The Early Start Career Series Instructor’s Manual provides teachers and other adults with lesson plans and additional resources for using My Career Adventure, People at Work, and the JIST software Mission: Careers. Erik Orndorff, Assistant Principal at Pequea Valley School District in Kinzers, Pennsylvania, and a certified presenter for Learning Focused Schools (LFS), has written an outstanding manual that is easy to use and inspiring for anyone who faces the challenge of introducing children to career-related concepts, developing their character, and strengthening their understanding of the relationship between education and careers.

The introduction to the manual discusses the goals of the series, tips for effective teaching, and strategies for including families in their children’s initial career exploration experience. Part I provides detailed instructions on how to use My Career Adventure in a group setting. The lesson plans progress through the 12 Job Families, 10 Character Essentials, and 12 School Essentials. Each plan consists of

• an activating strategy (a method of tapping into the students’ prior knowledge, getting their wheels turning, and directing them toward the topic at hand for that day)
• the essential question that day’s lesson will answer
• vocabulary
• the main course (the crucial part of the lesson)
• the paycheck (a summary of what the student learned)

Parts II and III of the manual provide methods of effectively using the information and activities in People at Work and Mission: Career in conjunction with My Career Adventure or as standalone products.