Weekend Reminder

Soc Team,

Enjoy this beautiful weekend.

A couple things to think about:

• There are no Soc Observations for this weekend. However, I encourage you to be looking for the strange in the familiar as you go about your weekend. Anything you observe now will serve you for your next set of observations.
• Monday you will be presenting #5 from the Soc History Research work. Be sure your presentation is engaging and demonstrates clear thinking.
• Monday your answers to the other questions, the questions you created, and your bibliography are due.

Your Personal Blog

Soc Team,

It is time to create you own personal blog!

Go to blogger.com. Sign in with your students.mvcs.org email. Choose a title (include your first or last name) and your URL. Then create a new post to publish your three observations.

On Classroom, submit your URL (_________.blogspot.com).

On a desktop or laptop feel free to play with your template, layout, etc. to make it more attractive.

Soc (Sociological Perspective) Observations for Monday

Soc Team,

This weekend will be our first venture into the practice of applying the Sociological Perspective (seeing the general in the particular and the strange in the familiar) to what we see.

As you go about the end of this week and this weekend, truly see what is before you - especially in how we as humans act and arrange ourselves in relationship to one another. We want to go through our lives not merely as passive recipients, but as active members who are cognizant of what is going on around us. Therefore observe and "do not be content with the mere act of seeing" (Helen Keller).

You will be using your newly created blog (via Blogger tied to your MVCS email) to post three observations. Here are a couple things to be sure to do:

• You must fill out your observation. For example you should not only say, "I find it odd that people dye their hair" or "Why is it that people dye their hair?" You must also include WHY your observation is an example of the general in the particular and/or strange in the familiar, e.g "I find it odd that people dye their hair. Though I understand some people might want a different color for their hair, it seems most often that society expects something about our hair that we feel we must conform to. Grey hair on women is generally seen as a bad thing and many adult women dye their hair."

• One of your three observations needs to include a photo (one you have taken or one you have found), for example:

"It is weird how cheerleaders can trust someone with their lives by throwing one another in the air, yet they can't even trust their best friends with a secret. Why would one area of life be so radically disconnected from another part of life? Is this more common in our lives than we would like to admit?"

•  Publish your observations by the beginning of class on Monday.

I look forward to reading your insights. And I hope you look forward to reading one another's insights.

For tomorrow!

Soc Team,

Be sure to finish your Syllabus Form and Introductions Form on Google Classroom.

Shoot me an email if you have any questions.

Welcome to Sociology!

Welcome to Sociology!

As I think about today, I get so excited. God is gracious! We are able to spend the year together and learn together!

This is an elective course so there will not be much homework. But this does not mean my expectations for you are not high; indeed, they are quite high. I believe that you can think more deeply, ask harder questions, and pursue Truth in a way you might not have been able to do previously. Though this will be challenging, you will be able to rise to my expectations. If you have any questions along this invigorating journey God has placed us on, do not hesitate to ask.

Again, welcome!

Sincerely,
Mr. Davis

Housekeeping (To Do)

Housekeeping (To Do):

By the end of the day Thursday you need:

• your school email up and running; know your password; have your email set up on your iPad.
• access to Focus; know your password and understand your way around.
• to read the syllabus and sign the Confirmation Form (on Classroom).
• to fill out the Introductions Form (on Classroom).

Apps you need to have on your iPad:

• (Google) Classroom
• (Google) Drive
• (Google) Docs
• Blogger
• Notability (or a similar productivity app)
• iMovie (or another movie making app)

My son's tattoo

Today my wife found that my son had drawn on his arm with a marker.

When asked why he did so, he said, "Some men have marks on their arms. I have seen it." Deviance? No! I am just like the people daddy hangs out with.

How deviant are you?

Chances are you are breaking the law right now! But you don't know it.

Weekend Reminder

Team Soc,

You have observations for this weekend; however, I have moved back the due date to Tuesday.

Enjoy the beautiful weather as you keep your eyes open not just to see but to truly observe what is happening around you.

Seek out opportunities to love your neighbors as well!

Weekend Reminder - Observations and Project

Soc Team,

For this weekend's Soc Observations, there are two things to note:

 - First, one of your observations needs to incorporate some element of the social construction of reality;
 - Second, you will be given about ten minutes at the beginning of class to work on this on Monday and it will be due on Tuesday.

The gnikaerB laicoS smroN tcejorP is now up on Classroom along with all of its elements. Check it out!

Weekend Reminder

Soc Team,

Congratulations on finishing your True Selfie projects! I am looking forward to looking at them closely and seeing your thoughtful and creative work.


This weekend we will not have any Forum or formal observations. However, keep your eyes open to seeing the strange in the familiar and look for opportunities to love your neighbors as God has loved you.

Slight Change to the Schedule

Soc Team,

There has been a slight change to the schedule for the project:

 - You will have your block period to work on the third part of the True Selfie project. Instead of the project being due at the beginning of class, it will be due at the end of the period. Be sure to anticipate how long it will take you to finish this portion of the project so as to complete it in a timely manner.

Weekend Reminder

Soc Team,

As you know, we have switched around some of the due dates for the project and quiz this past week and going into next week.

Here is the updated schedule:
 - Monday - True Selfie, Part I is due in its entirety. Be sure to look at the rubric to ensure you have completed all aspects of the project.

 - Tuesday - True Selfie, Part II (very short) is due. This portion is dependent on Part I

 - Wednesday - We will have our quiz over this unit. Be sure to look at the Socialization Unit Questions to know what you need to know for this quiz.

 - Block Day - The third and final portion of the True Selfie project will be due.

I know this sounds super ambitious, but our time in class will be dedicated to allowing you to work on the project and study for the quiz.

If you have questions, let me know.

Amended Schedule

Soc Team,

Here is the amended schedule:

- Submit the written portion of True Selfie, Part I on block day and the creative portion of the project on Monday.

- The Socialization Unit Quiz will be pushed back from block day to Wednesday of next week.

If you have any questions, please ask.

This Week

Soc Team,

This week will be a little unusual. 

First off, as you already know, I have graciously given you Monday off from school to rest, observe, and remember the tremendous work of Martin Luther King Jr.

Second, this week you will have yet another opportunity to shape culture by eschewing gossip and asking sincere questions. Make it happen!

Third, Tuesday I will not be in class. Miss Jelley, who has consistently been helping with the 3rd period Soc class will be covering my classes. She is a wealth of sociological knowledge so please ask questions of her as they arise. And run your ideas for the Selfie project by her.

Fourth, Tuesday and Wednesday (like block day of last week) are dedicated to working on the True Selfie Project. Utilize this time wisely to write up your analysis and to write your description for your artistic image of self.

Fifth, on Tuesday and Wednesday, please ask questions of Miss Jelley and myself to ensure you are prepared for your block day quiz over this unit on socialization.

Sixth, on block day your project will be due. And I am so excited to see what you have created!

Seventh, on block day you will have an opportunity to take a quiz on this unit. Again, be sure to ask your questions in advance.

Weekend Reminder

Soc team,

First off, please take Monday off.

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And on this MLK extended weekend, look deeper, see what is beneath the surface. Truly see. And when the time is right, be like MLK and work for biblical justice.

Observations are due on Tuesday. However, you may use time on Tuesday to write them up and submit them in class. They are due at the conclusion of the class period.

Tuesday and Wednesday of next week are dedicated to working on the True Selfie, Part I project. I encourage you to use your time well and do much of your analysis and reflection during class time. The project is due on block day of this upcoming week.

Finally, we will take a quiz over this Socialization unit on block day of this upcoming week. If you have any questions about the material from the Socialization Unit Questions, please be sure to ask them on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Looking Glass Self

Solid warning (HT: Miss Tan)

Weekend Reminder

Soc Team,

This first week flew by and we are already into the first semester!

For our first weekend, be sure to respond to the Soc Forum 07 on Focus.

Welcome Back!

Soc Team,

Welcome back! I hope and pray your Christmas vacation was meaningful and rich.

As we start this new quarter, I am looking forward to seeing what we can do to continue to be a blessing to our school community. To that end, in order to simplify our opportunities to serve and shape culture, let's focus on two areas:

- No gossip. Every day, let's endeavor to not only not participate in gossip but not allow it in our presence.

- Sincere questions. Every day, let's endeavor to at least once ask sincere question of someone with whom we interact.

We will reflect on block days on our experiences.