Jessica Sherburn
LESSON: Classical Conditioning
OBJECTIVES:



SWBAT identify the principles of classical conditioning
SWBAT apply classical conditioning to real life
SWBAT recognize the relevance of the experiments of Pavlov and Watson and Rayner
RATIONALE:
Using a video clip from The Office will act as a hook to get students interested in the lesson
and show how psychology concepts are utilized in real life. It will also be used as an example
of classical conditioning later in the lesson, which may be more interesting and relevant to
students who have seen the show than using another form of an example would be.
Having students recap the lesson assesses what they have learned and helps them to put
course content in their own words, which will ultimately help them remember it better. Asking
students to do the exit ticket acts as another form of assessment for the lesson, and also
gives students additional practice in applying the concepts of classical conditioning.
MATERIALS
-video clip of The Office (available on YouTube, Vimeo, or DVD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE8pFWP5QDM)
-TV/computer to play the video
-white board and markers
-video clip of Pavlov’s experiments (YouTube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqumfpxuzI)
-video clip of Little Albert experiement (available on YouTube or vimeo
http://vimeo.com/17499814)
PROCEDURES:
Teacher Will
1. Introduce the class by
saying that a video will
be played; play video of
The Office
2. Ask the students to recap
what happened in the
video. How did Jim “train”
Dwight? Was it realistic?
How could you tell that
Dwight had learned a
new behavior? What was
that behavior?
Students Will
Watch the clip
Time Frame
About 3 minutes
Students will answer the
teacher’s questions; they
should identify that the sound
of the computer was integral
to Dwight’s training, that the
trained behavior was asking
for an altoid, and that this
behavior was obviously
learned when he put out his
hand after hearing the
About 2 minutes
Jessica Sherburn
3. Teacher will then explain
that this is an example of
classical conditioning,
and show a video about
Pavlov’s
experiments/principles of
classical conditioning.
After the video, the
teacher will re-define
neutral stimulus,
unconditioned stimulus,
conditioned stimulus,
unconditioned response,
and conditioned
response on the board,
asking for students to
explain how they apply to
the video
4. After the students seem
to have a handle on the
different aspects of
classical conditioning,
the teacher will replay
The Office clip (1-2
times, or more if needed)
and ask students to
recognize the CS, NS,
CR, and UR. What will
happen when Jim stops
offering an altoid when
he reboots his computer?
Why?
5. The teacher will go
through The Office
example and identify the
correct answers
6. The teacher will play the
Little Albert video, and
ask students to think
about each of the
elements of classical
conditioning as they
computer when Jim hadn’t
asked if he had wanted an
altoid/his association of a bad
taste in his mouth with the
sound of the computer
Students will take notes as
they watch the video, and as
the teacher writes definitions
on the board.
About 15 minutes
Students will identify how the
elements of classical
conditioning applied to the
Pavlov video.
Students will try to identify the About 5 minutes
CS, NS, US, CR, and UR in
their notes as they re-watch
The Office clip . Students will
recognize the Dwight will
discontinue associating the
computer sound with wanting
an altoid if an altoid is no
longer offered to him when he
hears it.
Students will offer what they
wrote down in their notes as
called upon by the teacher,
and then correct their
answers as needed
Students will take notes,
trying to identify each of the
elements of classical
conditioning within the video.
After the video, they will
check their answers with
About 5 minutes
About 10 minutes
Jessica Sherburn
watch. After the video,
the teacher will prompt
students to identify these
elements first in pairs
and then write them on
the board as a whole
class
7. The teacher will quickly
recap what was learned
during the lesson by
calling on student
volunteers and writing on
the board
(definition of classical
conditioning, elements of
classical conditioning,
relevance of Pavlov’s
and Watson’s
experiments)
8. The teacher will instruct
students to take out a
half sheet of paper and
identify the NS, CS, US,
CR, and UR for either
Pavlov’s, Watson and
Rayner’s, or Jim’s
experiment and turn it in
as an exit ticket before
they leave class
ASSESSMENT
-Student re-cap of lesson
-Exit ticket
someone sitting near them,
and then offer their answers
in large group discussion
Students will help the teacher
recap the lesson by verbally
volunteering what they have
learned
About 5 minutes
Students will take out a half
About 5 minutes
sheet of paper and identify
the CS, US, NS, CR, and UR
for one of the experiments
discussed in class and turn it
in as an exit ticket before they
leave class