Middle school is the perfect time to introduce students to potential careers. In fact, research shows that students benefit from career exploration more in middle school than in any other grade. Middle school students are already focused on developing their own identifies and honing skills like critical thinking and teamwork; career exploration engages them with active learning opportunities and relevant, real-life scenarios. If you’re looking for quick lessons and easily integrated activities that offer middle school career exploration opportunities, consider these classroom kits.
Classroom Kits for Exploring FCS and Culinary Careers
Food Safety Kit
This interactive kit includes lab materials like Glo Germ™ Gel and UV lights to engage students in fundamental food safety and handling techniques used in culinary occupations and at home. Lesson plans, include one specific to culinary careers, are included.
Knife Skills Kit
As students practice common knife cuts using the included cutting boards, finger guards and modeling clay, they’ll develop a better understanding of knife skills, knife safety and other concepts essential to culinary professions.
It’s easier than ever to incorporate a complete program focused on culinary career exploration with our new Culinary Kits Bundle, which combines our best-selling culinary kits plus over 40 hours of course content!
Education and Training Career Exploration Kit
Designed to offer broad-based career exploration opportunities, this kit explores all of the pathways within the education and training career cluster, from administration to support services. Soft skills are woven into every lesson!
Classroom Kits for Exploring Trade Skills Careers
Measurement Math Training Kit
This ready-to-use kit includes lesson plans, interactive online lessons and supplies for introducing students to over 250 different measurements, many of which are utilized routinely in trade skills careers.
Electrical Wiring Kit
Introduce students to the basics of electrical wiring in safe, shock-free manner with this all-in-one kit, which uses a battery-operated assessment kit to test light and outlet socket wiring. Lesson plans are included!
Common Welding Joints Kit
Use the lifelike plastic models in this kit to help students understand common welding joints and why they are important. Lesson plans are included.
Classroom Kits for Exploring Health Science and Sports Medicine Careers
Nursing and CNA Skills Sim Kits
These out-of-the-box kits include interactive learning aids, prop lists, step-by-step instructions and debriefing activities. Use them to create realistic patient scenarios and get your students thinking about various health care careers, from pediatric care to geriatrics.
We asked health science instructors what they love about our nursing and CNA skills simulation kits. Here’s what they told us.
Suture Practice Class Set
Each set includes enough supplies for up to 7 students to practice a fundamental health care skill. You’ll also get a lesson on suturing basics.
Concussion Education Kit
Open students’ eyes to the growing field of sports medicine with this ready-to-use kit. It includes a simulator that lets students experience the effects of a concussion, plus a brain model they can touch and feel.
Taping and Wrapping Skills Sim Kit
Continue your students’ sports medicine career exploration with this comprehensive kit, which includes enough supplies for them to practice 20 common taping, wrapping and bracing techniques.
Classroom Kits for Exploring Agriculture Careers
Plant Mini Educational Hydroponics System Class Pack (5-pack)
Introduce students to the horticulture concepts needed for careers in hydroponics and related fields with these desktop-size models, which offer experimentation with 3 common hydroponics growth methods.
Small Cow Model Set (5-pack)
Use this set of five detailed models to explore cow anatomy and introduce other important animal science concepts. The best part of each model? Each one separates at the midline to reveal 13 removeable organs and body parts.
Greenhouse Insects Kits
Students can hold and examine the 8 detailed models in this kit to learn key insect facts and begin to understand their impact on plant growing operations like greenhouses.
Plant Science Kit
Introduce students to basic plant science concepts as well as terminology with this interactive kit, which includes realistic models plus lesson plans, trivia cards and posters.
Additional Resources:
Looking for more learning aids that offer middle school career exploration opportunities? We suggest:
- Our career scenario cards, which feature real-world workplace situations so students can practice soft skills within the context of specific jobs.
- Our free career exploration curriculum, which addresses in-demand careers within the skilled trades, agriculture, health science and more.
- Our downloadable infographics, which address topics like job outlooks and the soft skills today’s employers are looking for.
- This recent blog, which details 5 engaging learning aids for middle school students
