SOCIOLOGY

Grade 11-12

This course introduces students to major social institutions in the United States and explores the role of the student as an individual and a member of society. The individual instructor will determine the specific content for this course based on available materials, resources, and the specific needs of the school site.
 

In order to meet the National Council of Social Studies Standards for Sociology* students need to

MASTERY

• Apply scientific method to sociology. • Understand the relationships among culture, society, and the individual. • Explore the functions of social institutions. • Investigate current events.

* A copy of the “National Council of Social Studies Standards for Sociology” can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.ncss.org

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES

• Explore elements of culture: • language, • social structure, • customs, • economic systems, • religion, • education, • individual, • family, • authority structures, and/or • childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. • Use technology to research and publish a social issue paper on a current U.S. social institution. • Visit a variety of social institutions: • prison, • schools, • hospitals, and/or • city hall. • Participate in seminars, panel discussions, and debates examining opposing view points on social issues. • Design questions for a variety of guest speakers: • law enforcement, • educators, • physicians, • politicians, • social workers, • elected officials, and/or • religious leaders. • Explore careers and work place skills in sociology and related social science. • Use technology to gather, sort, and organize information for a variety of purposes.

ASSESSMENTS

• Oral presentations • Research paper and evaluation • Rubrics for products/projects • Small group presentations • Teacher evaluation