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Teachers Resource Guide

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Teachers Resource Guide

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Ruth Kayat

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The Psychology Teacher’s

Resource Guide:
Standards-Based Lesson Plans,
Electronic Resources, and
Assessment Tools for
New and Experienced
Teachers of Psychology

Amanda S. Vanderbur, MEd

Zionsville Community High School
Table of Contents
Preface 4
Alignment of Standards 5

Lesson # Lesson Title (Standards Connection) Page #

Lesson 1 “Forefathers and foremothers (Scientific Inquiry)” 6
Lesson 2 “Psychology in the news” (Scientific Inquiry) 13
Lesson 3 “Survey says” (Scientific Inquiry) 15
Lesson 4 “A fine design” (Scientific Inquiry) 17
Lesson 5 “Sudoku statistics” (Scientific Inquiry) 19
Lesson 6 “The art of perception” (Biopsychosocial) 21
Lesson 7 “Brain charades” (Biopsychosocial) 23
Lesson 8 “Brain surgery” (Biopsychosocial) 25
Lesson 9 “Brain freeze” (Biopsychosocial) 28
Lesson 10 “NeurotransMatcher” (Biopsychosocial) 31
Lesson 11 “Brainy mnemonics” (Biopsychosocial) 33
Lesson 12 “Read my mind” (Biopsychosocial) 36
Lesson 13 “Nature vs. nurture” (Biopsychosocial) 38
Lesson 14 “Sleep debate” (Biopsychosocial) 40
Lesson 15 “Getting to know you” (Biopsychosocial) 42
Lesson 16 “Nighty, night” (Biopsychosocial) 44
Lesson 17 “Hypnosis infomercial (Biopsychosocial) 46
Lesson 18 “Perceiving is believing” (Biopsychosocial) 48
Lesson 19 “The perfect gift” (Development & Learning) 50
Lesson 20 “Changing it up” (Development & Learning) 52
Lesson 21 “Cartoon games” (Development & Learning) 55
Lesson 22 “A children’s museum” (Development & Learning) 57
Lesson 23 “Dear Diary” (Development & Learning) 60
Lesson 24 “Who am I?” (Development & Learning) 62
Lesson 25 “Learning through dialogue” (Development & Learning) 64
2
Title Page #
Lesson 26 “Stereotyping” (Sociocultural Context) 66
Lesson 27 “Unit project” (Sociocultural Context) 68
Lesson 28 “Obedience and conformity” (Sociocultural Context) 72
Lesson 29 “Simulation” (Sociocultural Context) 75
Lesson 30 “Prisonexp.org” (Sociocultural Context) 79
Lesson 31 “Attitude autobiography” (Sociocultural Context) 82
Lesson 32 “Memories” (Cognition) 86
Lesson 33 “Thanks for the memories” (Cognition) 88
Lesson 34 “Collaborating on creativity (Cognition) 90
Lesson 35 “Examining the theories” (Cognition) 92
Lesson 36 “Intelligence test” (Cognition) 94
Lesson 37 “Children’s book (Cognition) 96
Lesson 38 “Emotion in advertising” (Individual Variations) 98
Lesson 39 “Haunting theories” (Individual Variations) 103
Lesson 40 “Acting on emotions” (Individual Variations) 105
Lesson 41 “The motivation apprentice” (Individual Variations) 108
Lesson 42 “Looking back” (Individual Variations/Development) 110
Lesson 43 “Personality song” (Individual Variations) 112
Lesson 44 “Diagnosis journal” (Applications of Psychological Science) 114
Lesson 45 “Career exploration” (Applications of Psychological Science) 116
Lesson 46 “Promoting wellness” (Applications of Psychological Science) 118
Lesson 47 “School-phobia” (Applications of Psychological Science) 120
Lesson 48 “Stress and you” (Applications of Psychological Science) 122
Lesson 49 “Guest speaker guide” (Applications of Psychological Science) 124
Lesson 50 “Summer research project” (Scientific Inquiry) 126
Starting a Psychology Club 132

3
Preface
“Tell me, I’ll forget; Show me, I’ll remember; Involve me, I’ll understand.” This wise Chinese proverb
reflects what should be the goal of educators – to provide opportunities for student engagement
throughout the learning process. As teachers of psychology, we know that if students only experience
information superficially, they may not encode it. Without encoding, there is no storage. Without storage,
there is no opportunity for retrieval. If students can’t recall the essence of what is being taught, there will
be no opportunity for working with the information at a deeper and more meaningful level. Thus one
means to the goal of student understanding is to provide them with opportunities for engagement and
involvement in their learning.

The activities provided in this resource guide are organized by the National Standards for High School
Psychology. An alignment of these standards to the AP* Psychology standards and Indiana’s Academic
Standards for Psychology is provided as a reference in the next section. With an emphasis on providing
students with a standards-based education, many teachers must provide administrators with detailed
lesson plans indicating which standards they are addressing and what their specific objectives are on any
given day. This guide is organized with an introductory page before each lesson, containing the specific
Standards (National, AP* and State) being addressed, the Objective of the lesson, the Procedures to be
used, and a list of the necessary Preparations the teacher needs to make in advance of the lesson. This
introductory page is followed by necessary handouts and in many cases, suggestions for grading.

Introductory Psychology teachers have a wide-variety of choices when it comes to reference materials.
The lessons in this resource were designed to adapt easily to any textbook or online resource you may
use with your students, and each of these lessons has been used with success to enhance either the
introductory Psychology or AP* Psychology curriculum in my own classroom. Using these suggestions as
a guide, teachers will find that their students are engaged with the material beyond the book. Many of
these activities encourage students to “think outside the book” and interact with online material, primary
sources, and individuals whose work relates to the field of psychology. Students will have opportunities
when they are encouraged to work individually and many occasions to collaborate with others when
appropriate. The lessons are ideal for differentiating instruction so that all students’ learning needs are
met consistently while also meeting the curriculum standards.

It is my hope that these lesson ideas will inspire others to involve their students in their learning, as
opposed to simply telling them or showing them what they need to know. I also hope this will inspire
others to network and share their ideas when they develop an engaging activity. Teaching should not be
an isolated activity kept behind closed doors. We are all doing great things in our classrooms! Wouldn’t it
be wonderful if all of our students could reap the benefits of our collective efforts? With this, I would like
to thank the many professional educators who have contributed over the years to the Indiana High
School Psychology Teachers Association, for whom this reference guide has been created, and its founder,
Dr. Drew Appleby, to whom I dedicate this collection of work. Without your guidance, encouragement,
and dedication as my mentor, none of this would have been possible. Thank you!

4
Alignment of standards
This document aligns the National Standards for High School Psychology (2011), the AP* Psychology Standards
(2013), and Indiana’s Academic Standards for Psychology (2014).

National Standards for H.S. Psychology AP* Psychology Standards Indiana’s Academic Standards for Psychology
Scientific Inquiry Domain I. History and Approaches 1: The Scientific Method
II. Research Methods

Biopsychology Domain III. Biological Bases of Behavior 6: Biological Bases of Behavior

IV. Sensation and Perception
V. States of Consciousness

Development and Learning Domain IX. Developmental Psychology 2: Development

VI. Learning
VII. Cognition

Sociocultural Context Domain XIV. Social Psychology 5: Social-Cultural Dimensions of Behavior

Cognition Domain VII. Cognition 3: Cognition

XI. Testing & Individual Differences

Individual Variations Domain XI. Testing and Individual Differences 4: Personality, Assessment and
VIII. Motivation and Emotion Mental Health
X. Personality
XII. Abnormal Behavior

Applications of Psychological Science I. History and Approaches 4: Personality, Assessment and

XIII. Treatment of Abnormal Behavior Mental Health
VIII. Motivation and Emotion

Vocational Applications I. History and Approaches Addressed within each standard (above)

*AP and the Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the
production of, and does not endorse, this Teachers Resource Guide.

5
LESSON 1 “Forefathers and Foremothers”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
I. History and Approaches
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 1: History and Scientific Method

OBJECTIVE:
Students will identify the early men and women who helped psychology emerge as a scientific discipline and
examine the contributions they made to the field of study.

PROCEDURE:
Make 12 copies of the script and a class set of the “Forefathers and Foremothers of Psychology” chart.
Recruit student volunteers to act out the roles of the characters. You might provide them with a copy at the class
before they will be asked to perform so they can familiarize themselves with the lines.

During the performance, audience members (the rest of the class) will work individually to summarize the
influence of each historical figure on the evolution of psychology as a science. At the conclusion of the performance,
students will work in small groups to compare their charts and help one another complete any information they
may have missed. Audience members will also share their answers with the cast members who were performing
the skit. They will have the opportunity to ask cast members for clarification, as needed, since they will still have
their scripts.

CHARACTERS INCLUDE:
Interviewer Socrates Plato Aristotle
Renee Descartes Francis Bacon John Locke Wilhelm Wundt
Edward Titchener Wiliam James Mary Calkins Margaret Floy Washburn

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Scripts (12 copies)
“Forefathers and Foremothers” chart (class set)

6
“Forefathers and Foremothers”
Interviewer: Hello, and welcome to our show! Today’s topic is “The Forefathers and Foremothers of Psychology.”
We are starting today with a look at the roots of psychology. Early philosophers grappled with some of the same
questions people still have today. Please join me in welcoming the infamous Socrates (APPLAUSE), his trusty
student Plato (APPLAUSE), and the rebel who followed, Aristotle (APPLAUSE). Thank you, gentlemen, for joining us.

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle: You’re welcome!

Interviewer: We’ll start today with Socrates. So, … it was quite some time ago that you began asking some very
deep questions about the mind and body.

Socrates: Yes. One of my favorite pastimes was sitting under a tree and just pondering the meaning of existence.

Interviewer: And what conclusions did you come to?

Socrates: It is my belief that the mind and the body are two, distinct components of humanity. When you die, it’s
my belief, speaking as someone who’s died, that your mind will go on thinking, even without a body.

Plato: Sir, that’s a great thought. Let me write that down.

Interviewer: Plato, is that what you do? Just go around writing down whatever Socrates says?

Plato: Oh, absolutely. Socrates is the wisest man who ever lived. He’s a great stone cutter, statue carver, and has
many talents… but his mind is so incredible! He just lets his students sit around and listen to him explore all of
these fascinating ideas! I definitely agree that the mind and body are separate. Also, what Socrates says about
intelligence is also interesting.

Interviewer: And what is that?

Socrates: It is my belief that knowledge, many ideas, are actually present in our minds when we are born. I am
sure that some knowledge preexists before we are even out of our mothers’ wombs!

Interviewer: Very interesting concept. Where would a student go if he or she wanted to learn more about these
ideas?

Plato: Well, actually Aristotle was one of my students at the school I founded… “Plato’s Academy.” Unlike Plato’s
Closet, where I hear you can get a great price on a gently used toga, Plato’s Academy is a first-rate educational
community where we love to read the work of the great thinkers such as my teacher, Socrates.

Aristotle: Alternatively, because I have so many philosophical differences with Socrates and Plato, you could come
to my school, the Lyceum.

Interviewer: So how, exactly, do your ideas differ with those of your teacher, Plato?

Aristotle: In some very fundamental ways. First of all, I don’t believe that the mind and body are separate. I believe
that when you die, that’s it. Your mind won’t go on thinking. Your body and your mind are united. When it’s over,
sorry kid, it’s over!
7
Interviewer: That is a very big difference. Any others?

Aristotle: Absolutely. I also disagree with their idea that you are born with ideas. In my opinion, your mind is a
blank slate on which experience writes.

Interviewer: That sounds quite possible, as well. Gentlemen, it’s been a pleasure speaking to you and hearing the
differences in your perspectives. In just a moment, we’ll hear from some famous European scientists who
continued in the pursuit of answering questions about our thoughts and minds. So next to our stage, we’d like to
invite Rene (ra-NAY) Descartes (day-CART) (APPLAUSE), along with Francis Bacon (APPLAUSE), and John Locke
(APPLAUSE).

Rene Descartes: (In a French Accent) Bon Jour!

Interviewer: Welcome, gentlemen. Let’s start with you, Rene. What are your areas of interest?

RD: Well, I am a scientist by trade. I dabble in philosophy, enjoy dissecting animals, and love long walks on the
beach.

Interviewer: I see… well, today we are discussing the different perspectives on human nature that brought about
the early field of psychology.

RD: Well, I can tell you from a scientist’s perspective that there are many “animal spirits.” They exist in the cavities
of the brain in the form of fluid. And in my opinion, these animal spirits will continue to exist even after the body
ceases to breathe.

Interviewer: Aahhhh… So you believe with our earlier guests, Socrates and Plato.

RD: Oh, Absolutely! They were incredible thinkers of their time. Aristotle had it all wrong. He should have listened
to his teachers instead of going off and starting his own school.

Interviewer: I see why you would say that. Now, Francis Bacon, you also practice science for a living.

Francis Bacon: Indeed. I feel like experimentation, experience, and common sense are the keys to knowledge.

Interviewer: That sounds very logical, as well. And from your use of experimentation, experience, and common
sense, what conclusions have you drawn about human beings?

FB: Well, I have always been fascinated by the human mind and its failings. For example, why is it that people read
horoscopes? Do people actually still believe in that bogus, hocus pocus!?

Interviewer: Actually, yes. Nearly 500 years after you did your work, the public still is able to read daily
horoscopes and can even have their palms read if they’re interested in their future.

FB: Hog wash! They are nothing but deluded believers! Things need evidence and proof. There is no proof to
substantiate claims of superstition. It’s all unscientific malarkey!

Interviewer: You’re very passionate about this.

8
FB: Yes, I believe science is where we learn the truth and the reasons for things.

Interviewer: Well, you’re not alone. Also with us today is Mr. John Locke. Welcome, Mr. Locke.

John Locke: Thank you.

Interviewer: Mr. Locke, could you tell us about the essay you wrote on human understanding?

JL: Of course. In my Essay Concerning Human Understanding I argue that the mind is like “white paper.” Experience
is the author, which writes upon this paper, and it is through experience that we come to know the things we know.

Interviewer: That sounds very much like one of our earlier guests.

JL: Yes, Actually Aristotle and I are on the same page about this. Socrates and Plato had it all wrong when they
suggested that people could be born with ideas. This is completely unfounded. In fact, I believe that all are created
equal at birth. I believe in the United States, you say something similar to this in your own Declaration of
Independence?

Interviewer: That is correct. So if all are born with a blank slate, you could argue that all men are created equal.

JL: Exactly. It goes back to the idea of empiricism, which is to say that knowledge originates from experience, and
therefore, we should rely on observations and experiences as we seek to understand humanity.
Interviewer: Interesting point Mr. Locke. Well, I’d like to thank our guests for taking time out of their busy
schedules to come see us today. Next, we have some individuals who helped to merge the ideas of these early
philosophers and early scientists into a new and interesting field called Psychology!!! Please give a warm welcome
to: (*pronounced VIL-helm VOONT) Wilhelm Wundt (APPLAUSE), his student Edward Bradford Titchener
(APPLAUSE), William James (APPLAUSE), his student Ms. Mary Calkins (APPLAUSE), and finally Ms. Margaret Floy
Washburn.

Let’s start with you Mr. Wundt (VOONT). What would you say was your greatest accomplishment?

WILHELM WUNDT: (with German accent) Great question, great question. I love a great question. I would say, sir,
that my greatest accomplishment would have been the psychology lab I set up in 1879 at the University of Leipzig
in Germany.

Interviewer: And what was it, exactly, that you were studying?

WW: Glad you asked, glad you asked. Well, looking back now, this may seem very primitive, but I was simply
studying reaction time. You see, psychology is the study of the human mind and behavior. Well, reaction time is a
very simple human behavior to study.

Interviewer: So how did you set out to study reaction time?

WW: Wonderful … wonderful… Well, I simply devised an apparatus that would measure a subject’s reaction time
after hearing a ball hit a platform. What they would do is press a telegraph key when they heard the noise, and my
machine would determine how long their reaction would take.

9
Interviewer: So this small component of human behavior was your area of interest?

WW: Yes, yes. I called these small behaviors the “atoms of the mind” – the simplest mental processes. They were,
indeed, the earliest scientific experiments on human behavior. It was in my lab that the merger of philosophy’s
questions and the techniques of science came together into the field of psychology.

Interviewer: Incredible. And your student is here with us as well. Mr. Titchener, thank you for being here.

Edward Bradford Titchener: Oh, the pleasure is all mine. I’m proud to be here representing Cornell University.
I’m on the staff there, having earned my Ph.D. back in 1892.

Interviewer: Congratulations, Mr. Titchener. And what is it that you added to the study of psychology, sir?

EBT: My quest was to engage people in looking inward at their own thought processes through a method called
introspection. It would train people to examine their own thoughts and report them for examination. This is called
structuralism

Interviewer: Could you give us an example of structuralism?

EBT: Certainly. Look at this table at which we are seated. What are the first thoughts that come to your mind as you
look at this table?

Interviewer: Well, it’s a solid, it’s about waist-high, and it’s a darker color.

EBT: Excellent. These small thoughts are the structures that make up the ideas and concepts in your minds. That is
the area of my interest.

Interviewer: Have you found any drawbacks as you’ve sought to explore these small structures of thought?

EBT: Actually, yes. We’ve found that this is a difficult area to study because many of our subjects are inarticulate. It
is difficult to assess the elements of one’s thoughts if he or she is unable to express them in detail. Also, people can
be error prone. For this reason, as well, the study of the structuralism is a difficult one.

Interviewer: Interesting reflection. Thank you Mr. Titchener. William James, as a philosopher and psychologist,
what has been your area of interest.

William James: In my humble opinion, I don’t see the fruitfulness of studying the structures of thoughts. Instead, I
think it is important to make the study of psychology functional. My philosophy is called pragmatism. That means
that truth is found in the consequences of behavior. We need to look at the results of our behavior, and try to
explore what encouraged our behavior in the first place. If we can do that, we may be able to help people in a more
functional way.

Interviewer: That is what your approach to psychology is called, right? Functionalism?

WJ: Yes. The idea is to try to help people adapt, survive, and flourish, by focusing on behavior and mental
processes, instead of simply looking at the structures of thought.

Interviewer: And where is it you taught?

10
WJ: Harvard. And one of my most famous students is seated here with us today.

Interviewer: Of course, Mary Calkins. Mr. James, you had quite a time when Ms. Calkins joined your class.

WJ: This is true. Over the objections of the president of Harvard, I allowed Mary to join my class I was teaching. It
was a graduate-level seminar. She was very well qualified, but the male students were so unhappy that a female
was admitted to the program, that they dropped the class.

Interviewer: So what happened, Ms. Calkins?

Mary Calkins: Well, Professor James agreed to continue teaching me, even though everyone else dropped out. I
went on to fulfill all of the requirements for a Harvard PhD.

Interviewer: Congratulations, but, I didn’t think your degree was from Harvard.

MC: You’re right. In fact, Harvard would not award a woman a PhD, even though I had done all of the work to earn
the degree… AND outscored the males on my qualifying exams. Instead, my consolation prize was a degree from
Ratcliffe College, Harvard’s sister school for women.

Interview: What a rough start in the profession. What were some of your later accomplishments?

MC: I went on to be the first female president of the American Psychology Association in 1905, and my primary
area of interest was researching human memory.

Interviewer: It sounds like you were definitely a trailblazer for women in the field of psychology.

MC: It would seem so. Today women dominate the field of psychology. As a matter of fact, the first woman to
actually receive a “real” Harvard psychology degree is with us today.

Interview: This is true. Let us give a warm welcome to Margaret Floy Washburn (APPLAUSE).

Margaret Floy Washburn: Thank you.

Interviewer: Margaret, what was your area of expertise as a psychologist?

MW: I was very interested in animal behavior. I helped to publish a journal, actually on the animal mind. I was also
curious about the effects of music on behavior. I also was president of the APA, following in the footsteps of Mary
Calkins. And Mr. Titchener was actually my advisor in college.

Interviewer: The connections among the group of you are quite fascinating. It’s incredible to see how far the field
of psychology has come since you brought this subject to life so many years ago.

11
“Forefathers and foremothers” Complete the chart as you watch the skit.
Name: Per: Date:

Character What was his/her philosophy or contribution to the evolution of psychology as a science?
Socrates

Plato

Aristotle

Renee Descartes

Francis Bacon

John Locke

Wilhelm Wundt

Edward Titchener

Wiliam James

Mary Calkins

Margaret Floy Washburn

12
LESSON 2 “Psychology in the news”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
II. Research Methods
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 1: History and Scientific Method

OBJECTIVE:
Students will design an experiment and apply their knowledge of research variables as they analyze magazine
articles that relate to the field of psychology.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute magazines to students as well as copies of the “Psychology in the News” handout.
Go over the handout and answer any questions for clarification.
Allow students time to peruse the magazines for articles related to human behavior.
Students will complete their handout, and once everyone has finished, they may work in groups of 5-6 students to
share their findings, or they may present these to the entire class, depending on the size of your group and the
amount of time you have. This would also be an assignment that students could prepare at home and return to
school the following day.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Obtain recent issues of magazines, such as Scientific American, Psychology Today, or Newsweek. You may want to
obtain enough for each student to have 2 or 3 magazines apiece.
Copy a class set of the “Psychology in the News” handout.

13
“Psychology in the news” In this activity, you will think critically about some of the issues a
psychologist would consider when designing an experiment to examine human behavior.

Name: Per: Date:

1. Begin by perusing the magazines you receive. What are some of the more interesting topics that relate to
human behavior? – Include the name of the magazine and page numbers so you can return to the articles
later.

2. Select one of the above as your focal topic, and list it here:

3. Using this article as a starting point, write a hypothesis that a researcher could examine in an experiment.
Remember, a hypothesis isn’t a question. It is a statement that a researcher will attempt to prove. The null
hypothesis is the opposite of the hypothesis. Sometimes the researcher will actually prove the null
hypothesis is what is true.
*Example Hypothesis: Exercise reduces stress.
*Example Null Hypothesis: Exercise does not reduce stress.

4. Operationally define your variables. For example, the independent variable in #3 is “exercise.” Exercise
could be operationally defined in many ways. One example of an operational definition for exercise might
be to run 1 mile in the morning before school. What is your Independent Variable? How would you
operationally define it? What is your Dependent Variable? How would you operationally define it?
Independent Variable:
Operational Definition of the IV:

Dependent Variable:
Operational Definition of the DV:

5. What ethical standard might a psychologist need to address if this study were to be conducted?

14
LESSON 3 “Survey says…”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will take, evaluate, and critique a variety of online surveys which seek to learn about human behaviors.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the “Survey Says…” handout, and after going over the instructions, answer any questions for
clarification.
Students will complete a variety of online surveys and prepare a chart which will show their feedback on the
various surveys they take.
Conduct a class discussion afterward to debrief students on what they found as examples of good surveys or
surveys that need improvement. After their experience, ask them to come to conclusions about the pros and cons
of using surveys to conduct research on human behavior.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
All students will need access to a computer, either bringing in their own device or in a computer lab.
Copy a class set of the “Survey Says…” handout. Alternatively, upload the instructions to your class website so
students can have an electronic copy of the chart they will be completing.

15
“Survey says…” Analyze several examples of surveys that are used to learn about human behavior.
Name: Per: Date:

Many companies and organizations use online surveys. Countless human behaviors are examined in such surveys,
from music preference, to dating interests, to political perspectives … The list goes on and on!

YOUR TASK:
1. Go online and find samples of these surveys.
2. Use the chart to keep a running list of the topics of the different surveys you find and their URLs.
3. Complete a variety of surveys, and compile a list of what you learn about yourself from these surveys.
4. Critique the surveys: What was good about the survey? What suggestions would improve the surveys you found?
Are any of them REALLY good or REALLY flawed? Analyze questions for examples of wording effects. Did you
detect bias from any particular questions? Provide examples of these as you find them.

Record your answers in a Word Document in the format that follows:

What was the survey What did you learn about What did you find good or Did you find any
topic? Cut and paste the yourself from the survey? helpful about the survey? significant flaws or
URL Any suggestions for examples of wording
improvement? effects that might bias
one’s answers?

16
LESSON 4 “A fine design”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will design an experiment to study human behavior and examine ethical issues which are important to
consider in research design.

PROCEDURE:
Students will consider possible topics for a research study. Next they will determine an appropriate sample size for
their study. This would be an excellent opportunity to discuss statistical significance. One on-line source for more
information on this topic is http://www.surveystar.com/our_services/starstat.htm. Students will then design a
step-by-step procedure for testing their hypothesis. Finally, students will analyze whether or not their
experimental design has the potential of violating any ethical guidelines, and they will modify their study as
needed.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Prepare a class set of the “A Fine Design” handouts. Students may complete this exercise in class or as a homework
exercise.

17
“A fine design” Follow the instructions below to design a psychological experiment.
Name: Per: Date:

Determine a population of interest: There are numerous examples of groups one might have an interest in
studying. What group(s) would you be interested in studying if you were a psychologist? To get your creative juices
flowing, consider some of the following populations:
Different age groups; people with different life experiences; various levels of socio-economic status;
specific groups of individuals who share a common trait – for instance 4 year olds who are reading at a 1st
grade level; newly engaged couples of divorced parents; high school seniors in the bottom 20% of their
class; freshmen in a college honors program; unwed, expectant mothers considering adoption; retirees
from the military who served in Vietnam; widows who are new residents of a nursing home.

Behaviors of interest: There are numerous topics one may be interested in examining, depending on their
population of interest. These might include: effects or levels of stress; effects or levels of anxiety; eating habits;
anger/violence.
List two other topics of interest that might be possible or interesting to study with one or more of these groups?
1.
2.

Propose your experimental design below:

What group are you interested in studying (you may choose one of the suggestions above or create one of your
own)?
How large should your sample be in order for your results to be statistically significant?

What is your topic of interest (you may choose one of the above or propose your own)?

Formulate a testable hypothesis that could be used for the basis of an experiment on your topic of interest:

Describe what your experimental group will do:

How will this differ from the control group?

Identify the operational definition of the independent variable:

Identify the operational definition of the dependent variable:

What is a possible confounding variable that could throw off the results of your study if it were not controlled for in
your study?

What special materials would you need to run your study in reality?

How could the results of your study help people?

18
LESSON 5 “Sudoku statistics”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will calculate various statistics, including measures of central tendency and measures of variance.

PROCEDURE:
Divide students into groups of 7 or 9 students. (It’s best to have an odd number so they can identify a median
score.)
Distribute the “Sudoku Statistics” handout. You may want to provide them with the packet the day before you plan
to do the activity. They should complete the Sudoku puzzle at home and time how long it takes to complete the
puzzle. They will compare their times in class the next day and complete the statistical calculations in the handout.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Copy a class set of the “Sudoku Statistics” handout.

19
“Sudoku statistics” Using your knowledge of measures of central tendency and measures of variation,
answer the following questions using the data from your group. Use the back of the sheet to complete your
calculations.

Name: Per: Date:

Team Members:

Time yourself as you complete the Sudoku puzzle below.

How many seconds did it take you to complete the puzzle? sec

Create a Frequency Distribution in the space below for the amount of time in seconds it took each of your members
to complete the task:

What is the Mode of your times (above)? Seconds What is the Mean of your times (above)? Seconds
What is the Median of your times (above)? Seconds What is the Range of your times (above)? Seconds
What is the Standard Deviation of your times (above)? Seconds

Do your scores reflect a Normal Distribution? Why or why not?

What Percentage of your scores fall within one Standard Deviation of the mean? %

20
LESSON #6 “The art of perception: Monocular depth cues”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
IV. Sensation and Perception
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 2: Biological Bases of Behavior

OBJECTIVE:
Allow students to view examples of monocular depth cues and then apply their knowledge to a different work of
art. As an application activity, students will create original examples of the depth cues in their own drawings.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the handout and review the instructions. Provide art materials if you want to extend the activity as
described below in the Handouts/Preparation section of the lesson plan.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Copy a class set of The Art of Perception: Examples of Monocular Depth Cues.
If time permits, you could extend this activity by creating an “art gallery” of student drawings that reflect the
various depth cues. If you choose to do so, you may want to provide students with paper, colored pencils, or other
various art supplies. Otherwise, students could use the back of their handouts to prepare their own examples.

21
“The art of perception: Examples of monocular depth cues”
Below you will find examples of 5 monocular depth cues that are pointed out in the first drawing. Next, go online the
painting “A quiet evening,” by Robert Kincaid. Use the examples in your book and the examples below to identify where
he used the same cues in his painting. On the back of this handout, create your own examples of these depth cues either
in one drawing or multiple examples.

Name: Per: Date:

(A & C) Relative Size

(B) Linear Perspective
(D & F) Relative Height
(E) Interposition
(G) Light and Shadow

Sketch used with permission, Evie Brooks, 2013.

22
LESSON #7 “Brain charades”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
BIOPSYCHOLOGICAL DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
III. Biological Bases of Behavior
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 2: Biological Bases of Behavior

OBJECTIVE:
Review components of the nervous system and endocrine system through an interactive game of charades.

PROCEDURE:
1. Copy the handout Brain Charades, and cut out the suggested charades. Add your own, if there are others
that your students need to know. Put the names of the structures in a hat for students to select.
2. Go over the general rules of charades (sounds like, 1-syllable, 2-syllables, etc.) Add any other ground rules
that you think would be appropriate. For example, you may want to tell them that they can’t point to their
heads to indicate where the structure is located. You may also want to set a time limit.
3. You may choose to have students act out the parts by themselves, but you may find that they are more at
ease working with a partner or small group. Instruct them to act out the function of the structure of the
brain they draw.
4. Before the game begins, you may want to go ahead and draw the name of their structure(s) out of the hat at
the same time and collectively give the class time to prepare how they will “act out” their part.
5. Once you begin the game, have students come to the front of the room to present their charade.
6. You will also need to establish whether or not you’re going to have students guess what they are trying to
act out as individuals or as teams (i.e., one half of the room vs. the other, boys vs. girls, etc. and how you
want them to “ring in”.)
7. *Alternatively, you could divide students into smaller groups of 5 or 6 and have the groups play
simultaneously in smaller groups, as opposed to an entire class playing together. This may increase student
participation.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
One copy of the Brain Charades sheet. Add more or remove the ones that your students don’t need to know.
Cut out the possible structures and place them into a hat.
Present the rules you wish your students to follow.

23
“Brain charades”

Cerebellum Thalamus Frontal Lobe

Temporal Lobe Occipital Lobe Parietal Lobe

Amygdala Hypothalamus Hippocampus

Corpus callosum Reticular formation Medulla

Brain Stem Pons Limbic System

Dopamine Acetylcholine Norepinephrine

Serotonin GABA Glutamate

Thyroid Gland Adrenal Gland Pituitary Gland

24
LESSON #8 “Brain surgery”

OBJECTIVE:
Locate and identify basic structures of the brain using food as a model.
The brain models created can be used for the game played in LESSON #9 – “Brain Freeze.”

PROCEDURE:
Students will receive their handouts and proceed through an assembly line to pick up their supplies/”surgery kits”.
Students will then follow the instructions provided to identify the locations of various structures of the brain.
The teacher will check the brain models and provide feedback to the groups upon the completion of the activity.
As mentioned in the objective, if the teacher is able to save the brain models (perhaps in a refrigerator), they could
be used another day to play a review game. Additional brain structures are included in the review game. You can
modify the model for this activity or the structures that are mentioned in the review game to correspond with your
textbook or curriculum needs.
*You may want to provide each group with a baggie to put their model in if you plan to reuse them.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Create a class set of the Brain Surgery handout (2 sheets).
Either have student volunteers bring in the recommended food items or purchase the suggested items.
Prepare an assembly line for students to pick up their “surgery kit” supplies.
Each surgery kit should contain:
An orange
Newspaper to cover the work surface, paper towels or napkins
Plastic knifes (or pre-cut pieces, according to the “surgery” directions)
16-20 toothpicks or 8-10 broken in half
Red, blue, yellow and green markers
1 inch piece of licorice, such as Twizzler
Gumdrops or jelly beans in assorted colors (suggestions include red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and white)
1 square, fruit chew candy, such as Starburst
Plastic baggies (optional) – see *Procedure above

25
“Brain surgery” – Part 1 – Team member responsibilities
Follow the instructions below to identify and locate various structures of the brain.

Group members’ names:

Per: Date:

The task:
You’re a member of an expert surgery team.
You will follow the surgical procedures on the next page.
Best of luck to you all!

The Researcher(s):
Materials: Textbook
Responsibilities: Obtain one copy of the text book. You are in charge of using the text book to help your team
answer the questions.

Reader/Recorder:
Materials: Surgery instructions and writing instrument
Responsibilities: You will communicate the instructions to your team. (This person should be the team-
member with the least doctor-like handwriting.)  He/she records the team’s findings on
the worksheet.

Surgical Nurse:
Materials: Surgical kit
Responsibilities: As you listen to the reader, keep track of the supplies the surgeon will need during the
surgery. Hand them over to him/her as needed. If your group is missing any materials, you
are in charge of obtaining them from the assembly line.

The Surgeon:
Materials: Orange, newspaper, paper towels, and items from the surgical kit which will be supplied by
your nurse during the surgery.

26
“Brain surgery” – Part 2 – Surgery procedures
Follow the instructions and answer the questions that are given.

Group members’ names:

Per: Date:

1. Peel the skull – I mean, orange – to reveal the brain. The peeling represents the CEREBRAL CORTEX.
What is the cerebral cortex?

2. Separate the two hemispheres of the brain. Insert the strip of licorice where the CORPUS CALLOSUM
would be located and attach it with a toothpick or pieces of a toothpick. What is the role of the corpus
callosum?

3. Take a square fruit chew (such as a Starburst) and cut it into 2 triangles. With a toothpick, attach one
triangle, point facing up, where the PONS is located. What is the function of the pons?

4. Take the other fruit chew triangle, and with a toothpick, attach it (pointing down) where the MEDULLA
would be located. What is the function of the medulla?

5. Attach a green gumdrop or jelly bean for the CEREBELLUM. What is the function of the cerebellum?

6. Use markers to color your toothpicks as instructed within this section. Mark the LOBES on the outside of
each hemisphere with the appropriately colored toothpicks.
Mark the TEMPORAL LOBES on each hemisphere with blue-colored toothpicks. What is their function?

Mark the PARIETAL LOBES on each hemisphere with red-colored toothpicks. What is their function?

Mark the OCCIPITAL LOBES on each hemisphere with yellow-colored toothpicks. What is their function?

Mark the FRONTAL LOBES on each hemisphere with green -colored toothpicks. What is their function?

7. Separate the hemispheres. Use a toothpick to attach a piece of the purple gumdrop or jelly bean to mark the
location of the HIPPOCAMPUS. What is its role?

8. Use a toothpick to attach a piece of the red/pink gumdrop or jelly bean to mark the AMYGDALA. What is
its function?

9. Use a toothpick to attach a piece of the yellow gumdrop or jelly bean to label the HYPOTHALAMUS. What
is its role?

10. Use a toothpick to attach a piece of the orange gumdrop or jelly bean to label the THALAMUS. What is the
function of the thalamus?

After completing the activity, please bring the brain to me for examination.
When you finish, you may eat your brain leftovers… aaaahhhhh!!
BE SURE YOU CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!!
27
LESSON #9 “Brain freeze”

OBJECTIVE:
Using the 3-D models of the brain created in Lesson #8, or other brain models you may have, review the structures
of the brain, including their locations and their functions. Not all of the brain structures in this game were
identified in the brain model created in Lesson #8. However, the game can still be played using the models. The
teacher can certainly add or remove items from either activity to suit their curriculum.

PROCEDURE:
Return each group’s brain model created in Lesson #8 or distribute other models you may have.
Provide each group with a copy of the Brain Freeze review game instructions.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
One copy of the Brain Freeze review game instructions per group.
One copy of the brain structures sheet per group.
One pair of scissors (or pre-cut the list of structures for each group.)
1 brain model for each group – either the one they created in Lesson #8 or other models the teacher may have.
Each group needs a small cup or container.

28
“Brain freeze” – Part 1 – Rules of the game
Today with your 3-D brain models, you are going to play a review game.

Materials:
 3-D Model of the brain
 A list of brain structures
 A cup for the slips of paper which name the structures in the brain

Players (Round One):

 Player One: Game show host
 Player Two: Contestant
 Player Three: The Judge
Players (Round Two):
 Player Three: Game show host
 Player One: Contestant
 Player Two: The Judge
Players (Round One):
 Player Two: Game show host
 Player Three: Contestant
 Player One: The Judge

Rules of the Game:

 Player One (The Host) will shuffle put the slips of paper containing the names of brain
structures into the cup. They will shuffle through the slips of paper until Player Two
(The Contestant) says, “Freeze”.
 Player One (Host) will draw out the slip of paper that he/she is touching at that time
and read it to Player Two (Contestant) and set it to the side.
 Player Two (Contestant) will point to that structure on his/her model of the brain and
must identify the function of that structure.
 Player Three (The Judge) will tell Player Two (Contestant) if the answer given is
correct. If the correct function is given, Player Two (Contestant) receives 1 point. If
the function is not correct, Player One (Host) receives 1 point.
 Ten slips of paper will be drawn out in Round One.
 In Round Two, return the slips of paper to the cup. Player One becomes the
Contestant, Player Two becomes The Judge, and Player Three becomes The Host.
 Ten slip of paper will be drawn out in Round Two and the same rules from Round One
apply.
 In Round Three, Player One becomes The Judge, Player Two becomes The Host, and
Player Three becomes the Contestant.

Whoever has the most points at the end of Round Three wins the game!
29
“Brain freeze” – Part 2 – Brain structures
Cut out the assortment of brain structures below. Put the slips of paper into the cup to use during the review game.

Temporal Lobe Frontal Lobe

Occipital Lobe Parietal Lobe

Brianstem Medulla

Reticular Formation Thalamus

Cerebellum Amygdala

Hypothalamus Corpus Callosum

Broca’s Area Wernicke’s Area

Angular Gyrus Visual Cortex

Auditory Cortex Pituitary Gland

Pons Hippocampus

30
LESSON #10 “NeurotransMatcher”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will review the names of various neurotransmitters, as well as what might happen if a person has excess
or lower levels of the neurotransmitters.

PROCEDURE:
Situate students so they are sitting in pairs.
Distribute one handout to each pair. They will also need scissors, or you will need to cut materials in advance.
Establish how long the pairs will have to play, and watch the time.
Circulate throughout the room to answer any questions.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
One copy of the NeurotransMatcher handout per pair of students. (Cut out the charts if students will not have
enough scissors to do it in class.)

31
“NeurotransMatcher” Test your memory of neurotransmitters by playing this matching game.
Instructions: 2 players will compete to see who can match each neurotransmitter with its descriptions the fastest.
1. Cut out the pieces of the chart at the bottom. The chart at the top will be your “answer key”.
2. Turn the pieces face down and mix them up.
3. Player 1 will turn the pieces over to reveal the words and try to recreate the chart accurately.
4. Player 2 will keep track of the time for Player 1 and use the “answer key” to grade Player 1’s work.
5. In round 2, Players 1 and 2 will switch roles and repeat steps 3-4.
6. They will repeat the rounds until both have committed the chart to memory, or until time is up.

Acetylcholine Enables muscle action, learning Production deteriorates with

and memory Alzheimer’s disease.
Dopamine Influences movement, learning, Excess activity is linked to
attention and emotion schizophrenia. Low levels lead
to the tremors and decreased
mobility of Parkinson’s disease
Serotonin Affects mood, hunger, sleep, Undersupply is linked to
and arousal depression. Prozac and some
other antidepressant drugs
raise the level of this
neurotransmitter
Norepinephrine Helps with alertness & arousal Undersupply can depress mood
GABA An inhibitory neurotransmitter Undersupply linked to seizures,
tremors and insomnia.
Glutamate An excitatory neurotransmitter Oversupply can overstimulate
involved in memory the brain, producing migraines
or seizures.

------------------------------------------------------------cut along this line--------------------------------------------

Cut out each section of the following chart, and use it to play the NeurotransMatcher memory game.

Acetylcholine Enables muscle action, learning Production deteriorates with

32
LESSON #11 “Brainy mnemonics”

OBJECTIVE:
Develop mnemonic devices to assist students with the recall of various brain structures and their functions.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the Brainy Mnemonics handout to students. Each should get a sheet, but you may allow them to work in
pairs or small groups. As individuals, pairs, or groups, they should record the function of each structure listed.
Then they should come up with a mnemonic device to help them remember the function(s) of each. Once they have
had sufficient time to work through the chart, students should have an opportunity to present their best
mnemonics to the class. They should be encouraged to write down any mnemonic devices they think will help
them remember the functions of each structure. If students have trouble coming up with their own mnemonic
devices, a sample for each is included below the student worksheet.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
A class set of the Brainy Mnemonics handouts.
A teacher copy of the example sheet.

33
“Brainy mnemonics” Record the function of each structure, then create a mnemonic device to help
you remember the functions. You will be asked to share your best example(s) with the class.

Name: Per: Date:

STRUCTURE FUNCTION MNEMONIC DEVICE

Thalamus

Medulla

Reticular Formation

Cerebellum

Amygdala

Hippocampus

Corpus Callosum

Hypothalamus

Frontal Lobe

Temporal Lobe

Parietal lobes

Occipital Lobe

34
“Brainy mnemonics” These are samples of mnemonic devices that may help your students remember
the functions of the various structures.
STRUCTURE FUNCTION MNEMONIC DEVICE
Thalamus Switchboard for sensory information Thelma, the switchboard
operator, directs incoming calls
to the appropriate department
Medulla Base of brainstem; controls heartbeat and Seeing Medusa caused their
breathing hearts to stop beating, and they
could no longer breathe.
Reticular Formation A nerve network in the brainstem that Ret sounds like "net", and you
plays an important role in controlling can fall asleep in a net, such as
arousal a hammock. If someone flips
you over, you awaken/ arouse.
Cerebellum The “little brain” that processes sensory Little Sara ("cere"/Sara) was a
input and coordinates movement output ballerina (ballerina/"bellum")
and balance. who shows poise and balance
as she moves gracefully.
Amygdala Almond-shaped cluster in limbic system; Amy, the girl with the almond-
linked to emotion shaped eyes, cries.
Hippocampus Part of the limbic system linked to You’d remember it if a hippo
memory walked across campus!
Corpus Callosum Axon fibers connecting the two cerebral Alliteration: Cutting the corpus
hemispheres callosum cuts communication
Hypothalamus Controls maintenance functions such as If you had hypothermia you’d
eating, thirst, body temperature, and be cold, hungry, thirsty, and
sexual behavior. need body heat! 
Frontal Lobe Lies behind the forehead; involved in The leader of Follow the
speaking and muscle movements, and Leader is in front of the line.
making plans and judgments. Everyone follows his/her
moves, instructions and plans.
Temporal Lobe Lies roughly above the ears, and includes Temporal is by your temples
auditory areas. near your ears.
Parietal lobes Lies at the top of the head toward the This is where someone would
rear; receives sensory input for touch and pat your head. Pat starts with
body position. P, and so does Parietal. You
would feel it if someone patted
your head, and that’s sensation.
Occipital Lobe Lies at the back of the head; includes Ossip Optometry is the name of
areas that receive information from the a local eye doctor's business,
visual fields. and Ossip and optical sounds
like occipital. Also, if you fell
and hit the back of your head,
you’d see stars, and that’s
vision.

35
LESSON #12 “Read my mind”

OBJECTIVE:
Identify and sketch various imaging techniques that are used to study brain activity.

PROCEDURE:
Students will go online to find various examples of brain imaging techniques. They will complete the chart with
their findings.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Each student will need a computer.
Each student will need a copy of the Read My Mind handout

36
“Read my mind” Go on line to research various techniques that can be used to examine and image the
brain. Complete the following chart with the various brain scans that can be used to “read your mind.” Add additional
boxes on the back of the sheet if you need more room.

Name: Per: Date:

Brain scans and imaging

Name: Date: Period:

Sketch an example of what the

Name of Scan/Imaging What activity is observed when technician would view while
Technique performing the procedure? performing the procedure?

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

37
LESSON # 13 “Nature vs. nurture: A story in pictures”

OBJECTIVE:
Compare the relative influences of nature and nurture on various human behaviors.

PROCEDURE:
Discuss the interaction of nature and nurture.
Distribute instructions for the project and allow students time to prepare and then present their PowerPoints.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Students will need a copy of the instructions as well as access to a computer lab.

38
“Nature vs. nurture: A story in pictures”
Name: Per: Date:

Human traits are a product of both their nature (biology, heredity, genetics) and their nurture (surroundings,
outside influences, environment, and nutrition.)

As a fun activity, for each trait listed below, consider yourself. What percentage of each trait is do you think is a
result of your nature (your biology)? How much would you estimate is a result of your nurturing (your
environmental influences)? Indicate your estimates as percentages in the blanks:

Nature Nurture
1. Body Build % %
2. Intelligence % %
3. Personality % %
4. Mathematical ability % %
5. Hair % %
6. Handedness % %
7. Height % %
8. Musical ability % %
9. Longevity (how long will you will live) % %
10. Suggest another: % %

Your next task is to create a PowerPoint presentation using pictures you carefully select from the Internet, which
show an interaction of nature and nurture. Below each picture, you will describe the interaction you see in the
picture of nature and nurture. An example follows:
Sample Picture:

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/viewart/20131107/SPORTS/311070045/
Sample Caption:
Indiana Pacer Lance Stephenson is shown in this picture dunking a basketball. This picture shows an
interaction between nature and nurture. His height and body build, as well as his the skills he has developed,
result in his talent for basketball seen here. His height and body build, which allow him to reach the goal
result from a combination of genetics (nature), along with nutrition (nurture). His ability to dunk the ball
was learned through his environment of coached and practicing (nurture). His naturally long arms and legs
also assist his ability.

Create as many slides as possible in the time you have during this class period. The quality of each picture
and their descriptions as well as your participation from start to finish will be worth 25 points.

39
LESSON #14 “Sleep debate”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
V. States of Consciousness
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Process and Writing Standards

OBJECTIVE:
Students will debate early versus late high school start times and consider the importance of sleep.

PROCEDURE:
Obtain articles that relate to school start times, sleep and sleep deprivation or have students find examples.
Suggestions of one’s I’ve used in the past are below.
Assign students to assume the various roles listed in the handout. You may do this at random, or allow individuals
on each side of the debate to choose their roles.
Taking on these personas, students are to argue for an early school start time or a later, school start time.
Two examples of articles I’ve used include:
(1) “Early start times reconsidered: Pinellas schools have the earliest start time - 7:05 a.m. A study to tame busing
expenses takes another look.” Found at:
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/09/11/Tampabay/Early_start_times_rec.shtml
(2) “School Start Time and Sleep” The National Sleep Foundation. Found at:
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/school-start-time-and-sleep
Students are to research their perspectives. Opposing individuals (i.e., the “bus driver” arguing for an early start
time and the “bus driver” arguing for a later start time) are each given 2 minutes each to present their perspective.
These are followed by a 1-minute rebuttal from each. I also allow time for each side to pose questions to each
individual. At the end, I have students who weren’t part of the debate to vote on who won.

I’ve also invite our principal and superintendent to watch the debates and give them time to address the topic. Our
school day used to be 7:40 am - 2:50 pm. Since I began facilitating this debate project in my AP Psychology class,
our school day has been modified to 8:10 am-3:20 pm. Each schedule has its advantages and disadvantages, but it’s
still an interesting and engaging topic to debate.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Arrange a computer lab for students to research
Copy and cut out the options for students to select which persona they will take on for the debate.

40
“Sleep debate”
Note to teacher: As you distribute the various roles or have students select these at random, if a role is presented in
lower case letters, the student will be debating on the side of an early start time. If a role is presented in upper case
letters, the student will be debating on the side of a later start time.

Parent of high PARENT OF A HIGH

school student SCHOOL STUDENT
high school student HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
high school teacher HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
principal PRINCIPAL
coach COACH
bus driver BUS DRIVER
Parent of high PARENT OF A HIGH
school student SCHOOL STUDENT
high school student HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
high school teacher HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
principal PRINCIPAL
coach COACH
bus driver BUS DRIVER

41
LESSON #15 “Getting to Know You”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
III. Biological Bases of Behavior
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 6: Biological Bases of Behavior

OBJECTIVE:
Students will consider how concepts of nature and nurture relate to themselves and others.

PROCEDURE:
In pairs, students will follow the instructions to create a video or time capsule. They will need equipment if they
choose to make a video, which could be their own handheld device that takes video or digital video cameras
available to check out through the school’s library or media center.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Prepare a handout of instructions for each student.
Reserve video equipment, if needed.

42
“Getting to know you” With a partner, select 2 of the 6 variables below to showcase about one
another in a video or time capsule. You may each select 2 different factors or use the same ones if you choose. There
will be a video or time capsule for each member of the pair.
Name: Per: Date:

Gender Peers Parents/Family

Adoption (if applicable) Genes Culture
Your Choices and their Requirements:

Video: These requirements would be for 1 video of 1 person. If each of you chooses to prepare a video, there will be 2
separate videos, each reflecting the following qualities. Your partner will help by taking the video and providing
constructive criticism as you consider what to include in your video presentation:
 5 – 10 minutes in length
 Answer the question, “How do (fill in the blank with two of the above factors) influence your behavior?”
 Showcase the important ways your behavior is influenced by each of the two factors. The presentation
should be a balance of the 2 factors.
 The video should be entertaining yet appropriate for classroom viewing. This is not an interview of your
subject on camera. This is to actually “show” the ways their behavior is influenced by whatever factors you
are highlighting. Be creative with how you do this.
 Video quality: audible, focused, steady camera work.

Time Capsule: These requirements would be for 1 time capsule. If each of you chooses to prepare a time capsule,
there will be 2 separate submissions, each reflecting the following qualities. Your partner will help you brainstorm
ideas and provide constructive criticism as you prepare your best work:
 Contains 10 artifacts (You may have 2 photographs that would count for your artifacts.) You may have no
more than 1 of each type of item in the box (For instance, if your parents encouraged you to participate in
sports and you won several ribbons, you may not put 10 ribbons in your box and expect that to count for
more than one artifact.) The artifacts must be a balance of the 2 factors you are highlighting.
 Decorate the outside of the container to reflect the person you are showcasing.
 Quality: Neat presentation, you must provide a detailed explanation of each item included, and explain why
it reflects your subject’s behavior, be loud enough for your audience, and make the content of the artifacts
and your presentation appropriate for class.

43
LESSON #15 “Nighty night”
STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
V. States of Consciousness
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 6: Biological Bases of Behavior

OBJECTIVE:
Students will examine various resources detailing how to get a good night’s sleep and apply their findings to their
own sleep habits.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the handouts.
Students will need online access. They will visit www.SleepNet.com as they complete the handout.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
One class set of the Nighty, night handout.
Internet access for each student.

44
“Nighty night” Using SleepNet.com as a source, answer the questions below.
Name: Per: Date:

1. Click on “Tips for better sleep”. List 5 tips that would help someone sleep better.
a.

2. On the home page, click on “Sleep clinician links” then click on “Professional organizations.” How many
professional organizations are listed?

3. Select two organizations of interest to you.

a. What is the name of the first organization?
b. What advice do they suggest for a good night’s sleep?

c. What is the name of the second organization?

d. What advice do they suggest for a good night’s sleep?

4. Return to the home page of SleepNet.com. At the top left side of the screen click on the link to take the Sleep
Test. What feedback did you receive from the assessment?

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LESSON #17 “Hypnosis infomercial”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL DOMAIN
APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
V. States of Consciousness
XIII. Treatment of Abnormal Behavior
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 4: Personality, Assessment and Mental Health
Standard 6: Biological Bases of Behavior

OBJECTIVE:
Students will create an infomercial about the possibilities and limitations of hypnosis as a therapeutic technique.

PROCEDURE:
Divide students into groups of 3-4.
Obtain video equipment or see that each group can obtain a device to take a video.
Students will research the possibilities and limitations of hypnosis as a therapeutic technique and create an
infomercial on the topic using the guidelines provided in their handout.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Each group needs a handout, Internet access, and video equipment.

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“Hypnosis infomercial” Follow the instructions below to create an infomercial that describes the
possibilities and limitations of using hypnosis as a therapeutic technique.

Name: Per: Date:

You work for a film company that has been asked to produce a 5-10 minute infomercial for a clinic that provides
hypnosis as a treatment for its patients. Could hypnosis help someone lose weight, stop smoking, recall events
from long ago, or do something they would not normally do?
Prepare a script for your participants using the space below and on the back of this handout.
Design or stage an appropriate area to film your infomercial. Consider whether or not you’ll need scene changes
and how you will edit your video if needed.
As you may realize there are many misconceptions about hypnosis.
Your job is to clarify what hypnosis can and can’t do.
You will use your text and information from various websites as a guide for what information you should include in
your infomercial. It is important to be a critical consumer of information. The internet contains information from
reliable and unreliable sources. Consider information from reputable sources, and ask your teacher if you have
concerns about the validity of some sites you find if you think they are questionable. These are a few websites that
may contain ideas you’ll want to include in your script. Your video will be presented to class.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypnosis/MY01020
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-hypnotherapy
http://www.apa.org/topics/hypnosis/media.aspx
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss-hypnosis/AN01617
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=hypnosis-memory-brain

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LESSON #18 “Perceiving is believing”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will prepare a PowerPoint or Prezi which identifies and describes examples of concepts related to
perception.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute copies of the handout Perceiving is believing.
Students will prepare a PowerPoint following the instructions provided.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Prepare a class set of the handout.
All students will need access to the Internet and computers with PowerPoint, Prezi, or another presentation
software program.

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“Perceiving is believing” You will be creating a PowerPoint or Prezi containing 25 slides. The
required topics for the slides are found on the below

Name: Per: Date:

Slide format
 Font size should be no smaller than 32 point.
 Slides should have an eye catching color scheme, either a template from the PowerPoint or Prezi
program, or one that you design.
 At least 15 of your slides should contain an appropriate clip art or picture added to it.
 If you want to add bells and whistles for fun, (flying text, sounds) that will make your presentation
even more entertaining
Required Slide Content
 Begin with a title page
 Research each term listed using the Internet or your text.
 Summarize your finding on each term into succinct bullet points.
 Add appropriate images to support at least 15 of your slides, illustrating the content
 All terminology should include a written explanation, even those supplemented with a picture
example

Slide # Terminology to address

1 Selective attention
2-5 Gestalt Principles
6-7 Binocular Cues
8-13 Monocular Cues
14 Motion Perception
15 Perceptual Constancy
16 Lightness Constancy
17 Sensory Deprivation and Restored Vision
18 Perceptual Adaptation
19-20 Perceptual Set
21 Context Effects
22 Perception and the Human Factor
23-25 ESP

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LESSON #19 “The perfect gift”
STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
DEVELOPENT AND LEARNING DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
IX. Developmental Psychology
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 2: Development

OBJECTIVE:
Students will apply Piaget’s concepts of cognitive development to selecting the perfect gift for children of different
ages and stages of development.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute The perfect gift handout, and allow time for students to consider Piaget’s stages of cognitive
development.
You may ask students to bring in sales ads, magazines, or catalogs to help them brainstorm various gift-giving
possibilities. Another option would be to assign them to go “window shopping” and browse what’s available on the
shelves of a local department store. A third possibility would be to let them go online and explore Amazon or
another online retailer.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
All students need a copy of the handout, The perfect gift.
Everyone should have access to sales ads, magazines, catalogs, or Internet access.

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“The perfect gift” Using Piagetian concepts, suggest age-appropriate gifts for the children described in
the scenarios below.

Name: Per: Date:

Based on your understanding of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, you must come up with the perfect
toys/gifts for children at each of the 4 stages. These toys can be either actual items that you know of on the market
today, or they may be your own invention. They should be developmentally appropriate for each level.

Use the template below when making your suggestions for each stage. Next to your suggestion, use Piagetian
terminology to explain why your suggestions are appropriate. This assignment requires a careful analysis of
Piaget’s stages, and your explanations should make use of his terminology and his theories regarding each stage.

Stages Gift Suggestion Why is your suggestion appropriate? Use Piaget’s concepts.

Stage
One
Sensorimotor

Stage
Two
Preoperational

Stage
Three
Concrete-
operations

Stage
Four
Formal-
operations

51
LESSON #20 “Changing it up”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
VI. Learning
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 3: Cognition

OBJECTIVE:
Using behavioral modification techniques, students will devise and carry out a 21-day plan to change a behavior.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the Changing it up handout.
Students will devise a proposal and it will be approved by the teacher.
They will develop a plan to modify the behavior they’ve selected.
After they’ve had time to carry out their plans, students will present their progress to the class.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Prepare a class set of the Changing it up handout.
You may wish to provide time in class for brainstorming, research and/or preparation of the students’
presentations.

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“Changing it up” You will have 21 days to change a behavior or add a behavior to your usual routine.
Name: Per: Date:

1. Select a behavior you wish to change. This may be something you wish to add to your routine or some
behavior you wish to eliminate or modify.
2. Research why this is a good behavior (such as adding exercise into your routine) or a behavior you should
eliminate (such as playing video games excessively).
3. Devise a system of reinforcements and/or punishments for your successes and failures that you are willing
and able to follow through with. Make it realistic and worthwhile.
4. After the 21-days of following your plan, you will present the following to the class:
1. You’ll describe the behavior you decided to modify and explain why you chose the behavior.
2. Present 3 sources that discuss your topic (for instance, if you want to exercise more frequently, you’d
present research on why that is an important behavior.)
3. Describe the steps you took to modify your behavior. What rewards or consequences did you create for
yourself?
4. Inform the class of your successes and failures (What did you set out to do? When did you succeed/fail
at these attempts?) You will devise and present the tracking system you use for the 21-days.
5. Before you begin your program, your plan must be approved, and the teacher must sign below.
The behavior you’ve chosen is: Teacher’s signature of approval:
6. Create a poster, PowerPoint, or Prezi addressing the main points of your presentation. Posters should
be creative, neatly put together, and easy to read and be seen by everyone in the class. PowerPoints or
Prezis should be creative, with pictures, colors, sounds, and font that is easy to read by everyone in the
class.
7. Carefully consider the following rubric as you prepare the presentation of your plan.
8. Review the rubric on page two of your handout. Practice your presentation in front of a friend or family
member and have them make suggestions for improvement before you give your presentation to the
class.

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“Changing it up” Consider the following rubric as you prepare your presentation.

0-5 6-8 9-10

Content – Sources Student orally presents 0- Student orally presents 2- Student orally presents 2-
1 sources on the topic. 3 sources that support the 3 sources that support the
Source, if provided, lacks topic. One or more topic which come from
quality and/or qualities described in the reputable sources.
presentation of the 9-10 scoring range are Presentation of sources is
sources is inadequate. missing. Copies may not thorough. Copies of
Copies may not have been have been included. sources are included.
included.
Content - Behavior Student fails to accurately Behavior is mentioned, but Student thoroughly
or adequately describe the description of reasons why describes the behavior
behavior they are are not clear or thorough. they want to modify and
choosing to modify, or clearly explains the
student chooses to modify reasons they wish to
a behavior that was not modify the behavior.
approved by the teacher.
Content – Modification Student fails to present the Student intermittently Student consistently used
Plan techniques they used to used their behavior their behavior
modify their behavior or modification strategy. modification strategy, and
failed to use their Student may not have they presented their
techniques for the consistently tracked their successes and failures.
duration of the project. progress.
Appeal (if you choose to Poster is difficult or Poster may be difficult to Poster is easy to read.
prepare a poster) impossible to read by read or is not prepared Items are neatly affixed to
students in the classroom neatly. May lack visual the poster, and the poster
during the presentation. appeal or interest. Student is engaging to the viewer.
Items aren’t glued, drawn, may “read” the poster to Student doesn’t “read” the
or printed neatly. Item the audience rather than poster to the audience.
lacks visual appeal. use it as a visual aide for Rather it is used as a visual
their presentation. aide.
Appeal (if you choose to Font is too small to read. Font may be hard to read. Font is easy to read.
create a PowerPoint or Lacks visual appeal, May lack creative elements Images and special effects
Prezi) pictures or images that that provide interest to support the topic. It is
support the presentation. audience. May not support enjoyable and interesting
Student may not make eye of the topic. Student may to watch. Student focuses
contact or lacked focus on not make eye contact or on the audience during the
the audience. lacks focus. presentation.

54
LESSON #21 “Cartoon games”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will apply their understanding of contingencies of reinforcement, observational learning, and reciprocal
determinism and analyze examples of these concepts.

PROCEDURE:
Students will draw cartoons which illustrate examples of contingencies of reinforcement, observational learning, and
reciprocal determinism. They will not specify which terms they are trying to illustrate on the front of their illustrations.
When they are finished, they will share them with class. The classmates will try to guess which theories they were
illustrating. To extend this activity, you could have students vote on the best examples from their class of each concept.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Every student will need a handout explaining the instructions.
You may wish to provide each student with art supplies to create their cartoons or ask them to bring materials
from home.

55
“Cartoon games” Illustrate cartoons related to the topics below. Then guess which concepts your
classmates have drawn.

Name: Per: Date:

Select two of the following topics: contingencies of reinforcement, observational learning, or reciprocal determinism. Use
the space below and on the back of this sheet, or use your own supplies, and draw a cartoon that illustrates each of the
concepts. In order to play the game, don’t identify the specific terms you are illustrating within your cartoons. When
everyone is finished, you will be sharing them with your class, and your classmates will be guessing which theories you
were illustrating. Your cartoons should contain at least 3 frames each.

56
LESSON #22 “A children’s museum”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
IX. Developmental Psychology
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 2: Development

OBJECTIVE:
Apply theories of development, students will prepare exhibits for a simulated children’s museum.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the instructions.
Prepare the space for your students to work.
Secure computers and supplies your students will need, or have them brainstorm and use their resources to obtain
supplies.
Obtain permission and arrange an opportunity for young children to visit your classroom and experience the
students’ exhibits. Suggestions would be to contact stay-at-home parents of preschool children, make
arrangements with someone who provides in-home childcare, or work with a local daycare. Depending on your
number of students, logistics, and facilities, you might also be able to arrange students to take a trip to a local
daycare to set up their activities off-site. It would be best to work with a group of children that represent a variety
of ages, from infant, to toddler, to preschool age.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Prepare a class set of instructions, including instructions that reflect the ages of the children they will be working
with and the date their exhibits must be complete.
Assign, or allow your students to choose groups.
Designate the amount of time your students will have to research, design, and create their exhibits.
Schedule a time for young children to visit the exhibits.
Prepare observation logs for students to use as the children explore the exhibits.

57
“A children’s museum” Follow the instructions below to design exhibits for a children’s museum
that applies the theories of development you have learned..

Your Name: Per: Date:

Your group members:

Your Task: With the members of your group, propose six children’s museum exhibits/stations/activities. Each should
relate to the theories of cognitive development we have studied.
Children will be actively participating in your exhibits. They will range in age from to in age.
The children will be visiting on . You will be turning this room or another space such as a Large
Group Instruction room into a museum. Your group will propose what area of the room it needs for your activities and ask
for approval for that space. You will draw or explain what each activity will look like. You will also describe exactly what
the children would do as they visit your exhibit. We will vote as a class to determine which exhibits we will actually
create. The exhibits must relate to the information you have learned about child development. Those theories should be
the inspiration for your proposals. Your exhibits/activities should be opportunities for children to use their thinking and
language skills. You will prepare a “connection” statement or explanation for how each activity relates to a theory we
have discussed in class.

Describe the activity/exhibit: Connection Statement – how does this connect to what we have learned in class?
1.

58
“A children’s museum” Use the following form as a template to note the language use and examples
of thinking and problem solving strategies you observe for each child doing each activity you observe.

Child’s Name Age

Physical/clothing description (for identification/discussion purposes later):

Activity 1:
Observations of language use:

Observations of thinking and problem solving strategies used:

Activity 2:
Observations of language use:

Observations of thinking and problem solving strategies used:

Activity 3:
Observations of language use:

Observations of thinking and problem solving strategies used:

Activity 4:
Observations of language use:

Observations of thinking and problem solving strategies used:

Activity 5:
Observations of language use:

Observations of thinking and problem solving strategies used:

Activity 6:
Observations of language use:

Observations of thinking and problem solving strategies used:

59
LESSON #23 “Dear Diary”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will demonstrate their understanding of various theories of development by preparing excerpts of diary
entries that reflect terminology and concepts they have studied.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the handouts.
Allow students time to prepare their entries.
Schedule time in class for students to share samples of their diary entries.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Prepare a class set of Dear Diary instructions.

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“Dear Diary” Demonstrate your understanding of development theories by preparing diary entries.
Name: Per: Date:

To demonstrate your knowledge and understanding, you will:

(A) Write a week’s worth of diary entries for a character you create. All 7 entries should have 10-15
descriptive sentences.
(B) Fill out the demographic information on your character. The diary will either be from the character’s
perspective if that person would capable of writing, or it can be written from the point of view of someone
writing about your character (i.e., a parent or caretaker). Each of the following does not need to be
addressed in all entries, but within each entry you should reflect at least one of the six. All six should be
addressed in at least one entry and should reflect the theories you have studied in class
(1) Physical development
(2) Social development
(3) Cognitive development
(4) Moral development
(5) Emotional development
(6) Language development (This one will be very evident in a parent’s diary about a child, such as,
“He’s said his first word…” but this would also be evident at other ages with the word choice of
your characters of other ages.)
(C) You don’t need to state these six issues directly in the diary entries, but they would be alluded to in the
entries. For instance, you needed say, “I am going through a social issue.” Rather, you would describe the
social issue within the prose of your entries..

An example (a 14 year old girl):

Dear Diary: Today at school Mr. Carter let me and my friend, Jana, work out in the hall on our Social Studies
project. We are doing a map project where we draw all the countries and color in the places where they have
the most population. It was easy. Jana is my BFF! The other day her mom took us to the mall and she let Jana
get her ears pierced. I’m so jealous. Jana has a boyfriend, too, named Parker. We call him “PK”. He’s awesome!
He plays basketball and runs track. He is smokin hot!!! Jana is so lucky. I’m going to see if my mom will let me
stay over at her house this weekend. I want to get my ears pierced like her too. We were going to sneak over
to PK’s house last week, but he got in trouble for texting in Geometry, and since he has a C in that class, his
parents grounded him for like a month. I hope he doesn’t get caught if we go over there because his parents
will kill him!! Well, bye for now!!

Demographics on Diary Character

Age: Gender: Name:
Who does your character live with?

Anything else we should know about your character before reading the entries:

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LESSON #24 “Who am I?”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will apply their understanding of Erik Erikson’s theory of social development as they reflect upon their
own lives.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the instructions and allow students time to work and ask questions.
Plan for a time in class when students can present their work.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Create a class set of the Who am I? handout.

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“Who am I?” Reflect upon Erik Erikson’s theory of social development and apply your understanding as you
prepare answers to the questions below.

Name: Per: Date:

According to Erik Erikson’s theory of Social Development, you are currently in a stage, or conflict, called Identity
vs. Role Confusion. To examine your growth in this area, please answer the following questions. You will present
your answer to question #2 in class, and you will also choose 2 questions from #3-#6 to present.

1. Write 10 different answers to the question, “Who am I?” You should only list things that, if lost, would make a
real difference in their sense of identity, like your responsibilities, beliefs or your personality traits. (In other
words, you wouldn’t answer, “I’m a brunette” or something like that, unless it “defines” you as an original
individual.

2. After you’ve written your 10 answers in any order, rank them in order of importance to you.

3. A. Has your adolescence been easy, difficult, or somewhere in between?

B-F. Give 5 examples that explain why you would describe your adolescence in that way.

4. A. Do you think adolescence (a period between a carefree childhood and an adulthood of independence) is
necessary? Why or why not?
B. If so, how long do you think most people need to transition between childhood and adulthood?
C. Why do you think that length of time is best?

5. Do you think society forces adolescents to grow up too soon? Explain your response.

6. A. Describe a time when you and one of your caregivers (parents, aunts or uncles, or grandparents, etc.),
disagreed about your rights or responsibilities.
B. How did you feel during that disagreement?
C. How do you think they felt about you?
D. How did you resolve your differences? Why do you feel that resolution was reached?

63
LESSON #25 “Learning through dialogue”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will demonstrate their understanding of various concepts related to learning as they prepare and present
dialogues with a partner.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the Learning through dialogue activity sheet.
Allow students time to prepare their presentations with a partner.
Invite pairs to come forward and present selections to the class.
As a game, you might have the students present their dialogues and have the rest of the class guess what concepts
they are trying to demonstrate.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
You will need a class set of the handout.

64
“Learning through dialogue” Following the instructions below, prepare a set of dialogues with
a partner that reflect the concepts.

Name: Per: Date:

For each of the following concepts, develop a short (30-second) dialogue that you could act out with a partner. You
will perform some, but not all, of your dialogues for the class. Be prepared to present each one, as you will not
know which one(s) you will be asked to present. Use the space provided to brainstorm your ideas or to summarize
the dialogues you will present.

1. Cognitive map

2. Latent learning

3. Overjustification effect

4. Positive reinforcement

5. Negative reinforcement

6. Positive punishment (by application)

7. Negative punishment (by withdrawal)

8. Shaping

9. Observational learning

10. Classical conditioning

65
LESSON #26 “Stereotyping”

STANDARDS:
National Standards for High School Psychology (2011):
SOCIOCULTURAL CONTEXT DOMAIN
AP® Psychology Standards (2013):
XIV. Social Psychology
Indiana Academic Standards for Psychology (2014):
Standard 5: Social-Cultural Dimensions of Behavior

OBJECTIVE:
Students will prepare a presentation on stereotyping.

PROCEDURE:
Distribution the Stereotyping handout.
Allow students time to prepare their presentations in class or this could be prepared at home.
Plan time in class for students to present the highlights of their presentations.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Prepare a class set of the Stereotyping handout.
Reserve computer lab time or allow students to bring their own computers or work from home.

66
“Stereotyping” Follow the instructions that follow to create a presentation on stereotyping.
Name: Per: Date:

Stereotyping in today’s society:

A Psychology PowerPoint Presentation
Assignment:
You will have 3-4 days (depending on your observed work ethic)
to create a PowerPoint or Prezi on the topic of Stereotyping.

Details:
Your slides should contain the following information:
1. Define stereotypes (1 slide)
2. Explain how stereotypes develop (3 slides)
3. What are the harmful effects of stereotypes in general? (3 slides)
4. Provide examples of stereotyping from within the following categories and explain how stereotypes related to
the following can be harmful or detrimental:
 Age (5 slides)
 Gender (5 slides)
 Race/Ethnicity (5 slides)
 Style (5 slides)
 Religion (5 slides)
 Physical (5 slides)
 Others (5 slides)
5. What can be done to prevent stereotyping? (5 slides)
6. What can be done to reverse the damage stereotyping has done to those affected by it? (3 slides)
Scoring:
50 slides = 50 points

Requirements:
 Font should be no smaller than 28-point.
 You should include pictures on at least half of your slides (minimum of 25 pictures).
 You must include a works cited page for the web pages you use for your information.
 You must include a works cited page for the pictures you use. “Google Images” is not adequate when citing
pictures. You must give the name of the web site on which the image appears.

67
LESSON #27 “Unit project” (Social Psychology)

OBJECTIVE:
Students will address the topic of who they are in relation to others by preparing answering a series questions in
the form of a scrapbook, PowerPoint/Prezi presentation, or creative journal (art, poems, pictures – with
descriptions).

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the handout including questions and instructions for the project.
Allow students time to work in class or make this an out of class assignment.
If needed, obtain a computer lab or allow students to bring their own device and supplies to class.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
Copy a class set of instructions.

68
“Unit project” (Social Psychology) Follow the instructions below to relate topics of social
psychology to your own life.

Name: Per: Date:

Your Task:
Address the topic of who you are in relation to others by answering the questions below in the form of a scrapbook,
PowerPoint/Prezi, or creative journal (art, poems, pictures – with descriptions). You will dedicate 1 page of your
scrapbook/journal or 1 slide in your PowerPoint/Prezi to each issue for a total of 30 pages or slides. You may use your
text or online resources to answer some of the questions or define some of the terms. The most important thing is to see
how these concepts actually relate to YOU 

Your Grade:
Did you answer the questions? – 30 points (1/slide or page)
Was it creative and done neatly? – 30 points (1/slide or page)
Presentation – did you share your completed work in class? (You’ll share a minimum of 10 pages/slides with the class.
It’s understood that some things may be personal. Be sure you are comfortable presenting at least 1/3 of your finished
product.) – 10 points = 70 points

Class Participation:
Did you work in class when you had time to work? 1 point deducted from total score – up to 5 points/day for each time
you had to be asked to get back to work. Bring materials to class so you can work. 5 points will be taken off your grade
for days you don’t have materials to work with. You will be required/have time to work in class

The Questions: Although your questions will be answered in your final product, you may use the space provided to
brainstorm how you will answer each question.

1. Socialization – What is socialization? How has this affected you?

2. Symbols – What are symbols in our culture that are important to you? (include 3)

3. Language – What are words in our culture that describe you? (include 3)

4. Norms – What is a cultural norm? What norms of our culture do you follow (include 3)

5. Values – What are values? What values of our culture do you follow (include 3)

6. Attitudes – What are attitudes? What are 3 strong attitudes that you share with your family?

7. Attitudes – What are 3 strong attitudes that you share with your friends?

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8. Conformity – What is conformity? What is an area in your life where you feel you conform to most
other teenagers?

9. Non-conformity – What is non-conformity? What is an area in your life where you feel you conform
least to other teenagers?

10. Obedience – What is one area in your life where you are most obedient?

11. Altruism – What is altruism? What is one thing you do that is very altruistic?

12. Attributions – What is an attribution? What quality do you have that you attribute mostly to your
family?

13. Attribution – What quality do you have that you attribute mostly to your friends?

14. Economics – How would you describe the socio-economic status of your family? How does that affect
your lifestyle?

15. Geography – How do you describe the geography of where you live (you can think small scale – as in
your town, or large scale – as in our country)? How does this geography affect your lifestyle?

16. Inter-group relations – Think about a group to which you belong (this can be a very organized group,
like a team, or an informal group, such as your “lunch table” friends). Describe the group. Describe how
you get along. On what topics, or in what areas, do you agree the most? On what topics, or in what
areas, do you have conflict?

17. Internal Attributions – What qualities of your personality do you take the most credit for (i.e. hard work,
sense of humor, etc.)

18. External Attributions – What qualities of your personality credit to someone else (for example, an area
in your life where you feel you’ve been strongly influenced by someone else)?

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19. Conflict – In what areas in your life do you experience the most conflict? Who is the conflict with? Why
do you think the conflict exists?

20. Conflict Resolution – What do you think it would take to solve the conflict you’ve described in #19?

21. Bias – What is bias? In what area(s) of your life do you recognize that you’ve developed a bias
concerning others? (this could be a good bias or a negative bias)

22. Discrimination – What is discrimination? In what area(s) of your life do you recognize that you’ve
developed discrimination concerning others or that you’ve been a victim of the discrimination of others?

23. Stereotypes – What is a stereotype? In what area(s) have you developed stereotypes or in what areas do
you fit (or not fit) a stereotype? What has been a result of the stereotype that has been associated with
you (or that you have about others)? (Has it impacted you positively or negatively?)

24. What is group polarization? What is one social issue that you have a strong opinion or strong concern
about? What is your opinion or concern related to that social issue? What efforts have you taken to
create a positive difference related to this social issue?

25. Social groups affect individual – How have social groups at school affected you either positively or
negatively?

26. Social groups affect other groups – Identify a social group at within our school. How has that group
positively or negatively affected others at within our school?

27. Bystander effect – What is the bystander effect? Where have you seen this take place?

28. Cooperation – In what areas of your life do you find yourself being the most cooperative with others?

29. Competition – In what areas of your life do you find yourself being the most competitive with others?

30. Influence – What is a positive impact you hope your life has on others? (How would you like to be
remembered by others?)

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LESSON #28 “Obedience and conformity”

OBJECTIVE:
Students will explore examples of obedience and conformity in cults throughout history.

PROCEDURE:
Distribute the Obedience and Conformity handout.
Students will select 5 examples of cults or organizations requiring strict conformity and obedience.
They will answer the questions provided.

HANDOUTS/PREPARATION:
A class set of the Obedience and Conformity handout.

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“Obedience and conformity” Research examples of individuals or groups throughout history
that have demanded strict obedience and conformity.

Name: Per: Date:

Conformity and obedience are important tenets of groups known as cults. The following are examples of
individuals who have been identified by their actions as cult leaders. Select 5 from the following list, and answer
the 3 questions for each of the five you select. There are many examples throughout history, and this is certainly
only a short list. If you have another example that you would like to research, you can present this to the teacher
for approval.

Examples of cults or cult leaders:

David Koresh, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, Charles Manson, Luc Joret, Jim Jones, Klu Klux Klan,
Rev. Sun Myung Moon, David “Moses” Berg, Warren Jeffs, Elbert Eugene Spriggs (a.k.a. “Yoneq”)

Choice One:
(1) Describe the cult or situation involving this individual or group.