Psychology Syllabus 2012-2013

Mrs. Hammonds

Room 103

ahammon@summit-academy.com

Overview

Psychology is the study of the mind. This means that we will study the actual brain, but also its functions. This includes emotions, learning, the senses, mental disorders, personality testing and other interesting topics. The class is very discussion oriented and most of your grade will be based on projects, papers and some tests.

Materials

Daily: School planner, a 3-ring binder or folder, pen or pencil, loose leaf paper

For specific lessons: Large poster boards (about 5 per year), colored pencils, markers, calculators, construction paper.

Attendance

Much of the assessment for this class is based on group projects and in-class activities. This makes attendance crucial to your success in this class. Numerous absences may make it difficult to pass the class.

Grading

Your grade in the class is determined by the points you accumulate from your tests, quizzes, bellwork, homework, papers, projects, and other in-class activities. Each quarter grade is calculated by forming a percent from all of these assessments. Your semester grade is calculated by combining each of your quarter grades and your final exam grade. Each of the quarter grades count for 40% of your semester grade. The final exam counts for 20% of the semester grade.

Classwork (including notebooks)

There will be daily assignments including bellwork, notes, class discussions, and other activities. The bellwork question is located on the small left, side board. You will need to copy the question and answer it in a paragraph in no less than four sentences. You will receive a sheet to perform your bellwork on the first day of each week and it will be due on the last day of class each week. You will need to keep your notes, handouts, and assignments in a three ring binder folder. 

Tests, Papers and Projects

Each chapter or section will have a major assessment. This can be a test, paper, or project. Each major chapter assessment will be worth at least 100 points. Papers and projects will have a rubric that includes due dates, check points, and grading. The tests are District assessments that will count for 50 percent of the overall grade.

Final Exams

Final exams are given at the end of each semester. They will combine the things that you have learned all semester. It may be a project or paper instead of a test. If you do not turn in the project or paper, or you have an unexcused absence on the day of the exam you will receive a zero.

Movies

I will show a number of short educational clips to help illustrate certain concepts. I also show a few mainstream, popular movies to illustrate how important psychology is in the world today. Many of the movies also show the moral dilemmas involved in some psychological research. I believe it is important for students to form their own opinions about the ethical issues related to psychological research today. Some of the movies include: Regarding Henry PG-13, A Beautiful Mind PG-13, As Good as it Gets PG-13, Sybil NR, and Shrek PG. We may also watch episodes from Dawson’s Creek during the unit on adolescent psychology. Please let me know if you do not wish your student to view any of these movies.

 

Curriculum

Topic 1: The History of Psychology and Psychological Research Methods

Why study psychology?

What do psychologists do?

How did historical psychologist shape modern psychology?

Scientific method

Samples and populations

Designing and implementing surveys

Methods of observation

Designing and conduction experiments

Statistical analysis of data

Reporting psychological findings

Topic 2: Biology in Psychology

The nervous system

Parts and functions of the brain

The endocrine system

Heredity

Topic 3: Sensation and Perception

Vision

Hearing

Olfactory

Tactile

Perception

Topic 4: Adolescent Psychology

Physical development

Rites of passage

Social development

Identity formation

Challenges of adolescence

Topic 5: Diagnoses Psychological Disorders

Personality disorders

Anxiety disorders

Eating disorders

Somatoform disorders

Mood disorders

Schizophrenia and related disorders

Dissociative disorders

Somatoforms

Topic 6: Treating Psychological Disorders

Psychoanalytic approach

Humanistic approach

Cognitive approach

Behavioristic approach

Biological approach

Topic7: Consciousness

Levels of consciousness

Sleep and dreams

Meditation and hypnosis

Drugs and consciousness

Topic 8: Personality Assessment

What are the common tests?

How do you take the TAT?

How do you give and interpret the Rorschach Ink Blot Test?

Topic 9: Social Interaction

Friendships

Attraction

Prejudice

 

 

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