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Teaching history and ethical decision-making through mock job interviews

Updated: Nov 13

Overview:

Students explore historical figures of the unit and connect their accomplishments to modern careers. Learning the STAR (Situation–Task–Action–Result) strategy, they read and analyze a biography with a graphic organizer. Then, they apply it in mock job interviews using first person, practicing ethical decision-making. This lesson combines history, career exploration, and professional skill development in a hands-on, interactive way.


How to adapt:

Teachers will need to mindfully select historical figures from the unit, specifically people who positively contributed to humanity. Then, they will need to generate biographies framed on a STAR narrative using AI tools (e.g., Diffit and Chat GPT).


Mock Job Interviews with the Ancient Greeks

Pedagogy: Work-based learning

Grade: 9th–10th Spanish Dual Language World History

Cross-curricular Subjects: World Geography + CTE (Career & Technical Education)

Time Frame: 2 class periods (40 minutes each)


Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) Alignment

World Geography

  • WG.15B: Describe how cultural patterns influence human behavior.

CTE (Career & Technical Education)

  • 127.20.C.2A: Identify skills for employability such as communication and collaboration.

  • 127.20.C.2E: Demonstrate interview skills using appropriate strategies.


Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  1. Identify accomplishments of major European historical figures and connect them to modern career fields of interest.

  2. Complete a professional mock job interview through employability conventions using the STAR (Situation–Task–Action–Result) strategy. In doing so, students analyze a biography and apply this strategy in scaffolded mock job interviews.


Materials (see below)

  • OPTIONAL: Holland Career Code aptitude survey to identify career fields of interest.

  • Short biography handouts of selected historical figures. The STAR-framed narratives are created with AI tools (Diffit and ChatGPT).

  • STAR Worksheet for interviews (Situation, Task, Action, Result graphic organizer)


Procedures

Day 1 – Career Exploration & Historical Link

  1. Hook/Engage (3 min): Ask: “What would Hippocrates apply for today?” Show an image of each historical figures of the unit and their corresponding modern career fields.

  2. Career Aptitude Survey (5 min): Students complete Holland Code survey to identify career fields of interest (Optional)

  3. Career Connection (3 min): Students identify their top career cluster from the survey and find a close match with a historical figure chart (biography provided).

  4. Read and Research (30 min): Read short biography handout of chosen figure and search additional qualifications and skills for that job. As they fill out the STAR strategy template, they use first person, preparing to be that person in a mock job interview.


Day 2 – Implementing the STAR Strategy & Mock Interviews

  1. STAR Strategy Review (5 min): The teacher models the use of the STAR strategy through gradual release: (I do), the class then contributes (We do), then they engage in pairs (You do).

  2. Mock Interviews (30 min): Students mix and mingle in the class to interview each other. They must exchange interviews at least 4 different historical figures as they fill out the graphic organizer.


Assessment

  1. Reflection next day (5 min): Debrief – “What contributions did each historical figure have on today’s society? What makes you interested in this career field?”

  2. Other

    • Graphic organizer

    • Formative observations

    • Summative quiz over the historical periods/figures


Greco Historical Figures & Career Fields

  • Medicine/Healthcare: Hippocrates

  • Law/Government: Cleisthenes

  • Theatre/Cinema: Homer

  • Engineering/Math: Arquimides


Graphic Organizer


Greek Historical Figures


 
 
 

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