Standards Correlations

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7,  W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will read and summarize a text about the recent trend of businesses hiring teen workers.

Key Skills

summarizing, text features, vocabulary, key details, cause and effect, inference, critical thinking, narrative writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The text explains why businesses are hiring more teens and how teens can capitalize on the situation.

 

Structure: The text is informational. It discusses a widespread economic trend while telling the stories of specific teens

 

Language: The text includes some challenging vocabulary, which is defined in the article and in the vocabulary box.

 

Knowledge Demands: Some knowledge of how the job market works will be helpful.

Levels

Lexile: 600L-700L 

Guided Reading Level: S 

DRA Level: 40

SEL Connection

This article and lesson promote setting personal goals.

Lesson Plan: Will Teen Workers Save the Day?

Essential Questions

  • What are some reasons to get a summer job?
  • What personal qualities do good workers have?

Literature Connection

  • Novel: Paperboy by Vince Vawter 
  • Novel: Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn

1. Preparing to Read 

Build Background Knowledge (10 minutes)

Have students take our fun, interactive prereading quiz “Are You Ready to Get a Job?”  The quiz will prepare students to read the article by activating their prior knowledge about employment and providing information about what it takes to find a job.

Preview Text Features (15 minutes)

Guide students to locate the article. Then preview the text features by asking the following questions:

  • Read the article’s title and subtitle (the text below the title). What does it mean to “save the day”? How might teen workers save the day, according to the subtitle? To save the day means to step in and fix a bad situation. From the subtitle, it sounds like teen workers may step in where adult workers are missing. They may take jobs that will help businesses keep running and growing.  
  • Look at the photo captioned “More Than Money.” Do you agree with the statement that jobs help teens gain important skills? What kinds of skills might be learned while working? Answers will vary. Examples might include responsibility, communication, focus, time management, and problem-solving. 

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words (economy, employers, job market, flexible, wages) aloud and discuss the definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading 

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

  • Set a purpose for reading by explaining to students that the article “Will Teen Workers Save the Day?” will tell them why businesses are scrambling to fill open positions and how this will affect teens this summer.
  • Point out the Pause and Think boxes. Tell students they can check their understanding of what they’ve read by answering these questions.
  • Point out the activity at the end of the article and tell students they’ll complete it after reading. Encourage them to briefly scan the questions and to keep them in mind as they read.

2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

Guide students to read the article. Once they understand it well, discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)

  • The article starts by describing Tess Baldwin’s experience interviewing for a job. What details from Tess’s story help support the idea that it’s relatively easy for teens to get jobs these days? (key details) Based on the text, Tess didn’t do or say anything special in her interview; in fact, she mostly said, “Um, yes.” Even though she probably didn’t make the best possible impression, she was hired right away. 
  • According to the article, fewer teens have worked in recent years than when your parents were teens. Why? (cause and effect) In recent years, there were fewer jobs available to teens than in the past; adults had taken them.
  • How does Noel Villepigue feel about the job he had last summer? How can you tell? (inference) Noel feels good about his decision to work as a soccer referee, because it was a job he could do outdoors. You can tell because he says it was “great not to have to worry about catching Covid-19” at work. 

Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)

  • What can a teen gain by having a summer job? What might a teen miss out on by having a summer job? (critical thinking) Sample answer: Summer jobs allow teens to earn money, develop new skills,and build relationships that may lead to future jobs. Teens may miss out on socializing with friends, spending time outdoors (if the job is mostly indoors), being physically active (if the job is done mostly sitting), and spending time on their hobbies and interests.

3. Skill Building and Writing

  • Have students work in pairs to complete the Spotlight Skill activity at the end of the article.
  • Use our Summarizing Skill Builder, available in higher- and lower-level versions. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders for this article.)
  • Writing prompt: Imagine that you want to get a job at a coffee shop this summer, and you want your friend Sam to work there too. Write Sam a note explaining why you want the job, why you think it will be easy to get the job, and what you should both do to prepare for the interview. Use details from the article as well as your own imagination.

Learn Anywhere Activity

An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom

List Your Skills

Take another look at the infographic “How to Get Hired.” Under the heading “Sell Your Skills,” you’ll see two examples of the type of experience that might impress a possible employer. 

Now think about your own experience so you’ll be ready to talk about it when you’re asked. Are you always on time for school? That shows you’re punctual. Do you remember to feed your neighbors’ cats when your neighbors are out of town? That shows you’re reliable. 

Listed below are five traits that employers look for in teen workers. For each one, think of something you’ve done (or can do) that shows you have that trait.

  • Reliability (being dependable, showing that people can count on you)
  • Punctuality (being on time)
  • Self-motivation (the ability to get things done without being told to do them)
  • Ambition (interest in doing more than what is expected of you)
  • Good manners (knowing how to speak and act in a way that makes people feel respected)

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