The Challenges Kids Faced on the Documentary "Poor Kids"

SOC 110: Documentary Response Paper 2
Poor Kids
You can find the documentary here: http://www(dot)pbs(dot)org/wgbh/frontline/film/poor-kids/
In this paper, there are a number of questions/topics to address regarding the documentary. Remember, this is to be written in academic format—complete paragraphs (not bullet points), with an introduction and conclusion. You will draw on course materials (and outside resources if necessary) to make your argument. While we are all welcome to our opinions, this is not a space in which to promote yours—the purpose of the assignment is to make an argument and support it with evidence, so nowhere in this document should you write “I think” or “I feel” or “in my opinion” statements. Any statements that you make must be supported with evidence from the book or outside scholarly research. Failure to back up your arguments will result in a loss of all points.
• Please also use APA citation/reference format: https://owl(dot)english(dot)purdue(dot)edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Content:
1. What is the documentary’s overall argument? (4-5 sentence summary of the argument)
2. How does social stratification (income, wealth, power, occupational prestige, schooling, race, ethnicity, etc) explain the challenges that you see these kids and their families facing? You must reference information from our class and our textbook and connect it with specific examples from the documentary.
3. What evidence is there to suggest that the United States is failing to effectively remedy poverty? Essentially, how do we know that poverty is an issue in the US? Provide at least 3 examples, relying both on the information from the documentary and from the course textbook (personal examples are not appropriate for this part of the assignment).
4. What are some steps we can take as a society to prevent poverty in the US? The goal here is to talk about what we can do about our social structure (not what we can do as individuals). An individual level explanation like “we can teach people how to better manage their money” is not an appropriate answer. Think about large scale social changes that we can make. Provide at least 3 examples relying both on the information from the documentary and from the course textbook (personal examples are not appropriate for this part of the assignment).
5. How can you connect what you see in this film with your own community or communities that you are familiar with?
Format:
1. Your paper should be a minimum of 2 double-spaced pages (roughly 500-600 words minimum, not including header). Any less than 2 pages will result in you losing significant points. Any attempt to artificially manipulate the length of your paper will also result in the loss of significant points.
o This is the minimum length required to receive a passing score. To receive a higher score, you may need to write more than 2 pages.
2. Size 12 font—Times New Roman.
3. 1 inch margins. (Most computers are set up with 1.25 inch margins)
4. Only include your name and date as your header. Do not include my name, the class name, the room number, etc.—this is a space filler and is unnecessary.
5. Please double-check spelling and grammar.
Rubric: 50 points
Content: 45 points
1. Overall argument, 4-5 sentences (10 points)
a. This must be more than a simple summary of the film. What did the film argue? What point was the film trying to make?
b. Failure to do more than provide a summary = automatic -5 points
2. Explanation of how social stratification plays a role in their lives (10 points)
a. Failure to talk about social stratification = automatic -7 points
b. Failure to adequately discuss = -5
c. But how exactly do characteristics of stratification impact how these children experience the world? The goal here is to draw connections between what we've learned in class with what we see in the documentary, making specific arguments about how things like race, class, gender, education, etc. impact how people move through life. (-5)
3. How are we failing to remedy inequality (10 points)
a. 3 examples, 3 points for each example
4. Steps we can take (10 points)
a. 3 examples, 3 points for each example
b. If they talk about individual rather than structural suggestions, -5 if all, -2 for each one if only 1 or 2
5. How connected to own community? (5 points)
Format: 5 points
1. Minimum 2 double spaced pages
2. Size 12 times new roman
3. 1 inch margins
4. only name/date as header
5. spelling/grammar