Advanced Placement Psychology
Syllabus 2013-2014
Instructor: Joyce Lide
Email: joyce.lide@henry.k12.ga.us
Course Description
Advanced Placement Psychology is the equivalent of an introductory college course. As such, students are expected
to do college-level work and display college-level thinking skills. Completing assigned textbook reading is a must.
Classroom time will be for activities, discussions, explanations and reviews. These will be more successful and
enriching if students take responsibility for completing assignments and keeping up with the reading.
Textbook: Psychology, 8th edition, David G. Myers, Worth Publishers, 2007
Course Curriculum
The curriculum for AP Psychology is established by The College Board. It can be found in a .pdf document called
the AP Psychology Course Description. Go to: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-psychology
The following is the expected sequence of study for the 2014-15 school year:
College Board
Content Outline Number
Introduction: What is Psychology?
History, Research Methods and Statistics
Cognition, Memory and Language
VII
Development, Nature vs. Nurture
IX
Personality, Testing, States of Consciousness
Social Psychology
Learning and Behavior
Motivation and Emotion
Biological Bases, Sensation and Perception
Disorders and Treatments
II
X, XI, V
XIV
VI
VIII
III, IV
XII, XIII
Classroom Procedures and Expectations
General Approach: Students will come to class prepared to learn with the proper attitude and supplies. The
classroom will be an intellectually-challenging environment, but also an intellectually-safe environment. Questions
are encouraged; new ideas can be pursued; and connections to the larger world should be made. The foundation of
this intellectual activity must be student attention and engagement. As such, any activity that detracts from attention
and engagement is a violation of the classroom expectations.
Teacher Website: Don’t miss class, but if you must, make every effort to keep up with all assignments and notes
while absent from class. My website will include: the nightly or weekly homework assignments. You may
also email me for detailed information regarding a missed class. It is the student’s responsibility to check the
website the day they are absent in order to keep up with class assignments and homework. This work must be
turned in to the instructor on the day the student returns to school or e-mailed to the instructor. No make-up
work will be given for unexcused absences. The determination of excused or unexcused is made by the
attendance office, not by the instructor.
Tardy Policy: Students are expected to be inside the class room and seated prior to the tardy bell ringing. Students
late for 1st period must report to the attendance office for a pass to class. Consequences for tardies that occur 2nd
through 7th periods follow the “Four Steps” for tardies which are: 1) Verbal Warning 2) Parent Contact 3) Teacher
Detention 4) Office Referral.
Required Materials: Students are required to bring the following materials to class every day with no exception:
(1) Textbook. (2) Paper or note book with class notes. (3) Pencil. DO NOT ASK THE TEACHER WHEN TO
BRING YOUR BOOK TO CLASS. You need it every day! You will not be allowed to return to your locker for
materials.
Dress Code: The Henry County School System has a countywide dress code. The complete text of this code can
be found in the Henry County Handbook. Please refer to the Union Grove handbook for additional guidelines. The
punishment for violators is outlined in the Henry County Student Handbook.
Electronic Devices: Cell phones, music devices, headphones, IPods, and all other electronic media devices are
NOT permitted in the classroom. NO EXCUSES! Cell phones will be confiscated if seen or heard. Any of these
devices visible at any point during class time will be confiscated and turned in to the front office. At that point, the
device can only be reclaimed by a parent or guardian.
Honor Code: There is a zero tolerance for cheating or copying on tests, projects, quizzes, homework and class
work. Any student who cheats or attempts to cheat or copy, on any test, project, quiz, or homework assignment,
will automatically receive a zero for that grade and will not be allowed to make it up. Any student, who allows
another student to copy his or her work, will also receive a zero for that grade and will not be allowed to make it up.
Missed Quiz or Test: Students who have unlawful absences (cutting class) will not be allowed to make up a
missed quiz or test and the grade will remain a zero. Students who have an excused or lawful absence must
schedule a day to come back to class before or after school. It is the student responsibility to schedule a day in
order to come back to make up any missed test or quiz. Students have 5 days upon returning to school to make-up
the missed test or quiz. If a test or quiz has not been made-up within 5 days, the grade will remain a zero. No
exceptions.
Consequences: Class will follow the policies and procedures of Union Grove High School and the Henry County
Student Handbook. Students who fail to meet these expectations (or in any other way distract from the academic
environment) will either be referred to the office for a disciplinary write up or go through the Union Grove Four
Step discipline procedure, depending on the severity of the infraction.
Grading
Grade Categories and Weight:
Classwork, Quizzes, and Homework
Major Tests & Projects
Semester Final Exam
35%
45%
20%
Classwork and Homework: These assignments include, but are not limited to:
 Regular assigned reading of the text and quizzes about the reading
 Finding and reflecting on news articles about psychology in magazines and newspapers
 Producing products or performances that demonstrate understanding of psychological concepts
Major Tests: All tests and quizzes will reflect the format of the AP exam. They will consist of multiple choice
questions and free response questions. In addition to unit tests, from time to time students will take cumulative
benchmark tests. Benchmark tests will assess all the material covered at that point in the school year. As a yearlong course, this will continue into second semester with material from the first semester. At no point are we
“done” with any material.
Test Re-takes: A primary goal of the class is for students to acquire knowledge and understanding. If a student
makes an undesirable grade on a test, they are encouraged to study the material, get tutoring if needed, and re-take
the test. The re-take will be on the same material, but will not be the same questions as the first test (and may not
even be the same test format.) The grade on the re-test will be averaged with the original grade. For example, if a
student makes a 60 on the first test, but comes for a re-test and makes an 80, the grade will become a 70. Re-takes
can only be done during designated times. Whenever possible re-takes will be done during Instructional Focus;
however, some before school or after school time may be needed.
Semester Final Exam: For first semester this will be a cumulative benchmark test. For second semester, it will be
the county-mandated Student Learning Outcome (SLO) test.
Extra Credit: There will be NO extra credit.
Bonus Points for AP Grades: Because of the challenging content in AP classes, Infinite Campus automatically
adds 10 points to the class grade for AP classes. However, these points are not used when calculating grade point
average for the HOPE scholarship, and most colleges disregard these additional points when considering an
applicant’s transcript.
The AP Test
On May 4, 2015 students can take the Advanced Placement Psychology test. A score of 3 or higher (on a scale of 1
to 5) will earn college credit at most colleges and universities. Some colleges only accept a score of 4 or 5. The AP
examination is a two-hour test with 100 multiple choice questions and two free-response questions. The test will
focus on the vocabulary of psychology, the application of psychological concepts, and critical thinking about issues
in psychology. The AP Test has no bearing on the student’s classroom grade. For more information on the AP Test
visit www.collegeboard.com.
Supplies and Materials
It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of all class materials (notes, handouts, graphic organizers, graded
work, etc.) Students MUST have a dedicated notebook for AP Psychology and not “share” a notebook with other
classes. The following are the basic expected supplies:
 One three ring binder (one inch or larger)
 Loose Leaf paper
 Blue or black ink pens
 #2 pencils
 Highlighter
 Tab Dividers
******This syllabus may change at any time and is definitely subject to revisions.
Syllabus Acknowledgement - AP Psychology
Student:
I have fully read and understand the course requirements, grading procedures, classroom rules, honor
code, homework policy, make-up work policy, re-test policy and attendance and tardy policies as stated in
the course syllabus. I understand that it is my responsibility to check the course website if I’m absent
from class for assignments and homework that day; and that this work must be turned in to the instructor
the day I return to school. I understand that if I have an unlawful absence, I will not be allowed to makeup the missed assignment and a zero will be recorded for that grade.
Student Name (Print): _____________________________________________________________
Student Signature: ____________________________________________ Date: _______________
Student E-mail address: ____________________________________________________________
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Parent Name (Print): _____________________________________________________________
Parent Signature: ____________________________________________ Date: _______________
Parent E-mail address: _____________________________________________________________