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Course Description
Sociology is a scientific approach that allows people to use various perspectives, tools, and research methods to observe and understand human behavior. In this 9th grade elective course, students will learn how sociologists conduct research, their major findings on substantive topics, and will be able to define and apply fundamental concepts in sociology. These concepts include, but are not limited to, norms, sanctions, culture, society, status, role, class, gender, ethnic group, stereotype, discrimination, prejudice, and inequality.
Credits: 5
Languages: English and Spanish
Course Content
UNIT 1 — Introduction to Sociology
Guidelines from the California Department of Education:
- A course in sociology introduces students to the sociological perspective on human behavior.
- The sociological perspective emphasizes the influence of people on one another, social norms, opportunities, and constraints affecting human behavior.
- In essence, sociology considers the external forces that shape people’s lives and make them who they are. It is a scientific approach that uses systematic methods and clear measurements to test hypotheses about people and how they interact with each other.
- Students will learn how sociologists conduct research, their major findings on substantive topics, and how students can create their own hypotheses about human behavior.
- Students who complete a course in sociology will be able to define and apply core concepts in sociology.
- Students will also be able to analyze behavior on a person-to-person basis as well as on a larger scale, such as, why an individual wouldn’t help a neighbor in need or why some countries have more wars than others.
- An understanding of complex sociological phenomena will enable students to understand themselves and the world around them to a far greater extent. Students in sociology might investigate a question related to their school or lives, such as what causes students to drop out or join a gang. Students may then craft suggested policies for the school administration or the school board to reduce the dropout rate or gang activity.
Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
- explain the sociological perspective and discuss its contribution to our understanding of human behavior.
- explain why common sense is an inadequate source of knowledge.
- discuss the emergence of sociology as a science in mid-19th century Europe and identify and explain the contributions of early sociologists.
- explain the chief differences in the three major theoretical perspectives.
- differentiate between macro- from micro-sociology and indicate which level of analysis is most likely to be used by each of the major theoretical perspectives.
- describe the steps of the scientific method and the four major research methods.
- describe the basic process and the importance of simple random sampling.
- explain the major ethical issues involved in sociological research.
- state the key issues in the debate regarding the role of values in sociology.
- define culture, including its material and nonmaterial components, and distinguish it from the concept of society.
- discuss symbolic components of culture, including language and gestures.
- demonstrate awareness of the significance, diversity, and constraining aspect of norms.
- differentiate between an ethnocentric view from a cultural relativist view.
- discuss similarities and differences (universals and diversity) among cultures.
- describe three sources of cultural change and their relationship to cultural leveling.
UNIT 2 — Social Psychology
Guidelines from the California Department of Education:
- A course in sociology introduces students to the sociological perspective on human behavior.
- The sociological perspective emphasizes the influence of people on one another, social norms, opportunities, and constraints affecting human behavior.
- In essence, sociology considers the external forces that shape people’s lives and make them who they are. It is a scientific approach that uses systematic methods and clear measurements to test hypotheses about people and how they interact with each other.
- Students will learn how sociologists conduct research, their major findings on substantive topics, and how students can create their own hypotheses about human behavior.
- Students who complete a course in sociology will be able to define and apply core concepts in sociology.
- Students will also be able to analyze behavior on a person-to-person basis as well as on a larger scale, such as, why an individual wouldn’t help a neighbor in need or why some countries have more wars than others.
- An understanding of complex sociological phenomena will enable students to understand themselves and the world around them to a far greater extent. Students in sociology might investigate a question related to their school or lives, such as what causes students to drop out or join a gang. Students may then craft suggested policies for the school administration or the school board to reduce the dropout rate or gang activity.
Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
- define the special perspective of the social psychologist.
- explain the characteristics of a well-designed experiment in social psychology, including the experimental group, the control group, and the randomized assignment of subjects to groups.
- identify and explain two perspectives on socialization: the developmental perspective and the social learning perspective.
- describe, explain, and provide examples of modeling and direct instruction as processes of socialization.
- understand agents of socialization, such as family, the work setting, and the mass media, and explain the importance of each.
- describe and explain three different aspects of social influence: conformity, compliance, and obedience.
- define cognitive dissonance and use cognitive dissonance theory to explain the relationship between attitudes and behavior.
UNIT 3 — Social Institutions
Guidelines from the California Department of Education:
- A course in sociology introduces students to the sociological perspective on human behavior.
- The sociological perspective emphasizes the influence of people on one another, social norms, opportunities, and constraints affecting human behavior.
- In essence, sociology considers the external forces that shape people’s lives and make them who they are. It is a scientific approach that uses systematic methods and clear measurements to test hypotheses about people and how they interact with each other.
- Students will learn how sociologists conduct research, their major findings on substantive topics, and how students can create their own hypotheses about human behavior.
- Students who complete a course in sociology will be able to define and apply core concepts in sociology.
- Students will also be able to analyze behavior on a person-to-person basis as well as on a larger scale, such as, why an individual wouldn’t help a neighbor in need or why some countries have more wars than others.
- An understanding of complex sociological phenomena will enable students to understand themselves and the world around them to a far greater extent. Students in sociology might investigate a question related to their school or lives, such as what causes students to drop out or join a gang. Students may then craft suggested policies for the school administration or the school board to reduce the dropout rate or gang activity.
Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
- explain the nature and tasks of basic social institutions.
- describe the impact of social change on institutions.
- explain the nature of economics and business as social institutions.
- describe the transition from a pre-market to a market society.
- understand the effects of globalization.
- understand how sociologists study sport as an institution.
- describe how social values influence sports in American society.
UNIT 4 — Social Inequality
Guidelines from the California Department of Education:
- A course in sociology introduces students to the sociological perspective on human behavior.
- The sociological perspective emphasizes the influence of people on one another, social norms, opportunities, and constraints affecting human behavior.
- In essence, sociology considers the external forces that shape people’s lives and make them who they are. It is a scientific approach that uses systematic methods and clear measurements to test hypotheses about people and how they interact with each other.
- Students will learn how sociologists conduct research, their major findings on substantive topics, and how students can create their own hypotheses about human behavior.
- Students who complete a course in sociology will be able to define and apply core concepts in sociology.
- Students will also be able to analyze behavior on a person-to-person basis as well as on a larger scale, such as, why an individual wouldn’t help a neighbor in need or why some countries have more wars than others.
- An understanding of complex sociological phenomena will enable students to understand themselves and the world around them to a far greater extent. Students in sociology might investigate a question related to their school or lives, such as what causes students to drop out or join a gang. Students may then craft suggested policies for the school administration or the school board to reduce the dropout rate or gang activity.
Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
- understand three major types of inequality: social class, race and ethnicity, and sex and gender.
- identify and evaluate the three factors making up social class: wealth, power, and prestige.
- understand differences between race and ethnicity.
- describe different types of intergroup relationships.
- become familiar with the differences between African Americans, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and Asian Americans.
- understand the difference between sex and gender.
- describe two theories on how gender inequities began.
- recognize how socialization helps determine and perpetuate perceptions of gender inequality.
- understand gender inequality and how it influences people’s everyday lives.
- realize that through participation in activities, people can influence the future of society.
UNIT 5 — Social Change
Guidelines from the California Department of Education:
- A course in sociology introduces students to the sociological perspective on human behavior.
- The sociological perspective emphasizes the influence of people on one another, social norms, opportunities, and constraints affecting human behavior.
- In essence, sociology considers the external forces that shape people’s lives and make them who they are. It is a scientific approach that uses systematic methods and clear measurements to test hypotheses about people and how they interact with each other.
- Students will learn how sociologists conduct research, their major findings on substantive topics, and how students can create their own hypotheses about human behavior.
- Students who complete a course in sociology will be able to define and apply core concepts in sociology.
- Students will also be able to analyze behavior on a person-to-person basis as well as on a larger scale, such as, why an individual wouldn’t help a neighbor in need or why some countries have more wars than others.
- An understanding of complex sociological phenomena will enable students to understand themselves and the world around them to a far greater extent. Students in sociology might investigate a question related to their school or lives, such as what causes students to drop out or join a gang. Students may then craft suggested policies for the school administration or the school board to reduce the dropout rate or gang activity.
Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
- explain the role of the physical environment in social change.
- explain the role of population factors and migration in social change.
- explain the role of discoveries, inventions, and diffusion in social change.
- explain the role of ideas and ideologies in social change.
- explain the role of fads and fashions in social change.
- explain the role of mobs and riots in social change.
- explain the role of social and political movements in social change.
- explain the roles of industrialization and urbanization as major forces of social change in the United States and in developing countries.
- understand how social change might affect people personally.
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