I.

LESSON

Lesson 1: Exploring Groups Within Society

Specific Objectives
In this lesson, the learners are expected to do the following:
1. Explain what is a social group
2. Differentiate the different types of social groups
3. Evaluate how these groups relate to one another

Explore
Activity 1: My Social Groups
Directions: Identify the groups that you are a part of and assign this on the drawing
below according closeness.

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 Process Questions
1. Who/ what group(s) is/are the closest to you?
2. Who/ what group(s) is/are farthest from you?
4. Are some group(s) that are connected with each other? What are they?
5. What are the factors that you consider when identifying a group’s proximity
to you?

Activity 2: “Group” Matrix

Directions: Complete the table/matrix below by citing examples of various kinds of
groups in the Philippine context. Why do You Think So?

Examples Explanation

1. Primary Group

2. Secondary
Group

P
3. In-Group

4. Out-Group

5. Networks

Transfer
Activity 3. Small Group Work
 1. Identify the various social groups in your barangay.
2. On a sheet of paper, map out these groups. Use symbols to indicate the
relationship between two or more groups (example: arrow/straight line for
network, broken line for out-group, etc).

Examining Cultural, Social, and Political Institutions Explore

 Activity 4: Find Me!
Directions: Ask the learners to complete the table/matrix below. Each learner must
go around asking classmates to sign on the box if they match the description
contained therein. Alternatively, the class may fill in the boxes as a group. In this
case, the teacher would have to reproduce the matrix on the blackboard, and then ask
for a show of hands for the description in each box.

Who has been treated at a Who has a brother or sister Who has a copy of his or
health center or hospital in currently enrolled in her birth certificate (at
the last six months? elementary school? home)?

Who lives with their Who carries a religious Who has met a local
parent(s) and item in his/her bag or government official?
grandparent(s)? pocket?

Who has shared a food Who is a member of a Who has bought anything
item with neighbors in the community-based from a sari-sari store in the
last twelve months? youth group? last two weeks?

Process Questions
1. What kinds of institutions do you think were represented in the activity?
2. How do the family, school, religion, economy, civil society, and the health
center or hospitals affect your life?

Activity 5. Matching

Directions: Draw a line to match the phrase that best represents the concepts.
 Civil Society  constraints that structure social, political, and
economic interactions

goal-oriented leadership

Y
Religion 
acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, and
Rational-legal authority  beliefs

groups formed outside of the State and market

Kinship  that band together due to collective purpose
and interests

COP
A set of symbols linked to rituals practiced by a
community of believers
Education 

Institutio   Persons who extend duties

n and privileges to one another

D
usually on the basis of
consanguinity or blood
relations

E
Process Questions

1.
What are the
2. How
kinds of institutions?
do these instituti ons affect how we think and behave?
different

Transfer
 Activity 6. Observing Institutions
In the lesson’s final activity, students will write an essay as a result of their
participant-observation of an activity associated with any of the various institutions in
society. Students could,for example, attend a religious ritual, observe activities
conducted by the city or municipal government, or observe a family gathering. In
addition, they could gather more information by conducting interviews and analysis
of written documents such as brochures and newsletters.

Participant observation is a research method used widely in the social sciences in

which “investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine
activities” (Macionis 2012: 41).Eriksen (2001: 4) refers to participant observation as
consistingof lengthy fieldwork in a particular social setting. A participant
observer“tries to immerse oneself in the life of the locals and tries not to be noticed,
so that they can carry on with their own lives as usual” (Eriksen 2001: 26).

However, in conducting fieldwork, one must be aware of the research

participants’right to informed consent and right to privacy. In the former, it would
be unethical not to inform the individuals, groups, or organizations about your
project, as they must have the right to refuse to be observed. Moreover, researchers
must ensure data confidentiality. When the findings are reported, the research
participants must be rendered anonymous to protect their privacy. This is usually
done by assigning pseudonyms.

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Explore
Activity 1.Throwback Time
As the name of the activity suggests, this activity will allow students to revisit
personal experiences by answering the following questions:
 When was the last time you experienced “hunger” due to lack of provisions
(e.g., money, resources) to buy food?
 What actions did you take to satisfy your hunger?
 Did you ask for help from anyone (e.g., family members, close friends) to
address the concern? Why or why not?
 Did anyone extend help?
 Is there anyone to blame for the difficult situation you experienced?

Ask someone from your class to share his/her story using the questions as their guide.

Activity 2.KWLHS Matrix

Let the students accomplish the first two columns of the following matrix. The
three remaining columns will be answered after all the content and reading
materials have been thoroughly discussed and examined.

What I Know What I Want What I Have How Did I And So What
to Know Learned Learn

Activity 3.Stop, Look, Examine (Triad)

Instruct the students to form a group composed of three members. They will analyze
key sociological perspectives on stratification by citing situation/condition where it
 overtly manifests. They will also give their reaction/s to it.

Key Ideas Manifestation/s Reaction/s

Social inequality exists

because it plays a vital
part in the smooth
operation of society.

Social stratification is
created and maintained
by one group in order to
protect and enhance its
own economic interests.

We size up people by
looking for clues to
their social standing.

Process Questions

1. Is social and political stratification a must for a society to exist? Why or

why not?
2. What is the difference between vertical and horizontal mobility?
3. How do wealth, power, and prestige affect the social stratum of an individual?
4. Is stratification exclusive within the parameters of economic
dimensions? Prove your answer.
5 How does conflict perspective examine social stratification?
6 Among the sociological perspectives discussed, which do you think best
explains why social and political stratification exists in society? Why?
Activity 4.MoDe Diagram
After examining Modernization and Dependency theories, let the students enumerate
(based on their understanding) the differences between the two theories in terms of
their solutions to global inequality. Below the diagram is a box where students will
write three or more solutions/programs that address global poverty.

Modernization Dependency
Theory Theory

THE BOX OF GLOBAL EQUALITY

1.

2.

3
 Activity 6. Fact or Fiction
Based on the article, “The Uses of Poverty,” identify if each “function” presented in
the first column is applicable in the context of Filipino society. Write Fact if it is
applicable and Fiction if it is not on the second column. Substantiate your answer by
providing evidences on the third column. The first item serves as an example.

Fact or
Function of Poverty Fiction Proof
Household helpers, construction
1. Ensures that “dirty workers, and other menial jobs are
Fact provided by the poor members of the
work” will be done
Philippine society

Fact or
Function of Poverty Fiction Proof
2. Subsidizes a variety of
economic activities that
benefit the affluent
3. Creates jobs for a
number of professions
4. Prolongs the economic
usefulness of goods and
services
5. Uphold the legitimacy of
social norms
6. Offers vicarious
participation to the rest
of the population in the
uninhibited sexual,
alcoholic, and narcotic
behavior
7. Creates“culture” for the
affluent’s consumption
8. Guarantees the status of
those who are not poor
9. Aids the upward
mobility of groups
above them
10. Helps keep the
aristocracy busy
11. Absorbs the costs of
change and growth in
the society
12. Facilitates and stabilizes
the political process
Activity 7.KWLHS Matrix
At this point, let the students answer the last three columns of the matrix.

What I Want What I Have How Did I

What I Know And So What
to Know Learned Learn
 Y
Activity 8.Lesson Closure
CP
Let the students complete the following statement that would summarize their
“essential understanding” of social and political stratification.

Knowing the various sociological perspectives in examining stratification, I learned

that

DEPE
Learning the dynamics of social and political stratification, Irealized that

Stratification is not a simple social construct, thus

It is important to learn social and political stratification

because

I will start inorder to help alleviate poverty in the country.

Transfer
The students will make a case study on the extent of poverty in their own
community or a community within their barangay. Possible topics include but are
not limited to:
1. Malnourishment
2. Informal settlers
3. Unemployment
4. Out-of-school children/ youth
5. Hunger

Information should come from the local government unit’s records, interviews with
local leaders and residents, and other vital sources.

Case Study Format

I. Brief introduction (information such as location and population of the
community, leadership and governance structures in the community,
availability of public services)
II. Presentation and analysis of the problem and its possible solutions
III. Conclusion
IV. Insights/Realizations

Students will be rated using the following rubric.

4 3 2 1
Identifies & Identifies and Identifies and Identifies and
Identification
understands all understands understands understands
of the Main
of the main most of the some of the few of the
Issues/
issues in the main issues in issues in the issues in case
Problems
case study the case study case study study
Superficial
Insightful and Thorough
analysis of Incomplete
Analysis of thorough analysis of
some of the analysis of the
the Issues analysis of all most of the
issues in the issues
the issues issues
case
Well Appropriate,
documented, well thought Superficial Little or no
reasoned and out comments and/or action
Comments pedagogically about inappropriate suggested,
on effective appropriate solutions, or solutions to and/or
solutions/stra comments on proposals for some of the inappropriate
tegies solutions, or solutions, to issues in the solutions to all
proposals for most of the case study of the issues in
solutions, to all issues in the the case study

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 4 3 2 1
issues in the case study
case study
Excellent
research into
Links to the issues with Good research Limited Limited
Course clearly and research and research and
Readings and documented documented documented documented
Additional links to class links to the links to any links to any
Research (and/or material read readings readings
outside)
readings

References

Bourdieu, Pierre. 1990. “Artistic Taste and Cultural Capital.” In Culture and Society: Contemporary
Debates. Jeffrey Alexander and Steven Seidman (eds.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.205 –
215.
Bourdieu, Pierre. 1984. Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.
Macionis, John. 2012. Sociology, 14th edition. Boston: Pearson.
Putnam, Robert. 1993.“The Prosperous Community: Social Capital and Public Life.” The American
Prospect 13. 35-42