GCSE Sociology Scheme of work Scheme of work: Unit 02 - AQA

GCSE Sociology

Scheme of Work and Lesson Plans• Unit 2 Crime and Deviance; Mass Media;

Power; Social Inequality

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Teacher Resource Bank / GCSE Sociology / Schemes of Work: Unit 2 Crime and Deviance; Mass Media; Power; Social Inequality / Version 1.0

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Scheme of Work for GCSE Sociology Year 2 (full course) The Scheme of Work and Lesson Plans which follow represent one suggested way of delivering the course and are provided purely as an example to teachers.

There are references at various points to practice in answering extended answer questions: teachers should keep in mind that students need practice on all forms of question, and, depending on the ability of the student group, it may be preferable to set homework (or class work) on shorter questions instead of extended answers.

Teachers also need to adapt their Scheme of Work to fit the number of hours they have available, the ability range of their students, assessment-supported learning, and links to other skills such as literacy, numeracy and IT.

Topic and content

Learning objectives Possible teaching/learning activities and assessments

Mass Media

• To define the mass media.

• To identify examples of traditional forms of mass communication.

• To explain the relationship between the media and its audience.

• To identify examples of the new mass media.

• To explain the ways in which audiences can relate to the new mass media.

• To understand the significance of the media as an agent of socialisation.

• Students to work independently and note down all the types of media they were in contact with yesterday and how the media reached them. Then they can estimate how much time they spent with each type and its purpose, eg entertainment, information, communication or something else.

• Students in small groups summarise an audience theory and then present it on Powerpoint to the rest of the class. These presentations could be put on YouTube in order to demonstrate new media and its relationship with the audience.

• Class discussion on the importance and influence of social networking sites on their lives compared to the lives of other social groups, for example their grandparents.

• Student research activity – in small groups, students to use digital recorders to interview friends/parents about the importance of social networking in their lives. Students could then use these recordings as a basis for a podcast.

• Complete ‘Going Further’ activity, page 131, Nelson Thornes textbook.


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Mass Media continued

• Complete ‘Check Your Understanding’, page 133, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Students to complete extended answer for homework after class discussion of relevant points. Question:

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the mass media is a more powerful agent of socialisation than the education system. (12 marks)

• To examine the media as a source of power for the individuals and organisations which own and/or control it.

• Internet research activity – students to investigate the ownership and control of a number of national newspapers. In small groups, students are given a copy of a national newspaper all bought on the same day. They need to investigate, using the internet, the ownership and control of their newspaper. In addition, they could consider whether their newspaper shows any political bias and who the target audience might be. This can also involve analysis of the newspapers’ websites. They can then present their findings to the rest of the class. This can be followed by a wider discussion of newsworthiness and stereotyping.

• Class activity – show students the opening sequence of a number of news programmes from the same day, from a range of times and news channels. Ask students to compare how the news is presented to them and then discuss why this might be. See sample Lesson Plan.

• Activity page 126, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, page 129, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• To examine the potential significance for the distribution of power of technological developments such as the internet.

• Complete ‘Going Further’ activity, page 139, Nelson Thornes textbook.



Mass Media continued

• To understand the ways in which the media can encourage stereotyping and deviancy amplification.

• Class activity – students to view 1970s sitcoms (eg ‘Are You Being Served?’ or ‘Mind Your Language’) in order to examine the concept of stereotyping.

• Class activity – TV adverts for one product (eg Fairy Liquid, Persil, Flake) from the 1970s to the present day could be viewed online in order to explore changing representations.

• In small groups, students to view either music videos, TV adverts or movie trailers online in order to explore stereotyping by gender, age, ethnicity. They then present their findings to the rest of the class.

• Complete activities and ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, page 137, Nelson Thornes textbook.

Activity to develop exam technique for extended answers. For example:

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the image of women presented by the mass media tends to be stereotypical rather than realistic. (12 marks)

Students to develop two sides to the argument in groups. Whole class discussion of points to consider. Question set as timed assessment.

• To consider contemporary debates surrounding the media, such as whether media exposure encourages violence.

• Class debate – does media exposure encourage violence?

• This debate can be informed by looking at TV schedules and films currently on release. Gender differences could also be discussed.

• Key concept glossary test.

• Complete exam questions, pages 145-147, Nelson Thornes textbook.



Topic and content


Crime and Deviance

• To understand and describe the difference between crime and deviance.

• Activity page 96, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• ‘Going Further’ activity and ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, page 97, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• To examine the significance of crime and deviance for victims, communities and society in general.

• Research activity – students to design a questionnaire to measure fear of crime in their local area amongst different social groups. Each student to get 10 questionnaires completed: results collated and analysed as group, then whole class activity.

• Complete ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, page 117, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• To assess the usefulness for sociologists of different measures of crime – official crime statistics, self-report and victim studies.

• Small group activity – students to present a measure of crime to the rest of the class, using examples and outlining the strengths and weaknesses.

• To understand different sociological explanations of criminal and deviant behaviour, and to consider their importance.

• Pair activity – students to think sociologically and note down why people commit crime. Whole class discussion to share ideas.

• Teacher-led revision to produce spider diagrams on posters to summarise notes on why people commit crime. Students to use these posters to answer homework exam questions. For example:

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that teenage criminal and deviant behaviour results from parents failing to socialise their children correctly. (12 marks)

• To describe the ways in which individuals are encouraged to conform to social rules, both formal and informal.

• Complete activities on social control, page 107, Nelson Thornes textbook.




Crime and Deviance continued

• To consider the social distribution of crime in terms of class, gender, age, ethnicity, locality.

• Group activity – students to analyse statistical data in order to find patterns in who commits crime, according to the statistics. They should then be able to think sociologically to suggest why this might be the case, but also to question the validity of the statistics. Whole class discussion of social distribution of crime with summary notes provided by the teacher. See sample Lesson Plan.


• Class discussion to plan extended answer for exam question:

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that working class males are more likely to commit crimes than other sections of society. (12 marks)

• To examine contemporary debates surrounding crime and deviance.

• Students to bring in a media story concerning youth crime and present it to the rest of the class.

• Complete ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions and ‘Going Further’ activity, page 118, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Local Police Community Support Officers to speak to the class about their role in the community.

• Exam questions pages 119-120, Nelson Thornes textbook, as basis for revision activities.

• Timed assessment/marking exercise, exam questions page 121, Nelson Thornes textbook.



Topic and content


Power

• To examine the characteristics of democracy and the British political system.

• Pair activity – ask students to compile a list of positions which have power or authority in modern Britain. Discuss whether they are elected by ordinary members of society or not.


• To describe the opportunities for participation in political life.

• Complete activities, page 153, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Research activity – students to interview their parents and grandparents about their participation in political life. This could be digitally recorded and form the basis of a podcast.

• To understand why some sections of society are less likely than others to participate.


• To examine government responses to non- participation.

• Internet activity – students to attempt the government’s ‘Life In the UK’ test for new citizens on the internet. This should inform a class discussion concerning the importance of a political education in a democracy.

• To describe and explain the pattern of voting behaviour in recent years.

• Pair activity – students to review statistics on social characteristics and voting behaviour in 2005 election compared to previous general elections. This will form the basis of their homework on:

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that there is no longer a link between social class and voting behaviour. (12 marks)

Describe one change that has taken place in the relationship between gender and voting behaviour over the last 50 years. (5 marks)



Power continued

• To examine the significant interest groups in society and how they influence decision-makers.

• Complete ‘Going Further’ activity, page 161, and ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, page 163, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• To identify significant changes in the nature and activities of pressure groups.

• Group research activity – each group of students is given a different pressure group to research using their website. They need to produce a leaflet for the rest of the class explaining how it is organised, its aims and how successful it has been. Whole class discussion about the nature and significance of pressure groups in a democracy such as Britain.

• To describe the different political positions in debates about the welfare state.

• Internet activity – visit the main political parties’ websites to view speeches and policy documents which demonstrate their views on the welfare state.

• Complete activity, page 157, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Complete ‘Going Further’ activity and ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, page 159, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• To examine the ways in which governments have attempted to alleviate social problems.

• Class discussion on how far the government should take responsibility for citizens’ health, welfare and social needs.

• Pair activity – students research online the benefits and help available for lone mothers, the unemployed or the elderly retired. This can form the basis of decision-making activities. For example, present students with job adverts from the local press and ask them to decide whether the lone mother/unemployed person should take the job. This should inform class discussions of the poverty trap.



Power continued

• To examine the nature of power relationships in everyday situations such as the workplace, home, school and neighbourhoods.

• Individual activities – ask half the students to keep a diary for 24 hours of every time they are asked to do something, whether that person is entitled to ask them to do something and whether they did it. The other half are to keep a diary recording every time they ask someone to do something, whether they are entitled to ask that person to do something and whether they did it. These diaries can then inform a whole class discussion of the nature of power and authority, and consequences for disobedience.

• Class debate – should smacking be banned?

• Research activity – student to interview a grandparent or older adult about their experiences of teacher authority. Students to discuss how this differs from/is similar to their own. This could be written up as blogs on a website.

• Research activity – students to interview an older adult about their experiences of work in terms of alienation, power, authority and trade union membership. Students to write this up as a report.

• Complete activity and ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, page 167, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Activities to practise 5-mark exam questions. For example:

Describe one way in which the relationship between parents and their children has changed during the last 50 years and explain why that relationship has become more democratic. (5 marks) Describe one way in which young people and the police interact, and explain why this interaction may be difficult. (5 marks)



Power continued

• To explore the relationship between research and matters of sociological debate and political controversy.

• Complete activities and ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, pages 168-170, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Timed assessment based on exam questions, page 173, Nelson Thornes textbook.



Topic and content


Social Inequality

• To describe and explain the nature of stratification.

• Complete activities and ‘Going Further’, page 175, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Complete ‘Check Your Understanding questions, page 177, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• To understand and use the concepts of class, status and life chances.

• Individual and class activity – students to place their own family in terms of social class using classification scale. Then ask students to think about where they would like to be when they are 30 years old. Class discussion of issues of social mobility, how this can be achieved but why it might be limited according to mobility studies.

• Complete activities on pages 178-179, Nelson Thornes textbook.


• To identify and describe forms of stratification based on class, gender, ethnicity, age and religion.

• Group activity – students to review statistics on different forms of stratification, how they are changing over time and key arguments for why they exist. This can involve their own research as well as pre-prepared stimulus materials. Each group to provide a summary handout for the rest of the class.

• To examine the ways in which life chances are influenced by differences in wealth, income, power and status, and the relationships between these inequalities and social factors.

• Internet activity – students to consult The Times Rich List online and identify the major categories of the super-wealthy in British society. Class discussion of mobility, fairness and life chances.

• Watch ‘Rich Kid Poor Kid’ (Dispatches, Channel 4) as a basis for a discussion on social class and life chances.



Social Inequality continued

• To examine the ways in which life chances are influenced by differences in wealth, income, power and status, and the relationships between these inequalities and social factors.

• Class activity to demonstrate the unequal distribution of wealth in UK today. Students are split into two groups and given cake that is cut in the same proportions as wealth (ie richest 50% given 93% of the cake, whilst poorest 50% given 7%). This can then be used as a basis for a discussion on taxation, relative deprivation, crime, etc. Students can then be shown pie charts on the distribution of wealth in the UK. See sample Lesson Plan.

• Complete activities and ‘Check Your Understanding’ questions, pages 188-189, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Extended question set as homework:

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that ethnic inequality is the most important cause of social division in modern Britain. (12 marks)

• To understand how to define and measure poverty.

• Activity and ‘Going Further’ activity, page 191, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• To examine the experience of poverty in Britain today.

• Internet research – students to read accounts of poverty in Britain on charities/pressure group websites.

• Students either to buy a copy of the ‘Big Issue’ or to be given a copy to read.

• Watch DVDs such as ‘How The Other Half Live’ (Channel 4).




Social Inequality continued

• To assess different sociological explanations of poverty.

• Group activity – thinking sociologically: why are people poor? Students should be able to draw from previous knowledge of (for example) the family, education and the welfare state. Whole class feedback and discussion. Summary posters then completed on sociological explanations of poverty and the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments.


• To explore the major debates concerning stratification in Britain.

• Class debates Is Britain a meritocratic society?

Is Britain a classless society?

• Timed assessment and self-marking activity:

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that children born into poverty will grow up to be poor throughout their lives. (12 marks)

• Exam questions page 198, Nelson Thornes textbook.

• Glossary test of key concepts.



SAMPLE LESSON PLAN: MASS MEDIA LENGTH: 1 hour

STUDENTS: Mixed ability Year 11

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• To examine the media as a source of power for the individuals and organisations who own and/or control it.

TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

• Whole class activity: students shown the opening sequences and headlines to a range of news programmes (eg BBC1, ITV3, Channel 4, Channel 5) all from the same day from a range of time slots.

• Individual note-taking: Students to take notes whilst watching the clips. For example: What are the news stories? What order do the news stories appear in? How are they presented – including length of clips, images, sound, voice over, language?

• Whole class discussion: Teacher to re-show each clip in turn, discussing the selection and presentation of the news in each example.

• Small group activity: students to discuss and note down the differences and similarities between the programmes and why these might exist.

• Whole class discussion: differences in the selection and presentation of news discussed.

• Teacher-led plenary: discussion put in the context of ownership and control of the news media. This could also be related to differences in audiences.



SAMPLE LESSON PLAN: CRIME AND DEVIANCE LENGTH: 1 hour



• To consider the social distribution of crime in terms of class, gender, age, ethnicity.


• Starter pair activity: students to think of three problems with official statistics they have previously studied.

• Whole class discussion of these problems.

• Group activity

o Students split into groups of four and each group member is allocated role of ‘expert’ on either class, ethnicity, age or gender.

o Students then move to their ‘expert’ tables, where examples of official statistics showing the social distribution of crime, for example by gender, are available for them to review and discuss. They must note down at least three patterns in their statistics to share with their group when they return.

o ‘Experts’ return to their original groups and teach the rest of their group the aspect of the social distribution of crime they have examined. Rest of the group are asked to think about why the statistics they are being told might be flawed.

• Teacher-led plenary: discussion of the main patterns of crime and the underlying causes. Teacher provides summary notes that can then be used as the basis for extended answers.



SAMPLE LESSON PLAN: SOCIAL INEQUALITY LENGTH: 1 hour



• To understand the differences in wealth and income • To relate these differences to power and status.


• Teacher starter – explanation that the huge, round cake represents all wealth in the UK. Explanation of what this is and how it compares to income. Cake then cut.

• Whole class activity – students then split into two groups.

o Group one: given approx 7% of the cake and told to split it up amongst them.

o Group two: given approx 93% of the cake and told to split it up amongst them.

o Once students have reacted to the ‘unfairness’, tell them they can find a ‘solution’ if they wish. Possible outcomes:

‘Rich’ students agree to share their cake – leads to class discussion of taxation/charity.

‘Poor’ students decide to ‘steal’ cake – leads to class discussion of relative deprivation/marginalisation/crime.

• Teacher-led plenary – students presented with pie charts representing the

distribution of income and wealth in the UK and how this has changed over the last 30 years. This can then be linked to power, status and life chances.

Documents

GCSE Sociology Scheme of work Scheme of work: Unit 02 - AQA