Lesson Plan: Exploring Careers in Health for Year 11 Students

Subject: Health and Physical Education – Health Education Strand

Year Level: 11

Duration: 40 minutes

Class Size: 28 students

Learning Objective:

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify various career opportunities within the healthcare sector in New Zealand and understand the educational pathways and skills required for each.

Curriculum Links:

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum, Health and Physical Education, specifically focusing on the strand of Health Education at level 6 (NCEA Level 1). Students will explore societal issues related to health and well-being and career opportunities (NZ Curriculum – Health and PE).

Materials Needed:

• Projector and screen
• Internet connection for video streaming
• Whiteboard and markers
• Career pamphlets and brochures (gathered from local healthcare organisations and educational institutes)
• Worksheets for group activity (provided in the appendices)

Lesson Structure:

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Teacher's Activity: Briefly introduce the topic by discussing the importance of health careers in New Zealand, highlighting the demand for various professions in the healthcare sector.
• Students' Activity: Students will be asked to brainstorm and share any health careers they are already aware of.

Main Activity Part 1: Exploring Health Careers (20 minutes)

• Teacher's Activity:
  1. Show a short video from Careers NZ that discusses different roles in healthcare, focusing on less common careers in addition to roles like doctors and nurses.
  2. Distribute worksheets that contain a list of various healthcare careers. Each group will research one career in more detail, focusing on job responsibilities, required qualifications, and potential salaries.
• Students' Activity: In groups of 4, students use their mobile devices or tablets to research their assigned careers using recommended websites such as the New Zealand Ministry of Health and educational institutions offering relevant courses.

Main Activity Part 2: Group Presentations (10 minutes)

• Teacher's Activity: Facilitate short presentations where each group shares their findings about the healthcare career they researched.
• Students' Activity: Each group presents a concise overview of their career, covering key aspects noted in their worksheets.

Conclusion and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Teacher's Activity: Summarize the careers discussed and emphasize the diverse opportunities available within the healthcare sector.
• Students' Activity: Reflect on the information shared and write down one career in health that interested them the most and one question they still have about the field.

Assessment:

• Participation in group activities and discussions.
• Group presentation content and delivery.
• Completion of the worksheet focusing on researching a specific healthcare career.

Resources and Further Reading:

• Careers NZ - Health
• NZ Ministry of Education - Health Education
• New Zealand Ministry of Health

Extensions:

Students can be encouraged to arrange informational interviews with health professionals or visit local hospitals and clinics to gain firsthand experience of the work environment.

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This lesson plan offers an engaging approach for Year 11 students to explore health careers, aligning well with New Zealand's educational standards and health sector needs.