Résumé Lesson Plans

The business card conveys what you do but the résumé conveys what you have done in an effort to show what you can do in the future. In this series of exercises the student creates his or her own résumé or that of a historical or fictional character.

Students must choose the most appropriate style and layout in addition to writing the résumé. How might a 5th grade student show that she is ready for promotion to 6th grade, using a résumé? What skills and experience should Julius Ceasar highlight if he were seeking a career change from Emperor to Military Analyst for the Roman Empire News Hour?

A life's worth of experience and education summarized in a single page -- that's a résumé.

Two Desktop Publishing Résumé Lesson Plans
Lesson 1 has the student writing and designing a résumé for themselves — to secure a job (paid or volunteer) or a promotion (at current job or from one grade level to another).

In Lesson 2 the students must create a résumé for a historical, fictional, or literary character (assigned or chosen by the student).

Lessons can be applied to a variety of ages and subject areas including Language Arts, History, Social Studies, and Vocational Training/Studies. Why use this format? In addition to being fun and different for the student, a résumé is something most students will eventually have to do as they make their way into the work world.

• Lesson 1: Create a Résumé for Yourself
• Lesson 2: Create a Résumé for a Literary or Historical Character
• Additional: Resources, Checklists, Design Tips

Download these desktop publishing résumé lesson plans in .DOC (Microsoft Word) format.