AP Psychology
Course Syllabus and Classroom Procedures
Contact Information
Teacher: Jessica Campbell
E-mail: jessica.campbell@husd.org
Phone: (480) 279-7497
Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 6:45-7:15 or by appointment
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Course scope and goals
a. AP Psychology Scope: Advanced Placement Psychology is a two semester course
to prepare students for the AP Psychology exam offered by the College Board.
This course study of psychology is designed to introduce students to the
systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human
beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts,
principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major sub fields within
psychology. Students will also learn about the methods psychologists use in their
science and practice. This course will improve writing techniques, heighten
research skills, and enhance understanding of the scientific study of the mind and
behavior.
Performance Outcomes
a. Upon completion of this course, the student will:
1. Develop and improve reading, writing, and thinking skills.
2. Develop and improve their vocabulary and test taking skills.
3. Develop and improve research skills.
4. Develop the ability to use MLA style for writing assignments.
5. Students learn about some of the explorations and discoveries made by
psychologists over the past century.
6. Students assess some of the differing approaches adopted by
psychologists, including the biological, behavioral, cognitive,
humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural perspectives.
7. Students come to an appreciation of how psychologists think.
Required Text/ Supplemental Reading
a. Required Text
1. Myers, David G., et al. Exploring Psychology. Worth Publishers: New
York, 2011.
b. Supplemental Reading
1. In addition to the textbook we will use supplementary material to
provide depth and better understanding to Psychology including books,
articles, and movies.
Course Topics
a. Methods, Approaches, and History
1. Logic, Philosophy, Science, and the Origins of Psychology
2. Approaches
1. Biological
2. Behavioral
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
3. Cognitive
4. Humanistic
5. Psychodynamic
3. Experimental, Correlation, and Clinical Research
4. Statistics
1. Descriptive
2. Inferential
5. Ethics in Research
Biological Bases of Behavior
1. Physiological Techniques
2. Neuroanatomy
3. Functional Organization of Nervous System
4. Neural Transmission
5. Endocrine System
6. Genetics
Sensation and Perception
1. Thresholds
2. Sensory Mechanisms
3. Receptor Processes
4. Sensory Adaptation
5. Attention
6. Perceptual Processes
States of Consciousness
1. Sleep and Dreaming
2. Hypnosis
3. Psychoactive Drug Effects
Learning
1. Biological Factors
2. Classical Conditioning
3. Operant Conditioning
4. Social Learning
5. Cognitive Processes in Learning
Cognition
1. Memory
2. Language
3. Thinking
4. Problem Solving and Creativity
Motivation and Emotion
1. Biological Bases
2. Theories of Motivation
3. Hunger, Thirst, Sex, and Pain
4. Social Motives
5. Theories of Emotion
6. Stress
Developmental Psychology
1. Life-Span Approach
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3.
4.
5.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
Research Methods (e.g., longitudinal, cross-sectional)
Heredity-Environment Issues
Developmental Theories
Dimensions of Development
1. Physical
2. Cognitive
3. Social
4. Moral
Personality
1. Personality Theories and Approaches
2. Research Methods
3. Assessment Techniques
4. Self-Concept, Self-Esteem
5. Growth and Adjustment
Testing and Individual Differences
1. Standardization and Norms
2. Reliability and Validity
3. Types of Tests
4. Ethics and Standards in Testing
5. Intelligence
6. Heredity/Environment and Intelligence
7. Human Diversity
Abnormal Psychology
1. Definitions of Abnormality
2. Theories of Psychopathology
3. Diagnosis of Psychopathology
4. Anxiety Disorders
5. Somatoform Disorders
6. Mood Disorders
7. Schizophrenic Disorders
8. Organic Disorders
9. Personality Disorders
10. Dissociative Disorders
Treatment of Psychological Disorders
1. Treatment Approaches
1. Insight Therapies (Psychodynamic and Phenomenological
Approaches)
2. Behavioral Approaches
3. Cognitive Approaches
2. Modes of Therapy (e.g., individual, group)
3. Community and Preventative Approaches
Social Psychology
1. Group Dynamics
2. Attribution Processes
3. Interpersonal Perception
4. Conformity, Compliance, Obedience
V.
VI.
VII.
5. Attitudes, Attitude Change
6. Organizational Behavior
7. Aggression/Antisocial Behavior
Course Activities
a. Assessments – Student knowledge will be assessed at the end of every topic of
study. These assessments may take the form of traditional tests or they may be
more project-oriented. There will also be a semester exam.
b. Classroom Assignments - Students will complete various classroom assignments
weekly. Late assignments are accepted up to five days after the due date. Each
day that the assignment is late the students will lose ten percentage points on the
assignment. An assignment not turned in will receive no credit.
c. Make-up work – Students have 2 school days following an absence to make up an
assignment, for full credit. After that, I treat the assignment as missing.
Course Objectives
a. To study the history and development of perspectives in the science of
psychology.
b. To identify the research and practice methods used in psychology.
c. To explore the biological bases of behavior.
d. To explore the processes of sensation and perception.
e. To identify states of consciousness.
f. To examine the process of human development.
g. To investigate learning.
h. To examine the processes of memory.
i. To understand emotions, motivation, stress, and health psychology.
j. To investigate thinking and language.
k. To recognize the characteristics of intelligence and the use of psychological tests.
l. To examine a variety of personality theories and their use in therapy.
m. To understand the characteristics of various psychological disorders.
n. To understand psychological therapies.
o. Examine the effect of group membership on the individual.
p. To apply ethical guidelines in the study of psychology.
Evaluation
a. Grading Scale
A 90%-100%
B 80%-89%
C 70%-79%
D 60%-69%
F 59%-0%
b. Weighted Grades (per semester)
15% Final Exam
55% Daily Work (Participation, Classwork, Homework)
30% Assessments
----------------------------100% Total
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Student performance and course work are important factors that will contribute to the
student’s grade. The students grade on an assignment will be rounded up when the student
receives a score of a .5 or higher. Please note that the final exam will be worth 20% of the
semester grade.
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Quizzes on required readings may occur at any time. One quiz may be dropped per
semester in case of absence or any other of life’s circumstances.
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Short analysis papers and projects will be given throughout the year.
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Participation: It is required that students be prepared for class by having done the
required readings, volunteering information, and asking knowledgeable questions. Often times
the class will be conducted in a seminar setting and students are expected to participate well and
often. Participation is a cumulative grade and will play a role in determining the semester
average.
VIII.
Classroom Procedures
a. Entering the Classroom
1. All students should enter the room quietly and be in your seat by the
time the tardy bell rings.
2. Immediately get your materials ready for the day (i.e.: homework turned
in or out, pencils sharpened, etc.)
3. Immediately begin your warm up activity.
b. Tardiness
1. All students should enter the room quietly and be in your seat by the
time the tardy bell rings.
2. Please refer to your student handbook for other information and
consequences for tardiness.
3. If you are late from another class AND HAVE a PASS from the teacher,
QUIETLY hand it to the teacher and immediately seat yourself and
begin working.
c. Dismissal
1. I will dismiss you the bell is just there to let us know that its time.
2. Be sure you have written all assignments in your planner AND turned in
any work before you leave.
d. Getting Materials in Class
1. When you are getting materials out of your backpack, please do so
quietly and during an appropriate time without disturbing any other
students.
e. Listening and Questioning in Class
1. Please refrain from speaking while others are speaking to our class OR
while I am teaching.
2. If you have a question or would like to answer a question, RAISE
YOUR HAND and WAIT to be CALLED on.
3. Remember to limit your questions to the class discussion ONLY.
4. I will use a variety of methods to get your attention in class. STOP what
you are doingIMMEDIATELY and LISTEN carefully.
f. Absences
1. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed when you have been
absent.
2. You may ask me at the beginning (during bell work) or end of class for
any clarifications or to set up a time to make up a test or quiz. Please do
not ask about missing classwork as you are entering the room. At this
time there is a lot going on and I will not be able to give you my full
attention.
3. You have two days for every day that you were absent to make up the
work.
4. Make sure you turn in any work that was due the day you were absent as
well.
g. Turning in Assignments/Homework
1. All assignments are due the day after they are given UNLESS A
SPECIFIC DUE DATE IS GIVEN.
2. It is your responsibility to turn in your work on time.
3. Late assignments will result in a zero OR loss of points.
Late Work Policy
No late work will be accepted for any reason without written permission
from Mrs. Campbell OR an excused absence from administration. For
any assignment not submitted by the original deadline or an approved
extended deadline, a zero will be posted in the grade book and the
student will not be provided any recourse to remove the score. This
policy applies to ALL course work including, but not limited to, the
following: in-class activities, homework practice activities, formal
essays, timed writes, projects, presentations, formative assessments,
weekly quizzes, unit tests, etc.
Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are strongly encouraged
to follow the policies outlined herein. However, if an IEP specifically
allows for extra time on assignments, the student may automatically
extend a due date upon conference with Mrs. Campbell, either verbally
or in writing.
*See the teacher page listed above, under Teacher Contact Information,
for information about due date extension requests.
Make-Up Work Policy
In the event of an excused absence, an assignment due date will be
extended equal to the number of days the student was excused. Make-up
work will be accepted for full credit up to the new due date and IF it is
submitted correctly, with a short note (on a separate sheet of paper)
attached to the top of the late assignment indicating the specific dates
and days the student was excused. It is the student’s responsibility to
find out what s/he missed while absent by checking the Activities
Calendar on the teacher page and conferring with peers AND to
calculate new due dates correctly and to ensure work is submitted
properly, according to these guidelines.
h. NO-Name Assignments
1. Assignments that are turned in without a name and heading will
be thrown away.
i. Cooperative Learning (Working in Groups)
1. You may be asked to work in pairs or groups to complete an assignment.
2. When working in this manner, I expect each student to do his or her part
on the assignment.
3. Failure to cooperate with one another may result in a lower grade for
you and your group.
4. You will either be given the chance to choose your own groups or I will
place you in groups depending on what the assignment is and how the
class is managing themselves.
5. You will NOT ALWAYS be in the same group each time.
6. If there are problems, please raise your hand and ask for my help.
7. If for some reason you are having difficulties working in a group you
will be given an alternative individual assignment that will cover the
same performance objectives as the group assignment.
j. Leaving the Classroom
1. You must have a campus pass and/or teacher pass before you leave the
classroom.
2. You may not leave my classroom to go to another teacher without a
note.
3. Because our class time is short and valuable, you need to go to the
restroom between classes.
k. Announcements
1. When announcements come on during class time, sit quietly until we can
return to work.
l. Moving About the Room
1. Do not jump over desks or chairs in order to get to the other side of the
room.
2. Keep your hands and feet to yourself when walking up and down rows.
3. Your pencil should already be sharpened by the time we go over the
warm up. After this time, you may sharpen your pencil when instruction
is not being given.
m. Visitors
1. When visitors are in the classroom, you are to maintain the same the
same expectations that I hold for and continue working.
n. Participation in Class
1. Part of your grade will be participation.
2. Participation points come from the bell activities, class discussions, and
attendance.
o. Food/Drinks/Candy
1. You are not allowed to have open food or drinks (water is an exception)
in my classroom.
1. Exception: a medical reason (which requires a note).
2. NO GUM allowed on campus and in my classroom.
p. Assignments/Projects
1. You will have a variety of assignments and/or projects to complete
throughout the semester. Make sure you write down the due dates and
turn them in on time.
q. Cell Phones and IPods
1. School policy stipulates confiscation if students use cell phones and
IPods during unauthorized class time. I strictly follow school policy.
r. Expectations
1. I expect students to enter my room ready to learn. Therefore, I have the
following classroom rules:
1. Follow directions promptly.
2. Be Respectful of others.
3. Work to your potential.
4. Be tidy.
s. Consequences
1. Redirection to appropriate behavior
2. Student reflection with feed back from the teacher
3. Parent contact
4. Referral for another intervention
t. Discipline Policy
Failure to adhere to any of the guidelines outlined in the HUSD Student Code of
Conduct and/or the expectations listed above are subject to the following
disciplinary actions.
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First Offense: Student-teacher conference (possible parent
communication)
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Second Offense: Parent contact
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Third Offense: After school detention
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Fourth Offense: Parent conference (may involve counselor/administrator)
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Fifth Offense: Referral to administration
Note that more serious offenses may result in immediate ASD, parent conference,
and/or referral to administration.
u. Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is defined as intentionally using information from or property of
another without permission in order to obtain an unfair advantage or receive a
grade or score that was not legitimately earned. This includes copying
information off of another student’s paper, copying and pasting or
quoting/paraphrasing large amounts of information from outside sources (in
excess of 20% in one assignment, even if properly cited), purchasing papers
from the Internet and submitting them as one’s own, allowing others to
complete one’s work, AND using one’s own final draft work previously
submitted for a grade.
In the event of plagiarism or cheating of any kind, the minimum action to be
taken includes a verbal warning, parent contact, and possible loss of credit.
The maximum action to be taken includes 1-2 days in-school suspension or
out-of-school suspension and possible loss of credit.
v. Teaching Method
The class will follow an alternating pattern of survey and seminar. At the
beginning of each new topic, the instructor will use lecture and discussion
to introduce the new material. This lecture/discussion will usually take 3
days out of the week, reserving the final two days for student seminars and
other activities that will require the students to discuss the topics.
w. DIVERSITY
All individuals have a right to an educational environment free from bias,
prejudice and bigotry.
As members of the Higley High School educational community, students
are expected to refrain
from participating in acts of harassment that are designed to demean
another student’s race,
gender, ethnicity, religious preference, disability or sexual orientation.
Helpful Hints
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DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND CLASSWORK.
Your grade in this class will depend on all of the work you do. Too often
students have good test grades and complain when their grade drops
significantly due to missing assignments, homework, and lack of
participation.
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SPEAK YOUR MIND. My goal is to create an environment in which
every student feels free to give their ideas and discuss their views. While
debates are encouraged, always remember that respect for other students is
imperative. We live in a country where you have the freedom to speak
your mind. Don’t take it for granted.
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HELP MAKE THIS FUN. As your teacher, I promise to do my best to
make this class both interesting and fun. However, misbehaving or zoning
out makes it difficult for me to conduct the class in a manner that will be
engaging. I can assure you that the time will fly if you pay attention and
contribute to the class.
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RESPECT and DIGNITY: I promise to treat you with the utmost respect
and dignity. As long as we both adhere to this, it’s going to be a
wonderful year.
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KNOW THE LINES, AND DON’T CROSS THEM: I like to have fun,
but I will never let it get in the way of my goals and objectives for each
day. Follow my lead, and we’ll do fine.
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YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU: I will do my best to help you
keep your grades up, but in the end, only you are responsible for yourself.
You are responsible for making sure that you get work when you are
absent. You are responsible for setting times to make up exams. This is a
college level course, and I will treat you like a responsible adult.
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DO YOUR BEST. All I ask of you is that you do your personal best. If
you give this and every class your best effort, you will do well.
Syllabus Acknowledgment Required ASAP
Parents, after you and your teen have reviewed the course syllabus and if you understand and
agree to the expectations therein, please copy and paste the following message into an email and
send it to Jessica.Campbell@husd.org. Note that you do NOT have to print or physically sign
anything.
Subject: (Type teen’s last name& first initial here.) Syllabus Acknowledgment
Message: Mrs. Campbell, I acknowledge that I have reviewed your course syllabus with my teen
and we both understand and agree to adhere to the rules and guidelines therein. - (Provide parent
first& last name and best contact number.)