Welcome to another week of Sociology! In class this week, we will continue to examine the agents of socialization and personality development by focusing on the nature versus nurture debate. At the end of the week, you will write an in-class essay in which you state and defend your position on the debate.
Please note this week's assignment schedule:
Monday 9/24 - Please read through the research findings of the Minnesota Twin Study regarding Environmental and Family Influence and Genetic Influence. Take notes on at least two of the studies that your find compelling. When taking notes, be sure to include the exact name of the student, the researchers involved in the study,
Tuesday 9/23 - At home tonight, please read through Jane Waldfogel's and Bryan Caplan's opinions on the nature versus nurture debate, as discussed in their book interviews with the New York Times. After reading through these two pieces, please add a comment stating your stance on the issue on the New York Times' "Student Opinion" page. Your comment needs to be uploaded before class begins on Wednesday.
Wednesday 9/24 - Your comment on the nature versus nurture debate needs to be uploaded on the New York Times' "Student Opinion" page before class begins.
Thursday 9/25 - In class, you will watch Megan Kamerick's Ted Talk on why "Women Should Represent Women in the Media." After viewing this TED talk, please answer the following questions:
1. Explain how media tell us what is important every day.
2. Explain how media can be a tool to show us where the world is moving.
3. Explain why it is important to have women represented in the media—for example, women that work as producers, reporters, editors, etc.)
4. What is one way we can encourage more women to get involved in media?
5. As viewers, how can we “speak up” if we do not agree with an article published in the media?
6. Do you think the media provides us with the “whole picture” of women today? Or do we often receive “single stories?” Explain.
Friday 9/26 and Monday 9/29 - In class on Friday and Monday, you will be responsible for writing an essay on the following prompt:
To what extent is nature versus nurture responsible for shaping an individual's personality?
Your essay must contain a strong thesis statement that is supported with evidence. Your essay must also reference at least three academic sources. Therefore, you should bring the sources or notes from the soured that you plan to use with you to class on Friday and Monday. One of these sources must be the NOVA documentary we watched in class on Genie ("Secret of the Wild Child"). When you turn in your essay at the end of class on Monday, you will also be responsible for turning in a works cited page (MLA format) listing the sources you used in your essay. I will pass out a rubric and more detailed information on this essay in class on Wednesday.
Please note this week's assignment schedule:
Monday 9/24 - Please read through the research findings of the Minnesota Twin Study regarding Environmental and Family Influence and Genetic Influence. Take notes on at least two of the studies that your find compelling. When taking notes, be sure to include the exact name of the student, the researchers involved in the study,
Tuesday 9/23 - At home tonight, please read through Jane Waldfogel's and Bryan Caplan's opinions on the nature versus nurture debate, as discussed in their book interviews with the New York Times. After reading through these two pieces, please add a comment stating your stance on the issue on the New York Times' "Student Opinion" page. Your comment needs to be uploaded before class begins on Wednesday.
Wednesday 9/24 - Your comment on the nature versus nurture debate needs to be uploaded on the New York Times' "Student Opinion" page before class begins.
Thursday 9/25 - In class, you will watch Megan Kamerick's Ted Talk on why "Women Should Represent Women in the Media." After viewing this TED talk, please answer the following questions:
1. Explain how media tell us what is important every day.
2. Explain how media can be a tool to show us where the world is moving.
3. Explain why it is important to have women represented in the media—for example, women that work as producers, reporters, editors, etc.)
4. What is one way we can encourage more women to get involved in media?
5. As viewers, how can we “speak up” if we do not agree with an article published in the media?
6. Do you think the media provides us with the “whole picture” of women today? Or do we often receive “single stories?” Explain.
Friday 9/26 and Monday 9/29 - In class on Friday and Monday, you will be responsible for writing an essay on the following prompt:
To what extent is nature versus nurture responsible for shaping an individual's personality?
Your essay must contain a strong thesis statement that is supported with evidence. Your essay must also reference at least three academic sources. Therefore, you should bring the sources or notes from the soured that you plan to use with you to class on Friday and Monday. One of these sources must be the NOVA documentary we watched in class on Genie ("Secret of the Wild Child"). When you turn in your essay at the end of class on Monday, you will also be responsible for turning in a works cited page (MLA format) listing the sources you used in your essay. I will pass out a rubric and more detailed information on this essay in class on Wednesday.
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