Unit 7
Jobs for American Graduates

reading and Writing Workshop

Resources

Unit Theme and Plan

Presenting Yourself Professionally in the Workplace
Students will complete the attached file for this unit 
​Unit 7 Workbook

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 

Unit 7: Interview Skills & Workplace Communication
Unit Overview
In this unit, students develop the communication skills required to successfully interview and to maintain professional relationships in the workplace. Students learn how to prepare for interviews, practice verbal and non-verbal communication, respond to common and behavioral interview questions, and demonstrate digital professionalism. The unit culminates in a mock interview and reflection.
Unit Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:

1. Prepare for interviews by researching jobs and employers
2. Practice answering common interview questions
3. Demonstrate professional verbal and nonverbal communication
4. Write a professional elevator pitch
5. Role-play interview scenarios and workplace communication
6. Complete a mock interview and reflection

Key Concepts & Vocabulary

• Elevator pitch
• Professional communication
• Interview etiquette
• STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
• Body language
• Digital professionalism
• Behavioral interview questions
• Follow-up communication / thank-you email

Learning Activities
Lesson 1: What Employers Look For

• Class discussion: “What makes a strong interview candidate?”
• Brainstorm employer expectations
• Watch sample interview clips (good vs bad behavior)

Lesson 2: Elevator Pitches

• Mini-lesson: What an elevator pitch is
• Sentence starters
• Students draft and practice pitch in partners

Lesson 3: Interview Questions & STAR Method

• Types of questions:
  • Strengths/weaknesses
  • Experience
  • Scenario/behavioral questions
• Practice answering using STAR

Lesson 4: Body Language & Professional Tone

• Do’s & Don’ts chart
• Practice:
  • Handshakes
  • Eye contact
  • Clear speaking tone
  • Eliminating filler words (“umm,” “like,” etc.)

Lesson 5: Mock Interview Practice

• Students practice in pairs/small groups
• Interviewer checklist + student feedback form

Lesson 6: Digital Professionalism

• Email etiquette review
• Text vs email vs in-person language
• Professional voicemail practice

Lesson 7: Mock Interview Day

• Formal mock interviews
• Students dress professionally (if possible — school dress code accepted)
• Peer observe & feedback rotation

Lesson 8: Reflection

• Thank-you email writing practice
• “What did I learn about interviewing?” reflection

Assessment & Evidence of Learning

• Elevator pitch
• STAR responses
• Workplace professionalism role-play
• Mock interview performance
• Thank-you follow-up email
• Reflection worksheet

Rubric Categories

• Clarity & organization
• Body language & professionalism
• Strength of responses
• Tone & etiquette
• Participation & improvement

 
Teacher Notes & Tips

• Students often underestimate their experiences — encourage them!
• Scaffold answers with frames (STAR, sentence starters)
• Coach tone: confident but not robotic
• Consider inviting a guest interviewer or volunteers

Equity tip: Provide options for students not comfortable with formal dress
(“Professional school outfit” allowed)
Optional Extensions

• Phone interview simulation
• Video interview etiquette (muting, background, lighting)
• Create LinkedIn or digital profile (if age-appropriate)
• Job fair or industry speaker

Unit Culminating Task
Mock Interview Showcase + Reflection Packet
Students will submit:

• Elevator pitch
• 3 STAR responses
• Mock interview grading sheet
• Thank-you message
• Interview reflection paragraph

Filed under portfolio section:
Employability Skills & Professional Communication

AI-Integrated Activities for Unit 7
IAI-INTEGRATED INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES
1) Workplace Communication Coach
AI Tool: ChatGPT or Google Gemini (text or voice)
Student Directions

1. Open ChatGPT/Gemini
2. Paste:
3. Ask me 5 questions to help me think about professional communication at work
4. (tone, clarity, teamwork, respect).
5. Do NOT give me answers — only ask questions.
6. Answer questions yourself in your notebook.

Output

• Screenshot of questions
• Student-written responses

2) Professional Email Rewrite Lab
AI Tools: Grammarly + ChatGPT Tone Assistant
Student Directions

1. Write a workplace email (requesting help, asking for shift info, etc.)
2. Paste into Grammarly → check tone
3. Paste into ChatGPT:
4. Suggest polite and professional wording options WITHOUT rewriting my email.
5. I will revise it myself.
6. Revise your email using your own wording.

Output

• Original + revised student email
• Grammarly screenshot

3) Workplace Text Message Practice
AI Tool: ChatGPT “Professional Re-phrasing Coach”
Student Directions

1. Write 3 casual teen-style workplace texts (e.g., “yo can I leave early today?”)
2. Paste them into ChatGPT:
3. Give me suggestions for how to make these messages professional. Do NOT rewrite them.
4. You rewrite each one yourself.

Output

• Table of Casual → Student Professional Rewrite

4) Customer Interaction Voice Practice
AI Tools: Speechify or NaturalReader
Student Directions

1. Write a short workplace greeting / customer interaction script
2. Play it via Speechify / NaturalReader voice tool
3. Listen and adjust tone

Output

• Script + student notes on improvements

5) Problem-Solving Reflection
AI Tool: ChatGPT “Question-only” mode
Student Directions
Paste:
Ask me 4 questions that help me think through a workplace conflict or misunderstanding.
Do NOT solve it — I will.
Write your own reflection.
Output

• Questions + student responses

AI-INTEGRATED GROUP ACTIVITIES
1) Workplace Tone Challenge
AI Tool: ChatGPT
Group Prompt
Give us 6 examples of unprofessional workplace messages teens might send.
Do NOT rewrite them.
Group Task

• Groups rewrite each message into professional tone
• Share examples on chart paper or Jamboard

2) AI Workplace Role-Play Rotations
AI Tool: ChatGPT Voice or Gemini Voice
Group Prompt
Act as a supervisor giving feedback or instructions.
Ask one student at a time to respond.
Do NOT provide sample answers — we will respond ourselves.
Rotate roles.
Output

• Group reflection checklist

3) Conflict Resolution Planner
AI Tool: Perplexity
Group Prompt
Find 3 real examples of workplace misunderstandings or conflict types for teens (retail, food service, childcare, etc.).
Provide source links.
Group Task

• Read sources
• Students write their own respectful response for each

4) Professional Communication Poster
AI Tool: Canva Whiteboard AI (question prompts only)
Group Prompt
Ask us 6 questions that help us think about professional communication rules.
Do NOT create the rules — we will.
Group Task

• Students create a poster of class-written workplace communication norms

5) AI-Simulated Workplace Radio Call / Chat Thread
AI Tool: ChatGPT Voice or Text
Group Prompt
Simulate a workplace chat or radio call. Give us professional prompts one by one.
Do NOT give us responses — we will respond.
Students respond verbally or write chat responses.
Output

• Student-written chat log or verbal practice notes

Unit 7 Skills Developed

• Workplace communication & etiquette
• Email and text professionalism
• Conflict resolution language
• Customer interaction practice
• Ethical use of AI as a workplace simulation tool