family work history

We’ve discussed in class how it wouldn’t be a good idea to spend the first two weeks of school focusing solely on discovering our student’s funds of knowledge, or simply stop learning about our students after the first of the year. So I decided to plan my family work history activity to coincide with a history unit on the Industrial Revolution. This lesson would take place a little later in the year. (November/December)

Part of this unit involves students participating in a Read/Think-Pair-Share in which the Industrial Revolution of the 1800’s is compared and contrasted with the more recent technological revolution. Students would be assigned to learn about either the Industrial or Technological Revolution by answering the following questions. (This activity would be incorporated over the course of a few days, allowing students to go home and ask their parents about some of the questions)
Industrial Revolution

1. What new jobs became available during the Industrial Revolution?

2. Do any of these jobs still exist today? If yes, describe the jobs. If no, describe why they no longer exist.


3. Do you have a relative who participated in any of these jobs?

4. Would you like to work at any of these jobs? Why or Why not?

Technological Revolution

1. What new jobs became available during the Technological Revolution?

2. Do you have a family member that participates in any of these jobs?

3. Would you like to work at any of these jobs?

4. Do you think these jobs will still exist in 20 years?

As a pair-
1. Come up with two similarities and two differences between the Industrial and Technological Revolutions.
2. Share the results of the questionnaire.

For homework (individually)

1. Describe your dream job. It can be a job that already exists, or something you make up. In your description, make sure to answer the following questions-
a. What kind of environment will you be working in? (An office, outside, a lab, etc.)
b. What kind of skills or education will you need?
c. Is there someone in your family who has these skills or education back -ground? If so, who, and describe what skills they have? If not, where will you learn these skills?

Share the dream jobs in a whole class discussion.

and there you go.

Family History Lesson Plan.

So I didn't draw general family history, but I did find this lesson plan online. The lesson plan involves having each student design a website detailing their family history. It could be a cool idea if anyone ends up teaching a technology/graphic design class.

Family Educational Background

I had a really hard time coming up with something that wasn't too intrusive, and my activity definitely works best for math and science classes. Any ideas for improvement will be appreciated.

Family Work History

The focus I came up with for my Family Work History questions is more about where the student wants to go when they "grow up."  While the intent is to gather information about their family, the goal is to allow students to reflect on what they've learned from watching their parents work, and how they can utilize that knowledge in their future careers.  

The questions are:

1. What job do you want to have when you graduate high school/college?

2. What did your parents do when they left school?  (What kind of jobs did they find?)

3. What kind of career do they have now?

4. Would you like to follow in their footsteps?

5. What have you learned from watching your parents work?

6.  What did your parents learn from watching their parents work?

I would make this a writing assignment, and send them home with the above questions so they would be able to discuss with their parents the decisions they made.  While this survey doesn't dig quite as far as some others may, I still believe this would benefit a teacher in understanding more about a students immediate families funds of knowledge.  Of course, if a student would like to go further and gather additional information, that would be ideal. 

Multiple Intelligence: Key

I apologize, here is the key for the multiple intelligence test. I must have deleted it. Sorry! Nevertheless, this is page 1 of 4 to properly use this test. Cheers!

Work History Collage

Multiple Intelligence

Everybody thinks that their kid is brilliant, well we hope that all do! But, in what ways are these children bright? Howard Gardner suggests that everyone poses the ability to learn, process, and complete tasks through different kinds of "intelligences". There are currently nine intelligences that we all poses and utilize. The tool below is to gauge learning pathways through these intelligences and ideas how to apply them in the classroom.

Sorry this is a little jumbled, (had to scan the docs in) but essentially use the key that explain the intelligences, then follow along with the questionnaire, and finally score the questionnaire to confirm the intelligence strengths. I have also scanned in a short "best learning styles" to think about when applying this to curriculum (torques). Be creative, there are more than just examples to apply, try different activities in the class room and you will see what your students strengths are!