Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that I haven't keep up with the blog this last month. My husband has been sick for 6 weeks and I have been a single mom. Please forgive me and know that I still thin of you often! :) I hope you'll try to keep up with class again using this blog.
Here is a summary of the activities and assignments for October:
Tuesday, October 13
Class Activities: Collect Stage Theorists Assignment, Discuss Adulthood, DVDs Inside Out Ch. 4 and Never Say Die
Assignment: STUDY!!
Friday, October 16
Test on Development
Assignment: Chapter 5 up to p. 199
Tuesday, October 20
Class Activities: Go over test and start Sensory Thresholds
Assignment: Chapter 5, pp. 199-211, Sensation/Perception Activity
Thursday, October 22
Class Activities: Pop Quiz, Vision: Lecture and Fun Activities
Assignment: Chapter 5, pp. 212-228, Sensation/Perception Activity
Monday, October 26
Class Activities: Collect S & P Activity, Pop Quiz, Hearing & Other Senses Discussion and Fun
Assignment: Chapter 6, pp. 231-248, Record Moments of Perceptual Organization in Life
Wednesday, October 28
EYEBALLS!!
Assignment: Chapter 6, pp. 248-263
Friday, October 30
Class Activities: Collect "Perceptual Organization in My Life," Analysis of Escher Drawings, ESP Assignment: STUDY!! Make a good costume! Practice your ESP!
Tuesday, November 3
Test on Sensation & Perception
Assignment: Chapter 7, pp. 265-284
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
October 2: Stage Theorists
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You wrote me a new question about Piaget, attachment, and the other development concepts.
2) "The Growing Child" DVD. These videos are so related to the chapter! I love them!
3) Lecture on Stage Theorists. Because of the shortened day, I only got through Piaget, Kohlberg (a little bit). Hopefully, we can finish them all on Tuesday and make it interesting. I gave you lots of life examples of my own children who are different stages at ages 2, 4, 7.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 4 pp. 159-170.
2) Notes (mandatory) and notecards (optional)
3) "Gender Bender"
4) Extra credit Options
Teen Brain Symposium video at Family Strengths Network Monday, October 5th 3:45-5:30.
Videos at lunch B days this week and next week.
1) Neuron Note. You wrote me a new question about Piaget, attachment, and the other development concepts.
2) "The Growing Child" DVD. These videos are so related to the chapter! I love them!
3) Lecture on Stage Theorists. Because of the shortened day, I only got through Piaget, Kohlberg (a little bit). Hopefully, we can finish them all on Tuesday and make it interesting. I gave you lots of life examples of my own children who are different stages at ages 2, 4, 7.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 4 pp. 159-170.
2) Notes (mandatory) and notecards (optional)
3) "Gender Bender"
4) Extra credit Options
Teen Brain Symposium video at Family Strengths Network Monday, October 5th 3:45-5:30.
Videos at lunch B days this week and next week.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
September 30: FAME! Oh, and Culture and Babies!
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You read answers to your questions and write a new question. Question of the Day: What is childhood amnesia?
2) Pop Quiz! Pages 136-142. If you missed it, take it on Friday. Come early if you can.
3) Culture. Wow! It's so much fun to talk about personal space and cleanliness. Thumbs up! Or wait, that could be bad in Nigeria.
4) LIFE book. We looked at amazing photos of conception, blastocytes, embryos, fetuses. Check it out in the IMC. We talked about all those prenatal and neonatal development.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 4 pp. 143-159.
2) Chapter vocabulary notecards (optional)
3) Extra credit video at lunch B days this week and next week.
1) Neuron Note. You read answers to your questions and write a new question. Question of the Day: What is childhood amnesia?
2) Pop Quiz! Pages 136-142. If you missed it, take it on Friday. Come early if you can.
3) Culture. Wow! It's so much fun to talk about personal space and cleanliness. Thumbs up! Or wait, that could be bad in Nigeria.
4) LIFE book. We looked at amazing photos of conception, blastocytes, embryos, fetuses. Check it out in the IMC. We talked about all those prenatal and neonatal development.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 4 pp. 143-159.
2) Chapter vocabulary notecards (optional)
3) Extra credit video at lunch B days this week and next week.
Monday, September 28, 2009
September 28: Gender Differences
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You read answers to your questions and wrote a new question.
2) Heritability. I clarified what it is. If it still is troublesome, see me at lunch.
3) Gender Differences Fishbowl Conversation. You wrote anonymous questions to ask the opposite sex and I collected them. They all the ladies got together in a circle, with the guys listening on the outside, to have an honest conversation about them. And then we switched with the guys answering the ladies' question in the circle in order to find out their responses. This allows each gender to get a chance to talk amongst themselves honestly. In the end, we came to the conclusion that all females are not the same and all males are not the same.
4) Enjoy Homecoming!
Assignments:
1) Start chapter 4.
2) Notes again for those of you with 80 or lower on the tests. Optional chapter vocabulary notecards.
3) Gender Bender. Analyze gender stereotyping in the world and write up your experience. See the half sheet I gave you on what to do.
Extra credit video at lunch start on Wednesday!
1) Neuron Note. You read answers to your questions and wrote a new question.
2) Heritability. I clarified what it is. If it still is troublesome, see me at lunch.
3) Gender Differences Fishbowl Conversation. You wrote anonymous questions to ask the opposite sex and I collected them. They all the ladies got together in a circle, with the guys listening on the outside, to have an honest conversation about them. And then we switched with the guys answering the ladies' question in the circle in order to find out their responses. This allows each gender to get a chance to talk amongst themselves honestly. In the end, we came to the conclusion that all females are not the same and all males are not the same.
4) Enjoy Homecoming!
Assignments:
1) Start chapter 4.
2) Notes again for those of you with 80 or lower on the tests. Optional chapter vocabulary notecards.
3) Gender Bender. Analyze gender stereotyping in the world and write up your experience. See the half sheet I gave you on what to do.
Extra credit video at lunch start on Wednesday!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
September 24: Evolutionary Psych & Behavior Genetics
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You got a chance to read some very interesting Neuron Note questions and answers...identical twins, heritability, Human Genome Project. I checked notes. Those of you who earned less than the mean on the tests had to try a new method of notetaking. WOW! I sw some amazing notes! Keep it up and see if it makes a difference on the tests.
2) Evolutionary Psychology Survey: This gave us a chance to talk about how evolutionary psychologists talk about human behavior and our underlying motivations to perpetuate our genes. Who would you save if your boat sinks? Would you rather marry someone older or younger? It is a fun view of human behavior.
2) Gattaca. We watched the first 5 minutes of this movie to start thinking about the how genetic could play in the future. The main character is one of the last "natural" babies born into a world where parents meet with the local geneticist to determine what traits they want they new child to have. Because of the knowledge that comes from genes, life expectancy and disease probabilities are known at birth. Since he is not genetically perfect, he has no chance of a career in a society that now discriminates against your genes, instead of your gender, race or religion. Until he assumes the identity of another perfectly genetic man... Watch the rest of it for a great conversation with your family and friends that relates to this chapter.
3) Jigsaw on Behavior Genetics, Evolutionary Psychology, and the Role of the Environment: you read one set of articles about hot topics and shared your information with a small group and listened to the other information they discovered in their readings.
Assignments:
1) Finish chapter 3.
2) Take very ACTIVE notes! I'll check again on Monday.
3) Chapter 3 and 4 vocabulary notecards (optional)
1) Neuron Note. You got a chance to read some very interesting Neuron Note questions and answers...identical twins, heritability, Human Genome Project. I checked notes. Those of you who earned less than the mean on the tests had to try a new method of notetaking. WOW! I sw some amazing notes! Keep it up and see if it makes a difference on the tests.
2) Evolutionary Psychology Survey: This gave us a chance to talk about how evolutionary psychologists talk about human behavior and our underlying motivations to perpetuate our genes. Who would you save if your boat sinks? Would you rather marry someone older or younger? It is a fun view of human behavior.
2) Gattaca. We watched the first 5 minutes of this movie to start thinking about the how genetic could play in the future. The main character is one of the last "natural" babies born into a world where parents meet with the local geneticist to determine what traits they want they new child to have. Because of the knowledge that comes from genes, life expectancy and disease probabilities are known at birth. Since he is not genetically perfect, he has no chance of a career in a society that now discriminates against your genes, instead of your gender, race or religion. Until he assumes the identity of another perfectly genetic man... Watch the rest of it for a great conversation with your family and friends that relates to this chapter.
3) Jigsaw on Behavior Genetics, Evolutionary Psychology, and the Role of the Environment: you read one set of articles about hot topics and shared your information with a small group and listened to the other information they discovered in their readings.
Assignments:
1) Finish chapter 3.
2) Take very ACTIVE notes! I'll check again on Monday.
3) Chapter 3 and 4 vocabulary notecards (optional)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
September 22: Review Brain Test/ Start Nature vs. Nurture
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You didn't have answers to read today, but you wrote a new question based on the weekend's textbook reading on behavior genetics, twin studies, and evolutionary psychology.
2) Brain Test Review. I put the test data (distribution, mean, median, mode, standard deviation, histogram, grade scale) on the overhead so you could see how we did as a class as well as how you did in comparison with your classmates. Since many people earned a high scores of 95, 96, 97, and even 98, I did not curve the test. We went over the questions that most students got wrong and you were able to write down the reasoning behind those tricky questions. I also tried to give page numbers so you could look up those concepts again. I did give everyone an extra point for #5. Please read the top paragraph on page 82 to remember that the right temporal lobe is involved in face recognition.
General comments about the trickiest questions: Many of you missed the ones related to the types of neurotransmitters (chart on page 62) and what each hemisphere is specialized in doing.
3) Notetaking Assignment. If your test scores have been below the mean, you are required to improve your notes! I gave you three different methods of notetaking: Cornell, Mind Maps, SQ3R and you can choose. I will check your notes on Thursday.
4) Striking Similarities. We spend the last 10 minutes of class finding similarities and differences between your neighbor and you. Just because you can find striking similarities in identical twins separated at birth, you cannot say it is because of GENES! You found similarities just in 5 minutes of talking with someone you happen to sit next to in class.
5) "Codes for Life" DVD: Amazing studies of twins, discussion of behavior genetics, evolutionary psychology, and environment role.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 3 pages 116-125.
2) Notetaking systems for those of you with means on the tests lower than 80. Pick a system and use it this chapter! I will be checking each day!
3) Chapter 3 vocabulary notecards (optional)
4) Check Powerschool
1) Neuron Note. You didn't have answers to read today, but you wrote a new question based on the weekend's textbook reading on behavior genetics, twin studies, and evolutionary psychology.
2) Brain Test Review. I put the test data (distribution, mean, median, mode, standard deviation, histogram, grade scale) on the overhead so you could see how we did as a class as well as how you did in comparison with your classmates. Since many people earned a high scores of 95, 96, 97, and even 98, I did not curve the test. We went over the questions that most students got wrong and you were able to write down the reasoning behind those tricky questions. I also tried to give page numbers so you could look up those concepts again. I did give everyone an extra point for #5. Please read the top paragraph on page 82 to remember that the right temporal lobe is involved in face recognition.
General comments about the trickiest questions: Many of you missed the ones related to the types of neurotransmitters (chart on page 62) and what each hemisphere is specialized in doing.
3) Notetaking Assignment. If your test scores have been below the mean, you are required to improve your notes! I gave you three different methods of notetaking: Cornell, Mind Maps, SQ3R and you can choose. I will check your notes on Thursday.
4) Striking Similarities. We spend the last 10 minutes of class finding similarities and differences between your neighbor and you. Just because you can find striking similarities in identical twins separated at birth, you cannot say it is because of GENES! You found similarities just in 5 minutes of talking with someone you happen to sit next to in class.
5) "Codes for Life" DVD: Amazing studies of twins, discussion of behavior genetics, evolutionary psychology, and environment role.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 3 pages 116-125.
2) Notetaking systems for those of you with means on the tests lower than 80. Pick a system and use it this chapter! I will be checking each day!
3) Chapter 3 vocabulary notecards (optional)
4) Check Powerschool
Friday, September 18, 2009
September 18: Chapter 2 Test on Brain
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Notes. You didn't need to write a new question, but I gave you the responses from the last class. You had time to read before the test.
2) Collect Test Prep Assignment. Great songs, stories, and swimcaps! I hope it was helpful to remember the functions of the brain parts.
3) Chapter 2 Test. 100 multiple choice questions on the brain. Mean If you were absent, you will take the test at the beginning of class on Tuesday while we go over the correct answers. Please come early so you can get settled and get it completed without missing too much of the rest of class.
3) Development Outline. You received the new outline for this next unit. Please get organized. We'll have some great conversations about nature/nurture and human development. The next test will cover both chapter 3 and chapter 4. Start making those notecards this weekend if this system is working for you!
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 3 up to page 116.
1) Neuron Notes. You didn't need to write a new question, but I gave you the responses from the last class. You had time to read before the test.
2) Collect Test Prep Assignment. Great songs, stories, and swimcaps! I hope it was helpful to remember the functions of the brain parts.
3) Chapter 2 Test. 100 multiple choice questions on the brain. Mean If you were absent, you will take the test at the beginning of class on Tuesday while we go over the correct answers. Please come early so you can get settled and get it completed without missing too much of the rest of class.
3) Development Outline. You received the new outline for this next unit. Please get organized. We'll have some great conversations about nature/nurture and human development. The next test will cover both chapter 3 and chapter 4. Start making those notecards this weekend if this system is working for you!
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 3 up to page 116.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
September 16: Hemisphere Dominance and Brain Video
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You wrote a new questions and you read the answers of last class' question. You also wrote 5 terms, concepts, people, studies, etc. that are still bugging you. You met with your neighbor and heard their explanation of the things that are still tricky for you. Now you know the areas you need to study and you know you can ask other student's about topics.
2) Hemisphere Dominance. We all use both sides of our brains ALWAYS! But looking at the separate abilities of each side, we understand the specialization of each hemisphere. Then we watched, "Scientific American Frontiers: Pieces of Mind" clip on Michael Gazzinaga's research with split brain patients. WOW!!!
3) "Make Up Your Mind" video. This is more "Scientific American Frontiers" where Alan Alda visits different researchers and shares some amazing findings. 1) Phineas Gage's skull and what we know 2) Children and their fragile memories 3) Moral and difficult decisions and the brain regions 4) Being blind and brain plasticity 5) Missing a brain hemisphere and living normally
Assignments:
1) Are you done with chapter 2? Test on chapter 2 is on Friday! STUDY HARD!
2) Preparing for the Test Assignment. You can choose the from four options to identify parts of the brain and their functions -- write about how each part is involved in an activity you do, write a song about parts, write creatively a superhero story where one part grows and other shrink, or map the brain with markers on a swim cap.
1) Neuron Note. You wrote a new questions and you read the answers of last class' question. You also wrote 5 terms, concepts, people, studies, etc. that are still bugging you. You met with your neighbor and heard their explanation of the things that are still tricky for you. Now you know the areas you need to study and you know you can ask other student's about topics.
2) Hemisphere Dominance. We all use both sides of our brains ALWAYS! But looking at the separate abilities of each side, we understand the specialization of each hemisphere. Then we watched, "Scientific American Frontiers: Pieces of Mind" clip on Michael Gazzinaga's research with split brain patients. WOW!!!
3) "Make Up Your Mind" video. This is more "Scientific American Frontiers" where Alan Alda visits different researchers and shares some amazing findings. 1) Phineas Gage's skull and what we know 2) Children and their fragile memories 3) Moral and difficult decisions and the brain regions 4) Being blind and brain plasticity 5) Missing a brain hemisphere and living normally
Assignments:
1) Are you done with chapter 2? Test on chapter 2 is on Friday! STUDY HARD!
2) Preparing for the Test Assignment. You can choose the from four options to identify parts of the brain and their functions -- write about how each part is involved in an activity you do, write a song about parts, write creatively a superhero story where one part grows and other shrink, or map the brain with markers on a swim cap.
Monday, September 14, 2009
September 14: Play-Doh Brains
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You read the answers and wrote one more good question related to the reading. I think this activity is really working out for us. Make the most of the reviewing.
2) I checked notes and notecards again. I have to say that some of you are settled in and have BEAUTIFUL notes!! :) Some of you are not impressing me with your quality of notes or your lack of notes. You will not make it if you do not keep up with the reading. You might be able to get away with reading the chapter quickly before the test or without the notes now, but it will be VERY sad when we study for the AP test in May. For those of you without notes, I'll check again on Wednesday.
3) Pop Quiz on Ch.2 up to page 85.
4) Play-doh Brains. We made brains using play-doh. We started from the spinal cord, built the brain stem, added the limbic system, and finished with the cerebral cortex. I tried to make it "real." Make sure you know the parts, where they are located and what they do.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter pp..85-93. Hey, you might as well finish it!
2) Study those vocabulary notecards. Come to class with the 5 that are still hard for you.
FYI: TEST on Friday!
1) Neuron Note. You read the answers and wrote one more good question related to the reading. I think this activity is really working out for us. Make the most of the reviewing.
2) I checked notes and notecards again. I have to say that some of you are settled in and have BEAUTIFUL notes!! :) Some of you are not impressing me with your quality of notes or your lack of notes. You will not make it if you do not keep up with the reading. You might be able to get away with reading the chapter quickly before the test or without the notes now, but it will be VERY sad when we study for the AP test in May. For those of you without notes, I'll check again on Wednesday.
3) Pop Quiz on Ch.2 up to page 85.
4) Play-doh Brains. We made brains using play-doh. We started from the spinal cord, built the brain stem, added the limbic system, and finished with the cerebral cortex. I tried to make it "real." Make sure you know the parts, where they are located and what they do.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter pp..85-93. Hey, you might as well finish it!
2) Study those vocabulary notecards. Come to class with the 5 that are still hard for you.
FYI: TEST on Friday!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
September 10: Neurons and the Nervous System
In- Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You read answers to your awesome questions and asked a new question related to the brain. Nice work everyone! I also checked your notecards and notes. Many of you are doing
2) Neuron Models. WOW! You guys are super creative! Not one lame neuron model. Whether they were made out of food, clothes, toys, or your own drawings, I hope they helped you learn the parts of the neuron and their function. We got a chance to judge the best ones from each class and I am proud to tell you:
3) Neural Transmission. We re-read the section in your book (page 56) on how neurons fire. It is really important that you understand action potential, resting potential, positive/negative ions, refractory periods, excititory/inhibitory signals, etc. Then we went outside and made ourselves into neurons. Some of you were dendrites, cell bodies, axons, axon terminals. I supplied the neurotransmitters (M & Ms) from a axon terminal, then the dendrites "ate" the neurotransmitters until they reached the treshold and told the neuron to fire, positive ions rushed in and negative ions rushed out as the neuron depolarizes and the message was sent down the axon to the terminal branches and the synapse. Then we did it again. Hopefully, it was helpful.
4) Neurotransmitters. We went over the chart on the Neuron Note and the one on page 62 in your book. You must know them! Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, Ach, glutamate, GABA.
4) Nervous System. You completed the chart of the Nervous System with sticky notes so you can see if you really know those parts and how they are organized. I told my personal stories of CNS and PNS injuries. Morals of those stories: Wear your seat belt and be good to your parents.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 2 up to page 75.
2) Study the chapter 2 vocabulary!
3) Don't forget your play-doh for Monday's brain creation
FYI: Chapter 2 test is on Friday, the 19th.
1) Neuron Note. You read answers to your awesome questions and asked a new question related to the brain. Nice work everyone! I also checked your notecards and notes. Many of you are doing
2) Neuron Models. WOW! You guys are super creative! Not one lame neuron model. Whether they were made out of food, clothes, toys, or your own drawings, I hope they helped you learn the parts of the neuron and their function. We got a chance to judge the best ones from each class and I am proud to tell you:
2B's Best Neurons
#1 Josh Dolin's Mr. Potato Head Neuron
#2 Rachel Brown's Poke Neuron
#3 (tie) Molly Willms' Pants and Sarah Story's Forensics Neurons
#2 Rachel Brown's Poke Neuron
#3 (tie) Molly Willms' Pants and Sarah Story's Forensics Neurons
3B's Best Neurons
#1 Lizzie Wasilewski's Billboard Neuron
#2 Sandy Zerkle's Pez Neuron
#3 (tie) Chloe Reichelt's Studio Audience and Rachel Miller's Music Neurons
#2 Sandy Zerkle's Pez Neuron
#3 (tie) Chloe Reichelt's Studio Audience and Rachel Miller's Music Neurons
3) Neural Transmission. We re-read the section in your book (page 56) on how neurons fire. It is really important that you understand action potential, resting potential, positive/negative ions, refractory periods, excititory/inhibitory signals, etc. Then we went outside and made ourselves into neurons. Some of you were dendrites, cell bodies, axons, axon terminals. I supplied the neurotransmitters (M & Ms) from a axon terminal, then the dendrites "ate" the neurotransmitters until they reached the treshold and told the neuron to fire, positive ions rushed in and negative ions rushed out as the neuron depolarizes and the message was sent down the axon to the terminal branches and the synapse. Then we did it again. Hopefully, it was helpful.
4) Neurotransmitters. We went over the chart on the Neuron Note and the one on page 62 in your book. You must know them! Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, Ach, glutamate, GABA.
4) Nervous System. You completed the chart of the Nervous System with sticky notes so you can see if you really know those parts and how they are organized. I told my personal stories of CNS and PNS injuries. Morals of those stories: Wear your seat belt and be good to your parents.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 2 up to page 75.
2) Study the chapter 2 vocabulary!
3) Don't forget your play-doh for Monday's brain creation
FYI: Chapter 2 test is on Friday, the 19th.
September 8: Review Test and Brain Intro
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You didn't have answers to read today, but you wrote a new question based on the weekend's textbook reading on neural communication.
2) Prologue/Chapter 1 Test Review. I put the test data (distribution, mean, median, mode, standard deviation, histogram, grade scale) on the overhead so you could see how we did as a class as well as how you did in comparison with your classmates. Since the highest score was an 93, I curved the test by making the total points 95, not 100. We went over the questions that most students got wrong and you were able to write down the reasoning behind those tricky questions. I also tried to give page numbers so you could look up those concepts again. No matter how you did, you should be motivated to improve your test preparation, notetaking, vocabulary memorization, and study plans. As you learn more and more about what to expect from these tests and adjust your system for this class, you will be more and more successful.
General comments about the trickiest questions: Many of you missed the ones related to the early philosophers and psychologists. Study the chart on the bottom of page 3 and memorize those early names. Make sure you know that psychological research is broken down into three categories: description, correlation, experimentation.
3) Neuron Model Assignment Explanation: For tonight, your job is to make a model of a neuron with readily available supplies from your house. It must have all the parts (axon, dendrites, cell body, nucleus, myelin sheath labeled AND defined. Be thorough and thoughtful, and have fun and be creative.
4) Animal Research Taking Sides Discussion. Way to Go! Most of you read the two arguments for and against animal research in psychology. We broke into small groups and you discussed the articles and your personal opinion on the topic. We reconvened at a large group and discussed more. There are many hot topics on psychology and we'll try to read about them as we go through the semester.
5) Inside Out DVD "The Most Amazing Machine." This was a great way to introduce the brain. We took notes.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 2 pages 65-76.
2) Neuron Model is due on Thursday.
3) Make notecards so you can just review vocabulary next week. I'll check them on Thursday.
4) Play-doh is needed for class on Monday.
FYI: Chapter 2 test is Friday, September 19.
1) Neuron Note. You didn't have answers to read today, but you wrote a new question based on the weekend's textbook reading on neural communication.
2) Prologue/Chapter 1 Test Review. I put the test data (distribution, mean, median, mode, standard deviation, histogram, grade scale) on the overhead so you could see how we did as a class as well as how you did in comparison with your classmates. Since the highest score was an 93, I curved the test by making the total points 95, not 100. We went over the questions that most students got wrong and you were able to write down the reasoning behind those tricky questions. I also tried to give page numbers so you could look up those concepts again. No matter how you did, you should be motivated to improve your test preparation, notetaking, vocabulary memorization, and study plans. As you learn more and more about what to expect from these tests and adjust your system for this class, you will be more and more successful.
General comments about the trickiest questions: Many of you missed the ones related to the early philosophers and psychologists. Study the chart on the bottom of page 3 and memorize those early names. Make sure you know that psychological research is broken down into three categories: description, correlation, experimentation.
3) Neuron Model Assignment Explanation: For tonight, your job is to make a model of a neuron with readily available supplies from your house. It must have all the parts (axon, dendrites, cell body, nucleus, myelin sheath labeled AND defined. Be thorough and thoughtful, and have fun and be creative.
4) Animal Research Taking Sides Discussion. Way to Go! Most of you read the two arguments for and against animal research in psychology. We broke into small groups and you discussed the articles and your personal opinion on the topic. We reconvened at a large group and discussed more. There are many hot topics on psychology and we'll try to read about them as we go through the semester.
5) Inside Out DVD "The Most Amazing Machine." This was a great way to introduce the brain. We took notes.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 2 pages 65-76.
2) Neuron Model is due on Thursday.
3) Make notecards so you can just review vocabulary next week. I'll check them on Thursday.
4) Play-doh is needed for class on Monday.
FYI: Chapter 2 test is Friday, September 19.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
September 3: Test on Prologue and Chapter 1
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Notes. You didn't need to write a new question, but I gave you the responses from the last class. You had time to read before the test.
2) Animal Research and Ethics. Is it right that some animals suffer for research to help humans? I gave you some background on this issue and you watched a short clip of researchers talking about animal research including Edward Taub whose lab was shut down in the 1980s by PETA. Then we talked about the APA's ethical guidelines for experimentation.
3) Prologue/Chapter 1 Test. You completed your first of 14 multiple choice exams that you will take this year. 100 multiple choice questions in 70 minutes. The questions came from the writers of the textbook, so you should have memorized those first 50+pages. If you were absent, you will take the test at the beginning of class on Tuesday while we go over the correct answers. Please come early so you can get settled and get it completed without missing too much of the rest of class.
3) Brain/Biology Outline. You received the new outline for this next unit. You should use it to get organized. The BRAIN is great! The chapter 2 test will be in two weeks on Friday, September 18...start making those notecards tonight!
Side Note: As you visit Powerschool to check your test score, please think about what you did to prepare for the exam. If you didn't do as well as you thought you would, you need to rethink how you prepared. This is a college-level class with a college-level textbook and college-level tests. You must not only memorize the vocabulary, but make those concepts real. What can you do differently to improve your score for the next test? We will go over the tests on Tuesday and you can use that time to ask questions and learn more about these concepts before we move on. If you did well on the test, find someone who didn't do so hot and help them prepare better for the next test. Not only will you make a friend, but it will help you know the concepts even more as you explain them.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 2 pp. 57-65
2) Animal Research Taking Sides Readings and Analysis. Should animal research be eliminated? Read both sides of this hot topic and come prepared for a class discussion.
3) Start making those notecards! Mastering the vocabulary early is key since we will use those words throughout the next chapter.
1) Neuron Notes. You didn't need to write a new question, but I gave you the responses from the last class. You had time to read before the test.
2) Animal Research and Ethics. Is it right that some animals suffer for research to help humans? I gave you some background on this issue and you watched a short clip of researchers talking about animal research including Edward Taub whose lab was shut down in the 1980s by PETA. Then we talked about the APA's ethical guidelines for experimentation.
3) Prologue/Chapter 1 Test. You completed your first of 14 multiple choice exams that you will take this year. 100 multiple choice questions in 70 minutes. The questions came from the writers of the textbook, so you should have memorized those first 50+pages. If you were absent, you will take the test at the beginning of class on Tuesday while we go over the correct answers. Please come early so you can get settled and get it completed without missing too much of the rest of class.
3) Brain/Biology Outline. You received the new outline for this next unit. You should use it to get organized. The BRAIN is great! The chapter 2 test will be in two weeks on Friday, September 18...start making those notecards tonight!
Side Note: As you visit Powerschool to check your test score, please think about what you did to prepare for the exam. If you didn't do as well as you thought you would, you need to rethink how you prepared. This is a college-level class with a college-level textbook and college-level tests. You must not only memorize the vocabulary, but make those concepts real. What can you do differently to improve your score for the next test? We will go over the tests on Tuesday and you can use that time to ask questions and learn more about these concepts before we move on. If you did well on the test, find someone who didn't do so hot and help them prepare better for the next test. Not only will you make a friend, but it will help you know the concepts even more as you explain them.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 2 pp. 57-65
2) Animal Research Taking Sides Readings and Analysis. Should animal research be eliminated? Read both sides of this hot topic and come prepared for a class discussion.
3) Start making those notecards! Mastering the vocabulary early is key since we will use those words throughout the next chapter.
Monday, August 31, 2009
September 1: Statistics
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note: You wrote one last Neuron Note before the test and you read the answers to last class' questions.
2) I collected the Psych Sim: Statistics assignment.
3) I also gave you one more experiment to identify the hypothesis, IV, DV, experimental group, control group. If you are still having trouble with this, talk to me or your study buddy before the test!
4) Sample Size Matters. Each of you got a sample of M&Ms. You calculated the percentage of each color of your M&Ms sample. Is it representative of the entire population of M&Ms' colors? No. So we calculated the entire class' M&M sample. Was it representative of the entire population of M&Ms? No. But it made the point of sampling and it tasted good.
Here is the distribution of colors:
13% Brown, 14% Yellow, 20% Orange, 13% Red, 16%Green, 24% Blue
For more M&Ms info, visit: http://us.mms.com/us/
5) Central Tendency and Height. You all became "data" and we organized ourselves into a dichotomy, trichotomy, continuum, range, and histogram with mean, median, mode.
6) Standard Deviation Notes. We went step-by-step through the calculations of standard deviation using the example of punting distances. I explained the Normal Curve and its key percentages: 68%, 95%, 99.7%
7) Correlation Coefficient Notes. You do not need to know how to calculate it, but you do need to know what it means. There are two major questions to ask: Is it positive or negative? What is the strength? We went through examples and I encouraged you to find more in your life.
8) We tried out the new video series, "Inside Out" with the episode called "Endless Questions." It is a good summary for chapter 1.
Assignments:
1) Finish Chapter 1
2) Study for the first big test on Thursday. 100 Multiple Choice Questions in 70 Minutes. Get together with your study buddy. Review flashcards. Re-read the sections that were confusing. Send a message me. Good Luck! Remember to overlearn!
3) Placebo Effect Extra Credit DVD at lunch if you are interested...
1) Neuron Note: You wrote one last Neuron Note before the test and you read the answers to last class' questions.
2) I collected the Psych Sim: Statistics assignment.
3) I also gave you one more experiment to identify the hypothesis, IV, DV, experimental group, control group. If you are still having trouble with this, talk to me or your study buddy before the test!
4) Sample Size Matters. Each of you got a sample of M&Ms. You calculated the percentage of each color of your M&Ms sample. Is it representative of the entire population of M&Ms' colors? No. So we calculated the entire class' M&M sample. Was it representative of the entire population of M&Ms? No. But it made the point of sampling and it tasted good.
Here is the distribution of colors:
13% Brown, 14% Yellow, 20% Orange, 13% Red, 16%Green, 24% Blue
For more M&Ms info, visit: http://us.mms.com/us/
5) Central Tendency and Height. You all became "data" and we organized ourselves into a dichotomy, trichotomy, continuum, range, and histogram with mean, median, mode.
6) Standard Deviation Notes. We went step-by-step through the calculations of standard deviation using the example of punting distances. I explained the Normal Curve and its key percentages: 68%, 95%, 99.7%
7) Correlation Coefficient Notes. You do not need to know how to calculate it, but you do need to know what it means. There are two major questions to ask: Is it positive or negative? What is the strength? We went through examples and I encouraged you to find more in your life.
8) We tried out the new video series, "Inside Out" with the episode called "Endless Questions." It is a good summary for chapter 1.
Assignments:
1) Finish Chapter 1
2) Study for the first big test on Thursday. 100 Multiple Choice Questions in 70 Minutes. Get together with your study buddy. Review flashcards. Re-read the sections that were confusing. Send a message me. Good Luck! Remember to overlearn!
3) Placebo Effect Extra Credit DVD at lunch if you are interested...
Saturday, August 29, 2009
August 28: Research Methods
What a wacky shortened period! Lock-down. Swine Flu. We'll get into this school routine somehow!
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You read responses from last class' questions and you asked new questions in regards to the reading.
2) Since the period was shortened, I chose to cut the pop quiz you were going to take today. Many of you have ROCKSTAR notes so I expect you would have gotten a 10/10! Keep up the hard work!
3) We got into our groups from the naturalistic observation. You brainstormed different human behaviors that make us curious. This is what research psychologists do -- spending their days ask questions, using the scientific method to find answers to those questions, refining their questions, and doing more studies. You made a list of interesting behaviors you observed and developed hypotheses based on those interesting behaviors. Then, you tried to operationally define your hypotheses from your observation and determine a plan for trying to do more research on your prediction. We shared our hypothesis with each other. I collected all of the naturalistic work.
4) We took notes over Description Research methods of surveys, naturalistic observation, interviews, case studies and all of pros and cons for using them. Then we took notes over Correlational Research or Non-Experimental Research and how it is used to find associations between variables. We discussed when and why it is used. And we took notes over Experimentation and analyzed the five basic parts of an experiment: Hypothesis, Independent Variable, Dependent Variable, Experimental Group, and Control Group. You heard about Theresa Amabile's experiment examining creativity and competitive rewards. We dissected her experiment into the five basic elements. We also discussed operational definitions, confounding variables, random assignment, lab vs. field experiments, and replication.
Assignments:
1) Read Chapter 1 pp. 41-47 or just finish it!
2) Psych Sim on Descriptive Statistics and Correlation. Use the textbook's website and complete the two simulations. Then practice what you learned with this handout.
3) Test over Prologue and Chapter 1 is next Thursday.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
August 26: Introduction to Research
Good Job Everyone! I am impressed by most of you...great notes, nice system for notecards, thoughtful Neuron Note questions, connections made with other classmates. Way to go! If you cannot keep up, you need to talk to me now before it becomes a problem. Send me an email if you are having issues.
In-Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note...You read my responses to last class period's questions and wrote a new question. What do you think of this? I also gave you a "Question of the Day" -- a difficult but relevant concept that you might have found while reading or settling into the routine of studying psychology.
Today's Question: Why was Roger Sperry important?
2) You turned in your textbook website assignment. If you were not able to get it via email, I apologize. Please do it tonight. FYI: Late work will earn half points and I will not accept it once it becomes a habit.
3) Scissors Game. You passed scissors around the room as I said "Correct" of "Incorrect."
You tried to figure out the rule of this odd game. It was fun and gave you a chance to "feel" the scientific method. Observing, making a hypothesis, doing your research, finding conclusions and doing it all over again.
4) We tried to continue understanding how psychologists use critical thinking to understand behavior and mental processes by taking some notes.
5) We watched the Phil Zimbardo video "Understanding Research" to get our minds turned on to why psychologists do experiments and other types of research. It talked about placebo effect, double-blind studies, correlation is not necessarily causation, placebo effect, and more.
5) You got the Naturalistic Observation assignment. With a partner in class, you must to observe two or more people interacting for ~10 minutes and take notes. Once your notes are complete and before you talk to your partner, you write up a 1-page summary of your observation and then swap with your partner. After reading their response, you record the differences in your observations. You must complete this assignment before class on Friday.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 1 pp. 31-42
2) Naturalistic Observation
Monday, August 24, 2009
August 24: Approaches to Psychology
ATTENTION 2B!! I FORGOT TO GIVE YOU THE HANDOUT TO EXAMINE THE TEXTBOOK'S WEBSITE! I AM SENDING IT TO YOU AS AN ATTACHMENT VIA EMAIL AND IT IS ALSO HANGING ON MY CLASSROOM DOOR!
In Class-Activities:
1) You wrote a Neuron Note and read the responses to last period's Neuron Note questions. This will be a regular activity at the start of class every day. Hopefully, you will make the most of it by getting out your notes, reviewing them, writing a thoughtful question or comment, and then reading my answers to your previous questions. The goal is to REVIEW the textbook reading. If you haven't read, please do not write a question. Keep up with the reading!!! And reviewing!!!
2) We made sure everyone was ready to start learning so it was the last time to show me a book covered, parent signature, binder with dividers, and notecards. I also checked that you had created the vocabulary notecards of the Prologue and Chapter 1. Nice Job. There were some very creative ways to keep them organized. Keep up the good work!
3) As a way to really understand each perspective of psychology, you broke into your table teams and made a poster of all the approaches to psychology. In your group, you compared the chart on page 11 in your textbook with the College Board Outline and then with the "Psychology & You" textbook's explanation of the approaches. You made a poster of perspectives. With each perspective, you wrote the definition, listed famous people, and gave examples. At the end of class, we analyzed a situation with a woman who was depressed after dating a man of a different religion. The goal of the day was to REALLY understand the differing views psychologists take when examining human behavior.
Assignments:
1) Read the beginning of chapter 1 up to page 30.
2) Review all the notecards you made for the Prologue and chapter1.
3) Visit the textbook's website and complete the handout. OH NO!!! I forgot to give it to Pierod 2B! I'll email it to all of you! You can get a copy of it on my classroom door!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
August 20: Introduction/History of Psych
In-Class Activities:
1) You wrote your first Neuron Note. This is a way for you to ask me questions about the reading every class period. If you do not have a question from the reading, you can make a thoughtful comment. I do this activity for many reasons but the main one is so you continually review the reading. Think about it: You read and took notes over the assigned pages at home. Today, you reviewed your notes by thinking about them as you wrote your Neuron Note. Tonight, I am responding to your questions and you will be able to read all the answers on Monday. It keeps you reviewing and reviewing the reading. If you do not read, please do not waste your time and my time writing a bogus question. This daily activity is for serious students who have genuine questions and thoughts about the reading.
2) I checked your Book Cover, Parent Signature, Binder with Dividers. You must have a system and these easy activities some me that you are getting yourself organized. I am impressed by some of you. Those of you who could not do these simple assignments need to reconsider whether or not you can keep up with this class. It is an AP elective and you will need to be on top of the assignments. Please think about your ability to participate fully if these easy tasks were too much.
3) Study Skills Assessment. We went over the assignment to assess your study skills. Knowing what kind of learner you are, along with how well you take notes on the reading and lectures, are key to doing well in AP Psych. Please consider all of this as you settle into the routine of this class. Again, some of you might consider choosing another elective if this activity was too challenging.
4) We watched the first in a video series called "Discovering Psychology." It is outdated and we will not be using it this year, but is iconic in the world of psychology. Even though the clips are old, it is a fabulous review on the major units of study. Philip Zimbardo, former professor and researcher at Stanford and APA President, is the narrator. Today's video was a simple introduction to psychology with a great review of the major historical figures.
5) We completed a "quiz" that challenged your assumptions. For example, what professional baseball player stole the most bases in a year? The answer is Sophie Kurys, a female who played on the Women's Professional Baseball Team of the Racine Belles in 1946. While trying to understand human behavior, we jump to conclusions that we believe to be true, but we haven't seen the whole picture. I encourage you to let go of your overconfidence in what you know to be true and realize much of our assumptions are not 100% accurate.
6) I lectured on the History of Psychology: its roots, its beginning as a science and as therapy, as well as current views.
Assignments:
1) Read the rest of the Prologue pp.9-16 Take serious notes and think about what you might ask as a Neuron Note question next class.
2) Send me an email answering one of the eight FAQ of psychology and the name of your Study Buddy.
3) Complete all the vocabulary notecards for the Prologue and Ch.1
1) You wrote your first Neuron Note. This is a way for you to ask me questions about the reading every class period. If you do not have a question from the reading, you can make a thoughtful comment. I do this activity for many reasons but the main one is so you continually review the reading. Think about it: You read and took notes over the assigned pages at home. Today, you reviewed your notes by thinking about them as you wrote your Neuron Note. Tonight, I am responding to your questions and you will be able to read all the answers on Monday. It keeps you reviewing and reviewing the reading. If you do not read, please do not waste your time and my time writing a bogus question. This daily activity is for serious students who have genuine questions and thoughts about the reading.
2) I checked your Book Cover, Parent Signature, Binder with Dividers. You must have a system and these easy activities some me that you are getting yourself organized. I am impressed by some of you. Those of you who could not do these simple assignments need to reconsider whether or not you can keep up with this class. It is an AP elective and you will need to be on top of the assignments. Please think about your ability to participate fully if these easy tasks were too much.
3) Study Skills Assessment. We went over the assignment to assess your study skills. Knowing what kind of learner you are, along with how well you take notes on the reading and lectures, are key to doing well in AP Psych. Please consider all of this as you settle into the routine of this class. Again, some of you might consider choosing another elective if this activity was too challenging.
4) We watched the first in a video series called "Discovering Psychology." It is outdated and we will not be using it this year, but is iconic in the world of psychology. Even though the clips are old, it is a fabulous review on the major units of study. Philip Zimbardo, former professor and researcher at Stanford and APA President, is the narrator. Today's video was a simple introduction to psychology with a great review of the major historical figures.
5) We completed a "quiz" that challenged your assumptions. For example, what professional baseball player stole the most bases in a year? The answer is Sophie Kurys, a female who played on the Women's Professional Baseball Team of the Racine Belles in 1946. While trying to understand human behavior, we jump to conclusions that we believe to be true, but we haven't seen the whole picture. I encourage you to let go of your overconfidence in what you know to be true and realize much of our assumptions are not 100% accurate.
6) I lectured on the History of Psychology: its roots, its beginning as a science and as therapy, as well as current views.
Assignments:
1) Read the rest of the Prologue pp.9-16 Take serious notes and think about what you might ask as a Neuron Note question next class.
2) Send me an email answering one of the eight FAQ of psychology and the name of your Study Buddy.
3) Complete all the vocabulary notecards for the Prologue and Ch.1
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
August 18: First Day of AP Psych
Welcome to AP Psychology!
I am psyched! I hope you are psyched too.
Over the years, I have used many ways to communicate with students regularly outside of class, but the blog has been super helpful since I am only at LAHS on B days. My goal is for you to feel very connected to AP Psych and never feel like you "don't know what is going on." Please bookmark this blog and visit it before you come to class everyday. I will post our class activities, assignments, great websites, fresh ideas, and more.
In-Class Activities:
1) I welcomed you and told you about myself and the class.
2) We went through the AP Psychology Expectations handout, the College Board's AP Psychology outline, Exam Tidbits, and Advice from Last Year's AP Psych students. This is a college level class and we will be taking the AP exam in May. If this commitment is too much, you should make an appointment with your counselor for a schedule change. Regular Psychology might better suit your needs.
3) You completed a notecard of information about yourself: basic information as well as your strengths/weaknesses/worthwhile learning experiences/ineffective learning experiences.
4) You completed a survey on contentious topics of psychology. We had a mini discussion on the topics. Nature vs. Nurture, man!
Tonight's Assignments:
Quick stuff...
1) Cover your book
2) Have your parent's sign the AP Psych Expectations handout.
3) Get a binder with 14 dividers (that can just be colored paper) that correspond with the units on the College Board Outline
Online activities...
4) Email me at l.ovaska@laschools.net
*One topic from you textbook that interests you.
*One cool fact about yourself.
5) Bookmark this blog and www.apa.org
REAL WORK...
6) Complete the AP PSYCH STUDY SKILLS ASSESSMENT. This will give you and me a better understanding of your study habits and skills.
* Take the multiple intelligences quiz and think about how you can in corporate those skills into your studying. Here is the link: Find Your Strengths
*Watch 30 minutes of an educational show and take notes. Bring them so I can assess your notetaking. I suggest PBS' "The Brain Fitness" on tonight (Tuesday) at 9pm on channel 5.
*Look up the Cornell and SQ3R methods of taking notes on a textbook.
*Assess your time management.
7) Read the Prologue pp.1-9 and take superstar notes and make notecards of all the vocabulary in the Prologue if you haven't.
Oh! I forgot...bring Kleenex if you can! :)
Extra Information:
Not only should you visit this blog at: http://ovaska-appsych.blogspot.com/, the American Psychological Association at: www.apa.org, but you should explore the textbook's website at: http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/myers7e
I am psyched! I hope you are psyched too.
Over the years, I have used many ways to communicate with students regularly outside of class, but the blog has been super helpful since I am only at LAHS on B days. My goal is for you to feel very connected to AP Psych and never feel like you "don't know what is going on." Please bookmark this blog and visit it before you come to class everyday. I will post our class activities, assignments, great websites, fresh ideas, and more.
In-Class Activities:
1) I welcomed you and told you about myself and the class.
2) We went through the AP Psychology Expectations handout, the College Board's AP Psychology outline, Exam Tidbits, and Advice from Last Year's AP Psych students. This is a college level class and we will be taking the AP exam in May. If this commitment is too much, you should make an appointment with your counselor for a schedule change. Regular Psychology might better suit your needs.
3) You completed a notecard of information about yourself: basic information as well as your strengths/weaknesses/worthwhile learning experiences/ineffective learning experiences.
4) You completed a survey on contentious topics of psychology. We had a mini discussion on the topics. Nature vs. Nurture, man!
Tonight's Assignments:
Quick stuff...
1) Cover your book
2) Have your parent's sign the AP Psych Expectations handout.
3) Get a binder with 14 dividers (that can just be colored paper) that correspond with the units on the College Board Outline
Online activities...
4) Email me at l.ovaska@laschools.net
*One topic from you textbook that interests you.
*One cool fact about yourself.
5) Bookmark this blog and www.apa.org
REAL WORK...
6) Complete the AP PSYCH STUDY SKILLS ASSESSMENT. This will give you and me a better understanding of your study habits and skills.
* Take the multiple intelligences quiz and think about how you can in corporate those skills into your studying. Here is the link: Find Your Strengths
*Watch 30 minutes of an educational show and take notes. Bring them so I can assess your notetaking. I suggest PBS' "The Brain Fitness" on tonight (Tuesday) at 9pm on channel 5.
*Look up the Cornell and SQ3R methods of taking notes on a textbook.
*Assess your time management.
7) Read the Prologue pp.1-9 and take superstar notes and make notecards of all the vocabulary in the Prologue if you haven't.
Oh! I forgot...bring Kleenex if you can! :)
Extra Information:
Not only should you visit this blog at: http://ovaska-appsych.blogspot.com/, the American Psychological Association at: www.apa.org, but you should explore the textbook's website at: http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/myers7e
Monday, August 17, 2009
WELCOME 2009-2010 AP PSYCH-OS!
Hello and Welcome to AP Psychology at Los Alamos High School!
I am honored to be your teacher for this school year and I look forward to getting to know you. You have selected a challenging and extremely interesting elective as an upperclassmen. My expectations are high and I assume yours are too. Let's make the most of our year together and have fun as we examine human behavior from a scientific perspective.
The goal of this blog is to help you stay connected to psychology beyond class. I'll post our daily class activities and the assignments. I will also try to provide links to other great websites that will help you learn more. Please bookmark it and check it out daily. The more you review, the more you talk about psychology, the more you remember, the more you'll learn, and the better you do on the test.
If you are absent, you'll always know what we did that day and what assignments you need to get done. If you came to class but forgot your agenda, you also can double-check that you got all the assignments. If you would like to review what you've learned before a test, you can look at the recent posts.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning when we meet! I hope you are getting lots of sleep. If not, you might want to read ahead to chapter 7 on consciousness and see why sleep is so important. Or visit the American Psychological Association's article
"Why Sleep is Important and What Happens When You Don't Get Enough"
I am honored to be your teacher for this school year and I look forward to getting to know you. You have selected a challenging and extremely interesting elective as an upperclassmen. My expectations are high and I assume yours are too. Let's make the most of our year together and have fun as we examine human behavior from a scientific perspective.
The goal of this blog is to help you stay connected to psychology beyond class. I'll post our daily class activities and the assignments. I will also try to provide links to other great websites that will help you learn more. Please bookmark it and check it out daily. The more you review, the more you talk about psychology, the more you remember, the more you'll learn, and the better you do on the test.
If you are absent, you'll always know what we did that day and what assignments you need to get done. If you came to class but forgot your agenda, you also can double-check that you got all the assignments. If you would like to review what you've learned before a test, you can look at the recent posts.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning when we meet! I hope you are getting lots of sleep. If not, you might want to read ahead to chapter 7 on consciousness and see why sleep is so important. Or visit the American Psychological Association's article
"Why Sleep is Important and What Happens When You Don't Get Enough"
Friday, May 15, 2009
May 15: CELEBRATION!
Class Activities:
1) Class Awards:
2B
Best Chapter - Social Psych and Brain
Best Activity - Disorders project (Others...Neuron Model, Naturalistic Observation, Cow Eye)
Most Likely to Get a 5 - Daniel Trugman (And...Lauren, Hannah, Jennifer,...)
Most Likely to Be Psychologist - Craig Mortenson (And...Hannah, and many OTHERS!)
Most Creative - Andrew Vierra (And...Natasha, Craig M., Gwen, Arielle)
Most Likely to Miss Phil Z. - Alex Martin (And...Craig M, Craig S., Rachel)
Most Likely to Remember It all - EVERYONE! :)
Best Review Outline - Sarah & Craig (Brain) and Lauren & Gina (Disorders)
Best AP Psych Class - 2B!!
Class Clown - The Craigs
Best Hair?
3B
Best Chapter - Social Psych (Others...Disorders, Brain, Sensation/Perception...)
Best Activity - Disorders project (Others...Neuron Model, Naturalistic Observation, Cow Eye)
Most Likely to Get a 5 - Alec McNamara (And...Bethany, Yvette, Emma...)
Most Likely to Be Psychologist - Yvette Padilla (And...Emma, Bethany...)
Most Creative - Maslyn Locke (And...Bethany)
Most Likely to Miss Phil Z. - Mrs. Ovaska (And...Everyone!)
Most Likely to Remember It - Alec McNamara (And...Emma, Jacinta Bethany, Brianne, Maslyn)
Best Review Outline - Alec & Bethany (S & P) and Yvette & Maslyn (Brain)
Best News Treat - Amy Casson
Notecard Champions - Emma Carroll and Maslyn Locke
2) "What About Bob?" Movie to Celebrate the hard work you've done in AP Psych.
3) While you watched the movie, you completed the Final Exam of questions including advice for next year's AP Psych students.
Assignments:
Find a book related to psychology to read this summer!
Make the most of all you new psych knowledge!
I'll miss you guys! Keep in touch!
1) Class Awards:
2B
Best Chapter - Social Psych and Brain
Best Activity - Disorders project (Others...Neuron Model, Naturalistic Observation, Cow Eye)
Most Likely to Get a 5 - Daniel Trugman (And...Lauren, Hannah, Jennifer,...)
Most Likely to Be Psychologist - Craig Mortenson (And...Hannah, and many OTHERS!)
Most Creative - Andrew Vierra (And...Natasha, Craig M., Gwen, Arielle)
Most Likely to Miss Phil Z. - Alex Martin (And...Craig M, Craig S., Rachel)
Most Likely to Remember It all - EVERYONE! :)
Best Review Outline - Sarah & Craig (Brain) and Lauren & Gina (Disorders)
Best AP Psych Class - 2B!!
Class Clown - The Craigs
Best Hair?
3B
Best Chapter - Social Psych (Others...Disorders, Brain, Sensation/Perception...)
Best Activity - Disorders project (Others...Neuron Model, Naturalistic Observation, Cow Eye)
Most Likely to Get a 5 - Alec McNamara (And...Bethany, Yvette, Emma...)
Most Likely to Be Psychologist - Yvette Padilla (And...Emma, Bethany...)
Most Creative - Maslyn Locke (And...Bethany)
Most Likely to Miss Phil Z. - Mrs. Ovaska (And...Everyone!)
Most Likely to Remember It - Alec McNamara (And...Emma, Jacinta Bethany, Brianne, Maslyn)
Best Review Outline - Alec & Bethany (S & P) and Yvette & Maslyn (Brain)
Best News Treat - Amy Casson
Notecard Champions - Emma Carroll and Maslyn Locke
2) "What About Bob?" Movie to Celebrate the hard work you've done in AP Psych.
3) While you watched the movie, you completed the Final Exam of questions including advice for next year's AP Psych students.
Assignments:
Find a book related to psychology to read this summer!
Make the most of all you new psych knowledge!
I'll miss you guys! Keep in touch!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
May 13: YOU DID IT!!
Class Activities:
1) HIGH FIVE!!
2) Careers you could have if you are interested in majoring in psychology.
3) Fun.
2B: Presentation from Abnormal Psych Independent Study Dudes on disorders. Great conversation!
3B: Cranium.
Assignments:
CELEBRATE!!
1) HIGH FIVE!!
2) Careers you could have if you are interested in majoring in psychology.
3) Fun.
2B: Presentation from Abnormal Psych Independent Study Dudes on disorders. Great conversation!
3B: Cranium.
Assignments:
CELEBRATE!!
Monday, May 11, 2009
May 11: Final Review
Class Activities:
1) Announcements. TEST IS TOMORROW!!!STUDY!! Study those last tricky vocabulary!
2) Review 2004 AP Test. We went through every 100 multiple choice question. Good job everybody! You are doing a good job getting ready for the REAL test!
3) Graded the free-response from the test. Crazy topics, long, but you did it!
Assignments:
BE A ROCKSTAR!!
Tomorrow! Tuesday, May 12th
12:30-3:30 Be there by 12:20. You get released at 11:30 from 3A.
Speech Theater No food allowed so eat a healthy lunch.
100 Multiple Choice in 70 minutes
2 Free-Response in 50 minutes
YOU CAN DO IT!!
1) Announcements. TEST IS TOMORROW!!!STUDY!! Study those last tricky vocabulary!
2) Review 2004 AP Test. We went through every 100 multiple choice question. Good job everybody! You are doing a good job getting ready for the REAL test!
3) Graded the free-response from the test. Crazy topics, long, but you did it!
Assignments:
BE A ROCKSTAR!!
Tomorrow! Tuesday, May 12th
12:30-3:30 Be there by 12:20. You get released at 11:30 from 3A.
Speech Theater No food allowed so eat a healthy lunch.
100 Multiple Choice in 70 minutes
2 Free-Response in 50 minutes
YOU CAN DO IT!!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
May 7: 2004 AP EXAM (aka Your Final)
Class Activities:
1) Announcements. STUDY!! Review the rubrics for the old free-responses. Determine the last tricky vocabulary for you and study those. Re-read old Neuron Notes. Study those awesome outlines.
2) 2004 AP Test. 100 Multiple Choice.
3) Free-Response 2007 Question 1. Long and hard!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! AP PSYCHOLOGY TEST is next!!!
Tuesday, May 12th
12:30-3:30
Speech Theater
100 Multiple Choice in 70 minutes
2 Free-Response in 50 minutes
1) Announcements. STUDY!! Review the rubrics for the old free-responses. Determine the last tricky vocabulary for you and study those. Re-read old Neuron Notes. Study those awesome outlines.
2) 2004 AP Test. 100 Multiple Choice.
3) Free-Response 2007 Question 1. Long and hard!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! AP PSYCHOLOGY TEST is next!!!
Tuesday, May 12th
12:30-3:30
Speech Theater
100 Multiple Choice in 70 minutes
2 Free-Response in 50 minutes
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
May 5: More Outlines
Class Activities:
1) AP Test Information. I gave you a letter with all the details of next week's AP test and suggestions from a student who got a 5.
Tuesday, May 12th
12:30-3:30
Speech Theater
100 Multiple Choice in 70 minutes
2 Free-Response in 50 minutes
Bring pencils, erasers, two black pens.
Don't bring food, phones, notes, books.
2) Free-Responses. We went over the rubrics for the 2005 questions -- Inaccurate Perceptions and Controversial Topics.
3) Review Outlines. We finished going over the summaries!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! Review these outlines, study all vocabulary, review Neuron Notes.
2) FINAL on Thursday. Old AP Test. 100 Multiple Choice and 1 Free-Response (Last ONE!!)
1) AP Test Information. I gave you a letter with all the details of next week's AP test and suggestions from a student who got a 5.
Tuesday, May 12th
12:30-3:30
Speech Theater
100 Multiple Choice in 70 minutes
2 Free-Response in 50 minutes
Bring pencils, erasers, two black pens.
Don't bring food, phones, notes, books.
2) Free-Responses. We went over the rubrics for the 2005 questions -- Inaccurate Perceptions and Controversial Topics.
3) Review Outlines. We finished going over the summaries!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! Review these outlines, study all vocabulary, review Neuron Notes.
2) FINAL on Thursday. Old AP Test. 100 Multiple Choice and 1 Free-Response (Last ONE!!)
Friday, May 1, 2009
May 1: More Free-Responses and More Outlines
Class Activities:
1) Psych News. 2B is done with presentations. 3B heard from Kayla.
2) Free-Responses. We went over the rubrics for the 2004 questions -- Dr. Franklin's study on stress and Time -- and the 2003 question on Smoking.
3) Review Outlines. We continued going over these awesome summaries!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! Review these outlines. Then review the next chapters.
2) Lunch Reviews continue next week.
1) Psych News. 2B is done with presentations. 3B heard from Kayla.
2) Free-Responses. We went over the rubrics for the 2004 questions -- Dr. Franklin's study on stress and Time -- and the 2003 question on Smoking.
3) Review Outlines. We continued going over these awesome summaries!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! Review these outlines. Then review the next chapters.
2) Lunch Reviews continue next week.
April 29: Review Test and Start Outlines
Class Activities:
1) Psych News. 2B is done with presentations. 3B heard from Kayla.
2) Test Review. You discovered the areas of psychology that you need to review. Good job! Class medians of 85 and 86 tell me that you learned this year!!
3) Review Outlines. We started going over these awesome summaries! Bring your highlighters!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! Review these outlines. Then review the next chapters.
2) Lunch Reviews continue. Today is Learning, Memory, Cognition
1) Psych News. 2B is done with presentations. 3B heard from Kayla.
2) Test Review. You discovered the areas of psychology that you need to review. Good job! Class medians of 85 and 86 tell me that you learned this year!!
3) Review Outlines. We started going over these awesome summaries! Bring your highlighters!
Assignments:
1) STUDY!! Review these outlines. Then review the next chapters.
2) Lunch Reviews continue. Today is Learning, Memory, Cognition
Monday, April 27, 2009
April 27: Chapters 1-18 Test
Class Activities:
1) Announcements: Time to hunker down with the AP Exam. You finished the textbook. High Five! You became the expert in one area of psychology and created a unit outline for your classmates. Now it is time to stay focused, think about all the material, review, review, and review some more!! Lunch Reviews over the units will continue.
2) Chapters 1-18 Multiple Choice Test.
3) Free-Response essay.
Assignments:
STUDY for the AP Exam (May 12th in the afternoon).
Suggestions:
Review chapters 1-6 for next class. Chapters 7-14 for Friday. Chapters 15-18 for Tuesday.
Re-read Neuron Notes.
Have someone quiz you on all vocabulary.
Got together with friends and see how many psych concepts you can describe from your life.
JUST STUDY!!
1) Announcements: Time to hunker down with the AP Exam. You finished the textbook. High Five! You became the expert in one area of psychology and created a unit outline for your classmates. Now it is time to stay focused, think about all the material, review, review, and review some more!! Lunch Reviews over the units will continue.
2) Chapters 1-18 Multiple Choice Test.
3) Free-Response essay.
Assignments:
STUDY for the AP Exam (May 12th in the afternoon).
Suggestions:
Review chapters 1-6 for next class. Chapters 7-14 for Friday. Chapters 15-18 for Tuesday.
Re-read Neuron Notes.
Have someone quiz you on all vocabulary.
Got together with friends and see how many psych concepts you can describe from your life.
JUST STUDY!!
April 23: More Social Relations
Class Activities:
1) Psych News. We are almost done!
2) Collected Review Outlines. Awesome! You guys did great and I am so proud of you!
3) Aggression, Attraction, Altruism. I lectured on these final concepts from the book. Nature vs. Nurture with Aggression. What about the crime rate? Beautiful people win! UGH! Love styles.
4) 2004 Free-Response. Just outline them so you can see what they are asking now.
Assignments:
1) Cahpter 1-18 Test is on Monday. STUDY!!
1) Psych News. We are almost done!
2) Collected Review Outlines. Awesome! You guys did great and I am so proud of you!
3) Aggression, Attraction, Altruism. I lectured on these final concepts from the book. Nature vs. Nurture with Aggression. What about the crime rate? Beautiful people win! UGH! Love styles.
4) 2004 Free-Response. Just outline them so you can see what they are asking now.
Assignments:
1) Cahpter 1-18 Test is on Monday. STUDY!!
April 21: Social Relations
Class Activities:
1) Psych News. Let's wrap these up! Neuron Note. This is your last chance to ask me a question.
2) Obedience and Confomrity Discussion. What did you think of those video clips of Phil Z.'s Prison Study and Milgram's Obedience study? Remember...people aren't evil...they just follow orders!
3) Prejudice and Discrimination Discussion. What did you think of the brown eyes/blue eyes classroom experience? Wild, huh!? What about prejudice here in Los Alamos? In LAHS? In your lives? Good talk!
4) Free-Response on Social Psych. You can do it!
Assignments:
1) OUTLINES DUE ON THURSDAY!! Work Hard!
2) Chapter 1-18 Test is on Monday. STUDY!!
1) Psych News. Let's wrap these up! Neuron Note. This is your last chance to ask me a question.
2) Obedience and Confomrity Discussion. What did you think of those video clips of Phil Z.'s Prison Study and Milgram's Obedience study? Remember...people aren't evil...they just follow orders!
3) Prejudice and Discrimination Discussion. What did you think of the brown eyes/blue eyes classroom experience? Wild, huh!? What about prejudice here in Los Alamos? In LAHS? In your lives? Good talk!
4) Free-Response on Social Psych. You can do it!
Assignments:
1) OUTLINES DUE ON THURSDAY!! Work Hard!
2) Chapter 1-18 Test is on Monday. STUDY!!
April 17: Social Psych Videos
Class Activities:
My father is in town and so today you have a sub.
1) No Psych News.
2) Talk about your outline with your partner. Send me an email with your outline attached.
3) GOODBYE PHIL Z. You watched the last Philip Zimbardo videos with amazing clips of famous social psych studies - Zimbardo's Prison Study, Milgrim's Obedience Study, Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes.
Assignments:
1) OUTLINES!! Work hard! They are due next Thursday.
2) Chapter 1-18 Test is on Monday, April 27th.
My father is in town and so today you have a sub.
1) No Psych News.
2) Talk about your outline with your partner. Send me an email with your outline attached.
3) GOODBYE PHIL Z. You watched the last Philip Zimbardo videos with amazing clips of famous social psych studies - Zimbardo's Prison Study, Milgrim's Obedience Study, Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes.
Assignments:
1) OUTLINES!! Work hard! They are due next Thursday.
2) Chapter 1-18 Test is on Monday, April 27th.
April 15: Social Cognition
Class Activities:
Shortened Class Period...Early Release
1) Psych News.
2) Announcements. Final Drafts of Review Outlines due on Thursday, the 23rd. I will be gone next class so ask me your questions ASAP. You will watch the videos on the Social Psych experiments next class and I will give you time to meet with your partners to finish up your outlines.
3) Social Cognition Lecture. We looked at many concepts from the year and how they relate to social psychology (i.e. schema). Social thinking is connected to many of the topics we have already mastered. Fundamental Attribution Error happens all the time!!
Shortened Class Period...Early Release
1) Psych News.
2) Announcements. Final Drafts of Review Outlines due on Thursday, the 23rd. I will be gone next class so ask me your questions ASAP. You will watch the videos on the Social Psych experiments next class and I will give you time to meet with your partners to finish up your outlines.
3) Social Cognition Lecture. We looked at many concepts from the year and how they relate to social psychology (i.e. schema). Social thinking is connected to many of the topics we have already mastered. Fundamental Attribution Error happens all the time!!
April 13: Review Test an Start Social Psych
Class Activities:
1) Psych News.
2) Announcements. You have a unit to become the expert in and you were to get organized over the weekend. It is really important that you work hard on these with your partner. You will be sharing this with everyone and so you need to be thorough.
3) Test Review. People did pretty well on this test and so we didn't spend a lot of time going over the questions.
4) Social Psych Lecture. I explained the difference between psychology/sociology/social psychology.
Assignments:
1) Read Chapter 18.
2) Work on your outlines.
1) Psych News.
2) Announcements. You have a unit to become the expert in and you were to get organized over the weekend. It is really important that you work hard on these with your partner. You will be sharing this with everyone and so you need to be thorough.
3) Test Review. People did pretty well on this test and so we didn't spend a lot of time going over the questions.
4) Social Psych Lecture. I explained the difference between psychology/sociology/social psychology.
Assignments:
1) Read Chapter 18.
2) Work on your outlines.
April 9: UNM Field Trip
The bus drove away at 7am and we went to UNM.
Dr. Vince Clark gave us a tour of the MIND Imaging Center. We saw the fMRI, EEG, and new technology with MEG.
Psychology Professor Dr. Hodge and Program Director Trish gave us a nice welcome to the psychology department and all it has to offer. Rachel Nelson, LAHS alum and Psi Chi student, added to the information.
We were not able to visit Dr. Akaysha Tang's rat lab but Dr. Witherington came in and told us his story and what he is researching.
We also visited research labs in the psychology building.
We ate lunch at the SUB.
We attended the Personality lecture of Stephen Alley.
Assignments:
1) Start working on your outline with your buddy.
2) Read chapter 18.
Dr. Vince Clark gave us a tour of the MIND Imaging Center. We saw the fMRI, EEG, and new technology with MEG.
Psychology Professor Dr. Hodge and Program Director Trish gave us a nice welcome to the psychology department and all it has to offer. Rachel Nelson, LAHS alum and Psi Chi student, added to the information.
We were not able to visit Dr. Akaysha Tang's rat lab but Dr. Witherington came in and told us his story and what he is researching.
We also visited research labs in the psychology building.
We ate lunch at the SUB.
We attended the Personality lecture of Stephen Alley.
Assignments:
1) Start working on your outline with your buddy.
2) Read chapter 18.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
April 7: Test on Treatment
Class Activities:
1) Announcements: Field Trip on Thursday. See you bright and early (6:45am) in Smith for a fun day at UNM. Then it is time to hunker down with the AP Exam. Chapter 18 is the last chapter. You will create unit outlines for each other over the next few weeks. Stay focused. Start thinking about all the material. Lunch Reviews over the units will begin next week.
2) Chapter 17 Multiple Choice Test.
3) Chapter 17 Free-Response essay...just outline it! :)
Assignments:
1) UNM assignment. Bring the website assignment on the bus on Thursday.
2) Review Outlines. We'll assign the topics for the review outlines on the bus.
Review Outline Selection. You choose the topic you will research, review, and explain on an outline for the rest of class.
1) Announcements: Field Trip on Thursday. See you bright and early (6:45am) in Smith for a fun day at UNM. Then it is time to hunker down with the AP Exam. Chapter 18 is the last chapter. You will create unit outlines for each other over the next few weeks. Stay focused. Start thinking about all the material. Lunch Reviews over the units will begin next week.
2) Chapter 17 Multiple Choice Test.
3) Chapter 17 Free-Response essay...just outline it! :)
Assignments:
1) UNM assignment. Bring the website assignment on the bus on Thursday.
2) Review Outlines. We'll assign the topics for the review outlines on the bus.
Review Outline Selection. You choose the topic you will research, review, and explain on an outline for the rest of class.
April 6: Make-Up the Snow Day
Class Activities:
I am not here today...bummer.
1) Announcements: Test on chapter 17 is tomorrow. Field Trip to UNM is on Thursday.
2) Read about medications for psychological treatment.
3) Last video clips of cognitive treatment and biological treatment.
4) Treatment Free-Response. You had 30 minutes to practice yet another essay!
Assignments:
1) Test on treatment tomorrow.
2) UNM Field Trip on Thursday. Bus leaves at 7am.
I am not here today...bummer.
1) Announcements: Test on chapter 17 is tomorrow. Field Trip to UNM is on Thursday.
2) Read about medications for psychological treatment.
3) Last video clips of cognitive treatment and biological treatment.
4) Treatment Free-Response. You had 30 minutes to practice yet another essay!
Assignments:
1) Test on treatment tomorrow.
2) UNM Field Trip on Thursday. Bus leaves at 7am.
March 25: Treatment Lecture
Class Activities:
This is another shortened day.
1) Collect UNM $$ and permission slips. If you are not going on the field trip, you will meet in here and have a work period.
2) Neuron Note/Psych News. You wrote a new question and listened to news.
3) Lecture on Treatment. I explained the five major types of psychotherapy: psychoanalysis, humanism, behavioral, cognitive, and biomedical. While you took notes and watched video clips, I tried to systematically desensitize you to crickets. We looked at them, learned about them, touched them, and a few even ate them. ;)
Assignments:
1) Handout for UNM field trip. Visit the psych department's website and answer questions.
2) Finish Chapter 17 over spring break. Test will be the Tuesday after spring break.
This is another shortened day.
1) Collect UNM $$ and permission slips. If you are not going on the field trip, you will meet in here and have a work period.
2) Neuron Note/Psych News. You wrote a new question and listened to news.
3) Lecture on Treatment. I explained the five major types of psychotherapy: psychoanalysis, humanism, behavioral, cognitive, and biomedical. While you took notes and watched video clips, I tried to systematically desensitize you to crickets. We looked at them, learned about them, touched them, and a few even ate them. ;)
Assignments:
1) Handout for UNM field trip. Visit the psych department's website and answer questions.
2) Finish Chapter 17 over spring break. Test will be the Tuesday after spring break.
Monday, March 23, 2009
March 23: Review Test
Class Activities:
1) Announcements.
Collect UNM $$ and permission slips. If you are a junior and in good standing in class, you can attend the field trip and miss the SBA test that day. You will need to make up this test during the week of April 20th.
If you are interested in learning more outside the classroom, please join me this Friday night for Los Alamos Little Theater's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." It is $10 for students and starts at 7:30. If you cannot attend Friday, it is also playing Saturday, the 28th, Sunday, the 29th (2:00) and next weekend. Los Alamos Little Theater is located behind Central Park Square on Nectar St.
If this is not an option, join me Saturday, April 11th for the Teen Brain Symposium. This is an amzing opportunity to learn a lot from the experts including Abigail Baird, Ph.D. from Vassar College and Mike Weisend, Ph.D. and Sara Feldstein-Ewing, Ph.D. from The Mind Research Network. It couldn't be easier -- they are coming here to UNMLA, it is free, and you get food! Sign up at the JJAB website. http://www.losalamosjjab.com/
2) Psych News and Neuron Note. We are back into the routine of Neuron Notes and a few people presented news articles so we are all caught up.
3) Review the Ch. 16 Test. We went over the trickiest questions.
4) Grade Free-Responses. We graded the free-responses from last class. Hopefully, you feel like you are getting better at them each week.
Assignments:
1) $$ and permission for UNM field trip due on Wednesday.
2) Read chapter 17 up to page 685.
3) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Friday 7pm.
1) Announcements.
Collect UNM $$ and permission slips. If you are a junior and in good standing in class, you can attend the field trip and miss the SBA test that day. You will need to make up this test during the week of April 20th.
If you are interested in learning more outside the classroom, please join me this Friday night for Los Alamos Little Theater's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." It is $10 for students and starts at 7:30. If you cannot attend Friday, it is also playing Saturday, the 28th, Sunday, the 29th (2:00) and next weekend. Los Alamos Little Theater is located behind Central Park Square on Nectar St.
If this is not an option, join me Saturday, April 11th for the Teen Brain Symposium. This is an amzing opportunity to learn a lot from the experts including Abigail Baird, Ph.D. from Vassar College and Mike Weisend, Ph.D. and Sara Feldstein-Ewing, Ph.D. from The Mind Research Network. It couldn't be easier -- they are coming here to UNMLA, it is free, and you get food! Sign up at the JJAB website. http://www.losalamosjjab.com/
2) Psych News and Neuron Note. We are back into the routine of Neuron Notes and a few people presented news articles so we are all caught up.
3) Review the Ch. 16 Test. We went over the trickiest questions.
4) Grade Free-Responses. We graded the free-responses from last class. Hopefully, you feel like you are getting better at them each week.
Assignments:
1) $$ and permission for UNM field trip due on Wednesday.
2) Read chapter 17 up to page 685.
3) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Friday 7pm.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
March 19: Test on Disorders
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You got back all the responses of this unit's questions! Hopefully, it is a good quick review before the test!
2) We will finish the Creative Project Presentations of Eric and Lindy 2B and Heather 3B on Monday.
3) Multiple Choice Test on Chapter 16.
4) Free -Response on Disorders. This was timed. You had 25 minutes to answer it.
Assignments:
1) TURN IN YOUR AP TEST $$!!
2) Start reading chapter 17 up to page 673.
3) $$ and permission for UNM field trip is due before Spring Break!
1) Neuron Note. You got back all the responses of this unit's questions! Hopefully, it is a good quick review before the test!
2) We will finish the Creative Project Presentations of Eric and Lindy 2B and Heather 3B on Monday.
3) Multiple Choice Test on Chapter 16.
4) Free -Response on Disorders. This was timed. You had 25 minutes to answer it.
Assignments:
1) TURN IN YOUR AP TEST $$!!
2) Start reading chapter 17 up to page 673.
3) $$ and permission for UNM field trip is due before Spring Break!
March 17: Presentations of Disorders
Class Activities:
1) Announcements. Turn in your AP exam $$ to Mrs. Arbuckle. Practice another free-response to get you ready for the test on Thursday. We'll get caught up with the News presentations after this test.
2) Presentations of creative projects. Each of you got 3-5 minutes to explain the disorder you selected and your creative project. WOW! You guys continue to be awesome! Great job being creative!
Assignments:
1) Turn in $$.
2) Practice Free-Response due on Thursday.
2) Test on Chapter 16 will be on Monday, March 23.
1) Announcements. Turn in your AP exam $$ to Mrs. Arbuckle. Practice another free-response to get you ready for the test on Thursday. We'll get caught up with the News presentations after this test.
2) Presentations of creative projects. Each of you got 3-5 minutes to explain the disorder you selected and your creative project. WOW! You guys continue to be awesome! Great job being creative!
Assignments:
1) Turn in $$.
2) Practice Free-Response due on Thursday.
2) Test on Chapter 16 will be on Monday, March 23.
Friday, March 13, 2009
March 13: Creative Projects on Disorders
Class Activities:
1) Announcements.
Turn in your AP exam $$ to Mrs. Arbuckle.
Look at www.losalamosjjab.com for information on the Teen Brain Event -- awesome 1/2 day with well-respected researchers learning about the teen brain on April 11th.
Field Trip will be Thursday, April 9th.
2) Presentations of creative projects. Each of you got +5 minutes to explain the disorder you selected and your creative project. WOW! You guys are awesome! Great job being creative and sharing!
Assignments:
1) Turn in $$.
2) Test on Chapter 16 will be on Thursday, March 19.
1) Announcements.
Turn in your AP exam $$ to Mrs. Arbuckle.
Look at www.losalamosjjab.com for information on the Teen Brain Event -- awesome 1/2 day with well-respected researchers learning about the teen brain on April 11th.
Field Trip will be Thursday, April 9th.
2) Presentations of creative projects. Each of you got +5 minutes to explain the disorder you selected and your creative project. WOW! You guys are awesome! Great job being creative and sharing!
Assignments:
1) Turn in $$.
2) Test on Chapter 16 will be on Thursday, March 19.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
March 11: Schizophrenia
Class Activities:
1) Psych News/Neuron Note. You wrote a question. I'll get my responses to you next class. News was presented.
2) Pop Quiz on chapter 16.
3) Schizophrenia Notes and Video clips. We watched a clip of a man named Jerry who has all the classic symptoms of schizophrenia. We also watched the beginning of a Discovery show on schizophrenia. It had great explanation of the disorder.
Assignments:
1) Creative Project is due on Friday.
2) Test on Chapter 16 will be on Thursday, March 19.
1) Psych News/Neuron Note. You wrote a question. I'll get my responses to you next class. News was presented.
2) Pop Quiz on chapter 16.
3) Schizophrenia Notes and Video clips. We watched a clip of a man named Jerry who has all the classic symptoms of schizophrenia. We also watched the beginning of a Discovery show on schizophrenia. It had great explanation of the disorder.
Assignments:
1) Creative Project is due on Friday.
2) Test on Chapter 16 will be on Thursday, March 19.
Monday, March 9, 2009
March 9: Mood Disorders
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News.
2) I collected your handout for the disorder you will present next week. Work on your creative part this week. It was
4) Mood Disorders Notes. Depression, Dysthmia, and Bipolar Disorder.
5) "Fires of the Mind: Depression and Bipolar" Discovery Health program. It is really good at seeing what is these disorders would be like.
Assignments:
1) Read and take notes over chapter 16 to the end.
2) Work on your creative project. It is due on Friday.
March 5: Anxiety Disorders
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. Keep writing those questions. I'll answer them once I finish all those free-responses! :) Psych News
2) Checked Sources. You needed to show me your book titles and websites for you to learn about your selected disorder.
3) Anxiety Disorders. We took notes and watched video clips on over four main ones: Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia, and OCD. Amazing. I shared articles on them and heard stories.
Assignments:
1) Read and take notes over chapter 16 up to page 646.
2) Research your disorder for the creative project. Bring your handout with all the information on Monday.
March 3: Review Test/Select Disorder
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. No Neuron Note. Psych News. When you are signed up, please be prepared at the beginning of class.
2) Review Test. We reviewed the most difficult questions on the chapter 15 test.
3) Select disorder to research. Each of you will research a selected disorder. The assignment is to make a handout with all sorts of information about this disorder, make something creative related to this disorder, and present it all to class. In class today, you chose your disorder. Start researching it. For our next class on Thursday, bring 5 sources that you are using to learn about your disorder. Your handout is due next Monday. Your creative project is due on Friday, March 13th.
4) What is abnormal? We talked about what is normal and what is abnormal. There are three criteria I use when determining if something is a mental disorder:
1. Does it violate cultural norms?
2. Is it harmful for yourself or others?
3. Does it make your life inefficient?
We also talked about labeling and its problems, the DSM-IV, drapetomania, the study of being sane in insane places, and more.
Assignments:1) Read and take notes over chapter 16 up to page 633.
2) Research your disorder for the creative project. Bring 5 resources to class on Thursday.
3) Mental Disorders Websites. This assignment takes you through two great websites on mental illness: the National Institutes of Mental Health website and a website for online diagnoses. Complete the questions and you view them. Due on Thursday too.
February 27: Test on Personality
Class Activities:
1) No Neuron Note or Psych News today.
2) Multiple Choice Test on Personality.
3) Free-Response on Personality. You had 25 minutes to complete it.
4) Pick up Abnormal Psych Outline and Creative Project Assignment.
1) Read and take notes over chapter 16 up to page 619
February 25: Social Cognitive Theories and the Self
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You wrote a new question and read the answers to your questions.
2) Pop Quiz. :)
3) Social Cognitive Perspective.
Reciprocal Determinism clarification."Shindler's List" clip: The Jewish maid has lost all sense of control in her life. Have you ever felt a lack of control? What does that do to your personality?
Locus of Control Survey.
4) The Self.
Self-Esteem survey and evaluation. Notes on self-esteem.
The Dark Side of Self-Esteem notes and discussion.
Biased Self-Ratings. Better-than-average Phenomenon.
Self-Handicapping. Don't create an excuse for failure on Friday's test!
1) STUDY!!! Test on chapter 15 on Friday, February 27th. Multiple Choice and Free-Response
2) Personality Free-Response. Use this to practice for the test. Due on Friday.
February 23: Humanism & Trait
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You wrote a new question and read the answers to your questions.
2) Grade 2002 Free-Response on Development. Again, you got an idea of what these might be like. You probably were not able to answer it all, but how did you handle that? Did it cause you stress or were you able to use your knowledge to attempt to answer it?
3) Humanistic Perspective.
"Dead Poet's Society:" Neal tries to be true to himself but his father's expectations bury him.
Perceived vs. Ideal Self: Are they the same? Can we self-actualize?
Obstacles of Self-actualization
4) Trait Perspective.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Notes.
Keirsey Temperament Sorter: You completed the survey and found your "type" (i.e., ENFJ)
Big Five Survey: You got your score of extraversion, emotional stability, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness.
Assignments:1) Finish chapter 15.
2) Personality Free-Response. Use this to practice before next week's test.
February 19: Psychoanalysis
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You wrote a new question and read the answers to your questions.
2) Free-Response Grading. You wrote your first free-response essay. This one was related to research methods and you got a chance to see the rubric and grade your own. I gave many suggestions such as: use paragraphs and sound like a psychologist.
3) Freud and Psychoanalysis. We took a survey to see if psychoanalysis is in our lives today. I gave notes on Freud. Then we completed a handout of defense mechanisms to understand the examples of each type.
Assignments:
1) Read and take notes over chapter 15 pages 600-614.
2) Another Free-Response Question. Give yourself 30 minutes at home to read, outline, and write each essay.
2) Free-Response Grading. You wrote your first free-response essay. This one was related to research methods and you got a chance to see the rubric and grade your own. I gave many suggestions such as: use paragraphs and sound like a psychologist.
3) Freud and Psychoanalysis. We took a survey to see if psychoanalysis is in our lives today. I gave notes on Freud. Then we completed a handout of defense mechanisms to understand the examples of each type.
Assignments:
1) Read and take notes over chapter 15 pages 600-614.
2) Another Free-Response Question. Give yourself 30 minutes at home to read, outline, and write each essay.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
February 12: Test Review and Free-Response
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You wrote a new question and heard new presentations
2) We reviewed the test on Motivation, Emotions, Stress.
3) I presented information on how to respond to free-response questions for the AP test. You were giving your first one to try at home this week.
4) We started talking about Personality and what personality theorists do. We also took a survey to establish our own theory of personality.
1) Read and take notes over chapter 15 pages 587-600.
2) Free-Response. Give yourself 25 minutes to complete it! Good Luck!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
February 10: Test on Ch. 12, 13, 14
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read the responses from the last two classes. You didn't need to write a new question. There were no news presentations.
2) Multiple Choice Test on Motivation, Emotions, Stress. 100 questions from chapters 12, 13, and 14.
3) Pick up Personality Outline.
Assignments:
Read chapter 15 up to page 586.
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read the responses from the last two classes. You didn't need to write a new question. There were no news presentations.
2) Multiple Choice Test on Motivation, Emotions, Stress. 100 questions from chapters 12, 13, and 14.
3) Pick up Personality Outline.
Assignments:
Read chapter 15 up to page 586.
Friday, February 6, 2009
February 6: Happiness and Stress
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. I am sorry that I do not have the Neuron Notes completed for today. Twice as many for Tuesday. News in 3B only.
2) Emotions/Stress Activity. We shared and I collected your summary of your experience with detecting deception, or monitoring your anger, or recoding your daily mood, or meditating.
3) Happiness notes and conversation. We looked concepts from the textbook and talked about being happy.
Assignments:
Study with someone for the test over chapters 12, 13, 14 on Tuesday!!!!
February 4: Fear, Ander, Happiness
Class Activities:
Short period for the Teacher In-Service...bummer!
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read last time's responses and you wrote a new question. Then you heard the news presentations.
4) Fear and the Amgydala notes and discussion.
5) Anger and Road Rage notes and discussion.
Bell rang! So much to talk about, so little time.
Assignments:
1) Finish chapter 14.
2) Emotions/Stress Activity due on Friday!
3) Test on Chapters 12, 13, 14 on Tuesday.
February 2: Emotions
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read last time's responses and you write a new question. Then you heard the news presentations.
2) ) Achievement Motivation. We talked about Flow, I/O Psychology, birth order and achievement, desirability of control, purpose in life.
3) How Many Emotions? We tried to make a list. Then we looked at Plutchik's Emotion Wheel and Eckman's Facial Expressions to determine how many emotions exist.
4) Emotions readings/surveys. You worked quietly to read supplemental material that related to the chapter reading.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 14 up to page 555.
2) Emotions/Stress Activity. Continue working on one of the four activities for this assignment: video taping deception and asking people to detect the lies, recording your daily mood, monitoring your anger, and meditating. It is due on Friday.
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read last time's responses and you write a new question. Then you heard the news presentations.
2) ) Achievement Motivation. We talked about Flow, I/O Psychology, birth order and achievement, desirability of control, purpose in life.
3) How Many Emotions? We tried to make a list. Then we looked at Plutchik's Emotion Wheel and Eckman's Facial Expressions to determine how many emotions exist.
4) Emotions readings/surveys. You worked quietly to read supplemental material that related to the chapter reading.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 14 up to page 555.
2) Emotions/Stress Activity. Continue working on one of the four activities for this assignment: video taping deception and asking people to detect the lies, recording your daily mood, monitoring your anger, and meditating. It is due on Friday.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
January 29: More Motivation
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read last time's responses and you write a new question. Then you heard the news presentations.
2) Pop Quiz on end of Ch. 12 and beginning of Ch. 13.
3) Sexual Orientation. We read the FAQ on sexual orientation from the American Psychological Association and had good conversations about the textbook's research.
3) Motivation in the Workplace. We talked about Flow, I/O Psychology, Birth order and achievement.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 13 pp. 499-512
2) Emotions/Stress Activity. You can choose between four activities for this assignment: video taping deception and asking people to detect the lies, recording your daily mood, monitoring your anger, and meditating. It is due on Friday, February 6th.
2) Pop Quiz on end of Ch. 12 and beginning of Ch. 13.
3) Sexual Orientation. We read the FAQ on sexual orientation from the American Psychological Association and had good conversations about the textbook's research.
3) Motivation in the Workplace. We talked about Flow, I/O Psychology, Birth order and achievement.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 13 pp. 499-512
2) Emotions/Stress Activity. You can choose between four activities for this assignment: video taping deception and asking people to detect the lies, recording your daily mood, monitoring your anger, and meditating. It is due on Friday, February 6th.
January 27: Motivation
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read last time's responses and you write a new question. Then you heard the news presentations.
2) Hunger Motivation. Lecture and discuss on physical changes with hunger, taste preferences, eating habits survey, eating disorders. I will show "Dying To Be Thin" at lunch. It is an excellent NOVA program.
3) Sexual Motivation. Lecture on how this is part of human behavior and there are researchers who try to understand sexual motivation.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 13 pp. 499-512
2) Don't forget to turn in YOUR Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
2) Hunger Motivation. Lecture and discuss on physical changes with hunger, taste preferences, eating habits survey, eating disorders. I will show "Dying To Be Thin" at lunch. It is an excellent NOVA program.
3) Sexual Motivation. Lecture on how this is part of human behavior and there are researchers who try to understand sexual motivation.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 13 pp. 499-512
2) Don't forget to turn in YOUR Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Thursday, January 22, 2009
January 22: Motivation, Maslow, Hunger
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note/Psych News. You read last time's responses and you write a new question. For 2B, Jeremy presented an article on new research of caffeine and prenatal development.
2) Discovering Psychology: Motivation/Emotions. Don't you love Philip Zimbaro? We watched this 30 minute summary of the unit and took notes.
3) Notes on Maslow and More. I also introduced Glasser's Needs.
4) Alive. We watched 12 minutes of the movie "Alive" based on the true story of the 1972 plane crash survivors who had to resort to cannibalism in order to survive.
5) Hunger. WOW...our motivation to eat is huge! We went through the ways that signal our hunger motivation and I shared information about body image issues and eating disorders.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 13 pp. 481-498
2) Maslow Assignment. Over the weekend, record events in your life that fulfill each level of Maslow's Hierarchy and whether or not you think you have achieved this level.
January 20: Review Test/Socratic Seminar
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. Your wrote a question for the first section chapter 12.
2) Test Review. We went over the test questions that were most missed by the class. It is really important that you guys study with others to hear someone else's explanation of concepts. This chapter was hard for many of you.
For Period 2B: We joined many other classes in the Smith auditorium to watch the Presidential Inauguration.
For Period 3B: Taking Sides Discussion. After reading the two articles about multiple intelligences, we talked as a class about the article. We'll try to do this a few more times this semester. You got a list of the other hot topics and you voted for the ones that you'd like to discuss.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 12 pp. 432-441
1) Neuron Note. Your wrote a question for the first section chapter 12.
2) Test Review. We went over the test questions that were most missed by the class. It is really important that you guys study with others to hear someone else's explanation of concepts. This chapter was hard for many of you.
For Period 2B: We joined many other classes in the Smith auditorium to watch the Presidential Inauguration.
For Period 3B: Taking Sides Discussion. After reading the two articles about multiple intelligences, we talked as a class about the article. We'll try to do this a few more times this semester. You got a list of the other hot topics and you voted for the ones that you'd like to discuss.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 12 pp. 432-441
Thursday, January 15, 2009
January 15: Test on Intelligence
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You read answers from the Neuron Note. You do not need to write a new question on test days.
1) Neuron Note. You read answers from the Neuron Note. You do not need to write a new question on test days.
2) "The Mismeasure of Me" Video. This was a 10 minute video from PBS showing the nature/nurture argument of intelligence. There is some great footage of the Eugenics movement and Little Albert.
3) Test. 100 multiple choice test on chapter 11. If you were absent, you can take the test on Tuesday while we go over the correct answers.
4) Outline. You picked up the outline for the next unit on Motivation, Emotions, and Stress.
Assignments:
1) Read chapter 12 up to p. 467
2) Taking Sides articles due on Tuesday for our Socratic Seminar.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
January 13: Test Bias/Multiple Intelligences
Class Activities:
1) Neuron Note. You wrote a new question or comment for the reading and read the answers. Keep up your reading!
2) Announcements.
Lunch today we will review of chapter 11 vocabulary and Ch. 11 Test on Thursday.
3) Pop Quiz. If you were gone, plan to take it after Thursday's test.
4) Another MENSA test. Is this a better measure of intelligence?
5) Chitling Test. You took this IQ test to start our discussion on cultural bias in IQ testing. This test was put together by Adrian Dove, a black sociologist, to challenge the IQ tests of the 1960s and 1970s.
6) Class discussion of Test Bias.
7) Multiple Intelligences. You looked at Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences and we discussed this theory. Your homework is to read the two sides on this controversial topic.
Assignments:
1) Finish Chapter 11
2) Chapter 11 Test in on Thursday.
3) Taking Sides article and handout is due on Tuesday, 1/20
Friday, January 9, 2009
January 9: Assessing Intelligence
1) Neuron Note. You wrote your first NN for second semester.
4) Discovering Psychology Video on Testing. Another Philip Zimbardo video. We finished where we left off last class. It is a good video --summarizing the main concepts, clarifying validity and reliability, and seeing major researchers such as Howard Gardner and Robert Sternberg.
5) Mensa Tests. You completed two tests of intelligence. 1) Analogies 2) Remote Associations. The goal was not to determine your IQ but to analyze these tests asking, "What are these tests measuring? Is that intelligence?"
Assignments:
1) Let's celebrate first semester success! Meet at the movie theater to see Benjamin Buttons on Sunday at 4:15.
2) Read Ch. 11 pp.432-441.
3) Chapter 11 test is on Thursday.
2) Feedback from 1st Semester. I shared your comments about first semester. It went well for many of you. As for our class time together, you want more discussions and hands-on activities. Some of you love the videos, some of you don't. Some of you love the Neuron Notes, some of you don't. Some of you love the class notes, some of you don't. Most of you are going to keep up with the reading more and study more each day and cram less.
4) Discovering Psychology Video on Testing. Another Philip Zimbardo video. We finished where we left off last class. It is a good video --summarizing the main concepts, clarifying validity and reliability, and seeing major researchers such as Howard Gardner and Robert Sternberg.
5) Mensa Tests. You completed two tests of intelligence. 1) Analogies 2) Remote Associations. The goal was not to determine your IQ but to analyze these tests asking, "What are these tests measuring? Is that intelligence?"
Assignments:
1) Let's celebrate first semester success! Meet at the movie theater to see Benjamin Buttons on Sunday at 4:15.
2) Read Ch. 11 pp.432-441.
3) Chapter 11 test is on Thursday.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
January 7: Start of Second Semester
Class Activities:
1) No Neuron Note necessary.
2) Review Final Exam. We looked at all the questions from each chapter and went over the ones which were most troublesome.
3) Assess 1st Semester. You took the time to give me feedback on what worked for you first semester in AP Psych and what you would like to see being done differently.
5) Philip Zimbardo. What is intelligence? What makes a good test?
Assignments:
1) Read Ch. 11 pp.419-432.
January 5: Finally the Final
1) Tricky Vocabulary Review Game. We played the "Golden Chair" game and the winners were Jennifer Kwon and Emma Carroll/Bethany Sullivan
2) Final Exam. Good job this wacky semester!
Assignments:
1) Relax and Rest!
(If you want to get ahead, read chapter 11 and make some notecards!)
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