Social studies activity
Trades and Skilled Work Interview
Visit a workplace and watch one worker for a few minutes, then tell what you saw.
Materials and setup
- notebook
- pencil
- prepared questions
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Visit a workplace and watch one worker for a few minutes, then tell what you saw.
Steps
- Visit a workplace (auto shop, bakery, salon). Watch one worker for 5 minutes. Tell what you saw.
Learning objectives
- Observe a real worker doing real work
- Describe an action you saw in your own words
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
With a parent, briefly interview a tradesperson about what they made today and their favorite tool.
Steps
- With a parent, interview a tradesperson briefly — a carpenter, plumber, electrician, mechanic, hair stylist, baker, farmer. Ask: What did you make today? What's your favorite tool?
Learning objectives
- Ask simple interview questions to a real worker
- Learn that different jobs use different tools
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Interview a tradesperson for 15 minutes about how they learned the job and what surprises people about their work, then write a 1-paragraph profile.
Steps
- Interview a tradesperson for 15 minutes. Ask: How did you learn this job? What do you make in a day? What's hardest? What surprises people about your work? Write a 1-paragraph profile.
Learning objectives
- Conduct a focused 15-minute interview
- Write a short factual profile of a real worker
- Learn that skilled trades require training and pride
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Interview or observe a skilled tradesperson, learn about training and daily work, compare what you heard to broad wage data, and create a clear profile for another learner.
Steps
- Interview or shadow someone in a skilled trade (electrician, carpenter, plumber, mechanic, hair stylist, chef, welder, HVAC tech) with a parent or trusted adult. Ask: What training did you need? What does a normal day look like? What is challenging? What is satisfying? Why does this trade matter to a community?
- If the person is comfortable sharing, ask about earnings in a broad way such as starting pay range, experienced pay range, or how business owners think about costs.
- Look up broad wage data for the trade afterward using the Bureau of Labor Statistics with a trusted adult and compare it to what you learned.
- Write a 1-page profile and share it with a younger student or sibling.
Learning objectives
- Conduct an in-depth interview about training, daily work, and community value
- Look up and compare BLS wage data to interview answers
- Communicate what you learned to a younger audience
- Appreciate the economic and community value of skilled trades
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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