FORUM SEVEN Who are Your Peers? OBJECTIVE Examine peer pressure and how it affects decision making DISCUSSION OVERVIEW This discussion forum allows you to think about your own class, who you affiliate

FORUM SEVEN

Who are Your Peers?

OBJECTIVE

Examine peer pressure and how it affects decision making

DISCUSSION OVERVIEW

This discussion forum allows you to think about your own class, who you affiliate with, and how your peers affect your decision-making.

DELIVERABLES

Your participation in the discussion forum, including:

A response to the initial question(s) below

Responses to at least two other students' posts

Step 1 Watch the following video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KQzab2RhC0

Step 2 Write a post answering following questions.

Which class you think you belong to? Why?

Who are your peers?

In your everyday choices, whom do you tend to take as a reference point? Your peers? Others?

When answering, consider what role peer-pressure plays in your life and social interactions.  Draw from personal experience and give specific examples.

Step 3 Read and respond to other students' posts.

Read other students' posts and respond to at least two of them who used examples different than yours.

Use your personal experience, if it's relevant, to support or debate other students' posts. If differences of opinion occur, debate the issues professionally and provide examples to support opinions.

Step 4 Participate in another level of discussion with follow-up questions.

Discover more about your peers' opinions by asking follow-up questions. Consider asking questions like the following:

Do you have any people around you, in your primary, secondary or reference groups, who have different living standards than you have?

Do you call them your peers?  Why or why not?

FORUM EIGHT

Who has the Power?

OBJECTIVES

Discuss power, authority, and violence

Differentiate between the different types of governments around the world

DISCUSSION OVERVIEW

This discussion forum allows you to examine alternative political systems that exist around the world.

DELIVERABLES

Your participation in the discussion forum, including:

A response to the initial question(s) below

Responses to at least two other students' posts

Step 1 Conduct research on the Internet.

Pick three countries from around the world that have different political systems than the United States.  Explore their characteristics in terms of power and authority.

Step 2 Write a post answering following questions.

How does the political system work in each of these countries?

Who are the power holders? Are they elected?

Do they have governments?

Step 3 Read and respond to other students' posts.

Read other students' posts and respond to at least two of them who used examples different than yours.  What do you think of their selections?

Use your personal experience, if it's relevant, to support or debate other students' posts. If differences of opinion occur, debate the issues professionally and provide examples to support opinions.

Step 4 Participate in another level of discussion with follow-up questions.

Discover more about your peers' opinions by asking follow-up questions. Consider asking questions like the following:

How are the countries' systems different than the United States'?

What do you think about their political authority and legitimacy? Do you agree with their political systems' approaches more than those used in the United States? Why or why not?