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I am doing some career activities this week in some high school classrooms and I thought I’d share something new I’m adding to the mix. I bought a classic Jenga® set and wrote career-type questions on them about dream careers, interview etiquette, and interview-type questions. Thus, Career Building Blocks Game was born. I think it’ll be a great game for all grade levels of students across the board. Let me share how it works — I am certain your high school students will love it, too!
1- How to Set Up the Career Building Blocks Game
Career Building Blocks Game is an ASCA-aligned game suitable for middle school or high school teens (regular education or special education). Students will have fun while they’re learning and playing this game! The activity on my TpT store comes with 54 questions for you to create your own career building blocks game with a purchased Jenga set. I took my blocks and used a Sharpie pen to write the questions on each one.
2- Why the Career Building Blocks Game is Effective
As the students play Jenga®, they have to answer the questions as they pull out a block, attempting to keep the tower from toppling. While they are enjoying the game, you’re developing your high school students’ career aspirations and helping them practice job interview skills.
Sometimes it can be challenging to get high school students in a career-building mindset (am I the only one who thought I’d be a teen forever at that stage?). Check out this post for more creative and fun activities that build career readiness.
The download in my TpT store includes a lesson plan, all 54 questions in PDF format to write on a complete Jenga® game set or similar game, and a PDF pre/post assessment to collect your perception data.
Keep in mind, this is merely an addition to an already established, trademarked, and registered game or an addition to any other building blocks game. (You will need to purchase your own Jenga® or similar game to write the questions on them: check out Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc. Jenga® is a registered trademark of Pokonobe Associates. All rights reserved. TM & ® denote US Trademarks.)
3- Where to Use the Career Building Blocks Game
The really fun part about this resource is that it is adaptable to multiple settings.
Bring the game into classroom settings. You can have multiple games going, or simply have one set as a station to add to a lesson already centered on career planning topics. These can also work well for special education transitional activities in the classroom setting.
The career building blocks can also be used in small groups focused on careers. It is such a fun and interactive way to get your students hands-on with career topics.
Consider pairing this activity with other resources centered on career readiness. For example, my Career Scenario cards make a great partner to the Career Building Game. Students are presented with scenarios that will challenge them to make social and ethical decisions depending on scenarios they may encounter in the workplace. If hosting a small group on career exploration (such as this 7-week small group in my TpT store), this can be a fun add-on to discussions and activities that get students thinking about future careers.
Click here to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers page for the questions I wrote on my blocks, an ASCA-aligned lesson plan, and a pre/post assessment for your perception data needs!
Are you doing activities for students in classrooms? If so, what are they?
