Extra Credit–Poor Kids Purpose: This assignment is designed for students analyze aspects of poverty using the sociological imagination and how income is distributed in the United States. This film examines living in poverty through the eyes of children.
Task:
1. Students will need to view the following film (click on title): Poor Kids If you are not able to access the film, please use the following link: https://www.pbs.org/video/poor-kids-update-o0msfd/
2. Students will need to respond to the following questions:
1. Explain the term Economic Restructuring (do not use Wikipedia, as it is not sociological—use the course material).
2. What were some of the consequences of the economic restructuring on these families? Make sure to use specific examples from the film.
3. Applying the sociological imagination to this film—Poor Kids a. Identify a Social/Public Issue from the film b. Connect the Social/Public issue you identified above (question a) to a
social institution in society. c. Explain how the social institution identified above (question c) created
the social issue you identified in question a.
4. Thinking about the film—Poor Kids: a. Define the term Life Chances. b. Explain how growing up poor impacts the Life Chances of the kids in
the film.
5. Why do you think this film was shot using children’s perspectives about poverty (opinion question)?
6. Explain what types of changes are needed in order to change the lives of all families/children living in poverty—think about structural changes needed not individual changes.
Criteria for Success: Students will need to:
1. Respond to all questions in complete sentences
2. Number each response (you do not need to re-write the question) 3. Complete the assignment by the due date 4. Submit the assignment using the following steps:
o Save assignment as word document file (either on your computer or thumb drive) please do not use Pages format–as I cannot access this format
o Go to Browse My Computer–after you have open this find your saved file o Upload the file o Once you have uploaded your file you will need to click submit in order to submit
the assignment. o Please do not use the comment box to submit your assignment.
