Reference no: EM133607479

Assignment: Active Learning 3: PBS Poor Kids & Spent Activity

Instructions:

A. Read the assignment fully before beginning any of the of the steps. (This assignment takes a while, please plan accordingly.)

B. Watch the PBS documentary called Poor Kids (less than 60 minutes). In your own notes, jot down your own reactions to the film. Don't censor yourself. How do you feel about the parents, and why?

C. Play the online game called SPENT. Go to: www.playspent.org While you are welcome to play the game alone, it's more fun and you'll get more out of it if you play it with someone else. So, whether it is someone else in your house, or you FaceTime or call a friend or significant other, recruit someone to play it with you, if you like.

D. Then answer the questions in the game together, as if you were a family. Take your time, and consult each other about the decisions. Sometimes it's fun to play the game multiple times and vary your decisions.

E. When you have finished, complete the questions below. Your document must be single-spaced, your answers must be numbered and put a space between each answer.

Answer the following questions AFTER completing the game:

Question A. How much money did you have at the end of the month? (Answer even if you had $0.) If you ran out of money, tell me what day of the month (a number) that you made it to.

Question B. What are some living costs that the game did not include? In other words, what other expenses must families pay to survive? Think about the costs of daily living, the costs of raising children, and so on. If you are stuck, ask a parent; they may have ideas on this! List as many overlooked expenses as you can.

Question C. In your opinion, what was the hardest decision to make while playing the game? Explain why you found it challenging.

Question D. How did it feel to play this game? What would it be like to live like this, indefinitely? Explain your thoughts, don't be brief here. The more you can explain, the better.

Question E. Now move from the micro-level experience of playing the game to the macro-level experience of groups (specifically, economic groups like social class). What would a structural-functionalist theorist say about people in the "working poor" class trying to make a living/raise a family earning minimum wage?

Question F. What would a conflict theorist say about people in the "working poor" class trying to make a living/raise a family earning minimum wage?

Question G. Look over your reactions to the Poor Kids video. Did playing the Spent game change your feelings about the content of the film? If yes, how so? If not, why not? Please elaborate on your response.