Page 629 - Sociology and You

satellite projects. Share your findings with class- mates. You will probably be amazed at how ex- tensive your list is. Post it in the classroom, and add to it as you hear about more changes.
2. Fads Look through old and new magazines for examples of fads that have appeared since you were born. (Examples might include retro plat- form shoes and Beanie Babies.) Create a col- lage illustrating those fads. Are some of the fads still around? Have they been replaced by similar fads? Ask your parents or grandparents what some fads were when they were teenagers. Find pictures, or ask them if they can provide you with examples. Make a poster or arrange the pictures in a booklet format that explains some of the unusual fads.
3. Crowd Behavior As an experiment in crowd behavior, try to start a new fad or fashion in your school. For example, get everyone in your group or class to agree to start wearing neck- laces with metal washers on them or un- matched socks. If several of you do this, you might be able to convince others that a new fad has begun. If the fad does not catch on, list rea- sons why you think your peers were resistant to change in this case.
4. Rumors Search the library magazine catalog or Internet for rumors concerning a public figure. Identify the source and evaluate its credibility. Or, research a lawsuit filed by a public figure over the publication of a false story.
5. Fads and Fashions Working in groups, collect some old high school yearbooks from parents
and relatives. Comb through them looking for examples of fads and fashions from different decades. Present your findings to the whole class.
6. Rumors and the Media As an extension to “Thinking Critically,” question number 3, con- sider and list the options that a news reporter has when he or she receives unverified stories to report. Suggest possible consequences associ- ated with each option.
Technology Activity
1. Jan Harold Brunvand coined the term urban legend to describe a type of rumor that is long lasting and widely believed. This term is com- monly used now, and if you search the Internet, you will find many sites devoted to this subject.
a. Select a few of the web sites (two good ones are at http://www.urbanlegends.com/ and http://www.snopes2.com/) and review them. Be prepared to share one or two of them with your class.
b. What common elements do these urban legends have? Do your observations correspond with those of Urbanlegends.com?
c. What role do you think the Internet plays in spreading these urban legends?
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