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TRAILS Featured Resources
TRAILS Featured Resources
February 23, 2023

TRAILS, the Teaching Resources and Innovation Library for Sociology, provides a way for you to easily locate peer-reviewed teaching materials, showcase your teaching ideas, develop professionally, and join a community of scholarly teachers. You will find great assignments, syllabi, lectures, and other teaching ideas at TRAILS. Please also consider submitting your great ideas for teaching. The Featured Resources include some of the newest additions to our collection.

-Stephanie Medley-Rath
TRAILS Lead Editor

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Cynthia Taines
Sociology of Urban Education
August 30, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Education
Resource Type(s):
Syllabus
Class Level(s):
Graduate
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
In this course, we will use disciplinary perspective of sociology—both its theoretical orientations and empirical approaches—to analyze urban education in the United States. We will begin by examining the social context surrounding urban education: the economic...
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Jeff A. Larson, William Tsitsos, Kalfani Turé
PRESENTATION-OF-SELF EXERCISE
July 25, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems
Resource Type(s):
Class Activity
Class Level(s):
College 100
Class Size(s):
Medium
Abstract:
In this in-class exercise students are sensitized to the presentation of self in a modified speed-dating setting and gain experience in qualitative research by engaging in participant-observation. Students meet in pairs and talk with one another in back-to-back...
Cover Page Requires Subscription DOCX
Marci D. Cottingham
"The Mist" and Sociology of Religion: Film Clip Analysis
June 8, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems
Class Level(s):
College 100
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
This exercise involves the application of sociology of religion concepts (from the reading and a PowerPoint presentation) to selected clips from the film "The Mist." The key concepts for this session include: religiosity, secularization, charismatic leader,...
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Megan Rolfe, Caitlin Walsh
Compensating Carework: An Activity about Gender Inequality and Devalued Labor
May 19, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Sex and Gender
Resource Type(s):
Class Activity
Class Level(s):
College 100
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
Through asking students to provide a salary for cooking, cleaning, and childcare services, the "Compensating Carework" activity focuses the classroom lens on the traditionally unpaid, devalued, female-typed of carework in order to illuminate persistent gender...
Cover Page Requires Subscription DOC
Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur
Qualitative Data Analysis Using Microsoft Word 2007
May 18, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Research Methods
Resource Type(s):
Assignment, Class Activity
Class Level(s):
College 400
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
In courses with only a single semester to cover both qualitative and quantitative data analysis (through multivariate regression), there is little time to teach students the intricacies of qualitative data analysis software. This series of assignments aims to bridge...
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Gordon C Chang
Sociology of Popular Culture Syllabus/Assignments
March 27, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Cultural Sociology
Resource Type(s):
Assessment, Assignment, Syllabus
Class Level(s):
College 100
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
AREA EDITOR EXAMPLE RESOURCE: This course brings students to critically consider how popular cultural forms in modern society change individuals, shape social relations, and contribute to the environmental challenge. The "hegemonic standardization" and "creative...
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Hayley Lauren Lotspeich
Poverty and Life Chances
March 21, 2011
Subject Area(s):
High School Sociology
Resource Type(s):
Class Activity
Class Level(s):
Any Level
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
This assignment is designed to have students analyze the role of poverty in affecting people’s life chances, the difficulty of breaking out of poverty, and what obstacles exist when the poor attempt intergenerational mobility. Students will receive brief notes and...
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Hayley Lauren Lotspeich, Chris Salituro
A Story of Positive Deviance
March 21, 2011
Subject Area(s):
High School Sociology
Resource Type(s):
Assignment
Class Level(s):
High School
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
AREA EDITOR EXAMPLE RESOURCE: This assignment is designed to have students examine the difference between positive and negative deviance. First, students will take notes on a PowerPoint explaining key terms such as deviance and symbolic interaction. Students will...
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Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur
Understanding Legal Systems
February 24, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Law and Society
Class Level(s):
College 300
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
AREA EDITOR EXAMPLE RESOURCE:This series of class sessions and assignments is designed to introduce students to the way legal systems are organized around the world as well as within the United States by covering the history of modern legal systems; the structure of...
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Christopher Schneider
Using the MP3 to Learn Selections of Marx’s Capital
February 8, 2011
Subject Area(s):
Theory
Resource Type(s):
Assignment
Class Level(s):
College 300
Class Size(s):
Medium
Abstract:
This exercise is most suitable after students have developed a basic understanding of social structures and the historical conditions of capitalism. This exercise requires students to concentrate on a single example: the MP3 commodity. This exercise is designed for...
Cover Page Requires Subscription DOC

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