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Description
Sociology students examine the influence of society, the groups we belong to, and institutions like government, family, education, religion, media, etc. on human behavior. We use popular movies and contemporary events, plus research, as the foundations for class discussions of issues such as crime and who defines criminal behavior and the legal response to it; gender inequality in the workplace; and the impact of media on violence and sexual behavior. Poverty and minority groups are discussed with a focus on how being a person of color shapes one's opportunities and life chances. Learners are exposed to the possibility of community-wide responses to social problems, instead of the "fix the individual" approach. Learners will also experience the scientific method of studying society, through design and execution of a survey and interpretation of results.
Prerequisites
None
Course Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Explain the uniqueness of Sociology within the social sciences,
- Distinguish the different ways that functionalists, interactionists, and conflict theorists view social issues.
- Discuss culture and the concept of socialization and the agents of socialization.
- Define and discuss deviance in its many forms including crime and mental illness, modes of adaptation to culture, plus the agents of social control whose job it is to control deviance.
- Identify social inequality within American culture and the major institutions of society, including issues of discrimination, racism, sexism, ageism.
- Contrast the"blame the victim" vs "blame the system" approaches to solving social problems.
- Consider issues of change in the social institutions of the family, economy, education, and government.
- Become familiar with the methods of sociological research, including design, implementation, and analysis of a survey.
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Details
Discipline:
Social Studies
Level:
High School Standard
Program:
Gifted and Talented Middle School, High School
Grade:
7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 11, 12
When Offered:
Fall, Spring
Duration:
15 weeks
Lab Kit Purchase Required:
No
Accredited:
Certified by NCAA for initial-eligibility (VHS Learning School Code:221356), Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges
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