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Day 1: Ag Cluster Tour + Animal Systems Hats

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Welcome the new six weeks and the new cluster; explore the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources cluster in H&L; identify Animal Systems careers; complete a Hat Research template for one veterinary career
TEKS d(1)(B), d(1)(C)
Deliverable Completed H&L Hat Research template for one Animal Systems career (Ch 2, p. 26)
Materials Chromebooks, H&L accounts, H&L Workbook Ch 2 (pp. 16-26), projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: If your dog or cat got sick, who would you take them to? What does that person actually do all day?

Discuss 2-3 student responses. Bridge to the idea that veterinary medicine is more than just giving shots. It includes diagnostics, surgery, nutrition counseling, behavior, and even research. The 3rd Six Weeks opens a brand new cluster, and Animal Systems is one of the most popular pathways inside it.

Activity 1: H&L Agriculture Cluster Tour (20 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 2: Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, pp. 16-17, "Exploring the World of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources"

Open the lesson by framing the move from Health Science (last six weeks) into a brand new cluster. Reassure students that even though the cluster name says "Agriculture," it is much broader than farming. It includes vets, food scientists, environmental engineers, and drone pilots.

Direct students to open Hats & Ladders and navigate to the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources cluster. The workbook (Ch 2, p. 17) lists six pathways students should be able to identify:

  • Agriculture Business, Leadership, and Communications
  • Animal Science
  • Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems
  • Environmental and Natural Resources
  • Food Science and Technology
  • Plant Science

Students complete the "Making Connections" pair discussion from the workbook (p. 17): they pair up and discuss how the agriculture industry affects everyone, even people who live in cities.

[H&L PLATFORM] Direct students to open the H&L app, click on Career Clusters, and select "Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources." They should watch the cluster tour video and skim the six pathway cards. The workbook (p. 17) instructs: "Go to the Hats & Ladders app and click on the 'Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources' Cluster. Spend some time exploring the cluster and pathways."

Facilitation Tip

Many students assume agriculture means farming and feel like this cluster doesn't apply to them. Project a quick visual of the six pathways on the board and call out one career from each that is NOT a farmer (drone operator, food packaging engineer, water conservation specialist, agriculture lawyer, veterinarian, food scientist).

Activity 2: Hat Research — One Animal Systems Career (20 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 2, p. 26, "Hat Research" template

Transition into the Animal Systems pathway. Project the Animal Systems pathway page in H&L and point out that this pathway includes careers from kennel assistants to wildlife biologists to veterinarians.

Each student picks ONE Animal Systems career that interests them. Veterinarian, Vet Technician, Animal Trainer, Wildlife Biologist, or Zookeeper, and completes the Hat Research template from the workbook.

[H&L PLATFORM] The workbook (p. 26) instructs: "Go to the Hats & Ladders app and click on the Hat Finder. Explore Hats in the 'Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources' career cluster. Choose one Hat and fill out the information below." Students click on the Hat Finder, find their chosen Animal Systems career, and fill in the workbook fields with data from the Hat profile.

The Hat Research template requires these fields:

  • Name of Career
  • What Interests You? (1-2 sentences)
  • Brief Job Description
  • Education/Training Needed
  • Average Salary
  • What Tools, Equipment, or Skills are Needed for This Career?

DOK 2: Compare the daily responsibilities of a Vet Technician versus a Wildlife Biologist. What overlap do you see, and where do they differ?

Facilitation Tip

If students struggle to find a career inside the H&L app, walk them through: Hat Finder → filter by cluster (Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources) → scroll the career list. Have them pause and check education/salary fields specifically. Those are the data they need for tomorrow's comparison.

Exit Ticket (5 min)

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

Scenario: Sofia loves animals but is allergic to cats and dogs. She also loves being outside. Sofia is looking at the H&L Animal Systems pathway.

  1. Which Animal Systems career would you recommend to Sofia (examples: Wildlife Biologist, Zookeeper, Marine Biologist, Equine Trainer, Animal Shelter Manager)? Use your Hat Research or today's pathway browse.

My pick: _____

  1. In one sentence, use ONE detail from your research (education, daily task, setting) that makes your pick BETTER than a general Veterinarian for Sofia specifically:
  1. Name ONE other Animal Systems career from today that would NOT fit Sofia, and why:

Bad-fit career: _____. Why not: _____________

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

Differentiation

  • Support: Provide a partially completed Hat Research template with the career name and one section pre-filled as a model.
  • Extension: Research a SECOND Animal Systems career and prepare a side-by-side mini-comparison for tomorrow's class.
  • ELL: Pre-teach: Veterinarian = Veterinario/a, Animal = Animal, Education = Educación. Provide a bilingual Hat Research template with Spanish field labels.