Preparing high school students for the professional world involves more than just academic knowledge. They need to develop essential workplace skills that will help them succeed in their future careers. Everyday Speech’s Moonwalk is an innovative and engaging game to help students develop professional skills. In this blog post, we’ll explore how high school transition teachers can use this tool to help students develop workplace skills.
Help Students Develop Professional Skills
Developing professional workplace skills is crucial for high school students because it:
- Enhances Employability: Prepares students for job interviews and workplace expectations.
- Builds Confidence: Helps students feel more prepared and confident in professional settings.
- Improves Communication: Teaches students how to interact effectively with coworkers.
- Promotes Problem-Solving: Encourages critical thinking and decision-making skills.
Introducing Moonwalk
Everyday Speech’s Moonwalk game is a digital jumping-over-obstacles game that uses a Good-Better-Best question format to apply key professional skills. As students navigate through the game, they encounter various scenarios that require them to choose the best course of action from multiple options. This interactive approach makes learning professional skills engaging and memorable.
Lesson Plan: Using Moonwalk to Teach Professional Workplace Skills
Objective
By the end of the lesson, students will understand and be able to apply key professional workplace skills in various scenarios.
Materials Needed
- Access to Everyday Speech’s Moonwalk game
- Computers or tablets for each student or pair of students
- Reflection journals or worksheets
- Whiteboard and markers
Duration
45-60 minutes
Activity Steps
1. Help Students Develop Professional Skills (10 minutes)
Begin the lesson by discussing the importance of professional workplace skills. Explain how these skills will help them succeed in their future careers. Use relatable examples to illustrate each skill, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management.
Discussion Questions:
- What are professional workplace skills?
- Why are they important?
- Can you think of a situation where you might need these skills?
2. Introducing the Moonwalk Game (5 minutes)
Introduce the Moonwalk game to the class. Explain that the game will help them practice professional workplace skills through a series of interactive scenarios. Show them how to navigate the game and answer the Good-Better-Best questions.
3. Guided Gameplay (20 minutes)
Have the students play the Moonwalk game on computers or tablets. Guide them through the first few scenarios, discussing why certain answers are better than others and what makes the “Best” answer the most effective.
4. Group Discussion and Reflection (10 minutes)
After the gameplay, gather the students for a group discussion. Ask them to share their experiences and reflections on the scenarios they encountered in the game.
Reflection Questions:
- What scenarios did you encounter in the game?
- How did you decide which answer was the best?
- What did you learn about handling professional situations?
5. Reflection Journals (10 minutes)
Provide students with reflection journals or worksheets to document their thoughts and feelings about the game and the skills they practiced. Encourage them to write about a real-life situation where they could apply these skills.
Journal Prompts:
- Describe a scenario from the game and how you handled it.
- How can you apply the skills you learned in real life?
- What professional skills do you want to improve, and how will you do it?
Unlock all of our Job Training materials by signing up for your free trial today – no credit card required!
Access the full Social Communication Curriculum HERE!
Instant access to thousands of no-prep social skills activities, over 1000+ video lessons, and engaging games designed to enhance learning and development.
Conclusion
Teaching high school students professional workplace skills is essential for their future success. Everyday Speech’s Moonwalk is an engaging game to help students develop professional skills. By incorporating this tool into your teaching strategy, you can support your students in becoming confident professionals. For more resources on teaching job skills, stay tuned to our blog.
Sample Video
Try out this sample animated video lesson.
We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 14 days here!
Related Blog Posts:
Navigating Middle School: Enhancing Social Skills Through Videos
Teaching Middle School Students to Stay Calm and Solve Problems
Promoting Mental Well-being: SEL Lessons for Middle School Students