How Modern is "Modern Family"? Critically Evaluating the Extent to which the Television Show Represents Contemporary Families in the United States

Abstract

This activity allows students to further their sociological understanding of representativeness, specifically focusing on contemporary families in the United States by critically evaluating the extent to which the television show "Modern Family" represents contemporary families in society. What does the show get right? What does it potentially miss or...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Family

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity

Class Level(s):

College 100

Class Size(s):

Small

Usage Notes

Course to be Used For:
• Sociology of the Family or a unit on the family in an Introductory Sociology course
• Best for lower-division/gen ed courses
• Best for classes with fewer than 40 students
• Best to use near the beginning of the course to introduce students to sociological concepts and trends relating to the family and also to...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Learning Goal 1: To introduce students to sociological concepts and trends concerning contemporary U.S. families.
2. Learning Goal 2: For students to connect macro level trends to their own micro level experience.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Assessment 1&2: Students will complete a pre-activity assessment (Assessment 1) and post-activity assessment (Assessment 2). Changes in students’ responses will show how their thinking has changed as a result of the class activity.
2. Assessment 3: Students will use the knowledge they have obtained concerning American families to complete a low stakes writing assignment evaluating how their own family compares to national trends.