SOCIOLOGY
MS. WASHINGTON
ewashin4@houstonisd.org
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED TO GIVE STUDENTS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE EXCITING FIELD OF
SOCIOLOGY.
HUMANS ARE NATURALLY SOCIAL CREATURES. WE GROUP UP ACCORDING TO OUR LIKES
AND INTERESTS.
WE MAKE CONNECTIONS AND MEANINGS WITH SYMBOLS WITHIN OUR CULTURE AND
SUBCULTURES.
SOCIOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF SOCIETY AND THE INDIVIDUAL’S PLACE IN SOCIETY. WE
ALL FORM TO A PARTICULAR GROUP AND OUR ACTIONS, MANY TIMES, CORRESPOND TO THE GROUP WE
ARE IN.
THIS COURSE WILL ALSO GIVE YOU THE TOOLS TO UNDERSTAND AND CHANGE THE SOCIETY IN
WHICH YOU LIVE.
TEXT:
THOMAS, W. LAVERNE. SOCIOLOGY: THE STUDY OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS. HOLT, RINEHART AND
WINSTON: AUSTIN.
THEMES AND IDEAS:
SOCIAL CHANGE (EXPLAIN HOW THE THEORIES ON SOCIAL CHANGE HAVE EVOLVED.)
SOCIAL CONTROL (HOW NORMS OF SOCIETY ARE ENFORCED)
DEVIANCE (BEHAVIOR THAT VIOLATE SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL NORMS.)
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE (VIEWING THE BEHAVIOR OF GROUPS IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY.)
CULTURE
(SHARED PRODUCTS OF HUMAN GROUPS)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE IS A MUST! I UNDERSTAND SOME OF YOU HAVE DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS AND OTHER
THINGS BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ATTEND CLASS DAILY. IF YOU ARE ABSENT SEE ME AS
SOON AS YOU RETURN. IF YOU MISS A TEST OR A QUIZ YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO MAKE IT UP THE NEXT
CLASS PERIOD.
NO EXCEPTIONS!
THERE WILL BE A QUIZ, PROJECT, OR TEST EVERY WEEK.
EXAMS AND PROJECTS WILL BE WORTH 70%OF YOUR FINAL GRADE. QUIZZES AND HOMEWORK WILL BE
WORTH
30%
ALONG WITH THE EXAMS, QUIZZES, AND HOMEWORK YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED SEVERAL PROJECTS
PERTAINING TO AN AREA OF SOCIOLOGY WE ARE STUDYING.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
DO NOT CHEAT. IT DOES NOT HELP YOU AND WILL RESULT IN A ZERO AND A CALL TO YOUR
PARENTS/GUARDIAN, AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION FROM YOUR DEAN. LEARN WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT
PLAGIARISM AND PRACTICE IT.
UNITS OF STUDY:
OUR COURSE WILL TAKE US THROUGH 8 UNITS (HOPEFULLY).
UNIT 1: THE STUDY OF SOCIOLOGY
UNIT 2: CULTURE
UNIT 3: SOCIAL STRUCTURE
UNIT 4: SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
UNIT 5: DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL
UNIT 6: ETHNIC RELATIONS
UNIT 7: THE INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY
UNIT 8: SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
SUGGESTED READINGS (FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHERE SOCIOLOGY CAME
FROM):
THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO BY KARL MARX
SUICIDE BY EMILE DURKHEIM
SOCIETY IN AMERICA BY HARRIET MARTINEAU
A GENERAL VIEW OF POSITIVISM BY AUGUSTE COMTE
TUTORING AND HELP:
STUDENTS WITH GRADE LOWER THAN 75 WILL COME TO TURORIALS ON MONDAY AND
WEDNESDAY DURING LUNCH. STAY ORGANIZED AND AHEAD AND YOU WILL DO GREAT.
COMMUNICATION:
MS. WASHINGTON SEEKS OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION WITH BOTH PARENTS AND
STUDENTS MS. WASHINGTON IS ASKING THAT PARENTS SUBMIT THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES SO
THAT SHE CAN EMAIL REMINDERS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CLASS.
PARENT INFORMATION SECTION
(PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN BY WED. AUGUST 27TH)
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME ANYTIME YOU LIKE. I WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO RESPOND
IN A TIMELY MANNER.
FILL IN THE INFORMATION BELOW:
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