Are you looking for a lively way to introduce your students to various careers? Look no further—Career Taboo is the perfect lesson plan that combines education, fun, and interactive learning in your careers class!
Objective
By participating in this Career Taboo lesson, students will:
Expand their knowledge about various careers.
Improve communication and teamwork skills.
Learn to describe professions without relying on obvious or restricted terms.
Materials Needed
Pre-made Career Taboo cards (custom-made or teacher-prepared).
Timer (optional, but recommended for extra excitement).
Scoreboard or whiteboard.
Preparation
Create Career Taboo cards: Each card should feature a career and 3-5 “taboo” words that students cannot use to describe the career. Example:
Career: Doctor
Taboo words: Hospital, Patient, Medicine, Sick, Nurse
Divide the class into small groups (ideally 4-6 students per group).
Career Taboo Cards Examples
Here are 25 Career Taboo cards ready to use:
Teacher: School, Classroom, Student, Homework, Lesson
Chef: Cook, Kitchen, Restaurant, Food, Recipe
Pilot: Airplane, Flight, Airport, Cockpit, Sky
Farmer: Tractor, Crops, Barn, Animals, Harvest
Artist: Paint, Canvas, Sculpture, Gallery, Brush
Engineer: Design, Build, Machines, Technology, Project
Dentist: Teeth, Cavity, Cleaning, Drill, Smile
Veterinarian: Animals, Pet, Clinic, Surgery, Vaccination
Photographer: Camera, Pictures, Lens, Snapshot, Portrait
Mechanic: Car, Engine, Repair, Garage, Tools
Nurse: Hospital, Care, Medicine, Patient, Doctor
Journalist: News, Interview, Report, Media, Newspaper
Firefighter: Fire, Rescue, Hose, Ladder, Emergency
Actor: Stage, Theater, Movie, Script, Role
Librarian: Books, Library, Quiet, Shelves, Reading
Architect: Blueprint, Building, Design, Construction, Structure
Musician: Instrument, Song, Concert, Music, Band
Scientist: Laboratory, Experiment, Research, Discovery, Chemical
Police Officer: Law, Badge, Arrest, Patrol, Uniform
Barber: Haircut, Scissors, Style, Salon, Barber Chair
Athlete: Sports, Game, Team, Training, Competition
Plumber: Pipes, Leak, Faucet, Water, Drain
Author: Book, Write, Story, Publish, Novel
Accountant: Numbers, Taxes, Finance, Calculator, Budget
Electrician: Wiring, Electricity, Circuit, Switch, Voltage
Lesson Procedure
Step 1: Explanation (5 minutes)
Introduce the concept of the game, explaining the rules and objectives.
Step 2: Gameplay (30-40 minutes)
Have one student from each group pick a card.
Students must describe the career without using any of the taboo words.
Their team members try to guess the career within a set time limit (60-90 seconds recommended).
Teams earn points for correct guesses within the time limit.
Step 3: Debrief & Discussion (10 minutes)
After gameplay, discuss:
Challenges students faced while describing careers.
Which careers students found most interesting or difficult.
What skills they learned or improved during the game.
Assessment
Evaluate student participation, teamwork, and their ability to accurately describe careers and think creatively without using taboo terms.
Extension Activities
Students create their own Career Taboo cards for future rounds.
Students research a career that intrigued them during the game and share findings with the class.
Bring your classroom to life and foster career exploration with this engaging and fun Career Taboo lesson plan!