Resources

Elementary School Career Resources

Published: 2/6/2024 7:53 AM

​Elementary career studies require a cross-curricular, interdisciplinary approach to help students to cultivate a sense of self, identify areas of interest, gain a sense of career awareness and understand the relationship between academics and future careers. The focus in the early grades is on career awareness and exploration – not career choice.

Kentucky Academic Standards for Career Studies

The Kentucky Academic Standards for Career Studies outline the minimum content standards Kentucky students should learn within each grade-band.

Career Cluster Resources

Organized by career clusters, the Delaware Career Resource Network offers lesson plans, activities and other resources for integrating career studies in grades K-5.

Career Cluster Activities

The Virginia Career View provides interactive games, activities and other resources for integrating career studies in grades K-5. 

Career Exploration e-Coloring Book

Children become aware of the world of careers as early as preschool. Even through simple life experiences, the world of work is all around us. We encourage teachers, advisers, counselors, and parents to use this resource as a fun way to introduce career choices. The coloring pages in this e-book are intended to be fun for children Pre-K to 3rd grade.


​Career Exploration Book List

Open the world of possibilities with these career-related texts. Provide opportunities for students to explore careers through read alouds, classroom libraries and independent reading. Combine these texts with activities related to each career cluster to begin to develop career awareness and connect academics to the real-world.


K-5 Discover Occupations
K-5 Hospitality Books
K-5 Agriculture Books
K-5 Human Services Books
K-5 Architecture and Construction Books
K-5 Information Technology Books
K-5 Arts, AV and Communications Books
K-5 Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security Books
K-5 Business Books
K-5 Manufacturing Books
K-5 Education Books
K-5 Marketing Books
K-5 Finance Books
K-5 STEM Books
K-5 Government and Public Administration Books
K-5 Transportation Books
K-5 Health Science Books


​Career Exploration Activities

Exploratory Activities introduce students to the skills, topics and vocabulary related to careers within each of the 16 career clusters. These optional activities do not constitute a curriculum, but they support career exploration within the context of a career studies program that spans K-5. Resources progress by grade level from kindergarten to 5th grade and may be modified to meet student needs.

K-5 Agriculture Activities
K-5 Hospitality Activities
K-5 Architecture and ConstructionActivities
K-5 Human Services Activities
K-5 Arts, AV and Communications Activities
K-5 Information Activities
K-5 Business Activities
K-5 Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security Activities
K-5 Education Activities
K-5 Manufacturing Activities
K-5 Finance Activities
K-5 Marketing Activities
K-5 Government and Public Administration Activities
K-5 STEM Activities
K-5 Health Science Activities
K-5 Transportation Activities


Sharon Collins
Office of Career and Technical Education
Division of Student Transition and Career Readiness
300 Sower Blvd., 5th Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-4286 Ext. 4275
Fax (502) 564-4800

sharon.collins@education.ky.gov​​


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