Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Final Review: Jeopardy Game

Using the study guide you have been provided, create a Jeopardy game to review for our final exam. 


Go the Jeopardy game website to begin your game.

Be sure to SAVE the game website and E-MAIL me the site so that you do not lose it.



Your questions can be based on any of the final exam topics.


Your team will guide us through the game at the end of class today!


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

sociology: Possible Final Exam Short Answer Questions




                                                              i.      Define sociology and describe how it helps people understand society     Eric's Work
Rashad's Work
                                                      ii.      Is Bill Cosby Right? Analyze the debate between Bill Cosby and Michael Eric Dyson about whether poor people are to blame for their class status
                                                          iii.      How does society work in America? What is the social structure of America? What is the importance, of race, class, gender, religion, etc in human behavior? Cite Marx, Durkheim, Weber, or other founders of sociologists to highlight one theoretical perspective. Dijon's Work
                                                          iv.      What are the effects of the “No Child Behind Act” on school institutions? How must communities respond to the changes? Cite Boston Public Schools data to make your case. Marina's Work
                                                            v.      Rates of violent crime in the United Statesare higher than they are in Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Draw on as many of the theories discussed in this chapter as possible to explain why the United States is such a comparably violent society? Page 195 Christine's Work
                                                          vi.      What would a conflict theorist say about same-sex marriage? How would a functionalist view the issue surrounding this issue? (Online Discussion Board) Colleen's Work
                                                        vii.      Imagine that you have been asked to study the issue of homelessness in the largest city in your state. How might you draw on surveys, observation research, experiments, and existing sources to study this issue? (page 481)
                                                      viii.      Should women participate on the front lines of the military? How do values, norms, and beliefs shape our thinking on this issue?
                                                          ix.      What is culture? Why is culture important in understanding human behavior?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Sociology of Work: Careers, Educations, and Preparation

Topic: Students career expectations, education, and next steps


Your hypothesis:


i.e Student have realistic expectations about what type of work they will be able to do


Data Gathering:


1.      Identify your dream job and identify the following information about that job.
2.      Interview four other students about their research findings.
Use the work website:


Analysis:


3.      Create a PowerPoint that shares your findings. The PowerPoint should include a your hypothesis, data chart, a graph, and a summary of what you learned about student career expectations, education, and next steps. (At least one paragraph)


Conclusion:


Summarize your findings and evaluate whether your hypothesis was supported or refuted. (At least one paragraph)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Sociology of Work: The Corporation

Should corporations and capitalism be restricted in anyway? Explain using ideas from your comparison of socialism and capitalism, as well as the documentary Corporation.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Exam Questions Brainstorm

Identify Ten Questions that you think are most relevant for the final.(Preferred on computer)

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.


9.


10.


Previous Exam Questions:



      1. What does Michael Kimmell Mean when he states, “I am not crazy, I am angry”? Why do school shootings tend to happen? Describe the culture of our society and how it translates into a violent school environment.

      1. Why are all the white/black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?  What are the social factors that contribute to the way social groups relate to each other? Cite Tatum, West, and other authors to explain why this phenomenon persists.

      1. Why do schools tend to segregate society despite being public institutions? Refer to Sacks, Merrow, and Mcleod to show the development of the public school.

      1. Is Bill Cosby Right? Analyze the debate between Bill Cosby and Michael Eric Dyson about whether poor people are to blame for their class status.

      1. How can school choice improve America’s school system? What is the impact on social groups and relationships? Discuss the major benefits and drawbacks of a choice school system using data to support your argument.

      1. Why do are wild children important study subjects for sociologists? Is their study by sociologists ethical? Compare and contrast the stories of Victor, Genie, and Isabelle.

      1. Why has permissive capitalism affected the working and middle class in America and beyond? How does American capitalism interact with other economic systems around the world? Refer to Krugman, Ward, Stein, or Al Gore.

      1. How does society work in America? What is the social structure of America? What is the importance, of race, class, gender, religion, etc in human behavior? Cite Marx, Durkheim, Weber, or other founders of sociologists to highlight one theoretical perspective.

      1. What are the effects of the “No Child Behind Act” on school institutions? How must communities respond to the changes? Cite Boston Public Schools data to make your case
    • Possible Exam Questions

      Chapter 1: Understanding Sociology

      1. What aspects of the social and work environment in a fast-food restaurant would be of particular interest to a sociologist because of his or her “sociological imagination”?

      Page 23

      Chapter 3: Culture

      1. Select three cultural universals from George Murdock’s list and analyze them from a functionalist perspective. Why are these practices found in every culture? What functions do they serve?

      Page 77

      Chapter 4: Socialization

      3. How would functionalists and conflict theorists differ in their analysis of socialization by the mass media?

      Page 99

      Chapter 5: Social Interaction and Social Structure

      3. In what ways does HIV serve to underscore issues of race, class, and gender in the United States today?

      Page 123

      Chapter 8: Deviance and Social Control

      1. Rates of violent crime in the United States are higher than they are in Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Draw on as many of the theories discussed in this chapter as possible to explain why the United States is such a comparably violent society?

      Page 195
      Date: Friday November 2

      Choose one to answer and two will be selected for you.

      Chapter 9: Stratification and Social Mobility

      1. Sociologist Daniel Rossides has conceptualized the class system of the United States using a five-class model. According to Rossides, the upper middle class and the lower middle class together account for about 40 percent of the nation’s population. Yet studies suggest that a higher proportion of respondents identify themselves as middle class. Drawing on the model presented by Rossides, suggest why members of both upper class and the working class might prefer to identify themselves as middle class. (New York Times Class Matters Website)

      Page 221

      Chapter 11: Racial and Ethnic Equality

      1. Why is institutional discrimination even more powerful than individual discrimination? How would functionalists, conflict theorists, and interactionists study institutional discrimination? (Invisible Knapsack article)


      Page 277

      Chapter 12: Stratification by Gender

      1. Imagine that you are assigned the opposite gender at birth, but that your race, ethnicity, religion and social class background remain the same. Drawing on information contained in this chapter, describe how your life as a member of the opposite sex might differ from your life today. (Glass Ceiling article)

      Page 301



      Chapter 14: The Family

      Given the high rate of divorce in the United States, would it be more appropriate to view divorce as dysfunctional or as a normal part of our marriage system? What would be the implications of viewing divorce as normal rather than dysfunctional? (page 347)

      What would a conflict theorist say about same-sex marriage? How would a functionalist view the issue surrounding this issue? (Online Discussion Board)

      Chapter 16: Education

      What do you think of the idea that public schools should be able to compete with private schools? What difficulties might they face that private schools do not? (page 392)


      Chapter 18: The economy and work

      Do you think claims of reverse discrimination have any validity? If so, what should be done about them? (page 433)

      The United States has long been put forward as the model of a capitalist society. Drawing on material in earlier chapters of this textbook, discuss the values and beliefs that have led people in the United States to cherish a laissez-faire, capitalist economy. To what degree have those values and beliefs changed over the past hundred years? What aspects of socialism are evident in the nation’s economy? Have our values and beliefs changed to support certain principles traditionally associated with socialist societies? (page 433-34)

      Chapter 20: Communities and Urbanization


      Imagine that you have been asked to study the issue of homelessness in the largest city in your state. How might you draw on surveys, observation research, experiments, and existing sources to study this issue? (page 481)

      From the blogs:

      Why do gangs form?

      What are the roots of 9/11?

      What was W.E.B. DuBois lesson the Philaddelpia Negro?

      Should women participate on the front lines of the military?

Friday, January 8, 2010

Sociology of Education: No Child Left Behind

How effective is the No Child Left Behind Law? What are the strengths and weaknesses? Use evidence from the simulation to inform your response.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Sociology of Education: Standardized Tests

Know: The purpose of the standardized tests.

Understand: The controversy over the exit exam

Be able to do: Socratic Circle
                      Distinguish between fact and opinion

Step 1: Should seniors be held back in school if they can not pass a high school exam? Explain

Step 2: Read two of the essays from "Room for Debate" segment on "What school tests measure?"


Step 3: Distinguish between what is fact and what is opinion in the two blog posts. Be sure to mention which articles you find your details in.

Step 4: Participate in one Socratic Seminar and evaluate one seminar.

Step 5: Respond on the blog:

Should seniors be held back in school if they can not pass a high school exam? Explain

Use facts and opinions from the text to support your claims.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Sociology of Education: Income and Education

Today we will test this hypothesis:

Household income determines educational achievement.

Do you agree or disagree?


(Sample Topic Sentence: In most cases, household income determines achievement...)


Use evidence from the four documents we used in class today.