Recent Trends in US Inequality

Abstract

This activity is designed to familiarize students with both the basic concepts of the sociological study of stratification/inequality and recent trends in stratification within the US. I use it towards the end of the stratification module in Introduction to Sociology once students have already been exposed to the basic terminology of the sociological...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity

Class Level(s):

College 100

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

This activity takes about 40 minutes total to perform. I usually take about 10 minutes to introduce the activity, explaining the distinction between income and wealth as well as explaining how various components of the 3 tables were constructed (such as income quintiles). Groups of 2 to 4 students typically take 15 to 20 minutes to complete the "data...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. [1] Students will learn basic familiarity with tables displaying statistics
2. [2] Students will learn some of the basic measurements sociologists use to assess inequality/stratification
3. [3] Students will learn the trends in stratification and inequality in the US since 1970

Goal Assessment(s):

1. [1] Students will display basic familiarity with tables by answering questions (1-8) that require locating specific statistics
2. [2] Students will display basic familiarity with some of the measurements sociologists use to assess stratification by answering a question (#9) that requires interpretation of basic statistical measures of inequality
3. [3] Students will display understanding of recent trends in US inequality by answering a question (#9) that requires interpretation of basic statistical measures of inequality