Download Social Cinema Syllabus - Susan E. Wagner High School

Susan E Wagner High School
Mr. Gary M. Giordano, Principal
Mr. N. P. Sims, Instructor
Social Studies Department
Ms. S. Lippa, AP Social Studies
Spring Semester
Course Syllabus
Social Cinema
Rationale
Sociologists collect data by conducting surveys, observational studies, and experiments. They also
scavenge existing data, hunting for evidence of social patterns in newspapers, diaries, and historical
archives. Why not hunt for sociological data in movies? Movies are as much a human product as,
say, newspaper. They are made by and about people in particular social and historical contexts,
movies can tell us a lot about typical patterns of inequality, ways of raising children, forms of
deviance, and just about all other aspects of social life. In fact, because movies are easily accessible,
relatively inexpensive, and often a lot of fun, they are in many ways an ideal sociological data
resource. This is the purpose behind this course, to help students see the underlying sociological
themes found within most movies, and to understand the sociological context in which the movie
fits.
Text:
NexText: An Introduction to Sociology (Wood, Yero) 2002.
Sociology: Social Life and Social Issues (Lindsey, Beach) 2000.
Description:
This course focuses on how the movies and media reflect various themes within sociology. Each
theme discussed will take between two to five days to cover completely. Upon completion of the
topic, students will be asked to write a brief essay critiquing the movie through the lens of
sociology.
Goals:
1. To investigate and understand what role the media plays in shaping our
understanding of society.
2. To recognize biases present in the media regarding certain issues in sociology.
3. To determine and evaluate the effectiveness of the media in creating public
awareness of certain social problems.
Requirements:
- Students will be asked to take notes on the movies which reflect upon sociological issues which
will be addressed within movies watched in class. They will also be asked for input into class
discussions about each movie.
- There will be a term project which will be due prior to Spring Break. See pages 4 and 5 of this
syllabus for complete details.
Resources:
Movies chosen for their value in exploring various sociological topics. These movies have been
specifically selected for this course.
Course Syllabus (cont.)
Social Cinema
Course Schedule
WEEK
CHAPTERS
2/1-2/4/2011
2/7-2/11/2011
11
(Pgs 202-207)
12
(pgs 240-245)
2/14-2/18/2011
1
(Pgs 2-9)
2/21-2/25
2/28-3/4/2011
3
(pgs 43-47)
(pgs 50-54)
3/7-3/11/2011
4
(pgs 68-73)
(pgs 77-82)
3/14-3/17/2011
5
(pgs 86-94)
3/21-3/25/2011
3/28-4/1/2011
7
(pgs 121-122)
4
(pg 78)
TOPIC
Intro to course, Media influence and control
- Discussion of Requirements
- Discussion of Term Project
Social Influence of Mass Media
Aim: “How much influence does the media have over
public opinion and political thought?”
- Movie “Wag The Dog” (R)
- Exam 2/11/2011
Intro to Sociology, Research Methods, Peer Groups
Aim: “How does the research done in the Blair Witch
Project reflect actual research methods in Sociology?”
- Movie “The Blair Witch Project” (R)
- Exam 2/18/2011
Midwinter Recess
- No Classes
- Read Chapter 1
Social Structure and Group Dynamics
Aim: “How does the portrayal of the military hierarchy
reflect social structure and group dynamics?”
- Movie “We Were Soldiers” (R)
- Exam 3/4/2011
Socialization
Aim: “How much of our personal growth is dependant
upon our interaction with society?”
- Movie “Instinct” (R)
- Exam 3/11/2011
Deviance
Aim: “How does society view people who do not fit into
our pre-conceived norms?”
- Movie “Edward Scissor-hands” (PG-13)
- Exam 3/17/2011
Family, Race
Aim: “How can race be bypassed for a greater good?”
- Movie “Four Brothers” (R)
- Exam 3/25/2011
Peer Group Relationships
Aim: “How do the ideals of friendship and commitment
play out in Wall-E?”
- Movie “WALL-E” (G)
- Exam 4/1/2011
Page 2
Course Syllabus (cont.)
4/4-4/8/2011
4/11-4/15/2011
7
(pgs 123-130)
9
(pgs 164-174)
8
(pgs 158-162)
Ethnic Minorities
Aim: “How are ethnic differences portrayed in the
cinema?”
- Movie “Hotel Rwanda” (PG-13)
- Exam 4/8/2011
Health care Issues
Aim: “Is the bond of family strong enough to overcome
any obstacles?”
- Movie “John Q” (PG-13)
- Exam 4/15/2011
4/18-4/22/2011
Spring Break
4/27-4/29/2011
Project Presentations
5/2-5/6/2011
10
(pgs 184-193)
5/9-5/13/2011
13
(pgs 256-263)
5/16-5/20/2011
8
(pgs 150-157)
5/23-5/27/2011
14
(pgs 266-272)
13
(pgs 256-263)
5/31-6/3/2011
9
(pgs 158-162)
6/6-6/14/2011
Education and Group Dynamics
Aim: ”How can education and friendship overcome many
obstacles?”
- Movie “Dangerous Minds” (R)
- Exam 5/6/2011
Environmental Issues
Aim: ”How do we impact the world we live in?”
- Movie “The Day After Tomorrow” (PG-13)
- Exam 5/13/2011
Aged in Society
Aim: “Are the elderly still a vital and important part of our
society?”
- Movie “Grumpy Old Men” (PG-13)
- Exam 5/20/2011
Urbanization, the Environment
Aim: “How does man’s encroachment on the environment
impact society as a whole?”
- Movie “Medicine Man” (PG-13)
- Exam 5/27/2011
Family, Disability, Peer Groups
Aim: ”Is society able to look past a person’s disability and
see the person inside?”
- Movie “Finding Nemo” (G)
- Exam 6/4/2011
Final Exams Given
Page 3
Course Syllabus (cont.)
Weekly Exam
Essay
Directions: Write a well organized essay that includes an introduction, several body paragraphs,
and a conclusion, based upon the sociological issue discussed that week and how it was
portrayed in the movie watched. You are asked to read the corresponding chapter for
the week. Each of these assignments will be counted as an exam. Missing the work for
that week, or missing the essay assignment, will result in a zero for that assignment.
Make up assignments will only be given with a doctor’s note. Each assignment is to be
done in class on the Friday of the week the topic was started.
There are several questions you must focus upon in order to write the essay correctly.
How to Watch Movies from a Sociological Perspective
One may assess a movie from sociological, literary, historical, dramatic, technical, philosophical,
artistic or other points of view. In each case, the reviewer applies different evaluative criteria drawn
from different disciplinary perspectives.
The sociological perspective suggests at least five criteria for evaluating movies, any one or more of
which may be highlighted in a review:
1. How does the movie reflect its social context?
2. How does the movie distort social reality?
3. To what degree does the movie shed light on common or universal social and human
problems?
4. To what degree does the movie provide evidence for or against sociological theory and
research?
5. To what degree does the movie connect biography, social structure, and history?
In short, when you select a movie to review, make sure that it affords you the opportunity to
illustrate the value of the sociological perspective. Use one or more of the five criteria listed above
to help you choose a movie and a theme for your review.
Term Project Assignment
You will be given a choice in the way you put your project together. They should all,
however, be based around a central theme which should aid you in answering the
question “How does the media shape our understanding and perceptions of social
issues?”
Page 4
Course Syllabus (cont.)
Choice Number 1: Research Paper
Directions: Write a well-organized research paper that includes an introduction, several pages, and
a conclusion, based upon a sociological them you have selected from the terms
coursework.
Use evidence from at least four movies in the body of the paper. Support your response
with relevant facts, examples, and details. Research the topic in the library, on line, and
in the textbook. Choose a minimum of four movies which relate to the theme you have
selected. The movies should be approved by the teacher in advance. Examine how the
movies you have chosen reflect the topic you have chosen, using examples from the
movies as well as information from your research.
1. The paper should be no less than 4 typed pages, size 12 times new roman font,
1.5 line spacing, with a cover page and a bibliography page.
The project is due no later than Friday April 15th 2011.
Context:
The field of Sociology is a reflection on how we, as humans, view our interaction
with each other. There are many instances of this interaction in the movies
produced by Hollywood.
Task: Using information from the coursework and your research, answer the following questions.
1. How does the media portray the sociological theme I am trying to research?
2. Is this theme portrayed positively or negatively, give examples.
3. Why is it important to show this theme in this light?
4. Is the media trying to educate us about this topic through the movies? If so, how? And
to what end?
Choice Number 2: Script
Task: In the study of sociology, there are many different themes we come across. Some of the
themes we examine reflect major valid social concerns. While studying the role of the media in the
shaping of public opinion and awareness of the issues. We have also seen how the media tries to
use its influence in shaping public opinion regarding those issues.
The Assignment is as follows:
Select a social issue you feel strongly about. Research the issue thoroughly and try to answer the
following question as completely as possible.
“If I had to present this topic to a major audience as a movie,
how would I persuade them to see the topic my way?”
After trying this question, write the beginnings of a script where you are trying to persuade your
audience to a specific point of view. The persuasion cannot be overt! You must make the
persuasion as subtle as possible. Think of the movies we are watching and how they try to persuade
their audiences.
Page 5
Course Syllabus (cont.)
Format of Project: The acceptable format for the research portion of your term project is as
follows:
a. Cover page including: Title, Name, Class, Period OSIS, and Date.
b. Project consisting of a minimum of 3-5 written pages, typed, times new roman font,
size 12 font, 1.5 spacing.
c. Bibliography listing books and web addresses alphabetical by author’s last name.
Page 6