HirePaths Lessons in 3B
Larissa Whitney teaches third grade, class 3B, in Hays, Kansas. She took time to share some of her favorite activities inspired and supported by HirePaths.
"When I Grow Up"
To integrate HirePaths in the classroom, we began our school year by asking each third-grade student what they would like to be when they grow up. HirePaths tied in well with our district goal of reaching #EveryStudentEveryDay489, and their dream jobs were showcased in our class’s published book. Each third grader walked the red carpet in celebration of When I Grow Up becoming a published, hardbound book! All the third graders at Lincoln Elementary are published authors, and they each received a copy of the book thanks to Midwest Energy Inc.’s sponsorship. Mrs. Vajnar (3A) and I agreed we would like to go with the "When I Grow Up" theme for the book next year as well.
Fashion Design 
Even our class peer tutor, my daughter, benefitted from HirePaths in the classroom. She's been interested in fashion design for years, and we were able to bring that dream to life more than ever! She learned about design, construction and presentation from starting with a sketch and entering a Comic-Con competition. A multitude of friends, family and coworkers have supported her dream by sharing supplies, showing her how to use the sewing machine, and so on.
Cool Careers Videos
Our class enjoyed several activities based on Cool Careers Videos. Playing games or reading related books helped the students think more about the featured careers — and it was fun!
Pilot (Drone & Commercial): We drew from a bird’s-eye view perspective; 3B students drew their own neighborhood. We also read The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray. This book was from the William Allen White Children’s Book Award Reading List and told the tale of an 11-year-old who works to solve the mystery of a missing pair of Amelia Earhart’s flight goggles.
Cybersecurity Analyst: After watching, we played the game CryptoHack from Blooket.
Elementary Teacher: Following the Elementary Teacher Career Video, students in 3B made Teacher Appreciation Week cards for teachers at Lincoln Elementary.
Plumber: The Cool Career Video about plumbing was quite informative, AND the girls thought it was pretty awesome that it showcased a female plumber. As an extension, read The Great Stink by Colleen Paeff, which was recognized by the William Allen White Children’s Book Award Reading List.
Wind Turbine Technician: We happened to be studying weather and climate — specifically wind — when we watched the Wind Turbine Technician Cool Career Video. We then completed a science activity about designing a wind-proof house. Find the activity here.
Field Trips 
We were fortunate to take our class on many wonderful field trips throughout the year! Two field trips that stood out were AMC Theaters in the fall and Rolling Hills Zoo in the spring. A third grader shared he would like to work at AMC Theaters since his mom works there. We scheduled a behind-the-scenes tour of the film room and watched a movie on the big screen. The third graders were all smiles that day! Later in the year, I learned a third grader from 3A wanted to be a zookeeper and a third grader from 3B wanted to be a veterinarian. We leaned into those dreams with an animal research unit followed by a trip to the Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina, Kansas. The Rolling Hills Zoo will also come to your school with a program called “Zoo to You.” The field trip was a true adventure, with a 1.5 hour bus ride, sack lunches and a "Safari Edventure."
Larissa Whitney teaches third grade at Lincoln Elementary School in Hays, Kansas. She was the 2022-2023 Midwest Energy HirePaths Teacher Ambassador.