Welcome to Mr. Tredinnick's Social Science Course
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Behavioral Sciences incorporates the ideas of the social sciences, specifically the principles of sociology and psychology, to better understand the ideas of group dynamics, and individual behaviors. Students will utilize scientific theory and methods to examine the principles of behavior, socialization, and the incorporation of individuals, in the context of a single individual, or as part of a larger whole. By planning and conducting studies, to be complete around the local community, students will gain a better understanding of the types of interactions and learned behaviors that take place around them, and come up with methods to improve a social experience. A large emphasis will be placed on the usage of scientific theory and methods, to design and conduct social experiments with the goal of increasing awareness of social forces, and improving an experience. In doing so, students will improve their understanding of scientific research and research methods.
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Unit I - Societal Composition
Central Question: How does the understanding of a society from an academic sense compare to colloquial representations?
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Week 1: Course Introduction
(Jan 4-8) Module 1.1: Building an Understanding Forum 1.1: A Fresh Start - Course Introduction Field Experience: Our distant? Cousins? + Explore: 98.6% Human - Reflecting on Social Behavior (Assignment) + Ted Talk: Jane Goodall Module 1.2: The Sociological Understanding Forum 1.2: Components of a Society - The Perspectives of Sociology (Notes) - TED Talk: Sam Richards (Assignment) + TED Talk: The Wisdom of Sociology |
Week 2: Uses of Sociology
(Jan 11-15) Module 1.3: Practical Sociology Forum 1.3: Practical Experience - The Chicago School (Notes) - A Sociological Lens (Assignment) - Discussion 1.1 - Applying Sociology Discussion (Forum) Module 1.4: Sociology as a Social Science Forum 1.5: The Science of People - Sociology as a Science (Notes) - Research Ethics (Assignment) +ASA: Code of Ethics |
Week 3: A Sociological View of the World
(Jan 18-22) Module 1.5: Applying Sociological Theory Forum 1.5: Uses of Sociology Field Experience: Looking for Sociology (Student Choice) Module 1.6: Complete Unit I - Unit I Test - The Sociological Perspective |
Unit I Notes
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Unit I Assignments | ||||||
Geoinquiry I - The Experience of Marginalized Individuals with the Environment
Central Question: How does the treatment of marginalized groups in the United States affect perceptions and relationships with the environment?
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Week 4: Researching Environmental Justice
(Jan 25 - 29) Module 1.A - Framing the Environmental Justice Movement
Forum: What Causes Inequality? How is it Reflected in the Environment? - Annotated Bibliography of 4 Sources below Module 1.B: A Growing Movement
Forum: Review and Define Environmental Justice and Environmental Racism - Paragraph (with 2 sources) environmental justice movement - Present - Paragraph (with 2 sources) environmental justice movement - Historic HW: Choose a Topic - Find two sources and add to Annotated Bib |
Week 5: Developing an Inquiry
(Feb 1-5) Module 1.C: Formulating a Research Question
Forum: What Makes a Good Research Question? - Developing a Research Question (Assignment) Module 1.D: Title
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Potential Topics
The Effect of Pollution on communities of marginalized peoples
Disproportionate effects of climate change on a local, national, or global scale
Food deserts and the unequal access of communities to nutritious food
Urban structures and the proximity of heavy industry to communities of color
Unequal access to natural spaces
Native American Water Rights
Topic of your choice...
The Effect of Pollution on communities of marginalized peoples
Disproportionate effects of climate change on a local, national, or global scale
Food deserts and the unequal access of communities to nutritious food
Urban structures and the proximity of heavy industry to communities of color
Unequal access to natural spaces
Native American Water Rights
Topic of your choice...
Unit II - The Social Experience
Central Question: How are individuals affected by different groups they associate with and are surrounded by?
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Week 6: Sociological Agents
(Feb 8-12) Module 2.1: Introduction to Social Groupings Forum 2.1: Most important Groups Class Discussion: TED Talk: Sherry Turkle + 2 Discussion Questions + 1 Page Personal Reflection Field Experience: Needing Groups (Student Choice) Module 2.2: Group Dynamics Forum 2.2: Benefits of Group Work + Brain Games: Conformity + Crash Course Social Behavior - Group Sociology (Notes) Week 9: Social Structures
(Mar 1-5) Module 2.7: Race and Ethnicity Forum 2.7: A Social Construct - Racial and Ethnic Relations (Notes) + A Class Divided (Assignment) + PBS: A Class Divided Module 2.8: Purpose of Religion Forum 2.8: Symbolic Religion - Religion and Socialization (Notes) TED Talk: Reza Aslan - Unity in Diversity |
Week 7: Group Dynamics
(Feb 15-19) Module 2.3: The Purpose of a Group Forum 2.3: Changing Group Importance Field Experience: Comparing Groups - Compare interactions between following groups - Carl and Ellie's Groups (Assignment) + Carl and Ellie's Story - TED Talk - Rethinking Group Dynamics + 2 Discussion Questions + 1 Page Personal Reflection Module 1.4: The Importance of Family Groups Week 10: Social Structures
(Mar 8-12) Module 2.9: Age Norms Forum 2.9: What is expected of you? Field Experience: Changing Expectations (Orangutans) - Age Stratification (Notes) Module 2.10: Gender Norms Forum 2.10: Nature vs. Nurture - Gender Norms (Notes) HW: Study for next test next class |
Week 8: Types of Groups
(Feb 22-26) Module 2.5: The Family Group Forum 2.5: Need of a Family Core Field Experience: Comparing Family Responsibilities (Giraffe Barn) Group Discussion: Rethinking Group Dynamics - Family Socialization (Notes) Module 2.6: Friends and School Groups Forum 2.6: You Can't Pick Them? - Peer Groups (Notes) - Impacts of Bullying (Assignment) + Stop Bullying 
Ideas -
Media (Finding good role models) Race (Social Justice & Environmental Relations) Age (Differing views of Environment & Priorities) Family (A heritage of environmentalism) |
Unit II Notes
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Unit II Assignments | ||||||||||||||
Geoinquiry II - The Importance of Community in Action
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Week 11:
(Mar 22-26) Module 2.A: Title
Forum 2.A: Module 2.B: Title
Forum 2.B: |
Week 12:
(Mar 29- Apr 2) Module 2.C: Title
Forum 2.C: Module 2.D: Title
Forum 2.D: |
Unit III - Cultural Relativism and the Destruction of Egocentrism
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Week 13: The Essence of Culture
(Apr 5- 9) Module 3.1: Understanding Culture
Inquiry Question: Do animals have culture? Forum 3.1: What is Culture? - Finding Culture in Our Cousins (Assignment) + Raymond Hames: Chimpanzee Culture Field Experience: Applying who we are (Assignment) (Primates) Module 3.2: Beyond the Primates
Inquiry Question: Does culture extend beyond our closest relatives? Forum 3.2: The eye of an Anthropologist Field Experience: Revisiting Culture (Assignment) (Sea Lions) - Protecting Culture (Assignment) + Overheard at Nat Geo: Humpback Whale Song of the Summer + Shane Gero: The Lost Culture of Whales Week 16: Title
(Apr 26-30) Module X.X: Title
Forum X.X: Module X.X: Title
Forum X.X: |
Week 14: The Essence of Culture
(Apr 12-16) Module 3.3: What is Culture
Forum 3.3: What makes up culture? - Culture: A Sociological Look (Notes) - Research a Culture (Assignment) + World Culture Encyclopedia Module 3.4: Major Cultural Traits
Forum 3.4: Importance of Language - Components of Language (Notes) + Language Identification - Components of a Religion (Notes) - Create a Language (Assignment) + WikiHow: How to Create a Language + Hello in Many Languages Week 17: Title
(May 3-7th) Module X.X: End of Unit Test
Forum X.X: |
Week 15: Understanding Culture
(Apr 19-23) Module 3.5: Differences in Culture
Forum 3.5: Unique Individuals? - Cultural Variations (Notes) + National Geographic: Horn Scorn - Variation and the Hindu Cow (Assignment) |
Geoinquiry III - Conducting an Ethnography: The Observation of Society
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Week 17:
(May 3-7th) Module 4.1: Looking at Ethnographies
Forum 4.1: Extraordinary in the Ordinary - What is an Ethnography? - Deviance Ethnography (Assignment) |
Week 18: Sociological Concepts
(May 10-14th) Module 4.2: Working a Topic
Forum 4.2: Value of Recording Experiences - Writing Workshop: Brainstorming Topics - Writing Workshop: Abstract - Writing Workshop: Listing Rules Module 4.3:
Forum 4.3: |
Week 19:
(May 17-21st) Module 4.4:
Forum 4.4: Module 4.5: Steps Moving Forward
Forum 4.5: Methods of Support - Sociological Approach to Stress (Note) - Coping Plan (Assignment) |
Unit IV Notes
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Unit IV Assignments
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Unit III - Anthropomorphism: Learning about ourselves from Others
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Week 7: Cultural Case Study: Report
(Oct 2-6) Module 2.7: Paper Writing - Forum 2.7 - - Conducting a Cultural Study (Assignment) + Section 2: Project Write-Up (Work Time) HW: First draft needs to be submitted to teacher by Oct 8th at 11:59pm Module 2.8: Paper Writing - Forum 2.8 - Progress Update - Conducting a Cultural Study (Assignment) + Section 2: Project Write-Up (Work Time) HW: First draft needs to be submitted to teacher by Oct 8th at 11:59pm Week 8: Finish Unit II
(Oct 9-13) Module 2.9: Peer Review - Read and make recommendations for two other students - Rest of time should be spent making edits Final Draft Submitted at beginning of next class Module 2.10: Section Completion - Cultural Case Study Due - Report Findings |
Module 2.3: Observing Culture - Reading a Cultural Landscape (Assignment) - Observing Human Culture + Material World: Global Family Portrait |
Week 6: Cultural Case Study: Design
(Sept 25-29) Module 2.5: Designing a Cultural Survey - Forum 2.5 - World's Most Typical Person - Conducting a Cultural Study (Assignment) + Section 1: Project Design Module 2.6: Collecting Social Data - Forum 2.6 - - Conducting a Cultural Study (Assignment) + Data Collection + Sort and Organize Data Tutorial: How to Create a Pie Chart Tutorial: How To Create a Bar Graph |
Unit III Notes
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Unit III Assignments | ||||||||
