Grade 12 : Challenge and Change in Society

This unit begins with the development of an understanding of social change at both the individual and the societal levels, closely examining both Random and Systematic Factors of Change, including: climate, natural disaster, disease, politics, societal will, etc. Students will also learn about sociological, psychological, and anthropological models of change by examining key figures, such as: Thelma McCormack, Max Weber, Carl Jung, Abraham Maslow, Ronald Wright, and more. Lastly, the unit looks closely at the topic of technological change, examining inventions that have caused major changes, attempts at resisting technology, the exploration of concepts such as technological determinism and cultural lag, and closes with a special focus on the Internet. Alienation and conformity as concepts will be studied. Technological change in our society and its impacts will then be pursued. Finally the pursuit of civil rights and the industrial revolution as they relate to social change will conclude the unit. Students will engage in a variety of assessment tasks throughout the unit including a film study, a web quest and an internet debate among others.

This unit examines the baby boom, as a sociological phenomenon as the unit’s starting point but continues with an examination of Generations X.Y and Z their causes and characteristics. Students will develop an understanding of demography and how its studies are used in the discipline areas of this course. Students will examine articles from current journals to consider the impact of these generations on current society. In the third unit of the course, students begin learning about social trends, by examining some of the major Canadian ones associated with the Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the Millennials. They will then move into analysing some of the emerging social trends such as delayed transitions to adulthood, and the increasing age of first-time mothers. Fertility and fecundity are then closely examined through the lenses of sociology, psychology and anthropology. Students then look at issues of mortality, before closing the unit by looking at some of the aforementioned issues as they apply internationally.

This unit should stimulate student thinking as it begins with a definition of involuntary childlessness and the psychological impacts of it. Reproductive technology will be examined with discussions around ethics of its use. Students will also have a current look at the concepts of cloning and genetic modification. From here the unit pursues the concept of voluntary childlessness and the challenges couples or individuals face with respect to this decision. Birth patterns will conclude the unit topics. Once again guided research and case studies are used to develop the student’s understanding. The final unit of this course looks at major challenges in Canadian and global societies in the areas of health & wellness, prejudice & discrimination, and globalization. Topics explored include body image, cognitive dissonance, barriers to healthcare, types of discrimination, tribalism, and transnationalism. The unit concludes with a major research essay on a special topic concerning globalization.