Elective: Sociology
These standards, based on the American Sociological Association (ASA) and C3 Frameworks, are designed to be taught in a semester course. The standards establish the minimal content that any foundational sociology class at the regular high school level should cover. Introducing sociological principles to high school students can be especially valuable for their development as they make the transition from adolescence into adulthood. Sociology is concerned with topics of particular interest to teenagers, such as peer groups, group identities, romantic relationships, deviance and conformity, and substance abuse. These topics are also developmentally relevant to teenagers as they transition from their family settings and high school classes into the freedom and responsibilities of college life and the labor force.
Sociology Topics
The Sociological Perspective and Methods of Inquiry
Social Structure: Culture, Institutions, and Society
Social Relationships: Self, Groups, and Socialization
Stratification and Inequality
Literacy in Social Studies
In studying these topics, students apply grades 9-10 or 11-12 reading, writing and speaking and listening skills and learn vocabulary and concepts related to social studies.
Connections to Middle and High School Social Studies
Students were introduced to sociological concepts throughout their high school courses. These high school standards are designed to inspire reflection on how human communities interact and influence human behavior.
Standards for
History and Social
Science Practice, Pre-K-12
-
Develop focused questions or problem statements and conduct inquiries.
-
Organize information and data from multiple primary and secondary sources.
-
Analyze the purpose and point of view of each source; distinguish opinion from fact.
-
Evaluate the credibility, accuracy, and relevance of each source.
-
Argue or explain conclusions, using valid reasoning and evidence.
-
Determine next steps and take informed action, as appropriate.
Introduction to the Disciplinary Concepts and Skills of Sociology
Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious traditions; and from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture.
Sociology is a science that uses research methods to investigate the social world. The scientific process ensures that the knowledge produced is more representative, objective, trustworthy, and useful for explaining social phenomena than personal opinions or individual experiences. Social phenomena are constructed through human interaction. Thus, sociological inquiry must examine what meanings people give to the behaviors, objects, and interactions that are present in each culture and society. It utilizes the scientific method, is based on critical thinking, and requires students to examine how they are influenced by their social positions. In this way, students learn how to effectively participate in a diverse and multicultural society, and develop a sense of personal and social responsibility.
The Sociological Perspective and Methods of Inquiry
Sociology provides a unique perspective by focusing on the groups to which individuals belong rather than only on the individual. It deeply considers how social contexts influence both individuals and groups. In this way, it helps students to see the world through others’ eyes, to increase their understanding of group dynamics, and to develop tolerance of differences. Sociology uses objective and data-driven scientific methods to study social interactions at multiple levels, from families and peer-groups to nations and global organizations.
Sociology Content Standards
Topic 1: The Sociological Perspective and Methods of Inquiry
Explain the sociological perspective and how it differs from other social sciences.
Define social context in terms of the external forces that shape human behavior.
Identify how social context influences individuals.
Illustrate how sociological analysis can provide useful data-based information for decision making.
Give examples of the strengths and weaknesses of four main methods of sociological research: surveys, experiments, observations, and content analysis.
Topic 2: Social Structure: Culture, Institutions, and Society
Sociology studies the social structure and culture of societies in order to understand how social patterns are created and maintained over time; examples of these might include persistent violence or long-standing disparities in school achievement. Important components of social structures are institutions such as the economy, government and politics, the educational system, the family, religion, and the health care system. Culture includes the language, norms, values, and material goods of a society. Social structure and culture work in tandem to shape societies, but are not completely rigid. All individuals are impacted by social change, which refers to the transformation of culture, social institutions, and social structure over time.
Identify the major components of culture.
Cite examples of how culture influences the individuals in it.
Identify important social institutions in society.
Explain the role of social institutions in society.
Analyze how social structures and cultures change.
Topic 3: Social Relationships: Self, Groups, and Socialization
A fundamental insight of sociology is that individual and group identity is socially constructed through relationships with significant individuals, groups, and society as a whole. Socialization is a life-long process of learning how to function in society. Important socializing agents include family, peers, the media, schools, and religion. Major social and historical events can be a force in socializing entire generational groups. Groups form when individuals share common interests and/ or goals, and often become a point of comparison for individuals as they evaluate themselves and others.
Analyze the influence of the primary agents of socialization and why they are influential.
Explain the social construction of self and groups.
Identify characteristics of groups, as well as the effects groups have on individuals and society, and the effects of individuals and societies on groups.
Explain how in-group and outgroup membership influences the life chances of individuals and shapes societal norms and values.
Topic 4: Stratification and Inequality
Sociology helps students to understand their own and others’ social problems. Group memberships and identities provide or deny certain opportunities and power. They also create and reinforce social stratification. This can result in conflict between groups for scarce or valued resources, and in diminished access for some in society as others control these resources. Disadvantaged groups experience social problems such as poverty, unemployment, poor education, lack of access to health care, and inequality in obtaining rights and privileges.
Identify common patterns of social inequality.
Interpret the effects of inequality on groups and individuals.
Analyze why the distribution of power and inequalities can result in conflict.
Propose and evaluate alternative responses to inequality.
Brief Overview of Connections between Sociology and the English Language Arts/Literacy Common Core Standards Connections with the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards.
Students in sociology develop and use skills that are central to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards. Learning the theories, methodologies, and practices of sociology provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to think critically about the world they live in, themselves, and how they are influenced by their social positions. By studying sociology, students learn how to effectively participate in a diverse and multi-cultural society, and develop a sense of personal and social responsibility. Students in sociology integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to address questions or solve complex problems. They are required to integrate data and information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, in order to form a coherent and empirically- based understanding of an idea or social event, noting discrepancies among sources. Students learn how to propose, plan, and conduct simple research and action projects as well as read, discuss, and critique research findings in ways that apply their acquired content knowledge and hone the skills discussed in the Anchor Standards in Reading,
Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language.
More detailed curricular recommendations for sociology can be found on the website of the American Sociological Association (www.asanet.org/highschool). Although concepts from sociology are frequently seen in science and social studies lessons for students in grades K-8, more commonly the first formal introduction to sociology occurs in grades 9-12. Learning the theories, methodologies, and practices of sociology provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to think critically about sources of evidence, address issues using a systematic Arc of Inquiry based on the scientific method, and understand relationships among variables in complex social contexts. In this way, sociology supports students’ successful entry into the world of work or post-secondary education.
History and Social Science and the Standards for Literacy
Because learning civics, geography, history, and economics is dependent on and contributes to strong literacy skills, the framework contains Literacy Standards for History and Social Science. Effective history and social science instruction unites significant content with strong literacy practices. While reading in history and social science will usually focus on high quality informational texts, teachers may also use literary texts to reinforce concepts in the Content Standards.
Grades 11–12 Reading Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas: History and Social Science
Key Ideas and Details
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where a text leaves matters uncertain.
Craft and Structure
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
Independently and proficiently read and comprehend history/social studies texts exhibiting complexity appropriate for the grade/course.
Grades 11–12 Writing Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas
Text Types and Purposes
Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences the claim(s), counterclaims/critiques, reasons, and evidence.
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims/critiques fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims/critiques in a discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
Use words, phrases, and clauses with precision as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims/critiques.
Establish and maintain a style appropriate to audience and purpose (e.g., formal for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented.
Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
Introduce a topic and organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include text features (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas, concepts, or procedures.
Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary and techniques to manage the complexity of the topic; convey a knowledgeable stance in a style that responds to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers.
Establish and maintain a style appropriate to audience and purpose (e.g., formal for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation provided (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
Narrative Writing (See note; not applicable as a separate requirement.)
Production and Distribution of Writing
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
Students’ narrative skills continue to grow in these grades. The standards require that students be able to incorporate narrative elements effectively into arguments and informative/explanatory texts. In history/social studies, students must be able to incorporate narrative accounts into their analyses of individuals or events of historical import.
Use technology, including current web-based communication platforms, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
When conducting research, gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, interpretation, reflection, and research. (See grades 11–12 Reading Standard 1 for more on the use of textual evidence.)
Range of Writing
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Grades 11–12 Speaking and Listening Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas
Comprehension and Collaboration
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on discipline-specific topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas. (See grades 11–12 Reading Standard 1 for more on the use of textual evidence.)
Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.
Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives. d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions and critiques when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.
Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, vocabulary, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, claims, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Skills Matter: teach the four dimensions of inquiry
Dimension 1: Developing Questions
Dimension 2: Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools
Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action
Learn more at C3teachers.org