Freakonomics Lesson Plan

The Spiral of Silence

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

To deepen students’ understanding of concepts in the text by applying them in a more personal manner.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7

Structure:

The Spiral of Silence is a theory that says fear of being isolated makes people stay silent instead of voicing opinions that might antagonize the group. A more in-depth explanation can be found at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_of_silence#Perceptions_in_the_classroom

The idea that people might think one thing but say another (or remain silent) in order to fit in with the group is a major theme in...