Hazelwood School District
Secondary Common Syllabus
2008-09
th
th
11 and 12 Grade General Psychology and Honors General Psychology
Course Description:
In this course, students will identify and examine such topics as functions of the brain,
stress, personality types, different learning styles, motivation, emotion, and mental
illness. Students will use reading and writing strategies for the content area, use research
and information skills, and actively engage in evaluation, analysis, and synthesis of
psychological issues.
A student may complete this course for honors credit. In addition to the lessons and
assessments in this course, a student taking the course for honors credit will be expected
to complete additional honors activities, including a presentation each quarter,
independent research and writing, and self-reflection on primary and secondary sources
used as part of the independent research. Emphasis will be placed on critical and
evaluative thinking skills as well as essay writing, interpretation of primary and
secondary source documents, and the creation of a project which synthesizes the learning.
A student will use additional technology than that required for non-honors classes and
present his research to the class.
Successful completion of both Honors General Psychology and Honors Experimental
Psychology will prepare a student for the AP Psychology exam.
Course Materials:
Psychology, 2005, Worth Publishers
“The Brain Series,” Teacher Resources
Activities Handbook for the Teaching of Psychology, Volumes 1-4, APA Publishing
“Sigmund Freud,” A&E Biography Series
Lessons in Psychology, Social Studies School Service
“Losing It All,” Ambrose Video
APA Ethical Guidelines, APA Internet Site
Course Expectations;
Gather, analyze and apply information and ideas
Recognize and solve problems
Make decisions and act as responsible members of society
Read articles pertaining to the content being studied
Read one non-fiction book pertaining to the content being studied
Interpret primary and secondary sources
Complete a research paper
Weekly homework assigned
Ongoing formative assessments to drive instruction
Ongoing summative assessments
District common assessments
Hazelwood School District
Secondary Common Syllabus
2008-09
th
th
11 and 12 Grade General Psychology and Honors General Psychology
Sample Course Activities:
Use reading strategies to read a research report on a previously conducted psychological
experiment and identify the ethical standards of psychological testing and study. (Unit 1)
Compare and contrast six male/female differences from a biological and psychological
perspective. (Unit 2)
Identify the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and
conditioned response in a variety of teacher-created learning situations. (Unit 3)
Create and role play defense mechanisms. (Unit 4)
Research stress and health-related conditions and effects on males and females. (Unit 5)
Write an essay to compare and contrast Piaget’s and Erikson’s theories of human
development (Unit 6)
Use technology to research the history of mental health treatments. (Unit 7)
Honors sample course activities:
Independently research two methods of psychology and compare and contrast them using
APA style. (Unit 1)
Create a power point presentation on the brain. (Unit 2)
Create a class presentation on thinking and language. (Unit 3)
Using primary and secondary resources and print and non-print sources, independently
research functions, dysfunctions and theories of sleep. (Unit 5)
Course Outline:
Unit 1: Introduction to Psychology
a. Branches of psychology
b. Schools of psychology
c. Methods of psychology
d. Ethical standards of psychological testing and study
Unit 2: The Brain and the Nervous System
a. Biological and psychological perspectives of male brains
b. Biological and psychological perspectives of female brains
c. Function of the major nervous systems
d. Brain chemicals that affect behavior
e. Hemispheres of the brain
Unit 3: Principles of Learning
a. Types of learning
b. Trial and error
c. The Scientific Method
d. Classical conditioning
e. Reinforcement
Hazelwood School District
Secondary Common Syllabus
2008-09
Unit 4: Personality Theory
a. Freud’s theory of personality
b. Adler’s theory of birth order
c. Horney’s Neo-Freudian theory of personality
d. Carl Roger’s theory of personality
Unit 5: Stress and Health
a. Eustress and distress
b. Stress related conditions of males
c. Stress related conditions of females
Unit 6: Developmental Psychology
a. Stages of human development
b. Kohlberg’s theory on moral order
c. Piaget’s theory of human development
d. Erikson’s theory of human development
e. Gerontology and Alzheimer’s disease
Unit 7: Abnormal Behavior and Therapy
a. Psychotic disorders
b. Neurotic disorders
c. Mental health treatments
d. Multiple personality disorder
e. Antisocial personality disorder
f. Schizophrenia
Hazelwood School District
Secondary Common Syllabus
2008-09
th
11 and 12 grade General Psychology and Honors General Psychology
Course Curriculum Map:
Unit 1: Introduction to Psychology
The student will identify and explain the branches and methods of psychology. (SS6.4,
SS7.5)
1 ½ weeks
Unit 2: The Brain and the Nervous System
Through reading and interpreting research, the student will analyze the working of the
male and female human brain and nervous system as it relates to psychology. (SS6.2)
3 ½ weeks
Unit 3: Principles of Learning
Through research and the creation of an experiment, the student will synthesize the
characteristics of types of learning including trial and error, classical conditioning,
operant conditioning, latent learning, social learning, and insight learning. (SS6.1, SS7.5)
3 weeks
Unit 4: Personality Theory
Working in a Kagan cooperative group, the student will role play defense mechanisms.
Individually, the student will describe and evaluate personality theories as they relate to
gender, race, and ethnicity. (SS6.4)
3 weeks
Unit 5: Stress and Health
Using technology and other resources, the student will research and analyze the effects of
types of stress on males and females. (SS6.4, SS7.1, SS7.5)
2 weeks
Unit 6: Developmental Psychology
The student will analyze theories of developmental psychology and the psychological
effects on stages of human development including individuals who are disabled. (SS6.3)
2 weeks
Unit 7: Abnormal Behavior and Therapy
The student will compare and contrast mental illnesses and abnormal behavior and the
therapies associated with each. (SS6.4)
2 weeks
Hazelwood School District
Secondary Common Syllabus
2008-09
11th and 12th grade General Psychology and Honors General Psychology
Course Lesson Protocol:
High School Social Studies Lesson Plan Protocol
Teacher______________________________
Time
5%
Lesson Segment
Anticipatory Set
25%
Modeled Activity;
Direct Instruction
60%
Cooperative
Student Work;
Independent
Practice
10%
Summarization of
Lesson
Date________________
Activity
Hazelwood School District
Secondary Common Syllabus
2008-09
11th and 12th Grade General Psychology and Honors General Psychology
Course Power Vocabulary:
Abnormal behavior
Alfred Adler
Antisocial personality disorder
B.F. Skinner
Birth order theory
Brain
Branches of psychology
Carl Rogers
Classical conditioning
Conditioned response
Conditioned stimulus
Defense mechanisms
Erikson's theory of human development
Insight learning
Kohlberg's theory on moral order
Latent learning
Learned behavior pattern
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Mental illness
Methods of psychology
Negative reinforcement
Nervous system
Operant conditioning
Piaget's theory of human development
Positive punishment
Positive reinforcement
Psyche
Sigmund Freud
Social learning
Stimuli
Stress
Theories of human development
Therapy
Trial and error
Unconditioned response
Unconditioned stimulus