Sociology & You

Chapter 5: Social Structure and Society

Web Activity Lesson Plans

"The Caste System"

Introduction
In this chapter students learned about social structure—the underlying patterns of relationships in a group. Statuses and roles are the major elements of social structure. A status, a position a person occupies within a social structure, may be ascribed or achieved. Achieving status is possible when people have some degree of control and choice, as they do in most modern societies. In some societies, however, aspects of a person's life such as religion and social class are ascribed by the family at birth. In this activity students will learn more about a country that has long used a system of ascribed status— India .

Lesson Description
Students will visit Web sites about the caste system in India . They will learn about the history of the caste system and the factors that led to changes in the system. Students will compare and contrast the caste system in India to the social system in the United States .

Instructional Objectives

1. Students will be able to summarize the history of the caste system of India .
2. Students will be able to identify the groups into which the caste system divided Indian society.
3. Students will be able to compare and contrast the roles and responsibilities of each caste group.