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Careers in Computing

Sixth graders explore the many careers in computing — software developer, game designer, data scientist, cybersecurity analyst, and UX designer — discovering that computer science opens doors in every field they can imagine.

Grade 6Computing & Society45 minutes1 class periodUse → Modify → CreateExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name computing careers.
  • ✓Describe what each does.
  • ✓Connect CS to your interests.
  • ✓See the possibilities.
Essential Question

Computer science isn’t just one job — it powers games, medicine, movies, space travel, and more. What are some careers in computing, and what do they do?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Computing Career

Project this and match each computing career to what they do — tap a career, then tap its description.

💼 Match each career to what they doTry it
Career
What They Do
Now tap what they do!
The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — CS Everywhere

5 min

CS powers games, medicine, movies, and space — what careers use it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • List tech they use.
  • Ask who makes it.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • List them.
  • Wonder.
  • Predict.
2

Unplugged — Unplug It

11 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Match a career to an interest.
  • Discuss what each does.
  • Feel the range.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match it.
  • Discuss.
  • Feel it.
3

Use — Explore Careers

14 min

Students use.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Computing Career.
  • Note each role.
  • Explain them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Note them.
  • Explain.
4

Modify — Connect It

10 min

Students modify.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Link a career to your interests.
  • Explain why it fits.
  • Name a skill it needs.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Link it.
  • Explain.
  • Name one.
5

Create — Create

5 min

Students conclude.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick a career to learn more about.
  • Say what it does.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and ISTE Standards for Students.

CSTA
2-IC-20

Compare the tradeoffs of computing choices.

CSTA
2-IC-22

Collaborate and connect computing to careers.

ISTE
1

Empowered Learner.

ISTE
7

Global Collaborator.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Career + role cards.
  • Sentence frame: “A ___ does ___.”
  • Use career photos.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with two careers.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Research a career’s path.
  • Interview a professional.
  • List needed skills.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 💼Career cards
  • 💻Match the Computing Career
  • 📰Career articles
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

careera job or professionsoftware developera person who writes codegame designera person who plans gamesdata scientista person who studies datacybersecurityprotecting computers and dataUX designera person who makes tech easy to useskillsomething you can do welltechnologytools built with computing
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Name a career in computing.
Sample: software developer, game designer, data scientist, cybersecurity analyst, or UX designer.
QUESTION 2
What does a cybersecurity analyst do?
Protects computers and data from attacks.
QUESTION 3
Does computer science lead to only one kind of job?
No — it opens doors in games, medicine, movies, space, and almost every field.

Create: explore a career.

Have students pick one computing career they find interesting and describe what that person does. A printable careers sheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Careers in ComputingFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Careers in ComputingQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Careers in ComputingPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: career, cybersecurity, data scientist, game designer, skill, software developer, technology, UX designer
  1. a person who makes tech easy to use
  2. protecting computers and data
  3. a person who studies data
  4. tools built with computing
  5. something you can do well
  6. a job or profession
  7. a person who writes code
  8. a person who plans games

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Name a career in computing.
  2. What does a cybersecurity analyst do?
  3. Does computer science lead to only one kind of job?
Answer key — Part A: 1) UX designer · 2) cybersecurity · 3) data scientist · 4) technology · 5) skill · 6) career · 7) software developer · 8) game designer
Part B: 1) Sample: software developer, game designer, data scientist, cybersecurity analyst, or UX designer. 2) Protects computers and data from attacks. 3) No — it opens doors in games, medicine, movies, space, and almost every field.