I could do THAT for a living?!?!

Had I known as a middle school or high school - or even college - student that there were so many fabulous science career opportunities in the world, I may not have become a science teacher.  Not that there's anything wrong with being a teacher.  In fact, I love teaching!  I just never realized that my interest in science could be used for anything more than teaching it.  I had the pleasure of learning under several amazing science teachers and professors in my educational career, but none of them ever told me about careers related to the science we were studying in class.

In the past three years, I've had two students who were about to graduate high school come back to the wonderful world that is middle school just to let me know that they're choosing science careers... because of me!  They never realized that science could actually be FUN until they took my class! (Seriously, there's no greater moment as a teacher than to have a student come back 6 years later to tell you that!!)  It got me thinking...how many more students might graduate high school and go on to science careers if someone just made them aware of all the incredible science opportunities that are out there?!

So my mission this year is to incorporate science career awareness into the curriculum.  I'm not talking in depth studies or anything.  Just brief overviews of the careers that use the science we're currently studying.  For instance, when my 8th graders study genetics and heredity, I'm thinking we should take a day and talk about Genetic Engineering, Biotechnology, Genomics, and even Genetic Counseling.

Here's some of the other careers I'm thinking of incorporating:

Acoustics Physicist
Aerospace Engineer
Archaeologist
Astronomer
Atmospheric Scientist
Biochemist
Biomedical Engineer
Cancer Researcher
Chemist
Ecologist
Environmental Scientist
Experimental Physicist
Food Scientist
Forensic Scientist
Geologist
Mechanical Engineer
Oceanographer
Pharmacist
Seismologist
Sonographer
Volcanologist

I'm sure I'll come up with more as I get into the curriculum this year, but I think I have a good start here!  As I come up with the career-related activities that I want the students to do (because I don't just want to talk to them for 40 minutes about these careers every chapter! Ugh!), I'll be sure to post them!

Rachel