer based on the nonfiction reading.

Vital Vocabulary: Questions for students to answer and information for students to research based on key vocabulary terms related to the topic.

Video Views: Questions for students to answer based on the videos. 

Facts and Figures: Mathematical problems and questions for students to solve and/or research connected to the topic. 

Extension Activities

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 1

Have students pick an opportunity occupation within their local community and interview someone in that position about the human capital required to be successful.

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 2

Have students identify which jobs in their community are opportunity occupations and use the External LinkBureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook  to learn more about those jobs. Then, ask students to create enticing job placement ads for each occupation that includes the following:

• Job title
• Job description
• Job responsibilities
• Preferred skills and characteristics
• Experience needed
• Work environment
• Annual salary – entry level and median  
• What makes this job attractive to potential hires?
• What would prospective employees find enjoyable/fun about this job?

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 3

Have students research an opportunity occupation within your city/state, using the Opportunity Occupation Fact Sheets  and the External LinkBureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Ask students to create an infographic poster about their occupation and then to pair up with another student with an occupation other than their own. Instruct students to write a summary comparing and contrasting their occupation with their partner’s.

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 4

Have students create an infographic that summarizes key data about opportunity occupations within a given state or region of the country (other than their own), using the Opportunity Occupations Fact Sheets. Ask students to present their findings to the rest of the class.

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 5

Have students research an opportunity occupation of their choice and create a one-two minute video commercial describing their occupation and highlighting its positive aspects and significance within the labor market.

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 6

Have students watch the External LinkBureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment video and to identify their top five takeaways to demonstrate what they learned.

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 7

Have students go to the External LinkOpportunity Occupations Monitor and to use the instructions provided to pull up employment data for a Midwestern state and a coastal state. Ask students to write a brief explanation as to why the percentage of opportunity employment for each state may differ.

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Extension Exercise 8

Have students review the Opportunity Occupations Fact Sheets and identify five or more opportunity occupations that could likely be a small business.