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Day 1: Biomedical Pathway + Cover Letter

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Explore the Biomedical Science pathway in H&L; identify 3 biomedical careers; draft a cover letter using the H&L Ch 9 5-step format
TEKS d(1)(C), d(7)(B)
Deliverable Hat Research template (1 biomedical career) + draft cover letter (5 sections from workbook)
Materials Chromebooks, H&L Workbook Ch 9 (pp. 138-148), printed Hat Research template, printed Cover Letter worksheet, NIH STEM video link, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: Name one medical technology that did not exist when your grandparents were young. How do you think it was invented?

Take 3-4 responses (MRI machines, mRNA vaccines, prosthetics, gene therapy). Bridge: every modern medical technology was invented by a biomedical scientist or engineer. Today the class meets the people who INVENT healthcare.

Activity 1: H&L Biomedical Pathway Tour (15 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 9, p. 139, Biomedical Science pathway description

Direct students to the H&L app and navigate to the Health Science cluster, then to the Biomedical Science pathway. The workbook describes Biomedical Science as: "Combines biology and medicine to research and diagnose diseases, learn about health conditions, patient care, and effective communication in medical settings."

Students use the Hat Finder to explore 5 specific biomedical Hats:

  1. Biomedical Engineer
  2. Lab Technician
  3. Research Scientist
  4. Pharmacist
  5. Genetic Counselor

For each Hat, they note the education time (most require master's or doctoral degree) and DFW salary on scratch paper.

[H&L PLATFORM] In the H&L app, click "Hat Finder," filter by "Health Science" cluster and "Biomedical Science" pathway. Click each Hat tile to see job description, education path, and DFW salary. Students will notice these careers require the MOST education in Health Science, typically 6-10 years after high school.

Then students complete the Hat Research template for ONE biomedical career of their choice (workbook p. 148).

Facilitation Tip

Don't let the long education path discourage students. Frame it: "These careers pay $100K-$200K because they invent the future of medicine. Every year is an investment that pays back over a 40-year career."

Activity 2: NIH STEM Video (5 min)

Project a short NIH STEM video clip from science.education.nih.gov featuring a real biomedical scientist or engineer. Students use Stop and Jot to capture (1) one technology shown and (2) one quality the scientist demonstrates.

If a video is unavailable, project an NIH career profile page and read it aloud. The point is to humanize biomedical careers, show that real people do this work.

Activity 3: Cover Letter — The Golden Ticket (22 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 9, p. 143, "Cover Letter: The Golden Ticket"

Read the workbook intro: "A cover letter is like a book introduction, it gives a sneak peek of who you are and makes the reader want to learn more about you. A cover letter is a short letter that you send with your resume for a job application. This letter is personalized and introduces you to the employer."

Project the workbook's 5 steps for writing a cover letter (p. 143):

  1. Begin with a Professional Greeting: "Dear Ms. Smith" or "Dear Hiring Manager"
  2. Opening Paragraph: Mention the job title, company name, and why you are excited to work there
  3. Body Paragraph (Show What You Can Do): Show off skills and experience with examples
  4. Closing Paragraph: Thank the employer, express enthusiasm, mention you would love an interview
  5. Sign Off Professionally: "Sincerely" or "Best Regards" + full name

Walk through a worked example on the projector. Use the biomedical career the class just explored:

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to apply for the Lab Assistant position at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Biomedical research is exciting to me because it solves problems that affect millions of people, and your work on cancer research is particularly inspiring.

I have strong skills in math and science. In my 7th-grade Career and College Exploration course, I designed a vital signs monitor using a micro:bit microcontroller and led my team's emergency response project. I learn quickly and pay attention to detail.

Thank you for your time. I would love the opportunity to interview and learn more about the Lab Assistant role.

Sincerely, [Student Name]

Students then draft their own cover letter for a job they would love to have at a company they are interested in (workbook activity, p. 143). The job can be biomedical, but doesn't have to be, the goal is to practice the 5-step format.

After drafting, students swap with a partner and provide constructive feedback (workbook activity).

DOK 2: How would you describe what makes a cover letter different from a resume? Why do employers want to read both?

Facilitation Tip

Tell students upfront: this is a DRAFT. Real cover letters get revised many times. The goal today is to learn the 5-step structure, not to write a perfect letter.

Exit Ticket (3 min)

EXIT TICKET (Mini-Case / Scenario Application) · Printable PDF:

Scenario: Imani is applying for a summer Lab Assistant position at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She is 17, has NO paid work experience, but she is on her school's Science Olympiad team and helped at a community health fair last summer.

  1. Which TWO cover letter sections (of the 5 from today: Greeting / Opening Paragraph / Body Paragraph / Closing Paragraph / Sign Off) are MOST important for Imani's case, and why?

Section A: _____. Why: _____________

Section B: _____. Why: _____________

  1. Write ONE sentence Imani could include in her Body Paragraph to "show what she can do" using her real experience (Science Olympiad OR the health fair):

(d(1)(C), d(7)(B))

Differentiation

  • Support: Provide a fill-in-the-blank cover letter template with each of the 5 sections labeled. Allow students to write the letter for a familiar job (cashier, babysitter) instead of a biomedical career.
  • Extension: Students write TWO cover letters, one for a Lab Tech position and one for a customer service position. How does the language change to match each audience?
  • ELL: Bilingual cover letter template. Pre-teach: Greeting = Saludo, Position = Puesto, Skills = Habilidades, Experience = Experiencia, Sincerely = Atentamente.