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This course is for students who are interested in an in-depth study of how people interact in groups. Students will be expected to construct and use the tools of sociologists, such as surveys, behavioral observations and documented research. Students will study such topics as adolescence, personality development, deviant behavior and social control, the nature of prejudice, and the influence of heredity and environment on human behavior.
Unit | Timeframe | Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions) | Major Learning Experiences from Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
History of Sociology | September | The Sociological Perspective Sociological Imagination Social Sciences Perspectives What is Sociology? What do sociologists do? Who are the major Sociologists and what are they known for? | Students will explore and identify sociology and its similarities and differences from other social sciences. Focus on decision making and critical thinking skills Making predictions using a functionalist approach. Students will cover how sociologists and other social scientists conduct research, key theories, and concepts that guide the study of Sociology. |
Components of Culture | October | Components of Culture Cultural Variation Cultural Conformity Social Control Social Change / Resistance What is culture? What is American culture? What are the subcultures and countercultures? What are norms, folkways, and mores? Are cultures around the world similar or different? | Students will be able to explain why cultural universals exist and identify and describe the basic components of culture. |
Personality Development/ Socialization | November | Roles / Statuses Types of Groups and Societies Social Interaction Nature v. Nurture “Social Self” Theories Agents of Socialization What are our values? What factors influence how we act? What are American values? | Students will explore the four main factors that affect the development of personality and how isolationism in childhood can affect development. Topics for discussion include: isolation, nature vs. nurture, personality development, birth order, gender, parental characteristics, genetics, and cultural environment. |
Adolescence | December | Characteristics Dating: Past/Present Problems: Suicide, Drugs, Sexual Behavior Social Functions | Students will be able to explain how adolescence developed as a distinct stage of the life cycle in the United States. Topics include: drugs, alcohol, sexuality, eating disorders, suicide, depression, abuse, peer pressure, and the elderly. |
Deviance / Crime | January | Theories of Deviance Types of Crime Criminal Justice System Why do people break the law? What constitutes a crime? Who are the criminals and why? | Students will gain an understanding of the nature and the social functions of deviance. Evaluate components of the criminal justice system Discussion of the death penalty, the police, and the prison system. Debate on punishment and rehabilitation. |
Social Inequality/ Race | February/ March | Stratification and Classes Poverty Race Groups / Ethnic Relations Scapegoating How does race and ethnicity impact social structure? What role does race play in our behavior and interactions with each other? How do race and ethnicity affect group behavior? How and why do ethnic groups become dehumanized by racism? Does race play a big role in shaping a person’s identity? | Using the website Race-Story of Illusion and Harvard’s Implicit Association Test, students work to understand the complexity of race issues. Analyze differences between discrimination and prejudice. Types of discrimination Evaluate the positive and negative consequences of deviance |
Gender / Social Institutions (family) | March/ April | Gender Roles & Social Inequality Wage Gap LGBTQ Issues Domestic Abuse | Students will explore how different age groups and different socioeconomic groups view the same issues. Students will explore why gender inequality exists. Areas of focus include; the wage gap, the political arena with a focus on if Industrialization has changed the institution of family? |
Societal Problems | May/June | Terrorism/ Globalization Bullying Social Movements Special Interest Topics Administration of Final Exam / Final Project | Students will evaluate the effectiveness of health care/poverty and the aging population. Students will explore the legitimacy of power and political systems Theories of social change, social movements and revolutions/terrorism; a case study of a successful U.S. social movement.
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