Course Objectives-

The central question addressed in AP Psychology is “How do psychologists think?”  The psychology David Myers wrote that to think as a psychologist, one must learn to “restrain intuition with critical thinking, judgmentalism with compassion, and illusion with understanding” (Sternberg, 1997).  Whether students choose to pursue a career related to psychology or one in some entirely different field, this habit of mind will be of great value.   

All students will be able to:

• Distinguish between the major core concepts and theories of psychology. 
• Utilize key terms and use them in their everyday vocabulary. 
• Demonstrate mastery of the explorations and discoveries made by psychologists over the past century.
• Assess diverse approaches to psychology that are adopted by psychologists, including biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and socio-cultural perspectives. 
• Show basic skills of psychological research and be able to apply psychological concepts to their own lives through critical thinking skills. 

Most important, students will come to an appreciation of how psychologists think, as well as an appreciation of the kind of critical analysis that psychologists espouse in practice. 

Lecture Notes-

You must come to class prepared.  It is vital for you to take detailed and clear notes on lectures, readings, demonstrations, and journal studies.  You should always date your notes and ask for clarification on something you do not understand.  

I also highly encourage you to use flash cards in learning the terminology.  (You are not above flashcards!)  Memorizing the terms and concepts is a necessity.  The vocabulary is challenging and abundant.  The use of flashcards will also come in handy when studying for my tests and the AP Exam. 

We will discuss reading and study techniques that will help you conquer this textbook during the first week of class. 

Assignments-

Assignments will always be posted on the board and website.  Each unit will require a different amount of work that will adequately cover the chapter.  Assigned readings are scheduled each week with Key Concept note card/flashcard completion for each chapter, covering chapter material and vocabulary.  Other assignments given to students are Psych Simulation activities, experiments, class presentations, collaborative projects, individual projects, and papers. 

Follow the reading schedule and do not get behind.  Nightly reading will probably be about 5 – 10 pages.  No less than an hour should be committed each evening to studying and reading. You must follow the reading schedule and be sure to stay with the class.  I expect you to either take notes or outline each chapter as you read and complete note cards and assignments accordingly. From time to time, I may offer an open-note quiz.  If you do not take notes, then you choose to suffer the consequences. 

You are responsible for finding out what you missed when absent.  You will have the district assigned amount of time to make up any work missed from an excused absence.  If you were in class the day the assignment was given, you will be expected to turn it in the day you return. I do not accept late homework.  If there is an issue, it is always better to contact me before the work is due.

Assessment Practices:  Tests and Quizzes-

a.    Tests will be in similar format to the AP exam-stem questions with 5 choices.  There will always be a complete unit test. 

b.    Tests may be comprehensive with some questions from previous units.

c.     Pop quizzes do occur.  These are generally based on notes and readings presented in class.

d.    Make-ups:

1.    Pop Quizzes will not be made up (make sure that absence is excused)

2.    Tests and Quizzes must be made up before school; no make-ups will be given during class time.  Tests must be made up in a timely fashion (same number of days given for days absent).

e.    For any section that is not mastered on unit tests, students will complete a mini-project on those concepts and present it to the class for partial credit toward test grade.  

f.     As an incentive to have good attendance on exam days, I will offer a bonus of five points to all students if the entire class is present on a test day.

Projects-

Throughout the year, there will be a variety of projects varying in length and complexity.  Some projects may be individual and others may be group, some will be researched-based and others more creativity-based.  All projects will have required presentations to show student knowledge of the terminology being studied.

Psych Journal/ Portfolio-

Many of the psychological principles to be studied in class are apparent in our daily lives.  Students need to enhance their awareness regarding the connections between classroom learning and their daily lives.  Each student has been given a single subject spiral that is to be used for this journal/ portfolio. 

Suggested Supplemental Resources-

• Hock, R.R., PhD. (2005). Forty studies that changed psychology: Explorations into the history of psychological research. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. 

• Maitland, L.L. (2004). Five steps to a five on the AP: Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill. (* You may substitute this with either Barron’s or Kaplan)

• Essentials of Psychology Combo:  Linda Leal (Publisher:  REA)

Suggested Supply List-

(1) Large 3-hole binder at 2 to 3 inches in width

Pens/ Pencils

Highlighters

Index cards/Note cards

Disk on Key (Flash Drive/Memory Stick)

Optional: Crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, post-its, and construction paper.

Student Attendance-

Courses are scheduled in a four-block schedule that meets every school day for a 90-minute block.  In a 190-day school year, all students are required to complete at least 180 days of the school year per School Board of Broward County Attendance Policy 5.5.

Grading -