Assignment #1: Tracking Physical Development
Developmental Psychology – Fall 2010
25 points – Due 9/14
In this first assignment for our class, you are going to be introducing a new individual into the world.
You can either be the parent of this person, or merely a reporter on their life. Either way, it is your job
to detail their life from start to finish. In this first section, you’ll be naming them, detailing when and
where they were born, describing some of the important characteristics that they have inherited from
their parents, describe one peculiar thing that happened to them while they were in their mother’s
womb, detail how this impacted them at birth and throughout their life, and describe their development
after birth. Some of this will be done in a brief description; another portion will be done by listing a
timeline of development for your new individual. To earn points, you will need to accurately describe
when specific types of physical development/change should occur, and the most likely causes behind
any deviations from that schedule. If you have any questions about the specifics, please email me and
we can go over them.
OVERVIEW OF THE WRITTEN INTRODUCTION
I. Name your individual and list the year and location that they were born – 1 point
II. List and describe one thing that happened to this person that was unique when they were in
their mother’s womb, and the impact that this had on them then and afterward – 3 points
III. Describe at least two physical characteristics of the child or developmental issues of the child
that they inherited (genetic) or acquired (environment) from their parents – 3 points
OVERVIEW OF THE TIMELINE
I. Create a timeline for your person starting at birth and proceeding to his/her death. Note: you
decide when your person dies (an elderly death makes the later sections easier) – 1 point
II. Chart the growth of your child; in this, you should include:
a. Physical growth milestones (height/weight/physical changes (e.g. puberty)) – 3 points
b. Nervous system growth milestones (brain and neurons) – 3 points
c. Health related growth issues (development of at least two health related problems
during life and their causes) – 3 points
d. Motor and sensory growth milestones – 3 points
PLEASE NOTE: You need to identify the times when your person’s development does not fit
with the rest of the population. To do this, not only identify their development, but the
typical development of most individuals
FINAL POINTS
You will receive an additional 5 points for writing a summary that is grammatically correct,
creating a timeline that is easy to understand and follow, and generating a person that is both
unique and interesting. In other words, use what we have learned and spend some time on this.
Assignments need to be handed in during the beginning of class or emailed to me before class on the
14th of September. Late work will not be accepted for this assignment. However, turning the paper in
early is always encouraged.
Please write several drafts, spell check, proofread and revise both your timeline and introduction before
handing in your assignment. You will not receive full credit if your assignment contains grammatical,
spelling, or stylistic mistakes.
A Note on Plagiarism:
USE YOUR OWN WORDS! Plagiarism in this assignment will not be tolerated. Anyone caught plagiarizing
on this paper will receive a 0 on the paper and an entire grade reduction on their final grade. Plagiarism
can exist in many forms, but all versions of plagiarism involve using the intellectual materials of another
without making an acknowledgement of its source. Examples of plagiarism include:
1) Copying statements and writings of another without acknowledging their contribution
(quotes, reference, etc.).
2) Using the views and statements of others in your papers in a manner that makes them seem
as if they were your own original views and statements.
3) Constant paraphrasing and copying of statements throughout your paper (this can be
considered plagiarism even if you cite your sources if you are doing this too frequently).