Class Activities

Chapter Activities for individual or group projects provide lively and stimulating ideas for use in and out of class reinforce active learning. 
 

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Chapter 1: Sociology and the Study of Social Problems

  1. Divide the class into four groups where each group will represent one of the four sociological perspectives presented in Chapter One (i.e., Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Feminist Perspective, and Interactionism).  Have the students in each group act out how that perspective would approach a specific social problem.
     
  2. Take the class on a walking tour around your college campus to show the difference between a micro view (standing close to one of the buildings) versus a macro view (standing at a distance to any or all the buildings) of a social issue.  For example, Interactionists would position themselves close to a building to see what is happening inside of a specific classroom.  Functionalists would position themselves at a distance to the building giving them a similar view to how outsiders would look at the institution. 
     
  3. To practice doing sociological research, have each student in class create a short survey focused on determining what people perceive to be the top five social problems facing the United States and the world at large.  Have the students administer the survey to very specific and different groups (e.g., people aged 18 to 25, full-time workers, females).  Compile the data in class and determine if there are any similarities among the groups surveyed.
     
  4. Have each student in class select one very specific social problem to research throughout the semester.  Ask each student to collect information, using one or more of the research methods discussed in Chapter 1, about that social problem as it relates to each chapter in the textbook.  For example, if “Poverty” is identified as the specific social problem, link that to race/ethnicity in Chapter 3, families in Chapter 7, the media in Chapter 11, and so forth.
     
  5. Have the students bring in articles from a scholarly source, either from a newspaper, or a news site from the internet that reflect a social problem.  Divide the students into groups of 4 and assign each student in the group a theoretical perspective (i.e. Functionalist, Symbolic Interactionist, Feminist, and Interactionism) and have the students give their article to another   student in the group.  Have each student read the article and analyze the article using his/her theoretical perspective.
     
  6. Divide the students into groups of 4 and assign each group a particular social problem (i.e. crime, prescription drug abuse).   Have the students discuss how a researcher would apply the 4 different research methods (survey research, qualitative methods, historical and comparative methods,  secondary data analysis) to this social problem.  

Chapter 2: Social Class and Poverty

  1. Hold a class debate about the positive benefits and negative consequences of having a national welfare system.  Explore the influences of the major political parties on laws that are enacted on welfare.  Finally, have the class determine what changes, if any, they would enact to the current social welfare program if they were elected into political office.
     
  2. To get a better understanding of how the underprivileged are treated in society, get two students to participate in the following field experiment.  First, have one of the students   “overdress” for a trip to the local shopping mall.  Have the second student, from a distance, take notes and/or take hidden video footage of how the first student is treated by mall employees and fellow shoppers.  Let several days pass and then have the same two students return to the shopping mall.  This time the first student should dress as if she/he is homeless.  Compare how the student is treated in both situations.
     
  3. It has been found that food prices tend to be higher for poor families than for other families.  Have several volunteer students visit grocery stores located in both high-income and low-income sections of your city and compare the prices on several items  (exact item by brand, weight, etc.) and present the findings to the class.
     
  4. Have students generate a well designed survey around the fact that in 2008, 50 percent of the total U.S. income was earned by households in the highest quintile or among households making an average of $171,057.  Ask respondents their feelings about this  (e.g., if they are okay with it and why or why not).  Have several students administer the survey, compile responses, and discuss the results in class.
     
  5. Have the class consider the attitudes about corporate welfare.  How does this differ from individual welfare?  Is it analyzed the same as individual welfare is?  Why or why not?
     
  6. Divide the class into groups of 4.  Make up “family scenarios” and give each group a different scenario.  For example, one family may have a yearly income of $40,000 whereas another family may have a yearly income of $20,000.  Have each group come up with a monthly budget based on their scenario.  Discuss how hard it may be to make ends meet based on their scenario.
     
  7. Divide the class into groups of 4 and have each group come up with a plan to combat poverty in the United States.  Have other groups discuss what they think would work and what wouldn’t work as each group presents their plan.

Chapter 3: Race and Ethnicity

  1. Clearly write a series of social statuses (e.g., Homeless, Corporate CEO, African-American) on 3 X 5 index cards and affix one on the back of every student in class without informing the student of the status she or he has been assigned.  Have the students walk around looking at the other students’ index cards treating them as they feel that group is treated in mainstream American.  Once a student feels that she or he knows the status that was assigned to her or him, have the instructor verify it.  Have a class discussion about the outcomes of this activity.
     
  2. Demographers predict that by the 2050’s, the majority of the U.S. population will be non-white.  Hold a class discussion about how this racial/ethnic change might, if at all, impact the economic, political, and social institutions of the United States.
     
  3. Many documentaries show that non-white Americans are typically treated with less dignity and respect from businesses (e.g., retail stores, taxi companies, mortgage lenders) and government agencies than white-Americans.  If your classroom is racially and ethnically diverse, have students from different backgrounds select two or three local businesses, such as a fast food restaurant or mall department store, to visit separately.  It is important to instruct students to act, dress, and speak in a similar manner as to keep as many variables consistent as possible.  Have students record their observations and compile data from all participating students to share with the class.
     
  4. As mentioned in this chapter, “From a biological perspective, a race can be defined as a group or population that shares a set of genetic characteristics and physical features. Social scientists reject the biological notion of race, instead treating race as a social construct.”  Ask students that might currently be enrolled in a biology course to report how race is addressed in their textbook.  Furthermore, have the students interview their professors and report their findings back to the class.
     
  5. Ask the students to bring in mazagines and/or newspapers to class.  Ask the students to look through the materials that they brought to class or others have brought to class for images of racial and/or ethnic groups and/or stories about racial and/or ethnic groups.  Discuss these images and/or stories in order to determine how racial and/or ethnic minorities are portrayed.
     
  6. Have the students jot down on pieces of paper some stereotypes associated with various racial and ethnic groups but don’t have them write down their names on the paper.  Collect the papers and read aloud some of the responses and discuss how these stereotypes have developed over time.

Chapter 4: Gender

  1. the U.S. Senate voted on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, President Obama signed it into law in January 2009.  Every Democrat in the Senate voted for the act (Edward Kennedy from Massachusetts was not present to vote due to illness; two left leaning Independents voted with the Democrats) while only five out of forty-one Republicans supported it (four of the five were women Senators; the only male Republican to support it was Arlene Specter from Pennsylvania who later became a Democrat).  Have students contact their state Senator if he didn’t support the act and ask why.  Report back findings to the class and discuss.
     
  2. Have each student in class locate at least one woman in your community who is in a traditionally male dominated field (e.g., home builder, architect, airline pilot).  Have the students survey the worker about the challenges that these women face in their jobs and report back to the class.
     
  3. Travel to your local representatives office and talk to them about current legislation affecting women and the gaps in both wages and occupations.  Bring points for discussion and suggestions for solutions.
     
  4. Instruct the students to observe others around the room who are of the opposite sex.  Have them write down on a piece of paper their observations-how do they know the person is male/female?  What kind of characteristics led them to believe that they were male/female? Discuss the results in class.
     
  5. Break the students up into groups, assigning each student an agent of socialization, for example, friends.  Then, have each student come up with a list of ways that agent of socialization has influenced them in terms of gender identity.  Make a list on the board of these agents and have the students write their results up on the board.  Discuss the results as a  class.

Chapter 5: Sexual Orientation

  1. Hold a class discussion about the ramifications of allowing homosexuals to openly serve in the U.S. Armed Services.  Consider having students write a letter to their local Representative and/or Senator supporting their view.
     
  2. In several countries (e.g., Iran), openly homosexual behavior can lead to capital punishment.  Have students research how many countries put people to death for homosexuality and see if there are any common factors among these countries.  Also, consider investigating if there are people willing to openly advocate for gay rights in these countries, and if so, how they go about supporting their cause.
     
  3. Varying views are held about the sources of homosexuality.  Have students break into groups and interview “experts” from the fields of biology and psychology (also consider other fields such as anthropology and humanities) and compare those with the sociological perspectives presented in sociology. 
     
  4. Have the students write down on a piece of paper some stereotypes that exist as it pertains to The LGBT community.  Do not have them write their names on the paper.  Collect the paper and discuss these stereotypes with the class, in terms of the origin and why these stereotypes persist.
     
  5. Divide the students into groups of 4 and give each group a social institution, for example, hospitals.  Ask each group to discuss how their particular institution can develop programs      geared towards the needs of the LGBT community.

Chapter 6: Age and Aging

  1. Hold a class discussion on why the elderly are often marginalized, mistreated, and overall not respected in American society.  Compare this to how other cultures treat their elderly.
     
  2. Experts predict that in 2017 tax revenues needed to cover Social Security benefits will run out.  Hold a class discussion about the ramifications of this reality for both the elderly and youth populations.  Also, ask the class to come up with several suggestions on how to fix this lingering social problem.
     
  3. Many retail stores employ elderly workers.  For example, most “Super Greeters” at Walmart are people past retirement age.  Ask for a few student volunteers to participate in the following research.  Have each student offer to purchase an elderly employee a drink during his/her break in the store cafeteria if s/he is willing to participate in an interview for a class project.  Have the student talk to the employee about why s/he is working (e.g., pleasure, something to do, need money, need medical insurance).
     
  4. Organize a class outing to assist an elderly person or couple in the community needing assistance (e.g., cleaning windows).  Have the students talk to the person or couple about social, political, and economic issues and share findings with the class. 
     
  5. Discuss some of the stereotypes associated with the elderly.  Ask the class questions such as: Where do these stereotypes begin?  Why do some people believe these stereotypes and others may reject them?
     
  6. There are more and more people living past the age of 65 in American society.  Hold a class discussion regarding the issues pertaining to this growing demographic, such as medical costs and elderly abuse.  

Chapter 7: Families

  1. Have students ask some older citizens (e.g., 80s) how many siblings were in their family and how many, if any, children they had.  Then have the students ask the same questions to some younger citizens (e.g., 40s).  Hold a class discussion about the reasons behind the decreasing desire to have children over the last one hundred years in the United States.
     
  2. Put together a thirty minute video that contains five minute clips from a variety of television shows containing families from the 1960s up to the present.  Have the class discuss the evolution of the television family.
     
  3. A popular television series, Wife Swap, is about different types of families (e.g. religious versus non-religious, poor versus rich) switching spouses (in this case the wife moves to the new family) to get an idea of how life is in a very different type of family for a short duration of time.  If several students, still living at home, are open to the idea, have them propose to other students in the class to have a “Child Swap” where they agree to move into another parents’ house to experience life in a different family form.
     
  4. Discuss families that have a large number of children, for example the Duggar family. Discuss issues that they may face such as expenses and family dynamics.
     
  5. Ask the class if they are the middle child, first born, or last born.  Ask the students how they feel about their birth order and if their birth order has impacted their lives in any way.

Chapter 8: Education

  1. Have every student write a letter to a politician about some of his/her concerns about public education.  Furthermore, have each student do a short presentation about what problems he/she discussed in the letter and why those were identified as problems by the student. 
     
  2. Have the class develop what they feel is an appropriate educational reform act.  Moreover, have students do a formal presentation in class giving specific details about how, when, etc. the act would be implemented and assessed.
     
  3. Many school districts have volunteers that help young children learn to read during school hours.  Ask for student volunteers to sign up for such a program and share experiences with the class at the end of the semester.
     
  4. Research shows that male and female college students often major in different fields.  For example, males major in architecture and computer science while females major in psychology and education.  Have students in the class create a survey to distribute to a random sample of both male and female students at your college asking specifically why they decided on their major.  Compile data and share with the class.  Determine if sexism plays a part in college major and career choices for males and females.
     
  5. Consider the role of Social Capital in your own educational experience.  Write down any extra-curricular groups or activities you belonged to while in school.  Next to each place your thoughts on how you've used the ideas, relationships and norms found in those groups to help you in other areas of your life.  Then compare your notes with your classmates.  Did you have any common group experiences?  Discuss the advantages you feel these social experiences played and how you would be different if you hadn't experienced them.
     
  6. Divide the class into groups of 4 and have them come up with a plan to help resolve the issues that some public schools in big cities are facing, such as violence and/or financial shortfalls. Before the class activity, do some research into what issues some of these districts may be facing.
     
  7. Hold a class discussion about the structure of the school system in various countries around the world such as Africa or China.  How do these school systems differ from the American school system?

    8.  

Chapter 9: Work and the Economy

  1. As mentioned in the chapter, much of our social status is conferred through our occupation or the type of work we do.  Have students interview people that they know by stating, “assume that you don’t know me and we just met.  Tell me about yourself.”  Have students note how long it takes for the interviewees to mention what type of work they do and/or what career they are currently in.  Also, have students introduce themselves to strangers and again record the amount of time it takes for those people to mention their work and careers.  Have a class discussion about the amount of time it took for interviewees to talk about their work and the significance of this phenomenon 
     
  2. Hold a class debate on Karl Marx’s perspective on the workplace.  In order to make it a contemporary discussion, include the salaries of several Chief Executive Officers of some large, modern, multinational corporations and compare those to the “average” worker in those same companies. 
     
  3. As pointed out in the textbook, sweatshop type labor continues to be a problem not only globally but also here in the U.S.  Garment workers and fruit and vegetable pickers are just two industries that utilize employees that are not paid minimum wage, work in unsafe environments, and are often taken advantage of in many other ways.  Have a student, or student volunteers, determine if your community employs anyone in an industry that might be considered sweatshop type labor and, if possible, have a representative from a government labor organization (or someone fighting for more rights for these workers) come and speak to the class about the working conditions.  
     
  4. Determine if your college or university provides a “worker friendly” environment.  Consider issues like contingent faculty (adjuncts) , wellness programs and other status and work related  benefits.  Does what you find surprise you?  How would you improve the work environment at your college?  Organize students to promote that improvement.
     
  5. Discuss with the class ways to combat “job burnout”.  Some businesses are building “nap rooms” to help their employees get some rest during the day.  What other policies can businesses institute?
     
  6. Divide the class into groups of 4 and have each group compile a list of jobs that they believe will be cut and which jobs will be created in the next 10 years and discuss their results with the class.

Chapter 10: Health and Medicine

  1. Have students research countries that have a national health care system.  Furthermore, have the students interview friends, family, coworkers, and strangers about their opinions of the U.S. implementing a national health care program.  Finally, based on the findings of the students’ research, interviews, and personal feelings, hold a class debate about the consequences of instituting a national health care system. 
     
  2. If possible, have the class talk to some homeless people that have recently received or are in need of medical treatment.  Have students petition their local politician about their concerns.
     
  3. As noted in the textbook, in an effort to manage and control the cost of their health care expenses, more U.S. corporations are providing on-site medical care.  Have some student volunteers research if your community has any such companies.  If there is one or more, have students visit the site(s) to gather information about what services and benefits are offered to employees and the costs involved.  Share the findings with the class.
     
  4. If a community clinic exists in your community (e.g., HIV/AIDS), offer student volunteers extra credit for volunteering for a set specific amount of time.
      
  5. Have the students research the services that are offered at urgent care centers in their community.  What are some services that they can’t provide?
     
  6. Divide the class in half and have one half of the class present a case for a socialized health system (i.e. in Canada) and have the other half of the class present a case for a more privatized health care system (i.e in the United States).

Chapter 11: The Media

  1. Recently, there has been a growing concern about indecency that has been broadcasted through the media such as Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 Super Bowl and Howard Stern’s ongoing use of what many consider inappropriate language.  Have students think about their personal views of what is “indecent” and hold a class debate about the relationship of a free media system and First Amendment rights.
     
  2. Recent research demonstrates that Americans are becoming more suspicious of the media and their reporting techniques.  Many believe that the media cannot be trusted.  Have students discuss what they feel should be done, if anything, to change this mounting concern.
     
  3. The Comedy Central shows “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report” both spend a lot of their programs pointing out the inconsistencies being reported by television news broadcasts (especially FOX News).  Have students watch these two shows for at least two weeks and take notes about the inconsistencies reported and discuss them in class.
     
  4. Certain “news” programs (e.g., Nancy Grace) stay focused on very isolated stories about kidnapped/murdered children or women (Nancy Holloway, Casey Anthony) for months without covering much else.  Have a few volunteer students watch such a program for several weeks and bring in the total number of stories disseminated on the program.  Discuss the value, if any, of such programming.
     
  5. Take a close look at how media treats men and women in both politics, are women regulated to "women's issues?"  What other observations of gender roles do you see?
     
  6. Have the students watch two news channels, either on cable or a broadcast channel for a week.  Have them take note of the differences in the way the news is reported and report their findings to the class.
     
  7. Have the students watch some “crime” themed shows for two weeks and report back to the class how racial and ethnic group members are portrayed within these shows.

Chapter 12: Alcohol and Drug Abuse

  1. Have students research countries that have legalized drug use.  Furthermore, have the students interview friends, family, coworkers, and strangers about their opinions of legalizing certain drugs in the United States.  Finally, based on the findings of the students’ research, interviews, and personal feelings, hold a class debate about the consequences of legalizing the use of certain drugs in the United States.
     
  2. Social conservatives often argue that government is too involved in the personal lives of private citizens, yet they are also the first to want to restrict private behavior such as drug use.  Attempt to locate a conservative elected official with this belief to interview or invite into the class for a question and answer session to discuss this discrepancy.
     
  3. Find several students who work and are willing to investigate their company’s drug use policy to share with the class.  Compare and contrast their findings in class.
     
  4. Divide the class into groups of 4 and assign each group a drug.  Have each group research how usage of the drug has changed in the past 10 years, who is most likely to abuse the drug (demographics), and effects of this drug, both physical and mentally.  Have the group report their findings to the class.  Select a drug that is not covered in the text.
     
  5. Have the students research various drug treatment methods, for example, psychotherapy or group treatment programs.  Have the students interview people who run these programs to find out how the programs are run and how effective their programs have been and report their findings to the class.  You may want to assign certain students certain treatment methods to investigate.

Chapter 13: Crime and Criminal Justice

  1. Have students gather the opinions of friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers, and strangers about the death penalty noting the race/ethnicity, age, educational attainment, sex, religious affiliation, and social economic status of each respondent.  Hold a class discussion to see if any consistencies can be identified based on the above demographics. 
     
  2. Have students in the class obtain statistics and information about the crimes that take place in your local community via the Internet.  Choose a different community outside your state and do the same thing.  Have a class discussion about why certain types of crime exist in your local community, versus the other community, and what students feel should be done, if anything, to further reduce their existence.
     
  3. Have students do a ride-a-long with a police officer to observe, firsthand, what it is like fighting and preventing crime.  Have students compare and contrast their individual experiences.
     
  4. Make arrangements with your local corrections facility to bring several inmates to a class session to discuss crime in the community, life inside a jail, and to hear the personal stories of the inmates.
     
  5. Contact a local, state, or national organization that is fighting to end the death penalty and collect any data that they may collect to support their cause.  Also, contact a group that supports the continued use of the death penalty and collect any data they might have that supports their belief that the death penalty serves as a deterrent to others.  Discuss the findings in class.
     
  6. Have the students interview family members, friends, and/or co-workers regarding their experiences and/or feelings about crime.  Are they fearful of being a victim of a crime? Have they been a victim of a crime? What took place?  How much does the media play into their feelings about crime?  Have the students report their findings to the class.
     
  7. Have the students contact a local police station and speak to someone about how they gather crime statistics (what methods are used) and where and when they report their findings.

Chapter 14: Urbanization

  1. Order a copy of your community’s master plan from the appropriate local authority.  Divide students into groups to access statistics such as average age ranges, income levels, etc. about the major population areas of your county from the U.S. Census Bureau’s website.  Hold a class discussion about where most tax dollars are spent providing reasons why this is the case.
     
  2. Sim City, computer software available from Maxis, is a realist interactive computer game which allows players to see the multifaceted complexities of building and maintaining a city by simulation.  Demonstrate how the game works and allow students to start their own cities, using the same gaming criteria, and compare the outcomes of their work.
     
  3. Organize a class outing to a local homeless shelter.  While there, assist where needed and take the time to listen to the stories of several individual homeless people/families.
     
  4. If gentrification has occurred in your city, have some student volunteers locate before and after pictures to show the class.  In addition, attempt to locate someone on the city planning board/council that was familiar with the area prior to the gentrification project to discuss what the environment was like.  Visit the newly restored area and talk to some local residents.  Discuss the benefits and challenges of your local gentrification project in class.
     
  5. If you live in an area where public transportation is available, take a day and rely only on that transportation to get you to and from your destinations for the day.  What was the experience like?  What were the obstacles, solutions, etc...you found during your day?  Discuss and organize using sociological concepts and theory.
     
  6. Divide the class into groups of 4 and assign them a particular United States city.  Have the groups research the changes that have taken place in that city in the past 5 years in terms of urban population and businesses that have left the city and businesses that have filtered into the city over this time period.  Have the groups discuss their findings with the class.
     
  7. Have the students ask friends and family members about their experiences in terms of living in an urban area, a suburb, and/or a rural area.  How do these individuals feel about their previous and current living situations?  Where would they ideally like to live (an urban area, suburb, or rural area)?  Why?

Chapter 15: The Environment

  1. There is often a lot controversy over protecting endangered species that are not only unknown to most people, but also so small in size that many find them insignificant and unimportant.  On one side, some argue that we cannot stop or eliminate progress because of the need to save some “trivial” endangered species.  On the other side, the argument is more about insensitive capitalists that will stop at nothing, including exploitation of the environment and animals, to make a dollar.  Have a class discussion about the need to balance the protection of endangered species, no matter the size or perceived lack of value, and the desire for economic development.
     
  2. The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) has sites set up all over the country to monitor things such as air and water quality.  If available, contact a representative from your local air and/or water monitoring station(s) to collect data and present to the class.  Compare your community data with national statistics available on the Internet. 
     
  3. Find out if there are any environmental or animal rights protests or marches scheduled during the academic semester to visit and witness in your community.
     
  4. Apply issue related to climate change to your own community.  What natural resources if any has changed over your lifetime and/or what results have you seen in the local environment or economy?  Discuss any local efforts to address or bring attention to climate change in your community.
     
  5. Divide the class into groups of 4 and give each group an environmental issue, for example, global warming.  Have the groups research the issue and changes that have taken place in regards to this issue in the past 10 years.  Have the groups report their findings to the class.

Chapter 16: War and Terrorism

  1. As mentioned in the chapter, as diversity increased on college campuses around the nation, so did the level of social awareness of social issues such as war.  Hold a campus debate about the place of war in our modern world.  Have students address specific issues such as the need for a military draft, the economic and environmental impacts of war, and the increasing dangers of chemical and biological weapons.
     
  2. As the armed forces of United States continues to be stretched around the world to deal with impending conflicts, the need for a military draft continues to surface.  College students would be significantly impacted by such a decision.  Hold a class discussion about the ramifications of a military draft.  Include in the discussion the fact that ethnic and racial minority groups are currently proportionately over-represented in the military.
     
  3. Set up a care package mission on your campus to collect and send items requested by U.S. military personnel abroad. 
     
  4. Have a class debate about the pros and cons of nuclear arms. Are the students worried that in the future countries may use nuclear arms?  Why or why not?
     
  5. Have the students bring to class any example of an agent of socialization that might reflect pro-war attitudes, for example a toy or a news medium and have them share their example in small groups and report their examples to the class as a whole.

Chapter 17: Social Problems and Social Action

  1. It is known that in general, most people are unwilling to get involved in projects such as political campaigns, community improvement programs, and social movements for a variety of reasons.  Hold a class discussion about why so few people are willing to participate in the aforementioned types of initiatives to begin social change.
     
  2. Identify a social problem that exists on your campus or in your community that the class can get involved in changing.  Create organizing plans and discuss approaches - what theoretical  and conceptual ideas are most useful to you? 
     
  3. Have the class discuss and come to consensus on the one most important social problem they feel needs immediate attention.  Next, have the class formulate a plan to create a mock social movement to address this problem.  They should address things such as resources that are needed, communication methods, leadership, etc.  Students should present their plan to the class. 
     
  4. Divide the students into groups of 4 and assign them each a social problem to analyze.  Have      Them answer the following questions:  1)  Should this social problem be a top priority in our society? Why or why not?  2)  How would each of the 4 sociological perspectives view this issue?  3)  How has your thought process about this social problem changed since the 1st day of class?
     
  5. Divide the class into groups of 4 and assign each group a social movement, either currently taking place or a previous social movement.  Have the group research this movement in terms of when the movement began, the goals of the movement, and how successful the movement was or is towards reaching those goals and report back to the class.