Note to Teachers
This WebQuest is geared for grades 6-8. It could be easily adapted for older students
by exploring the options available in
This unit will be more successful if the students will be able to
have their own computer to work on their poster, as opposed to sharing one with
another student.
Introduction
What have you always wanted to choose as a career? Start to think about the different
opportunities and positions in the field of agriculture that match your interests
and skills. Find interesting jobs you
didn’t even know were possibilities!
Task
Make a poster to illustrate what a particular career entails. Then, write 4 paragraphs explaining the
profession and recommending particular classes and or organizations to join
that would help grow interest in the area.
Process
Step
1 – About You
Fill out the All about You page with your
hobbies, interests, skills. Take the
time to really think about yourself.
Step
2 – Career Research
Go here
to learn more about careers related to agriculture.
Click on each locker and read the brief description of the
different departments within agriculture.
- Find the box that
says, “Careers where I can”.
Click on the drop down
menu, and choose what you would like to do in your future career. (For example: work with machines, work
with animals, etc.) - Click “submit”.
- On the careers that
appear from your search, click on a career that interests you.
- Use the following graphic organizer to research about the
career.
- Find what the career
cluster, general information, salary, availability, required education,
necessary skills, and 3 facts about the job.
- Find and research 2
more jobs which are in the same category you chose. You should have a completed matrix!
Choose a second option from the drop down menu, “Careers where I
can”. Complete a second matrix following
the same steps you did to complete the first.
You may want to also consult these websites for more information
about the careers you choose:
http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/USDA/careers/
http://www.florida-agriculture.com/consumers/careers.htm
Now you are an expert in several different careers related to
agriculture that YOU are interested in.
Get into groups of 4 students.
Read everyone’s matrices in the group.
Ask questions about the jobs so you can have a clear understanding of
what the job entails. Now you know about
18 more professions in agriculture!
Step
3 – Design Rules
First, learn about the principles and elements
of design. These overall guides will
help you create a well-balanced and aesthetically pleasing poster. Be sure to keep all concepts in mind while planning
and executing your poster.
Step
4 – Poster
You are going to make a poster with an explanation about your
career. Your poster should be done in a
Microsoft Word document. The poster
should include: (1) career name (2) catch phrase (3) picture.
1) Along the top of the
poster, it needs to state the career.
What would someone in the career be called? (Hint: It will probably end in ‘ist’ or ‘ian’.)
2) Somewhere on the poster
it should have a catch phrase having to do with the career. It should be somewhat short, yet catchy.
3) It needs to include a
picture that describes and represents the career. It should be large enough to cover most of
the page.
The poster should also have an accompanying explanation page of 4-5
paragraphs which describes the career.
The same catch phrase and picture should be used on the explanation
page. The paragraphs should include the
information you have already gathered in the matrix. The first 3 paragraphs should address the job
and facts about it. The last paragraph,
which can be a couple sentences, should address which classes or activities
will help prepare someone for the careers.
Be sure to cite the websites where you got your information and picture
from somewhere on the explanation page.
Look at the following examples of posters and explanations:
http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/USDA/careers/pdfs/Viticulturist.pdf
http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/USDA/careers/pdfs/Florist.pdf
Evaluation
Please visit the teacher
page for a grading rubric for the poster, related SOLs, and other
resources.
Conclusion
There are many positions available in the agricultural fields. You can certainly find a career which will
enable you to work while using your interests and skills. With some jobs even in high demand, employers
would jump at the chance to hire you.
When looking for a career, keep all of your options open and be sure to
choose something that you can be happy doing for a long time.
Credits
This WebQuest was created by Kelly
Henaghan for
Last revised: October, 2008
© 2008 Agriculture in the Classroom; All Rights Reserved