AP Psychology - Spring 2014

Class blog:

Course Description:

The purpose of the Advanced Placement course in Psychology is to introduce students to the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes.

Grading:

  • Major grades (55%): Unit exams, each worth 100 points, covering all material presented in class and in the reading assignments. A practice AP exam will also count as a two major test grades. This test will be scored according to College Board guidelines. A grade of 5 will count as a 98, 4 = 88, 3 = 78, 2 = 68, and 1 = 58.
  • Final exam (15%): Cumulative exam covering all material covered in the course.
  • Minor grades (25%): Reading quizzes (announced), reading notes, others as assigned by instructor.
  • Participation (5%): Students who complete all reading notes for all units will receive a grade of 100 in this category. The notes will be checked daily and must be completed each day reading is assigned to receive this credit.
  • Optional grades: Some assignments are recommended, but will be graded only when students elect to participate in the assignment. These assignments will be posted on the blog and/or announced in class.
  • Due dates: Corrections for quizzes are due on the day of the unit test. Other optional assignments as well as all other test or free response corrections are due on Monday, April 28, 2014.

The AP Psychology Exam: Noon, Monday, May 5, 2014

The AP exam in Psychology is two hours in length and includes 100 multiple-choice questions (2/3 or the grade) and two free response questions (1/3 of the grade). The class will employ multiple strategies to prepare students for a passing grade (3, 4, or 5) on the AP exam. Last year, 98% of the students in Lassiter’s AP Psychology program earned college credit for this class.

2nd Semester Units

States of Consciousness(2-4% of AP exam)Chapter 7

Videos:Discovering Psychology (#13) The Mind Awake & Asleep

The Brain: Teaching Modules (#13) Sleep & Circadian Rhythms, (#14) Sleep: Brain Functions, (#15) REM Sleep & Dreaming

The Mind: Teaching Modules (#2) Hypnotic Dissociation & Pain Relief, (#22) Depressants and their Addictive Effect on the Brain, (#29) Alcohol Addiction

Motivation and Emotion(6-8% of exam)Chapters 12 & 13

Video: Discovering Psychology (#12) Motivation and Emotion

Cognition & Intelligence(13-17% of exam)Chapters 10 & 11

Videos: Discovering Psych (#10) Cognitive Processes, (#11) Judgment & Decision Making,

(#16) Testing & Intelligence, (#6) Language Development

The Mind: Teaching Modules (#8) Language Processing (#24) Language Predisposition, (#26) The Bilingual Brain, (#27) Animal Language

Psychological Disorders(7-9% of exam)Chapter 15

and Treatments(5-7% of exam)Chapter 16

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#21) Psychopathology, (#22) Psychotherapy

The Brain: Teaching Modules (#23) Multiple Personality, (#26, 27, 28) Schizophrenia, (#29) Autism

The Mind: Teaching Modules (#30) Treating Drug Addiction, (#31) Mood Disorders: Mania & Depression, (#32) Hereditary Factors, (#33) Medication & Talk Therapy, (#34) ECT, (#35) Psychopaths

Social Psychology(8-10% of exam)Chapter 18

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#19) The Power of the Situation, (#20) Constructing Social Reality

Review for AP Examination – April 14 to AP exam (May 5)