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