Six Statements for Teaching Social Stratification

Rationale

The following exercise will be used to help illustrate the power of ideology, and achieved and ascribed characteristics, in assigning responsibility for the vast economic disparity present in the United States.

By the end of the two class periods, you should have a better understanding of economic inequality, the ways in which ideology is shaped by our ascribed and achieved characteristics, and the ways in which one's life experiences are shaped by the large social categories of gender, race, and class.

Instructions

Please complete the following sheet individually. Simply circle the answer that comes closest to accurately representing your beliefs. There are no right or wrong answers and you will not be graded on what you circle.

• 1.
  After you circle your answers, you can begin to think about the reasons you chose agree or disagree for each statement. You will be placed into a group and given time to talk about each statement and each person's response.
• 2.
  After your group meets and discusses the statements, please come to consensus and write down a group answer (agree or disagree) for each statement. If your group has trouble agreeing on an answer, take notes about why people could not find common ground.
• 3.
  Once you have completed these steps, please have one group member come to the front of the room and write your group's consensus answer for each statement on the overhead.
• 4.
  Once you have written down your group's answers for each statement, proceed to discuss the four questions at the end of the worksheet. Designate one student to be the official recorder. This student will summarize your group's answers to these questions on the back of the worksheet.
[Page 100]
• 5.
  When we have all the groups' responses to the six statements recorded, we will examine them as a whole and talk about the reasons groups may have arrived at different answers.
• 6.
  The answers to the four questions you record on the back of the worksheet will be handed in at the end of class and discussed in the next class.
• 7.
  At the end of the second class, you will be asked to individually type a paper that answers the same four questions (found in Part III of the worksheet) your group answered. This paper is due on ___. (Check with your instructor regarding a grading rubric that may be used to evaluate your paper.)

Grading

The assignment will be graded on a pass/fail basis. On day two, when you hand in your group worksheet, please place a check mark by the name of any group member who did not contribute to your group discussion.

• 1.
  If you provide answers on your final individual paper that met the criterion listed for “passing answers on the grading rubric” and you participated, then you will receive a passing grade.
• 2.
  If you did not participate, you will not receive a passing grade.
• 3.
  If you do not write answers that earn a passing mark for each of the four questions, you will be asked to re-do the questions. You must receive a passing grade on all questions by your second attempt in order to pass this assignment.