The Social Construction of Money: A Theatrical Classroom Exercise

Abstract

“The Social Construction of Money” is a brief classroom activity for undergraduate Sociology courses that offers a theatric opportunity for instructors to initiate a class discussion about social constructs (and processes of social construction) using the topic of fiat money. This activity can be used in in-person and online synchronous courses, and—...

Download this resource to see full details. Download this resource to see full details.

Details

Subject Area(s):

Economic Sociology, High School Sociology, Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity, Lecture

Class Level(s):

College 100, College 200, High School

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

PROCEDURE

This activity was created for a synchronous, in-person 100-level introductory Principles of Sociology course , however it can also be used in an online synchronous course. Instructions on how to adapt this resource to online courses are included in materials. 

...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Reinforce students’ understanding of the social construction of reality through the example of money.
2. Review key introductory-level sociological concepts through critical classroom discussion.
3. Imaginatively apply sociological levels of analysis (i.e., micro-, mezzo-, and macro-perspectives) to students’ lived experiences in a memorable manner.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Learning goals are assessed via a class discussion that touches on key concepts typically learned in Introduction to Sociology courses—namely norms, institutions, global structures, social constructs, and socialization— as well as spans micro-, mezzo-, and macro-lenses. (This discussion prompt begins on the bottom of Page 3.)
   
   All students should...