Download 1 AP Psychology Syllabus Johnny Polson South Warren High

AP Psychology Syllabus
Johnny Polson
South Warren High School
Bowling Green, Kentucky
School Profile
School Location and Environment: South Warren High School’s website describes a high school that offers
students a rich and varied educational experience in a community that supports learning. South Warren opened
in August 2010 and serves a broad spectrum of individuals, the overwhelming majority of whom come from
highly-motivated, family-oriented environments where the benefits of a quality education are valued. From
families of business professionals to traditional farming families to a growing immigrant population resulting
from Warren County’s designation as a Refugee Relocation Center, students are exposed to many different
cultures on a daily basis in this rural community of southern Kentucky. Combine this with the presence of the
postsecondary influence of Western Kentucky University in the heart of Bowling Green only 15 minutes from
South Warren and you have a learning environment rife with opportunities for success.
Grades: 9–12
Type: Suburban public high school
Total Enrollment: 850 students (with the capacity to accommodate 1,200 students)
Personal Philosophy
I am finding AP Psychology to be one of the most challenging yet rewarding teaching experiences I have had in
my career. I have been given the unique opportunity to share the amazing field of psychology of with highly
motivated students who have both the will and the capacity to succeed academically. The beauty of psychology
is that everything students learn is applicable to their daily lives. The personal nature of each topic studied not
only allows students to connect themselves to the subject matter but to connect with one other through shared
experiences, experiments, and revelations. From human development, to the biological process of the brain and
nervous system, to the classification of normal and abnormal behavior, students gain a better understanding of
themselves and as a result are more accepting of the diversity of human behavior.
Class Profile
South Warren High School has a wide variety of AP course offerings ranging from Literature to Statistics.
School policy requires its AP students to take the AP Exam for their courses. South Warren is on a traditional
schedule with seven 51-minute classes. The school year is divided into four grading periods with grades being
posted online for parents and students to monitor every week.
The AP Psychology course is taught every day in two sections and is offered almost exclusively to sophomores.
This is the first year AP Psychology has been taught in Warren County schools and for most students, this is
their first exposure to the subject.
Course Overview
The AP Psychology course addresses each of the topics in the Course Description content outline. Following
the purpose stated in the Course Description, the course “is designed to introduce students to the systematic and
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scientific study of the behavioral and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are
exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields
within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and
practice.”
The course has six objectives. Students will:
1. study the major core concepts and theories of psychology. Students will be able to define key terms and use
these terms in their everyday vocabulary. Students will be able to compare and contrast the major theories in
psychology. Students will develop an understanding of the biological and psychological bases of behavior.
2. learn the basic skills of psychological research. Students will be able to devise simple research projects,
interpret and generalize from results, and evaluate the general validity of research reports. Students will be
able to recognize the scientific nature of investigation in psychology.
3. be able to apply psychological concepts to their own lives. Students will be able to recognize psychological
principles when they are encountered in everyday situations.
4. develop critical thinking skills. Students will become aware of the danger of accepting or rejecting any
psychological theory without careful, objective evaluation.
5. build their reading, writing, and discussion skills.
6. learn about the ethical standards governing the work of psychologists. Students will maintain high ethical
standards and sensitivity in applying the principles of psychology to themselves, other people, and other
organisms.
I use a variety of approaches including lectures, discussions, demonstrations, student presentations, textbook
readings, outside readings, video clips, and student projects to accomplish the goals outlined in the course
catalog. Students find that many psychological concepts “stream” through the units, and I attempt to continually
make connections between the units of study.
The textbook for the course is the eighth edition of Psychology by Douglas A. Bernstein, Louis A. Penner,
Alison Clarke-Stewart, and Edward J. Roy.
Resources for Teaching AP Psychology
1. Text: Douglas A. Bernstein, Louis A. Penner, Alison Clarke-Stewart, and Edward J. Roy, Psychology
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008), with accompanying Teacher’s Resource Guide for the Advanced
Placement Program, study guide, and test bank (on CD-ROM).
2. Membership in APA and TOPSS. These organizations provide a wealth of resources and for high school
teachers of psychology, especially for beginners. The lessons plans, activities, and projects provided through
TOPSS are especially helpful when designing curriculum.
3. Released AP Exams and other support materials provided by the College Board.
4. Various topical video clips available through online sources.
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5. A variety of online sources provide students with supplemental material as well as interactive activities to
reinforce course content. Some of these sites include:
• Neuroscience for Kids http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
• KidsHealth http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/brain.html
• Learn.Genetics (Genetic Science Learning Center) http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
• Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
6. Other texts/materials include:
• William James and Michael McLane, Fast Track to a 5: Preparing for the AP Psychology Exam
(Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 2010)
• David Myers, Psychology for AP (New York: Worth, 2011)
• Wayne Weiten, Psychology: Themes & Variations (Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 2010)
• William Buskist (editor), Psychology 10/11 (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011)
Course Planner
The topics I have chosen for each unit have been guided by the content outline in the Course Description.
order in which I teach these topics is based on the Pacing Guide in the Teacher’s Resource Guide for the
Advanced Placement Program that accompanies the Bernstein text.
UNIT 1
INTRODUCING PSYCHOLOGY & RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY
Day 1
Introduction, Subfields of Psychology
Day 2
History of Psychology
Day 3
Approaches to Psychology
Day 4
Nonexperimental Research Methods/Correlation
Day 5
Experimental Method--Cause and Effect
Day 6
Experimental Method--Selecting Participants
Day 7
Descriptive Statistics
Day 8
Ethics in Psychological Research, Inferential Statistics
Day 9
Multiple-Choice TEST
UNIT 2
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Day 10
Genie: Secret of a Wild Child (video)
Day 11
Beginnings of Development
Day 12
Cognitive Development--Piaget
Day 13
Cognitive Development
Day 14
Social Development--Erikson
Day 15
Social Development--Kohlberg
Day 16
Adolescence
Day 17
Adulthood
Day 18
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 3
BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PSYCHOLOGY & INTRODUCTION TO NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
Day 19
Organization of the Nervous System/Cells
Day 20
Action Potential, Synapses
Day 21
Peripheral Nervous System and Techniques for Studying the Brain
Day 22
Central Nervous System
The
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Day 23
Central Nervous System--Cerebral Cortex
Day 24
The Divided Brain/Brain Plasticity
Day 25
The Chemistry of the Brain
Day 26
Endocrine and Immune Systems
****
Student Presentations: Introduction to Neuropsychology, Mechanisms of Brain Dysfunction,
Disorders of Movement
Day 27
Multiple-Choice TEST with Diagrams (Neuron, Brain)
UNIT 4
SENSATION
Day 28
Day 29
Day 30
Day 31
Day 32
****
Day 33
Day 34
Day 35
Day 36
Coding, Sound
Hearing
Light, the Eye
Vision
Color Vision
Island of the Color Blind (video)
Smell, Taste
Somatic Senses
Proprioception
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 5
PERCEPTION
Day 37
Day 38
Day 39
Day 40
Day 41
****
Day 42
Approaches, Psychophysics
Organizing the Perceptual World, Gestalt
Recognizing the Perceptual World
Attention
Applications of Research
Student Presentations: Disorders of Perception
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 6
LEARNING
Day 43
Day 44
Day 45
Day 46
Day 47
Day 48
Day 49
Day 50
Day 51
Introduction to Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning--Forming and Strengthening
Punishment and Applications of Operant Conditioning
Cognitive Processes, Learned Helplessness
Additional Cognitive Processes
DEBATE: Effects of Watching Violent Television
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 7
MEMORY
Day 52
Day 53
Day 54
Day 55
The Nature of Memory--Basic Processes and Models of Memory
Storing New Memories--Sensory, Short-Term
Storing New Memories--Long-Term
Retrieving Memories
5
Day 56
Day 57
Day 58
****
Day 59
Forgetting
Biological Bases of Memory
Applications of Memory Research
Student Presentations: Amnestic Disorders
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 8
COGNITION & LANGUAGE
Day 60
Basic Functions of Thought
Day 61
Mental Representations
Day 62
Thinking Strategies
Day 63
Problem-Solving
Day 64
Decision-Making
Day 65
Elements and Understanding Speech
Day 66
Development and Acquisition of Language
Day 67
Honhuman Use of Language, Culture and Language
****
Student Presentations: Language Disorders and the Brain
Day 68
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 9
CONSCIOUSNESS
Day 69
Analyzing Consciousness--Functions and Levels of Consciousness, Mental PRocessing
without Awareness
Day 70
Analyzing Consciousness--Subliminal Messages, Neuropsychology, States of Consciousness
Day 71
Sleeping
Day 72
Dreaming and Hypnosis
Day 73
Psychoactive Drugs--Psychopharmacology, Effects, Depressants, Stimulants
Day 74
Psychoactive Drugs--opiates, hallucinogens
****
Student Presentations: Disorders of Consciousness
Day 75
Multiple-Choice TEST
UNIT 10
COGNITIVE ABILITIES
Day 76
Testing for Intelligence
Day 77
Measuring the Quality of Tests
Day 78
Evaluating Intelligence Tests
Day 79
IQ Scores as a Measure of Innate Ability and Group Differences in IQ Scores
Day 80
Conditions that Can Change IQ Scores
Day 81
Understanding Intelligence--Theories
Day 82
Understanding Intelligence--Multiple Intelligences, Tracking Cognitive Abilities
Day 83
Diversity in Cognitive Abilities
Day 84
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 11
MOTIVATION & EMOTION
Day 85
Theories of Motivation
Day 86
Hunger Motive
Day 87
Sexual Behavior Motive
Day 88
Achievement Motive
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Day 89
Day 90
Day 91
Day 92
Day 93
Conflicting Motives
Nature of Emotion (including Biology)
Theories of Emotion
Communicating Emotion
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 12
HEALTH, STRESS, & COPING
Day 94
Health Psychology, Stress, Stressors
Day 95
Stress Responses
Day 96
Stress Mediators
Day 97
Physiology and Psychology of Health and Illness
Day 98
Promoting Heathy Behavior
Day 99
Student Presentations (in lieu of test) PROMOTING HEALTH PROJECTS
UNIT 13
PERSONALITY
Day 100 The Psychodynamic Approach
Day 101 The Psychodynamic Approach--Variations and Evaluation
Day 102 The Trait Approach
Day 103 Evaluating the Genetics of Personality Traits and Evaluating the Trait Approach
Day 104 The Social-Cognitive Approach
Day 105 The Humanistic Approach
Day 106 Assessing Personality--Longitudinal Studies and Objective Tests
Day 107 Assessing Personality--Projective Tests and Employee Personality Tests
Day 108 Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 14
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
Day 109 Definition of Abnormality/Explaining Psychological Disorders
Day 110 Classifying Psychological Disorders
Day 111 Anxiety Disorders
Day 112 Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders
Day 113 Mood Disorders
Day 114 Schizophrenia
Day 115 Personality Disorders, Focus on Antisocial Disorder
Day 116 Sampling of Other Disorders/Mental Illness and the Law
Day 117 Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 15
TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
Day 118 Basic Features of Treatment and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Day 119 Humanistic Psychotherapy
Day 120 Behavior Therapy
Day 121 Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
Day 122 Group, Family, and Couples Therapy/Evaluating Psychotherapy
Day 123 Choosing a Therapist
Day 124 Biological Treatments and Psychoactive Drugs
Day 125 Evaluating Psychoactive Drug Treatments and Community Psychology
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Day 126
Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
UNIT 16
SOCIAL COGNITION & SOCIAL INFLUENCE
Day 127 Social Influences on the Self
Day 128 Social Perceptions
Day 129 Attitudes
Day 130 Prejudice and Stereotypes
Day 131 Interpersonal Attraction
Day 132 Social Influence
Day 133 Conformity and Compliance
Day 134 Obedience
Day 135 Aggression
Day 136 Altruism and Helping Behavior
Day 137 Cooperation, Competition/Conflict and Group Processes
Day 138 Multiple-Choice and Essay TEST
REVIEW FOR AP EXAM
Days 138-144 Multiple-Choice Exams (1999, 2004), Practice Exam (2008), Selected Free Response
Questions (2000-2008)
Self-Grading of Essays Using Rubrics
Review Assignments on Individual Chapters
Day 145
AP EXAM
Teaching Strategies
My primary means of engaging students is through class discussion guided by lecture notes presented on an Eno
active board using Keynote software. This method is regularly supplemented with demonstrations, student
presentations, and video clips illustrating concepts being discussed.
Student Accountability
Although I do not assign points for participation, I encourage students on a daily basis, to become actively
involved during class discussion. Through demonstrations, small group discussions, structured debates, and
student presentations, every student is given ample opportunity to openly participate in class activities.
Reading Assignments
Students are expected to complete reading assignments prior to class so they can meaningfully participate in
class discussions and activities. I assign daily readings in the Bernstein text as well as periodic outside readings
that relate to specific topics from Psychology 10/11. The latter readings give students an idea of current
research and thinking in the field of psychology.
Demonstrations
The field of psychology is rife with opportunities for hands-on learning, and I take full advantage of this. In
every unit, students participate in demonstrations I set up to illustrate the concept(s) we are studying. The units
on sensation and perception are especially “demo-friendly” as a variety of sensory activities help students
understand how we perceive the sensory stimuli in our environment.
Video Clips
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I regularly imbed short (3-7 minute) video clips from educational series, documentary films, and television
programs into my Keynote lecture notes. The videos cover specific topics (e.g., color vision, Gestalt
psychology, schizophrenia) within my lectures. The video clips are used either to introduce a topic or review
the points made during class discussion.
Modeling the AP Exam Environment
All of the tests I give reflect the length and timing of the actual AP Exam. On every unit test (except three),
students are given 51 minutes to complete 50 multiple-choice items and one free response essay. This is
slightly less time (proportionally) than students will have on the AP Exam which forces them to use their time
more efficiently so that when they take the actual test, they are confident and comfortable with the time
constraints.
Cumulative Chapter Tests
Tests are cumulative to negate the serial position effect. By following this strategy, “old” information retains
the freshness and accessibility of “new” information, making the retrieval of the entire course information on
the AP Exam more effective. Cumulative testing also reduces the amount of time needed for intensive review
sessions in the spring and allows more course time to explore and learn new information.
AP Exam Review
Before the exam, I will give my students three review tests. Two are provided in the Fast Track to a 5
workbook and include 100 multiple-choice items and two free responses each. After these tests (which are
administered over a two class periods each), students will take the 2007 released AP Exam. Based on how they
have done on these tests, my students will decide what material they still need to review for the actual exam.
After the AP Exam
The class time that remains after the AP Exam will be approximately one month which will allow plenty of time
for exploring topics of special interest to my students. This will be a good time to debunk many of the myths in
“pop psychology” through analysis of celebrities like Dr. Phil and Dr. Drew and their corresponding talk shows.
In addition, this time will provide opportunities for student research through field studies (e.g., naturalistic
observations, case studies, surveys) that time-constraints earlier in the year prevented. Other year-end projects
may include special-interest research and multimedia presentations on psychology topics chosen by students.
Finally, these final few weeks will allow time for a field trip (if scheduling permits it) to Western State
Hospital, a psychiatric facility less than 50 miles from our school.
Student Evaluation
Students are evaluated both formally and informally:
• daily in class through verbal questioning and discussion during lecture (no points assigned);
• weekly by means of a vocabulary quiz over recently-covered concepts, theories, and individuals (25-50
points);
• at the end of each unit with a 50 multiple-choice/one free response test (75 points); and
• on projects assigned throughout the course (50-100 points each).
Student Activities
Students in AP Psychology participate in a variety of learning experiences. Traditional assessments as well as
alternative assessments and projects afford students a variety of opportunities to demonstrate learning.
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Traditional Assessments
1. UNIT TESTS are modeled on the AP Exam and include 50 multiple-choice questions and one free
response to be completed in a 51 minute class period.
2. QUIZZES are scheduled for every Friday to reinforce the vocabulary of AP Psychology.
3. SEMESTER EXAM: Students take a cumulative midterm exam in the same format as the AP Exam
(multiple-choice and free response essays)
Other Activities and Projects
1. DEMONSTRATIONS: Whenever appropriate and ethical, students take part in classroom
demonstrations. These allow students to experience, first-hand, many of the concepts and phenomena
studied by psychologists.
2. NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION: Each student completes a 15-minute observation of a human
participant in a naturalistic setting. The purpose of this activity is to familiarize students with this
method, to improve their powers of observation, and to help them distinguish between subjective and
objective records.
3. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Students are given a hypothetical research problem (or create one
themselves) and write a proposal for a controlled experiment to solve it. The exercise serves to improve
their understanding of research methodology as well as ethical practices in psychological research.
4. RESEARCH PROJECTS: Students work in small groups to research a recent topic related to a topic
studied the first half of the course and then sharte their findings to the class in a 10-15 multimedia
presentation. The intent of this activity is to teach college-bound students how to access and use the
stacks--the bookshelves of reference materials found in a university library--and how to develop a more
thorough understanding of a topic. In addition, it also provides an introduction to APA documentation.
5. PERSONALITY PORTFOLIO PROJECT: This assignment requires students to synthesize materials
presented in the personality and intelligence units and gives students the opportunity to apply the ideas of
the various theorists to their own conceptions of their personality and intelligence. This project
incorporates fun, scholarly rigor, and self-discovery as students communicate with those around them to
find out about themselves.