Unit Three Reflection

Sociology, Mrs. Hanson-Peters

Honor Code Level Three

This assessment will be collected at the beginning of class on: ______

Enduring Understandings

  • A variety of social institutions impact how individuals are socialized.
  • Socialization influences both individual and group behavior.
  • Both biological and social processes impact individuals’ behaviors.
  • There are various perspectives on free will.

Essential Questions

  • Do people have free will?
  • Do biological or social factors have a greater impact on individuals’ behaviors?
  • What are the effects of family on individuals’ socialization and behavior?
  • How do different experiences with education influence individuals and society?
  • What role do religion, media and peer groups play in society and across cultures?

The Unit Three Reflection can be completed as you go or you can wait and do it at the end of the unit. Because of the personal nature of the topics of Unit Three, I am interested in how you apply the concepts to your own life and use the terms and vocabulary from class, how you analyze your own experiences, and your ongoing practice of “thinking like a sociologist.” You must complete all five parts.

You can create a scrapbook/portfolio (part writing, part visual), set up a wiki page (let me know ASAP and we can set it up very easily), or make a video. Words and pictures will be used to tell the story of your socialization.

1)Introduction writing: Do people have free will? Explain your opinion on this question using personal experiences and secondhand experiences that have been shared with you or witnessed by you. You must include at least three specific examples to support your opinion.

2)Short Interview: Interview someone who helped raise you about things that they did, either consciously or unconsciously, to socialize you. Include a list of at least five questions you asked them and a then write a summary of what they tell you. Then, reflect on whether you are surprised by their tactics when compared to the person you are today.

3)Visual: Create a visual, with labels, that demonstrates to what extent you are a product of biological factors and to what extent you are a product of social factors. Use specific details about yourself as explanation.

4)Education: Think of two educational experiences you have had, one positive and one negative. Thinking like a sociologist, analyze each experience and explain how those different experiences may have contributed to who you are today.

5)Speculate: Choose one of the following social institutions and then explain how your life might be different if it were to disappear: religion or media.