CFHS SOCIOLOGY WEB PAGE

Activity 1 - Collective Behavior Stories (3 Days)

Students are first introduced to the important terms of collective behavior. Day 1 will be centered on defining then going over the terminology. Day 2 will give the students adequate time to write out their own collective behavior story. On Day 3, the students will orally share their stories.

http://www.ssecinc.org/less/Fset_ls_tolerant.htm

The web site explains that this thought-provoking activity is designed to help students recognize some points of conflict between two important American values--respect for cultural traditions and protection of existing norms through the legal system. Students have the opportunity to consider whether culture should be a defense for practices that violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and U.S. laws. During the first day students discuss the basis of our legal system and its merits. On the second day, they will be given real situations of people, originally from other cultures, having major differences with our law. The students determine what the courts should/would say.

Activity 3 - Social Movements (4 Days)

Social movements can have a tremendous impact on a society as the United States has experienced with the women’s movement. For sociologists, this topic provides great insight into a culture. Your task will be to investigate a particular social movement, break it down into its particular stages and determine other pertinent factors of the movement. Day 1 will provide you with the time to learn the vital information on social movements. The day will conclude with the instructor reinforcing your knowledge with a review. Days 2 - 4 will be directed to researching your social movement and completing the activity sheet.

This Peace Corps activity introduces the students to the impact of "the electric culture" on urban and rural ways of life, as illustrated by changes in Basotho courtship customs. http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/guides/lesotho/lesurban.html#mosotho

Students will learn from a Mosotho professor the role of "the electric culture" in shaping the habits and values of young urban Basotho. The students will follow up with discussion on the topic. This same technique of reading an account of a different group and group discussion will follow with the topic of the Basotho. With these people, the students will learn the challenges and rewards of cross-cultural encounters; how cross-cultural misunderstandings arise, and how they are managed.

Activity 6 - Sustainable Universe Plan (7 Days)

Sociologists not only focus on the trends of yesterday & today, but on the problems of tomorrow. Our universe will be faced with challenges resulting from urbanization, over population, and migration. The strain on less developed nations will be even greater in the future. Your team’s task is to create an effective plan for a sustainable universe and make an oral presentation.

To gain an appreciation for this topic, the class will spend day 1 reading and discussing "Reflections on Sustainability, Population Growth, and the Environment - Revisited." Professor Albert A. Bartlett, Department of Physics, University of Colorado, gives a strong overview of a very complex issue. http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/south/zpg/bartlett.html

Search Engines & Sociology Links 

How would society change if we didn't have crime, aging, pollution, homeless issues or terrorism? Please type your response. It is due at the end of this unit.

Please send comments to Mr. McKenna at mckenna@teacher.com

Activity 1 - Collective Behavior Stories | Activity 2 - How Tolerant Should U.S. Laws Be of Cultural Practices | Activity 3 - Social Movements | Activity 4 - Measuring Population Change (in class handout) | Activity 5 - Lesotho & Basotho Meet: Cross-Cultural Understanding | Activity 6 - Sustainable Universe Plan | Search Engines & Sociology Links