High School Workshop Toolkit: Understanding the Social Construction of Reality

Abstract

This lesson is an activity that uses a humorous street magician video to help students discuss and understand “the social construction of reality.” It also includes a reading excerpt explaining this concept. There are two potential assessments that ask students to utilize their sociological imagination to connect a real-world event with the concept of...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Other

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity

Class Level(s):

High School

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

See detailed instructions in attached lesson plan. The initial activity takes no longer than one 50–60-minute class period. However, the optional extended learning assignments will likely take more time for students to complete.

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. 1) Define the “social construction of reality.”
2. 2) Assess the impact of social context and social interactions on human behavior and beliefs in a specific example
3. 3) Use the “sociological imagination” to assess how their own experiences have been impacted by the “social construction of reality.”

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Informal discussion-based checks for understanding,
2. A one paragraph writing assignment addressing four questions,
3. and an optional extended learning activity researching three famous social experiments.