Daily Learning Contract
- Topic: Nursing Route Choices
- Objective: Students will compare preparation requirements and salaries across four nursing-related careers and evaluate two RN education routes using source-labeled evidence.
- TEKS: d(2)(A), d(2)(B), d(5)(E)
- Demonstration of Learning: Completed Canvas Nursing Route Evidence Check or optional print scaffold.
Lesson Overview
| Time | 50 minutes |
| Objectives | Complete a four-career comparison; distinguish common RN education routes; recommend a route using preparation, pay, and one trade-off |
| TEKS | d(2)(A), d(2)(B), d(5)(E) |
| 5E Phases | Engage: Warm-Up, Explore: four-role comparison, Explain: Texas program approval and RN routes, Elaborate: recommendation, Evaluate: ranked close |
| Deliverable | Canvas Nursing Route Evidence Check or optional print fallback |
| Materials | Nursing Career Route Guide, Canvas Nursing Route Evidence Check, optional Nursing Route Comparison scaffold, calculators optional |
Warm-Up (5 min)
WARM-UP: A shorter program can lead to work sooner. A longer program can open different responsibilities. What information would you need before choosing?
Collect questions about admission, time, cost, approval, license, daily work, and pay. A high salary by itself is not a complete route decision.
Activity 1: Finish the Four-Role Comparison (20 min)
Students use the Canvas Nursing Route Evidence Check to order all four salary figures on the same May 2024 U.S. median basis and explain one preparation and one responsibility difference. The Nursing Route Comparison provides the same work as a four-page optional print/access fallback; do not print it as a routine class set.
Answer key:
- Nursing assistant: $39,530
- LVN: $62,340
- RN: $93,600
- Nurse practitioner: $129,210
These are BLS national medians. Do not convert them into starting pay or DFW wages.
Activity 2: Evaluate RN Routes (10 min)
BLS identifies associate, bachelor's, and approved diploma routes to RN preparation. The Texas Board of Nursing instructs prospective students to verify that a pre-licensure program is approved before enrolling. Graduates then follow the RN licensure examination process.
Students Stop and Jot one possible advantage and one trade-off for an associate and bachelor's route. Accept cost, time, transfer plans, admission requirements, employer preferences, and long-term goals. Do not claim that the degree alone guarantees higher pay.
Activity 3: Make a Defensible Recommendation (10 min)
Students choose Jordan, Avery, or Sam in the Canvas check and recommend a route using:
- one preparation fact,
- one correctly labeled pay fact, and
- one trade-off or unanswered question.
DOK 3: Why might two students choose different routes even when they use the same career data?
Exit Ticket (5 min)
EXIT TICKET (Ranked Justification) · Printable PDF:
Rank nursing assistant, LVN, RN, and nurse practitioner from best to least suitable for the fictional student you chose. For Rank 1 and Rank 4, give one preparation or pay fact. Then name the trade-off that had the greatest effect on your ranking. (d(2)(A), d(2)(B), d(5)(E))
Differentiation
- Support: Revisit the completed nursing assistant model, keep the point-of-use comparison and decision word banks visible, rehearse the complete sentence frames orally, and offer the optional print scaffold when handwriting or enlarged print improves access.
- Extension: Compare an approved ADN and BSN program using published tuition and admission information, keeping source date and residency assumptions visible.
- ELL: Keep approved/aprobado, degree/título, licensure exam/examen de licencia, and trade-off visible beside the response. Use "Both routes _. However, requires ." and "I recommend _ because . One trade-off is ." Score evidence and reasoning, not English mechanics.