ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION and ORANGE …

.

ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION and ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Classroom Learning Activities/Grades 8-12/Careers in the Court: What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

and

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Classroom Learning Activities

Grades 8 –12

Careers in the Court:

Subject Areas: Business Education, Career Development,English/Language Arts

.

Introduction:

1. Teacher will lead students through a series of writing and discussion prompts. Havestudents make a list in response to the question, “What are the characteristics of anideal employee?”

2. Record student responses on the board or an overhead transparency to develop a classlist.

3. Students will record the class list and address the question, “Which of thesecharacteristics do you feel you have?”

4. Students will complete a written response to the question, “How does school help youbecome an ideal employee?

5. Teacher will record student responses and conduct a discussion, making a list of theways students feel school helps prepare them to be ideal employees.

Characteristics How School Prepares StudentsOn time Attendance/tardy policy

Able to work with others Group projectsMeet deadlines Due dates for class work

Organized Use of daily planner



Objectives:

1. To investigate career opportunities related tocourt and in the criminal justice system.

2. To make connections between the student’spersonality, attributes, and the world of work.

Example:

1

.

Activity #1

Supports learning about careers in the court system.

Overview: Students will explore careers showcased on theSuperior Court website. Working in groups, they willinvestigate one career and share information with the class.The teacher will facilitate a discussion comparing the traitscourt employees need with the list of characteristics of idealemployees brainstormed in the lesson introduction.

1. Teacher will lead students in brainstorming a list of jobs/careers in the court system. Guide the students towards including some of the following: judge, commissioner, court clerk, court reporter, court interpreter, bailiff, lawyer (they are explained on the website). Divide the class in groups to investigate each of these careers by observing the

video on the website. Have them takes notes and report back to the class on the following:

• Job description• Qualifications• Traits ALL employees need. Students can add their own information to those

traits listed on the website:− Good written and oral communication skills− Professionalism− Motivation− Initiative− Integrity− Adaptability to changes− Ability to work with others

• Current employment opportunities at www.occourts.org• Other information they found interesting

2. After listening to the group reports, the teacher and students make a list of all the desirable characteristics mentioned on the website, in the videos, and in the student reports.

3. Compare the original class list (lesson introduction) to the second list.

4. Additional web-based learning experiences related to career development can be found at www.californiacareers.info, an excellent site sponsored by the California Career Resources Network (CalCRN).



2

.

Activity #2

Supports having students make connectionsbetween their skills, interests, abilities, and careersin the court.

Overview: Students will complete an essay about aspecific career in the court. Teacher will guidestudents through the writing process.

1. Teacher will guide students through the writing process for a five paragraph essay. Each student will write an essay answering the following question, “If you were going to work in the court system which career would you choose and why?” Student responses should explain/describe:

The career Why the student is interested in this particular career Why they feel they would be good/successful in this career field What they have to do now to start preparing for this career

2. Students are divided into groups to participate in a peer “read-around” of each others’essays. Each group should select what they feel is the strongest essay and that studentshould read their essay aloud to the class.



3

.

Assessment:

1. Teacher observation of student participation in discussion and group work.2. Evaluation of student responses to introductory writing prompts.3. Graded student essays.

Discussion/Journal Prompts to Support Learning Activities (may serve as quick-write orjournal prompts in Business Education and English classes, as extended writing and discussiontopics):

1. Explain why some teens skip school. What are the likely consequences of school absenteeismand truancy?

2. What are the likely consequences if you do not do well in school and do not earn good grades?3. How will these behaviors (school absenteeism/truancy and poor grades) affect your future

employment and career opportunities?

Extended Learning Activities:1. Teacher arranges for a guest speaker in the classroom (See “About Us” section of website:

Judicial Speakers Bureau).2. Write a resume or complete a job application form.3. Teacher arranges class job shadowing experiences (see “About Us” section of website:

Groundhog Job Shadow).

Standards Addressed/Supported:Grades Eight through Twelve Challenge Standards: Career Preparation, BusinessEducation, Business Core:

1.3 Career Preparation, Job Acquisition and Retention: Students will understandthe career preparation and job acquisition skills required for employment,professional growth, and employment transitions in the field of businessoccupations. They will demonstrate competency by researching career options,applying job acquisition skills, preparing job search documentation, and modelingappropriate workplace demeanor.

1.3.1 Career Exploration-explore career opportunities and projected trends:Investigate required education, training and experience; and develop an individualeducation plan for lifelong learning.

1.3.4 Interest Assessment-examine aptitudes related to career options: Relatepersonal characteristics and interests to educational and occupational opportunities.



4

.

Focus, Standards, Materials

The focus of this learning activity is on careerdevelopment; however, the nature of the activitiessupport acquisition of the English/Language artsstandards in grades eight through twelve in the areasof reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Standards Addressed/Supported: Engaging and supporting all students in learning Creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning Understanding and organizing subject matter for student learning Planning instruction and designing learning experiences for all students

Equipment/Materials/Resources Required:Internet Access and/or hard copies of selected Orange County Superior Court web sitepages; Website sections: Careers in the Court, Video: Careers in Court.

Website: http://education.occourts.org/home.asp

• Extended Learning: About Us• Orange County Superior Court Education Resource Notebook• Graphic organizer provided for Lesson Introduction



5

.

Characteristics of anIdeal Employee

How SchoolPrepares Students

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.

ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION and ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURTClassroom Learning Activities/Grades 8-12/Careers in the Court: What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

6

Documents

ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION and ORANGE …