FREE Career Exploration Middle School Unit Sample | Self-Assessment

🚀 **FREE Career Exploration Unit Sample for Middle School — Grades 6–8 | 5-Page Sampler from the Complete 4-Week Unit**

Help your middle school students begin exploring their future with this **FREE Career Exploration Unit Sample**. This sampler provides a focused look at **Week 1: Self-Assessment** and a preview of **Week 2: Career Clusters** from the complete 4-week Career Exploration Unit.

### ⭐ WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS FREEBIE

**✅ Welcome & Pacing Guide** An overview of how the full **4-week unit** is structured.

**✅ Lesson 1: My Interests Inventory** A **16-item checklist** designed to help students identify what interests and excites them.

**✅ Lesson 2: My Skills Checklist** A categorized activity distinguishing **hard skills and soft skills**, plus a skill-development goal setter.

**✅ Lesson 3: My Work Values** A ranking activity that helps students identify what matters most to them in a future job.

**✅ Sneak Peek: The 16 Career Clusters List** A quick-reference grid featuring **all 16 national career clusters**.

**✅ Bonus: Career Research Template** A fillable profile students can use to research **one career in depth**.

### 🚫 WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS FREEBIE

The following materials are included in the **full unit**, but not in this sample:

❌ Career Cluster Deep Dive Research Templates #1 and #2 with comparison matrix ❌ Informational Interview Prep Guide & Email Templates ❌ Mock Interview Activities & Do's/Don'ts Reference ❌ Career Pathway Final Project Outline & Visual Aid Checklists ❌ Final Presentation Grading Rubric & Teacher Guide ❌ Reflection Journals ❌ Thank-You Note Template ❌ Goal-Setting Worksheet ❌ Glossary ❌ Parent Letter ❌ Certificate of Completion ❌ Answer Keys

This freebie is a sample of the **student handouts from Week 1**, with a preview of the 16 Career Clusters.

### 💡 HOW TO USE THIS FREE SAMPLE

**Interest & Skills Activities:** Use the checklists as a standalone mini-lesson for a guidance counseling session or advisory period.

**Career Research Template:** Assign it as an independent extension activity for early finishers.

**16 Career Clusters List:** Send the list home as a conversation starter for students and families.

**Unit Preview:** Use the sampler as an introduction to the complete **4-week project-based career exploration unit**.

### 🎯 PERFECT FOR

Career Exploration Classes Middle School Advisory CTE (Career & Technical Education) School Counseling Small Groups AVID 8th Grade Capstone Projects Sub Plans Early Finisher Activities

### 🔗 LOVE THIS SAMPLE? GET THE FULL 38-PAGE UNIT

**Career Exploration Unit Middle School | 16 Lessons & Project | UM Printables**

### ⭐ WHAT TEACHERS GET WITH THE FULL MEGA BUNDLE

✅ **16 Detailed Lesson Plans** — 45 minutes each ✅ **Self-Assessment Inventories** — Interests, Skills, Values, Personality ✅ **Career Cluster Research Templates** for all 16 national clusters ✅ **Informational Interview Prep Guide** with email templates and question stems ✅ **Final Project Rubric** — 4-category, standards-based ✅ **4-Week Pacing Guide + Standards Alignment** — ASCA, CCSS, CASEL ✅ **Differentiation & ELL Support Strategies** ✅ **Reflection Journals, Goal-Setting Worksheet, Parent Letter, Glossary, Certificate of Completion & more**