Another strategy is to build the entire curriculum around an industry theme. For example, using aviation as the theme, a teacher could construct a math lesson on distance and time, a social studies lesson on geography, a science lesson on aerodynamics, and an English lesson requiring students to write stories about the Wright brothers. Set Goals and Develop a Four-Year Plan. After assessing aptitudes, abilities, and interests, students should begin to set goals for their future and develop tentative outlines for secondary school that coincide with the career areas they are interested in. For middle schools that feed into high schools with career majors and occupational clusters, a four-year plan will help students think seriously about what major or cluster they will choose and the courses they will need to take.
Many schools require assessment and goal-setting for all students.
For example, the Garland Independent School District in Texas has occupational clusters at the high school level. Every student must have a four-year plan in the eighth grade outlining the occupational cluster they intend to pursue. To facilitate the decision-making process, schools in the district administer the ACT career survey to all eighth graders, and distribute a book entitled Decisions, Decisions, Decisions, that lays out the course requirements for each occupational cluster. Some states call for assessment and goal-setting for students. Each year the student updates the document.