Lesson Plans


Lesson 1 – Meet the People

Lesson objectives:

  • Get to know the people taking part and realise they are normal people!
  • Get familiar with using the site.
  • Broaden the students’ perceptions of careers in research.

Curriculum links:

  • Select, organise and present information.
  • Evaluate information and make informed judgements from it.

Resources:

  • You must have created a class from your dashboard and given students access to the activity.
  • Paper and pens for drawing someone who works in research.
  • IT equipment for students to use individually, in pairs, or in groups. Alternatively: a computer and projector in the classroom, so students can work together with the teacher leading the activity from the front.

Starter: 10 minutes

  1. Recap the 101 Jobs activity. See introducing the activity to students ❯
  2. Explore students’ preconceptions by asking them to draw someone who works in research, as a group.
  • Split students into groups.
  • Ask them to imagine someone who works in research.
  • Take it in turns to draw someone who works in research. The first student starts at the top of the piece of paper. They fold over what they have done, and pass it on. Each student draws a different part (head, shoulders, etc.) without the others seeing. This works like a game of consequences.
  • Unfold and look at the pictures – are there any common themes? Is this what people who work in research are really like?

Activity: 35 minutes

  1. In pairs, mindmap suitable questions students want to ask the people taking part. Discuss them as a class.
  2. Ask students to log in to 101jobs.org.uk; independently, in pairs, or in groups.
  3. Go to Meet Everyone to read the profiles of everyone taking part. Find them on your dashboard.
  4. (By the way, if you’ve booked a live Chat, you and your students can see who’s signed up to be there from your dashboard)
  5. Write down three surprising or interesting things from the profiles.
  6. Post a question in Ask.
  7. Read some of the other questions and answers on the site.

Plenary: 5 minutes

Students present to the class:

  • Three interesting things they found out on the profiles
  • Are the people taking part as the students expected? If not, how are they different?

Suggested Homework:

Pick one of the people taking part in the activity. Find out about what they do and where they work, and write about it.

Extension:

Continue reading the questions and answers already on the site. Comment on them, or post more questions in Ask.

Support:

Give more assistance in thinking up questions and/or provide the list of suggested questions (below).

Extend:

Allow more freedom when looking at the site. Write a short paragraph about what they find on the site to present back to the class.

 

List of Suggested Questions

1. What kind of place do you work?
2. What do you do?
3. What’s your favourite band?
4. Do you work alone or as part of a team?
5. How long have you done your job?
6. Does your work affect people? If so how many people and in what way?
7. How does your job change the world?

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Lesson 2 — Live chat

See the Teacher Guidance notes for information on booking and preparing for your live Chat.

Lesson objectives:

  • Interact with people who work in research in a live Chat.
  • Discover new careers and career pathways.

Curriculum links:

  • This activity links to 6 of the Gatsby Good Careers Guidance Benchmarks. Find out more ❯

Resources:

  • You must have booked a live chat in advance (you can do this from your dashboard).
  • IT equipment for students to use individually, in pairs, or in groups. Alternatively: a computer and projector in the classroom, so students can work together with the teacher leading the activity from the front.

Starter: 5 minutes

  1. Ask students to log in to 101jobs.org.uk
  2. Click Chat at the top of the page to join the session.
  3. While waiting for the Chat to start, review the questions students have prepared.

Activity: 40 minutes

Students engage in a live chat with a selection of people working in research.
The activity is student-led, students can ask whatever they like!
A moderator will be present to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Plenary: 5 minutes

Are there any other questions they didn’t get to ask? Post these in Ask.

Remind students that they can use the site to ask questions at home if they have access to the internet.

Suggested Homework:

Pick one of the people’s area of work. Find out more about an issue facing that area. Either research an issue that came up in the live chat, or write about the biggest issue facing that area of work. Post a question about this issue in Ask.

Support:

Suggest questions for students to ask, or provide the List of Suggested Questions (above).

Extend:

Read profiles to ask questions about their specific areas of work. What can students learn about the different projects everyone is working on?

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