Psychology, Term 1

Week

Content

State Performance Standards Addressed

Skills for Student Achievement Benchmarks

Assessments

Week #1

I. History and Methods of Psychology

  1. What is psychology?
  2. History of psychology
  3. Methods of research
  1. Scientific Method
  2. Field experiments

D. Ethics of Experimentation

E.12.7 Using of scientific methods.

E.12.9 Defend a point of view on an ethical issue.

E.12.14 Using of research procedures.

Apply the steps of scientific method on a worksheet.

Examine ethical issues when dealing with animal subjects.

Lay out and conduct an experiment using established research procedures.

On a series of assignments and a unit test.

Read an article in class and discuss.

Write up experiment and share with the class.

 

Week #2

!I. Human Development

  1. Nature v. Nurture
  2. Critical periods
  3. Cognitive development
  4. Moral development
  5. Language development
  6. Adolescence
  1. Puberty
  2. Weight
  3. Identity
E.12.1 How the brain effects learning and behavior.

E.12.2 Explain how many different factors effect identity.

E.12.3 Compare different cultural beliefs and their rules.

 

Examine the argument of nature versus nurture.

Collect information and plan an activity for kids, targeting a certain age group.

 

Read and examine other cultures rites of passage.
Watch a video and discuss.

Discuss the activity in class and turn in a write up to me.

 

Discuss in a small group and in the large group.

 

Week #3

  1. Adulthood
  1. Midlife crisis
  2. Menopause
  1. Late Adulthood
  2. Death and Dying

1. Kubler-Ross’s stages of grief and loss

 

E.12.5 Describe how different cultural groups change over time.

E.12.6 Explain how groups can influence people and events.

E.12.9 Defend an ethical point of view.

Discuss issues that relate to adolescence such as weight and eating disorders.

Construct a future timeline, examining events yet to come.

 

Display knowledge of unit on a test.

Evaluate course with a final test.

View a video on weight and write a reaction.

 

Post in class, discuss.

On a unit test.

Term final.

Week #4

III. Biological Basis of Behavior

  1. Key structures and functions of the brain
  2. Overview of neural functioning
  3. Overview of the endocrine system
  4. Structure and process of genetic transmission
  5. Influence of heredity on behavior

E.12.1-How the brain’s structure influences learning and behavior.

E.12.16-Factors that influence a persons mental health.

Read and research how the brain works.

Examine what happens when the brain has been damaged or is not working normally.

Explain the workings of the brain.

Construct a chart of the brain to use on the test.

Read and discuss in a large group in class, during a graded discussion.

Explain how the brain works on a test at the end of the unit.

 

Week #5

IV. States of Consciousness

  1. Defining consciousness
  2. Biological Clocks
  3. Sleep and Dreams
  1. REM/NREM sleep
  2. Sleep disorders
  3. Theories of dreaming
  1. Hypnosis
  2. Meditation
  3. Illicit drug use
E.12.1 How the brain effects learning and behavior.

E.12.2 Explain how many different factors effect identity.

E.12.16 Identify factors that influence a persons mental health.

Gather information in groups in order to present a section of the unit in class.

Examine the role sleep, sleep disturbances and dreams have on personality.

Demonstrate knowledge of unit.

Both peer and teacher

evaluation of the presentation.

In a week long sleep and dream journal.

 

On a unit test.

 

Week #6

V. Sensation and Perception

  1. Visual perception and color vision
  2. Gestalt psychology
  1. Basic premise
  1. Human hearing and auditory sensory processing
  2. Chemical senses-taste, smell and touch

E.12.1-How the brain’s structure influences learning and behavior.

Distinguish between sensation and perception.

 

Collect evidence on perception by designing and running your own experiment on reflexes.

Evaluate the different theories from the unit.

Write an essay examining these important theories.

Turn in a written response of your findings.

On a unit test.

Week #7

VI. Learning and Conditioning

  1. Classical Conditioning
  1. Ivan Pavlov
  1. Emotional Conditioning
  2. 1. James Watson/ Cover Jones
  3. Operant Conditioning
  1. B.F. Skinner
E.12.6 How groups influence people.

E.12.7 Using of scientific methods.

Gather evidence on one type of conditioning.

Perform an experiment on the type of conditioning researched.

Review and article and write a response.

Turn in results of experiment a write up of results.

Week #8

  1. Schedules of reinforcement
  1. Social Learning
  2. Cognitive Approach
  1. E.C. Tolman

 

E.12.14 Using of research procedures.

Summarize the different types of conditioning.

Demonstrate knowledge of conditioning.

In an essay question.

 

On a unit test.

Week #9

VII. Cognition and Language

  1. Human memory processes
  1. Three basic types
  1. Theories of attention
  2. Theories of memory
  3. The physiology of memory
  4. Key properties of language
  5. Language acquisition

E.12.1-How the brain’s structure influences learning and behavior.

E.12.16-Factors that influence a persons mental health.

Design and perform a memory game in class that children could play.

 

 

Apply information on memory to your own life.
Grade the game on how well it tests memory and how creative it is.

Keep a journal of daily memories and ideas.

Suggested resources and activities to support instruction of this curriculum:

Understanding Psychology by Richard Kasschau

Psychology and You by Judith McMahon and Tony Romano

Psychology Themes and Variations by Wayne Weiten

Psychology by David Myers

July 2004 by Tony Boerger