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Day 1: Law Cluster Tour + Legal Services Pathway

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Explore the Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security cluster; identify legal career opportunities; complete the Hat Research template for one legal career
TEKS d(1)(B), d(1)(C)
Deliverable Completed Hat Research template (1 legal career, all 6 fields) + Stop and Jot notes
Materials Chromebooks, H&L accounts, H&L Workbook Ch 13 (pp. 209, 220), printed Hat Research template, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: If you were accused of something you did not do, who would you want on your side, and what skills would they need?

Take 2-3 student responses. Bridge to the idea that the legal system runs on more than just lawyers. It includes paralegals, court reporters, judges, and investigators. Each role has different skills and education paths.

Activity 1: H&L Law Cluster Tour Video + Making Connections (15 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 13: Law and Public Service (p. 209)

Open the lesson by connecting the 1st Six Weeks (IT, Manufacturing) to today's pivot into the Law cluster. Explain that this cluster is about how communities stay safe, fair, and well-governed. Direct students to open Hats & Ladders and navigate to the Law and Public Service cluster.

Students:

  1. Watch the cluster tour video embedded in the H&L app cluster page. While watching, use Stop and Jot: pause twice to write down (1) one career that surprised them and (2) one question they have.
  2. Read the workbook overview (Ch 13, p. 209) which describes the four pathways: Fire Science, Government and Public Administration, Law Enforcement, and Legal Studies.
  3. Complete the "Making Connections" partner activity from the workbook: pair up and discuss "How do people in this cluster help communities? What qualities might someone need in order to work in fire science? How about public administration?"

[H&L PLATFORM] In the H&L app, click "Career Clusters" from the dashboard, then scroll to "Law and Public Service." Watch the cluster video on the cluster page. Explore the four pathways for 5-10 minutes by clicking each pathway tile.

Facilitation Tip

The Law cluster is broad. Students often think only of lawyers. Use the "Making Connections" discussion to surface less-obvious careers like Court Reporter, 911 Dispatcher, and Public Administrator. Project the H&L pathway tiles so the whole class sees the four-pathway structure.

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 13, p. 220, Hat Research template

Direct students to the Legal Services pathway specifically. The workbook describes Legal Studies as: "focuses on topics such as legal research, legal writing, rules of procedure, case management, law office technology, and legal ethics."

Students use the Hat Finder in the H&L app to browse 5 specific legal careers: Lawyer, Paralegal, Judge, Court Reporter, and Legal Secretary. For each Hat, they note the education requirement and DFW salary on scratch paper. They will see a HUGE range. Court Reporter requires a 2-year associate degree; Lawyer requires 7+ years (undergraduate + law school).

Then each student selects ONE legal career and completes the Hat Research template (Ch 13, p. 220). The template fields are:

  • Name of Career
  • What Interests You?
  • Brief Job Description
  • Education/Training Needed
  • Average Salary
  • What Tools, Equipment, or Skills are Needed for This Career?

[H&L PLATFORM] In the H&L app, click "Hat Finder," then filter by "Law and Public Service" cluster. Click each Hat tile to see job description, education path, salary, and "tools of the trade." Students record the data on the printed Hat Research template. They do BOTH the app exploration and the workbook template.

DOK 2: How would you compare the education pathway for a Paralegal versus an Attorney? Which pathway lets you enter the workforce sooner, and which one earns more?

Facilitation Tip

Court Reporter is the surprise career to watch for. It pays well (median $60K+), requires only an associate degree or certificate, and has fast job entry. Highlight it for students who want a legal career without 7 years of school.

Exit Ticket (5 min)

EXIT TICKET (Comparison Matrix) · Printable PDF:

Pick TWO legal careers you explored today. Fill in the matrix using your Hat Research notes.

Career 1: ___ Career 2: ___
Education required (years)
DFW starting salary (rough)
One daily task

Bottom line: A student who wants to enter the legal field WITHOUT going to law school (7+ years) should pick which of your two careers, and why? Use one cell. Then submit your completed Hat Research template. (d(1)(B), d(1)(C))

Differentiation

  • Support: Pre-fill the Hat Research template with the "Court Reporter" career as a model so students see the level of detail expected. Allow students to dictate answers if writing is a barrier.
  • Extension: Students complete TWO Hat Research templates and write a one-sentence comparison: "Career A is a better fit for me than Career B because _____."
  • ELL: Pre-teach: Lawyer = Abogado, Paralegal = Asistente Legal, Judge = Juez, Court Reporter = Taquígrafo Judicial. Provide the Hat Research template with bilingual field labels.