Salt Lake Community College – Family & Human Studies Department
FHS 1500 – Life Span Development
Spring 2014 (In-person sections)
CLASS SECTION:
TIME:
INSTRUCTOR:
OFFICE:
APPOINTMENTS:
TELEPHONE:
E-MAIL:
TEXT:
ONLINE WEBSITE:
TEXT WEBSITE:
PREREQUISITES:
MWF class = 1500-004; TR class = 1500-005
MWF class = 9:00 a.m.; TR class = 10:00 a.m.
Mark O. Jarvis, PhD, JD
CDL 136B (in the Eccles Lab School)
Set up an appointment at: www.tinyurl.com/JarvisMeeting. You will
need to sign in with your MyPage username/password, and will
need your course section number (above). My official office hours
from 1:30-4:00 on TR, but I am available most afternoons.
801-957-5095
Please contact me through Canvas, so all of my class emails are in
one place. In the unlikely even Canvas goes down, email me
at Mark.Jarvis@SLCC.edu
Invitation to the Life Span, Second Edition, 2013 by Kathleen
Stassen Berger, Worth Publishing
See the “Course Website” section of this syllabus.
http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/bergerinvitels2e
There are no prerequisites for this course
It is your responsibility to read and understand the contents of this document.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Fundamentals of growth and development from preconception to old age and death are explored.
The domains of physical, cognitive, and social emotional growth for each age in the life cycle are
explored in a variety of contexts.
OVERVIEW:
This course is an introduction to the growth and development of humans through the lifespan.
Some of the topics discussed are: Theories of human development, Brain development, Birth,
Genetics, Family Diversity, Parenthood, Physical Development, Intellectual Development, SocialEmotional Development, Aging and Death.
This course fulfills the Social Science (SS) requirement for the General Education Program at
Salt Lake Community College. It is designed not only to teach the theories and practices required
by the social sciences, but also to develop vital workplace skills and to teach strategies and skills
that can be used for life-long learning.
General Education courses teach basic skills as well as broaden a student’s knowledge of a wide
range of subjects. Education is much more than the acquisition of facts; it is being able to use
information in meaningful ways in order to enrich one’s life. General education courses focus on
communication, creativity, and critical thinking skills and along with the substance of the course’s
information, an appreciation of the esthetics of the area or study and its connection to the larger
social web.
TESTS: There will be seven equally weighted unit tests during the semester representing 35% of
your total grade. The tests will be multiple choice, true/false, and short answer. An outline
specifying the exact test schedule will be posted on the course calendar at the beginning of the
semester.
If you take a test in class and are unsatisfied with your score, you may retake the test within two
weeks of the test date at the Eccles Lab School. Your grade for the test will be the average of the
two scores or the original score, whichever is higher. The Lab School is a working preschool.
The office staff may be called upon to help a young child or a parent, so please be patient when
you come in to take your tests.
If you miss a test, you may take a makeup test at the Eccles Lab School. Your score will be the
makeup test minus 20%. Since a 20% penalty is equal to two grades on the test, it is better to be
present and take the test in class. All retake and makeup tests must be taken within 2 weeks
of the test date. You will not be allowed to take the test after that time and a grade of zero
will be posted for that test. It is almost impossible to pass the course without taking all of the
tests, so please make test-taking a high priority. Because of scheduling conflicts, you will NOT
be able to retake test #7.
ASSIGNMENTS: Class assignments are an important component of your learning experience
and represent 40% of your total grade. Assignments are posted on the course home page under
“Assignments.” Although the list contains most of the homework assignments, there may be
additional assignments given in class.
The assignments will be graded on a three-point scale. In order to receive full credit, the
assignment must be on time, completed in a professional, competent manner, be at least a full
page long (except where otherwise noted) and according to instructions.
Assignments will be submitted through Canvas and will be processed by the Turnitin antiplagiarism feature. Consequently, all assignments MUST be saved as Word (.doc or .docx) files
BEFORE uploading them. Microsoft Word is the industry standard, so any word processing
program should allow you to do this. Select “Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP,” if that option is
available in your word processor. Here is how to do that in common word processing programs:
1. Google Docs: File >> Download >> Microsoft Word
2. Open Office: File >> Save As >> Save As File Type >> Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP
3. Other programs: File >> Export.
Look for something similar in your own word processor. If none of those options are available,
Google the name of your software with “save as Word doc” and you should be able to find help
on the web.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
The assignment drop box on Canvas will disappear at 11:55 pm on the due date. Do NOT make
the mistake of waiting until late in the day, when an unexpected technology glitch could prevent
you from getting your work turned in on time. Plan on submitting your work WELL BEFORE the
deadline, because once the submission drop box disappears, there will be no way for you to turn
in your work. E-mailed assignments will NOT be graded.
Because you have had the assignments and their due dates since the beginning of the semester,
there is no excuse for submitting late papers. Please stay current with the assignment due dates
ATTENDANCE / CLASS PARTICIPATION: Attendance will be taken on a regular basis and will
count as 5% of your overall grade. The roll will be started at 5 minutes after the hour. Anyone
not in the classroom by the time the roll has circulated through the room will be
considered absent. You will not be allowed to sign the roll after it has been returned to the
instructor. Regardless of how worthy or honorable your reason for missing class, non-attendance
in class is an absence.
Experience has shown that those with regular attendance in class tend to do better in the course.
If you miss a class, it will be your responsibility to contact another student to find out what
happened in class
OBSERVATIONS: You will be required to complete five observations/interviews with individuals
of different ages. The observations, worth 10% of your grade, will require that you make your
own arrangements to observe a non-related toddler, preschooler and school-aged child. You will
also be required to interview an adolescent and a person in late adulthood. Specific instructions
for the observation/interviews are found on our website.
PROJECT: 10% of your final grade will come from your Project score. The purpose of the
project is for you to examine the events that have occurred in your life that have led you to where
you are today. The assignment can be submitted as a paper, a PowerPoint presentation, a video
or in another format of your choosing. Specific instructions for the project are found on the
course website.
GRADING: The points from tests and assignments will be totaled at the end of the semester.
Final grades will be based on a modified curve. The person with the highest point total in the
class will be given a score of 100% (A). The remaining grades will be calculated as a percentage
of the highest grade. The grading scale is as follows:
94% - 100% = A
90% - 93% = A87% - 89% = B+
83% - 86% = B
80% - 82% = B77% - 79% = C+
73% - 76% = C
70% - 72% = C67% - 69% = D+
63% - 66% = D
60% - 62% = D59% -below = E
EXTRA CREDIT: The requirements for earning a good grade in this course have been outlined
above. Frequently, at the end of the semester, students who have not met the posted timelines
and/or other requirements for the course will ask if they can do extra credit. There are no extra
credit assignments available for this course.
INCOMPLETE POLICY: In very rare circumstances, a student may be awarded a grade of
“Incomplete” (“I”). All of the following conditions must be met in order to receive an “Incomplete”
(“I”) grade: 1. The student cannot continue in class because of circumstances beyond their
control (such as serious illness, death in the family, or change of employment. The student must
supply proper documentation; 2. The student must be passing the course at the time of
incomplete grade request; and 3. The student must have completed a substantial portion of a
course before the incomplete is given. Requests not meeting all three of these criteria will be
declined.
TOLERANCE: A primary objective of this class is to help you better understand the dynamics of
human growth and development. In our effort to understand lifespan development, there is a
possibility that we will be discussing sensitive, personal issues. As your instructor, I do not
expect you to agree with the positions taken by other members of the class. However, I must
demand that you respect the rights of the other class members to have and express their
personal views. You can disagree in a respectful manner.
ADA STATEMENT: Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring
accommodations or services under ADA must contact the Disability Resource Center
(DRC). The DRC determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these accommodations
and services for the college. Please contact the DRC at the Student Center, Suite 244,
Redwood Campus, 4600 So. Redwood Rd, 84123. Phone: (801) 957-4659, TTY: 957-4646,
Fax: 957- 4947 or by email: linda.bennett@slcc.edu
EMERGENCY EVACUATION: If a situation occurs in which we need to evacuate the building,
we will meet in the parking lot EAST of this building. If there is a possibility that you will require
assistance or accommodation during an evacuation, please contact me within the first week of
class.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT: All students are expected to follow the SLCC Student Code of
Conduct found at http://www.slcc.edu/policies/docs/Student_Code_of_Conduct.pdf. It is your
responsibility to access, read and understand this document.
PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is when you take credit for another person’s words or ideas. You
must cite any source you use in your work (other than sources of common knowledge), or you
have committed plagiarism. This course will use Canvas’ plagiarism-checking software (TurnItIn).
Papers containing plagiarized material will receive a score of 0 for a first offense. A student who
plagiarizes a second time may fail the course. See the Student Code of Conduct, especially
pages 42 and 45.
STUDENT CONTRIBUTION: This is a three credit hour class that has a tremendous amount of
important information to cover. It can be done, but requires careful planning, work, and study on
the part of both the instructor and the student. In order to achieve maximum learning in this short
amount of time, it is important that you understand the following:
1. Although I will try to use principles of good teaching, you must read the book. There is
insufficient time for me to "read" the book to you. I will not spoon feed the book to you.
2. A major goal of this course is to provide you with the opportunity to review and/or clarify your
own thoughts, ideas, and values as it relates to human development. Although we will spend
time defining vocabulary and reviewing statistical information, the real heart of this class will be in
our ability to engage in meaningful, thoughtful discussions.
3. It is essential that you complete the assigned readings each week. This will give you an
opportunity to have an informed opinion for the course discussions and understand more indepth.
4. Please understand that grade calculations can be tricky. Although each homework
assignment is only worth 3 points, those points can be very important to your final grade. If there
are only ten assignments, then losing 3 points would drop your total score from 30 points to 27
points. The percentage grade for 27 of 30 would be 90%. Submit your homework assignments
on time. Your homework represents 35% of your overall grade in the course.
5. Many students view this as an “easy course” and therefore put less effort into it or do not
assign it the same priority as their more difficult courses. Many times, the result is a high grade in
the difficult class and a low grade in this course. Please be aware that 3 credit hours of a low
grade in this class is just as devastating to your G.P.A. as 3 credits hours of a low grade from a
“harder” course.
6. Every semester, I am informed by students that they need to leave on the last day of class to
go on vacation with their family, go to their friend’s wedding, save the whales, or some other
reason that would make it impossible for them to take the last test with the rest of the class.
Everyone in the class was aware of the semester schedule before they enrolled in the class. If
you have a wedding, vacation or whatever scheduled during finals week, you will need to cancel
those plans, drop this class, or plan on getting a really bad grade. The final class test will be
given during finals week, not sooner.
7. Salt Lake Community College is truly a “community” college. As part of our community
involvement, the faculty are frequently asked to participate in conferences, advisory boards and
other community events that may make demands on the instructor’s time. Although I will try to
limit my absences, from time to time I may be away from my computer for more than a day. I will
give you ample warning of my impending absences. Unless otherwise noted, my absence from
my office and/or my computer does not change the due dates for any of our assignments, tests,
discussions, etc.
GENERAL EDUCATION: This course fulfills the Social Science (SS) requirement for the
General Education Program at Salt Lake Community College. It is designed not only to teach the
information and skills required by the discipline, but also to develop vital workplace skills and to
teach strategies and skills that can be used for life-long learning.
While the subject of each course is important and useful, we become truly educated through
making connections of such varied information with the different methods of organizing human
experience that are practiced by different disciplines. Therefore, this course, when combined with
other General Education courses, will enable you to develop broader perspectives and deeper
understandings of your community and the world, as well as challenge previously held
assumptions about the world and its inhabitants. You will also explore a wide variety of topics
with an eye toward discovering new interests and uncovering new talents.
GENERAL EDUCATION EPORTFOLIO: All students taking general education courses at Salt
Lake Community College are required to create an ePortfolio and submit a “signature
assignment” from each general education course to the ePortfolio. The ePortfolio will provide a
place to display and chronicle your assignments and projects that demonstrate your disciplinespecific skills, critical thinking and collaboration. In this way, prospective employers, community
members and transfer institutions can easily see the best of what you have created.
For more information about creating a personal ePortfolio, including a Student ePortfolio
Handbook, go to www.slcc.edu/gened/ePortfolio You will find tutorials, videos, samples and
other information that will guide you through this process. When you finish your educational
experience at SLCC, your ePortfolio will be a multimedia showcase of your accomplishments.
Your “signature assignment” for this course will be your project or any two papers (assignments)
that you have completed for the class. In addition to posting the project or two assignments to
your ePortfolio, you will be expected to write a one or two paragraph reflection explaining why you
selected these items for inclusion in your portfolio. More information about the requirements for
the reflection can be found in the list of homework assignments. As a reminder, you cannot pass
this course unless you post the assignment and reflections to your ePortfolio.
Important Note: In order to receive a passing grade for this course, you
must post your signature assignments and reflections to your ePortfolio.
COURSE GOALS:
1. Students will explore the empirical and theoretical aspects of human development from birth
through death based on diverse biological, cognitive, and psychosocial development. In addition,
students will increase their awareness and understanding of the complexity of human experience
and their awareness of the variety of institutions humans construct to exist in society.
2. Students will develop an understanding of the elements of effective communication by
reading, writing, speaking, and listening to key concepts, significant topics, and social issues
relevant to the study of the diversity of human development through the lifespan. They will also
learn to effectively communicate the relationship between values and attitudes and how these
can influence individual and societal perceptions of the ages and stages of human development
particularly how the issue of ageism affects contemporary society in the United States
3. Students will learn to use and interpret systematic methods of collecting data relevant to the
fields of sociology, psychology, anthropology, and biology as they understand human behavior in
both individual and collective dimensions. Students will determine how to choose and apply
appropriate mathematical techniques to analyze historical and contemporary research as it
pertains to human development across the lifespan.
4. Students will have opportunities to systematically analyze, synthesize, and evaluate personal
and dynamic relationships found in individuals, groups, social institutions, and the environment
relative to the process of aging. Students will compare and contrast ideas from society, the
scientific community, and various other disciplines by evaluating claims, arguments and widely
held beliefs about human interaction throughout the lifespan.
5. Students will discuss the impact of current legislation, court rulings, and legal parameters that
affect the human condition in the United States. Further, they will develop an awareness of an
individual’s rights to receive equitable treatment and services through the life span.
COURSE WEBSITE:
Our course is hosted by the Utah Education Network (UEN). The software that runs our course is
Canvas. Students using a PC need to know that Canvas runs better with the Mozilla Firefox
browser than it does using Internet Explorer (IE). It will run using IE, but it will not run as well as it
does using Firefox. Students using a MAC should be okay using the Safari browser to access
Canvas.
To access our course website, you have at least three options: Option #1: Go to www.slcc.edu
and log in to MyPage. Select the “My Courses” tab at the top of the page. At the bottom of the
page, you may be given the option of going to BlackBoard or Canvas. Select Canvas. You may
be asked to log in again. Use the same username and password that you used to access
MyPage. Option #2: Go to https://learn-slcc.uen.org/login and log in using your MyPage user
name and password. Option #3: Go the www.slcc.edu and click on the “Current Students” tab at
the top of the page. From the pull-down menu, select “Canvas”. All of these options will take you
to the login page. After logging in, you will see a menu of your course websites. Double click
FHS 1500 and you will be taken to our course webpage.
The website contains copies of the syllabus, course outline, homework assignments, chapter
outlines, videos, links to the textbook website, as well as other materials to support your learning.
You will be able to submit homework assignments to the website and check your grades. If this is
your first class with a course web, plan to take plenty of time to push all of the buttons and links
and become familiar with the software.
Submitting papers electronically is very convenient. However, this convenience carries with it an
inherent risk, which is ultimately your responsibility. Occasionally, your computer, the server, the
user, the connection or some other part of the internet fails. Equipment or user failure, regardless
of the source or cause, is not an excuse for submitting late papers. Please do not wait until the
last minute to submit your assignments. Identify another computer that you can use in case of an
emergency. A broken car is not a good excuse for missing class and a broken computer is not a
valid excuse for missing an online assignment. Have an emergency plan in place.
You must be prepared to use the software correctly. The software program requires that you
follow an exact sequence in order to submit your papers. Failure to use the software correctly will
result in the loss of your data. Only data saved to the website by the due date and time will be
graded.
If you want to learn more about using the Canvas software, go to the Canvas student guide at
http://guides.instructure.com/s/2204/m/4212 . If you still have questions, you can use the “chat”
function at www.slcc.edu/online to text with the folks at the SLCC Online Support Center. If you
prefer to talk on the telephone, please call the Online Support Center at (801) 957-4406. (Toll
free: 1-888-963-7522). Bottom line: It is your responsibility to know how to use the website. If
your homework is lost because you did NOT push the buttons in the correct order, you cannot be
given credit. Emailed assignments, regardless of the reason or time sent, will be returned to you
ungraded. Remember: Papers can be submitted early.
FHS 1500
Use this area to keep track of your grade.
Tests (35%)
Test #1 (1 & 2)
Test #2 (3 & 4)
Test #3 (5 & 6)
Test #4 (7 & 8)
Test #5 (9 & 10)
__ Test #6 (11 - 13)
__ Test #7 (14, 15 & Epilogue)
Observations (10%)
Observation #1
Observation #2
Observation #4
Observation #5
Observation #3
*Assignments (40%)
Social Learning Theory or Operant Conditioning
Milestone Chart
Big Lipped Parents
Cooperation vs. Competition
__ Genetic Advice or Abortion
Mothers and Fathers
Conservation Tasks
Child Care
Intelligence
Homosexual Teachers
Adolescence
Advice to Parents
Obesity
Vocational Choices
Social Clock
Divorced Grandparents?
__ Ageism
Euthanasia
__ ePortfolio Reflection
__ Project (10%)
__ Attendance / Class Participation (5%)
*The instructor reserves the right to assign additional assignments.
FHS 1500: LIFESPAN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, SPRING 2014, MWF 9:00 class
COURSE CALENDAR: The instructor reserves the right to modify this calendar as deemed appropriate based on the
needs of the course. Any modification will be announced on Canvas.
DAYS
DATES
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1/13
1/15
1/17
1/20
1/22
1/24
1/27
1/29
1/31
2/3
2/5
2/7
2/10
2/12
2/14
2/17
2/19
2/21
2/24
2/26
2/28
3/3
3/5
3/7
3/10
3/12
3/14
3/17
3/19
3/21
3/24
3/26
3/28
3/31
4/2
4/4
4/7
4/9
4/11
4/14
4/16
4/18
4/21
4/23
4/25
4/28
4/30
5/2
5/5
5/7
TOPICS
Course Introduction & Syllabus
Ch. 1: The Science of Devel.
NO CLASSES
Ch. 2: Genes and Prenatal Devel.
Ch. 3: The First Two Years: Body and Mind
Ch. 4: The First Two Years: Psychosocial Devel.
Ch. 5: Early Childhood: Body and Mind
NO CLASSES
Ch. 6: Early Childhood: Psychosocial Devel.
Ch. 7: Middle Childhood: Body and Mind
Ch. 8: Middle Childhood: Psychosocial Devel.
NO CLASSES
NO CLASSES
NO CLASSES
Ch. 9: Adolescence: Body and Mind
Ch. 10: Adolescence: Psychosocial Devel.
Ch. 11: Emerging Adulthood
Ch. 12: Adulthood: Body and Mind
Ch. 13: Adulthood: Psychosocial Devel.
Ch. 14: Late Adulthood: Body and Mind
Ch. 15: Late Adulthood: Psychosocial Devel.
Epilogue: Death and Dying
Reading Day
FINAL EXAM (9:10 in classroom)
-
ASSIGNMENTS
OBSERVATIONS
AND PROJECT
TESTS
A1, A2
A3
A4
A5
A6
#7
#8
#9
#10
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Ob1
Ob2
Ob3
Ob4
Ob5
PROJECT
-
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
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FHS 1500
Class Assignments
Please place each assignment on its own separate page. Your name, the class section and the title of the
assignment (in bold print below) should be single spaced in the upper left hand corner. Your response
must be typed, double spaced with standard size (1") margins, and at least 250 words in length (unless
otherwise noted). This sentence is typed using a size 10 Arial font. Your font size should not be any
larger than a size 12 Courier font. The due dates for the assignments are posted in the Course Calendar.
UNIT 1 - CHAPTERS 1 & 2
Assignment 1
1A: Social Learning Theory. According to social learning theory, we learn from what we see
others get rewarded/punished for. Consequently, what special responsibility does the news
media have in reporting and covering such events as teenage suicides, kidnappings, and drive-by
shootings? What responsibilities do athletes have to their young fans? Who are the models you
admire most and how have they affected your behavior? Reminder: Make sure that your
responses to these questions are related to Social Learning Theory.
1B: Operant Conditioning. Using the concepts of operant conditioning discussed in the text and
in class, change the behavior of someone or something. In your report, identify the target
(desired) behavior and the responses that you reinforced (or punished) in order to direct your
subject’s behavior. Describe your subject and the specific steps you took to change the behavior.
Describe the results. (Note: If you are really good, this will even work on stubborn husbands.)
Assignment 2
2A: Genetic Advice. A close friend confides in you that he thinks that one of "his" children is not
his. When pressed for details he points out to you that both he and his wife have dark brown hair
and that his baby has blonde hair. In the conversation he adds that although his mother was a
blonde and his wife's father was a blonde, that it is pretty obvious that neither he nor his wife have
blonde genes. What do say to your friend? Use a chart or diagram to support your conclusions.
2B: Abortion. The topic of abortion is very controversial, but nothing has ever been learned by
avoiding tough subjects. What are your views on abortion? Under what circumstances, if any,
would you consider it? If you were a lawmaker, what would be your stand on this issue? (*In
India, boys are valued more than girls and amniocentesis has become widespread. In one
province, only one in thousands of abortions following amniocentesis was that of a male fetus, the
rest were females. How do you feel about abortion as a tool for gender selection? Suppose that
one of the female fetuses in the previous example was also identified as having suffered severe
mental and physical damage to the point that, after birth, the resulting child would mentally and
physically be unable to care for itself. Would this information influence (change) your decision?)
UNIT 2 - CHAPTER 3 & 4
Assignment 3
3A: Milestone Charts You have two good friends who both have thirteen-month-old children.
One parent proudly states that her child was able to walk at ten months. The other parent sadly
states that her child has not yet started walking. It is obvious from the conversation that the
parent of the walking child believes her child to be advanced and that the parent of the nonwalking child is deeply concerned about her child’s lack of progress. What do you tell these
parents?
3B: Mothers and Fathers. Except for the birthing process and breast feeding, do you think that
a mother's position as a care giver of an infant or child is biologically different from that of a
father? Why? (Required length: at least 200 words.)
UNIT 3 - CHAPTERS 5 & 6
Assignment 4
4A: Big Lipped Parents. Your new neighbors have just received U.S. citizenship and plan to
make their home in your neighborhood for the rest of their lives. The couple, originally from a
small tribe in Africa, have had plates placed in their lips, which over the years have stretched their
lips out about six inches. In their culture, this is a significant sign of beauty and they therefore
wish to pass this tradition on to their young daughter. Seeing that this might cause their daughter
a certain amount of stress as she enters the U.S. public school system, you suggest that the
parents not do this to their daughter. The parents refuse your advice and proceed with their plans
to have the plates placed in their daughters lips. Could this be construed as child abuse? Defend
your response. What would you do?
4B: Conservation Tasks. Identify two children, one in the preoperational stage (2 - 7 years) and
one in the concrete operations stage (7 - 11), and conduct two of the conservation tasks identified
on pages 183 & 184 of the text. In addition, ask each child the following questions and record
their answers. "In a bunch or flowers with two yellow daises and six red roses, are there more
roses or flowers?" "Are you (the child's name) or are you a child?" Conduct your study
individually with each child. Record the age and sex of the child and his/her response to the task
or question. Compare and contrast the responses of the two children. Did your results conform
with those predicted in our class discussion? Give your reaction.
4C: Child Care. If you were considering leaving your three year-old child in a child care facility
(family day care or child care center), what would be your major concerns? Why? Would your
concerns be different, if your child were an infant? Explain. Would you prefer an academic or a
child-centered preschool for your child? Why?
UNIT 4 - CHAPTER 7 & 8
Assignment 5
5A: Cooperation vs. Competition. Based on your knowledge of American culture and child
development, respond to BOTH of the following sets of questions:
1. Is competition over-emphasized in American Society? Why? What are the advantages of such
a competitive attitude? What are the disadvantages?
2. Identify situations that you have observed in which competition has actually interfered with
people achieving a goal. Is competition emphasized in children? What recommendations would
you make to parents regarding their child's participation in soccer, baseball, etc.?
5B: Intelligence. Respond to BOTH of the following sets of questions:
1. Think of intelligent people whom you know well. What unintelligent things do they do? All of
them are bound to do some unintelligent things, so why do you consider them to be intelligent
people? Were you emphasizing some factors at the expense of others? Explain.
2. Did you ever consider that the homeless shelter might be filled with people of tremendous
potential? There might be a world-class archer, a great poet, a magnificent violinist, and a great
president. However, the archer never happened to try the bow, the poet never tried writing, the
violinist ignored music, and the president never ran for office. Instead, they worked at other
things and weren't very good. Some might think of themselves as failures, although they would
have been successful if they had only tried these other things. What argument is being made by
these statements? How would the concept of a general intelligence refute this argument?
UNIT 5 - CHAPTERS 9 & 10
Assignment 6
6A: Homosexual Teachers. Some people have argued that homosexual teachers should not
be allowed to teach children because they might influence the children's sexual orientations.
What do you think? Explain your position.
Would your position be different if the homosexual teacher was a junior high or high school P.E.
teacher who was in the locker room when the children were changing clothes? Why?
6B: Adolescence. Do you think that other factors besides changes in cognitive development
may contribute to adolescent egocentrism? How might the emphasis in TV commercials on
appearance affect an adolescent's concern with self? Can you recall any specific instances from
your adolescence when your thinking underwent a change? How might this change have related
to your cognitive development?
6C: Advice to Parents. Just one question. How can parents help their teenagers deal with the
conflicts of adolescence?
UNIT 6 - CHAPTERS 11, 12, & 13
Assignment 7
7A: Obesity. Our text indicates that during early adulthood, we can expect a 20% increase in
our average body weight. Given your frame and height, at what point would you consider yourself
to be overweight? What would you do if you found yourself in this situation? Discuss dieting with
someone who has been on a diet. What recommendations would they make to someone who
wants to lose weight? What is your response to their recommendations? At what point, if any,
does excess body weight begin to impact a person’s job performance? What would you do if your
spouse began to gain an excessive amount of weight?
7B: Vocational & Educational Choices. There is a large body of literature that suggests a high
correlation between education and lifelong earning capacity. Yet, 40% of all college students
drop out within their first year of college. You have a friend who is seriously considering dropping
out of college and comes to you for advice. What advice would you offer and why?
7C: Social Clock. You may choose to respond to this assignment yourself or interview another
person. We often hear people commenting that their “biological” or “social clock” is ticking. What
are the settings on your social clock? At what age do (did) you expect to be married? Have
children? If you do (did) not marry by this time, what would you do? If you were told that you
could not have children, what would you do? How would the absence of a spouse and/or
children impact your plans for the future?
Assignment 8
8A: Obesity. See description above.
8B: Vocational & Educational Choices. See description above.
8C: Social Clock. See description above.
UNIT 7 - CHAPTERS 14, 15, & Epilogue (Note: you will also be turning in an Observation.)
Assignment 9
9A: Divorced Grandparents. When a family with children divorces, the visitation rights and
privileges of both parents are specifically spelled out. But what about the rights of the
grandparents? Should the grandparents have visitation rights to see their grandchildren? Should
the grandparents be allowed to take their grandchildren to visit their home? Should the custodial
parent have the right to prohibit the grandparents from seeing the grandchildren? What would
you recommend in the situation where the father was abusive and is not allowed to see his
children, but the grandparents want to see them? Should grandparents have the right to file for
visitation rights in the court system? Explain your views.
9B: Ageism. Ageism has been identified as an important issue in the lives of older Americans.
Do you think that ageism is a mild, moderate or serious issue in our culture? Is ageism more
obvious in some settings than others? Please give examples to support your answers. What, if
anything, can we do to prevent ageism in our society?
9C: Euthanasia. If someone you loved was in pain and you knew that the person had less than
a week to live, would you consider euthanasia? What if the person had asked for it? What if the
person had not specifically asked for it? What are your attitudes toward Euthanasia? Under
what circumstances would it be justified? Under what circumstances would it be unjustified?
ePortfolio Reflection
Assignment 10: ePortfolio Reflection. In addition to the ePortfolio signature assignments
discussed in the syllabus, you must post a 2- to 3-paragraph reflection of your learning as it
relates to your signature assignments. You may answer any or all of the following questions:
How does your performance on this assignment (your signature assignments) demonstrate
achievement of, or progress toward the SLCC College-wide learning objectives? How does this
assignment (or the whole course) connect with what you learned in other General Education
courses? What impact did the assignment have on you or your understanding of the world; did it
challenge any of your assumptions? What process did you go through to complete the
assignment? What do your signature assignments demonstrate about your learning? How do
the assignments illustrate the growth/change/progression you have had in this class? Please
keep in mind that the reflection is not the place to evaluate the course or the instructor. The purpose is to
reflect upon your individual learning as it relates to this assignment.
FHS 1500 – Observation #1
Toddler - 18 months to 2 years
You are to conduct an observation of a toddler (18 months – 35 months) that you do not know. Toddlers can be
observed in one of several settings such as a child care facility, a playgroup, a nursery class (church or other
volunteer organization) or another location in which the toddler has the opportunity to interact with other nonrelated children and non-parental adults. Observing your own children, siblings, cousins or nieces and nephews
is not acceptable.
Note: If you choose to complete your observation at the Redwood Campus’ Eccles Lab School, the best times for
observations of children are from 9:00 – 11:00 and 2:30 – 4:30, Monday through Friday. Tell the person at the
front desk that you are there to observe the two-year-old class.
When entering any child care facility, report to the office and identify yourself as an FHS 1500 student needing to
do an observation. The office personnel will explain their policies and procedures regarding the observation of
children in their facility. Please be aware that some child care programs may not allow observations in their
facilities.
Each observation should be at least 1 ½ to 2 typed pages in length. Check all spelling, grammar etc. Please, do
a complete, professional job. The observation should include some basic demographic information such as the
date, time and location of the observation, approximate age of the child and a general description of the
environment in which the observation took place. Expect to spend at least 25 - 30 minutes observing.
For each observation, please include a brief description of the child as it relates to his/her:
Physical Development - Gender, approximate height and weight (Is the child taller or shorter than the other
children in the group? Is the child skinny, average, and overweight?) How does the child
move? Arms? Legs? Coordination? How does the child compare to others in the class? How does it compare
to the descriptions in our text?
Intellectual Development - How do you assess the child's intellectual development? What about the child's
language development? How does the child’s cognitive development compare to the description of normal
development for that age in our textbook?
Social/Emotional Development - How does the child react to stress? Happiness? Frustration? Anger? How
does the child relate to the other children? The teacher? Does the child spend most of the time alone or with
others? Does the child seem happy? If not, can you find a reason?
If you make comments such as, "This is the most wonderful child in the world" or "This is the biggest brat I've ever
seen", please be sure to document the events that led you to your conclusion and justify from the text why you
consider this behavior to be abnormal.
Many of the questions are taken from The Developing Person Through the Life Span: Instructor’s Resources, by Richard Straub, Worth
Publishers, 2005.
FHS 1500 – Observation #2
Preschooler – 3 to 5 years
You are to conduct an observation of a preschooler (3 to 5 years) that you do not know. Preschoolers
can be observed in a child care facility, a public school preschool classroom or another location in
which the preschooler has the opportunity to interact with other non-related children and non-parental
adults. Observing your own children, siblings, cousins or nieces and nephews is not acceptable.
Note: If you choose to complete your observation at the Redwood Campus’ Eccles Lab School, the
best times for observations of children are from 9:00 – 11:00 and 2:30 – 4:30, Monday through Friday.
Observing a child in any classroom in the Lab School, with the exception of the two-year-old classroom,
will fulfill this requirement.
When entering any child care facility or public school, report to the office and identify yourself as an
FHS 1500 student needing to do an observation. The office personnel will explain their policies and
procedures regarding the observation of children in their facility. Please be aware that some schools
and child care programs may not allow observations in their facilities.
Each observation should be at least 1 ½ to 2 typed pages in length. Check all spelling, grammar, etc.
Please, do a complete, professional job. The observation should include some basic demographic
information such as the date, time and location of the observation, approximate age of the child and a
general description of the environment in which the observation took place. Expect to spend at least 25
- 30 minutes observing.
For each observation, please include a brief description of the child as it relates to his/her:
Physical Development - Gender, approximate height and weight (Is the child taller or shorter than the
other children in the group? Is the child skinny, average, and overweight?) How does the child
move? Arms? Legs? Coordination? How does the child compare to others in the class? How does it
compare to the descriptions in our text?
Intellectual Development - How do you assess the child's intellectual development? What about the
child's language development? How does the child’s cognitive development compare to the description
of normal development for that age in our textbook?
Social/Emotional Development - How does the child react to
stress? Happiness? Frustration? Anger? How does the child relate to the other children? The
teacher? Does the child spend most of the time alone or with others? Does the child seem happy? If
not, can you find a reason? Are these behaviors consistent with those described for this age group in
our textbook?
If you make comments such as, "This is the most wonderful child in the world" or "This is the biggest
brat I've ever seen", please be sure to document the events that led you to your conclusion and justify
from the text why you consider this behavior to be abnormal.
FHS 1500 – Observation #3
School Age – 6 to 12 years
You are to conduct an observation of a school age child (6 to 12 years) that you do not know. School
aged children can be observed in a public school or another environment in which children are
gathered (church, sports, clubs, etc.) You should pick an environment in which the child has the
opportunity to interact with other non-related children and non-parental adults. Observing your own
children, siblings, cousins or nieces and nephews is not acceptable.
When entering a public school, report to the office and identify yourself as an FHS 1500 student
needing to do an observation. The office personnel will explain their policies and procedures regarding
the observation of children in their facility. Please be aware that some schools may not allow
observations in their facilities.
The observation should be at least 1 ½ to 2 typed pages in length. Check all spelling, grammar, etc.
Please, do a complete, professional job. The observation should include some basic demographic
information such as the date, time and location of the observation, approximate age of the child and a
general description of the environment in which the observation took place. Expect to spend at least 25
- 30 minutes observing
As part of the observation, please include a brief description of the child as it relates to his/her:
Physical Development - Gender, approximate height and weight (Is the child taller or shorter than the
other children in the group? Is the child skinny, average, and overweight?) How does the child
move? Arms? Legs? Coordination? How does the child compare to others in the class? How does it
compare to the descriptions in our text?
Intellectual Development - How do you assess the child's intellectual development? What about the
child's language development? How does the child’s cognitive development compare to the description
of normal development for that age in our textbook?
Social/Emotional Development - How does the child react to
stress? Happiness? Frustration? Anger? How does the child relate to the other children? The
teacher? Does the child spend most of the time alone or with others? Does the child seem happy? If
not, can you find a reason? Are these behaviors consistent with those described for this age group in
our textbook?
If you make comments such as, "This is the most wonderful child in the world" or "This is the biggest
brat I've ever seen", please be sure to document the events that led you to your conclusion and justify
from the text why you consider this behavior to be abnormal.
Many of the questions are taken from The Developing Person Through the Life Span: Instructor’s Resources, by Richard Straub, Worth Publishers, 2005.
FHS 1500 – Observation #4
Adolescent (13 – 18 years)
You are to conduct an observation/interview of an adolescent (13 - 18 years). Unlike the first three
observations, in which you were instructed to NOT interact with those being observed, you are now
encouraged to interact with the individual that you are observing. In truth, this observation may be
considered to be more like an interview than an observation. The interview may take place at a
location that is mutually agreeable to both you and the adolescent. As with the other observations,
interviewing your own children, siblings, cousins or nieces and nephews is not acceptable.
Each observation should be at least 1 ½ to 2 typed pages in length. Check all spelling, grammar, etc.
Please, do a complete, professional job. The observation should include some basic demographic
information such as the date, time and location of the observation, approximate age of the teen and a
general description of the environment in which the observation/interview took place. Before reporting
on the interview, please include a very brief description of the adolescent as it relates to his/her
physical development, intellectual development and social/emotional development.
As part of the interview component of this observation, please ask questions that draw out the
individual’s perception about their current physical, intellectual and social/emotional status
If you make comments such as, "This is the most wonderful child in the world" or "This is the biggest
brat I've ever seen", please be sure to document the events that led you to your conclusion and justify
from the text why you consider this behavior to be abnormal.
Format for the Adolescent Interview
You will usually better understand the issues important to adolescents if the semi-structured interview
technique is used. Teens are usually willing to talk about their lives if they feel that the researcher will
treat their information confidentially and ethically. Their comments can be a rich source of information
about human development. To be sure that you get the proper information during the interview, you
should develop a short list of questions in advance. (You are welcome to ask your instructor to review
your interview questions) The teen should then be encouraged to talk freely about the topics.
Suggested Format for Interviews
Select a topic of interest, using the list that follows as a guide. Read the information about this topic in
our text or other sources. Draw up a list of about six questions that you want answered by your
interview subject. Select a person who fits the category described by the topic and ask them if they
would agree to participate in a half-hour (or so) interview. Explain that you are working on a project for
your class and that all information will be confidential.
Begin the interview by telling the subject that you will be asking some questions, but he or she should
feel free to expand on the topic or talk about related ideas. Conversely, if they feel uncomfortable about
a question, they will not be required to answer it. Set a definite schedule for the interview (such as five
minutes per question) and stay on that schedule. Either record the session (with your subject’s
permission) or take thorough notes.
If a subject’s answers are too brief or uninformative, follow up with questions like, “Why did you choose
X?” or “Why do you think X happened?” If something the subject says seems important, follow up with
additional probing questions, like “Tell me more about X.” Remember, you are interested in your
subject’s life and ideas. Do not involve yourself in a conversation, offer advice, or talk about your own
experiences during the interview, except as a way of encouraging your interviewee to talk.
When creating your report, be sure to include basic demographic information about your subject such
as first name, age, gender, location of interview, etc.
Suggested Topics
Schools and Learning (high school students) What are your favorite courses in school? Describe your
best teachers? Why do you think they are better than other courses or teachers? Does your school
encourage excellence in academic subjects? Do your peers? How would you change your school if you
could? What could be done to make school better?
Independence (high school or college students) In what ways do you feel you have gained
independence from your parents? What responsibilities go along with being independent? In what ways
do your peers have more influence on your ideas, and in what ways do your parents have more
influence? Do you feel that there is a generation gap between your parents and yourself? Have you
thought of ways to reduce any differences while still developing your independence?
Moral Reasoning (high school or college students) What are the moral issues in your life today? How
are you resolving them? How would you approach a moral dilemma, such as finding out that a good
friend cheated on an important exam? Do you have a trusted person with whom you discuss moral
issues? Who is it? What are the important moral issues facing our country?
Social Development (high school) What are your friends like? Are they as mature as you? Why do
you like to spend time with them? If they told you that didn’t like what you were wearing, what would
you do? Do you have a boy or girl friend? What are your thoughts about going “steady” or having a
permanent boy or girl friend? Does television or the movies have any impact on what you think or
do? What are your long-range goals? What do you see yourself doing in ten years? Twenty years?
Ageism (high school or college students) Have you ever experienced discrimination because of your
age? When you use a credit card or write a check, do the clerks check your ID in the same way that
they check an older person’s ID? Do you receive the same service in stores and restaurants as older
adults? Have you ever been treated differently in a public setting because of your age? What are your
thoughts and feelings concerning the laws that have minimum age requirements such a those
governing driving, marriage, alcohol consumption? Are there any advantages with being your age?
Many of the questions are taken from The Developing Person Through the Life Span: Instructor’s Resources, by Richard Straub, Worth
Publishers, 2005.
FHS 1500 – Observation #5
Late Adulthood (65 years and older)
You are to conduct an observation/interview of an adult in late adulthood (65 years and older). Unlike
the first three observations, in which you were instructed to NOT interact with those being observed,
you are now encouraged to interact with the individual that you are observing. In truth, this observation
may be considered to be more like an interview than an observation. The interview may take place at a
location that is mutually agreeable to both you and the person you are interviewing. You are welcome
to use parents, grandparents or other relatives as long as they are at least 65 years of age.
Each observation should be at least 1 ½ to 2 typed pages in length. Check all spelling, grammar, etc.
Please, do a complete, professional job. The observation should include some basic demographic
information such as the date, time and location of the observation, approximate age of the individual
and a general description of the environment in which the observation/interview took place. Before
reporting on the interview, please include a very brief description of the individual being interviewed as
it relates to his/her physical development, intellectual development and social/emotional development.
As part of the interview component of this observation, please ask questions that draw out the
individual’s perception about their current physical, intellectual and social/emotional status If you make
comments such as, "This person is very sharp for their age" or "This individual is not very healthy.”,
please be sure to document the events that led you to your conclusion and justify from the text why you
consider your statement to be correct.
Format for the Late Adulthood Interview
You will usually better understand the issues important to older individuals if the semi-structured
interview technique is used. Seniors are usually willing to talk about their lives if they feel that the
researcher cares and will treat their information confidentially and ethically. Their comments can be a
rich source of information about human development.
To be sure that you get the proper information during the interview, you should develop a short list of
questions in advance. (You are welcome to ask your instructor to review your interview questions) The
interviewee should then be encouraged to talk freely about the topics.
Suggested Format for Interviews
Read the information about this age group in our text or other sources. Draw up a list of about six
questions that you want answered by your interview subject. Select a person who fits the age criteria
and ask them if they would agree to participate in a half-hour (or so) interview. Explain that you are
working on a project for your class and that all information will be confidential.
Begin the interview by telling the subject that you will be asking some questions, but he or she should
feel free to expand on the topic or talk about related ideas. Conversely, if they feel uncomfortable about
a question, they will not be required to answer it. Set a definite schedule for the interview (such as five
minutes per question) and stay on that schedule. Either record the session (with your subject’s
permission) or take thorough notes.
If a subject’s answers are too brief or uninformative, follow up with questions like, “Why did you choose
X?” or “Why do you think X happened?” If something the subject says seems important, follow up with
additional probing questions, like “Tell me more about X.” Remember, you are interested in your
subject’s life and ideas. Do not involve yourself in a conversation, offer advice, or talk about your own
experiences during the interview, except as a way of encouraging your interviewee to talk.
When creating your report, be sure to include basic demographic information about your subject such
as first name, age, gender, location of interview, etc.
Suggested Topics for Interviews of Adults in Late Adulthood
Growing Up What are some of your favorite memories from your childhood? Where did you grow up,
and what was/were your neighborhood(s) like? Where did kids play after school and in the summer
when you were young? What were some of your responsibilities in your family?
Retirement (retired adults)
What kind of job did you hold before you retired? How long did you work
at your job and when did you retire? Did you look forward to retiring? Did you plan for it financially and
emotionally? Describe your adjustment to retirement. What factors made the adjustment easier or more
difficult? How do you feel now about being retired?
Marital Satisfaction (couples in long-term marriages) How have you kept your marriage interesting over
the years? Has your relationship changed? When were your happiest years? Your unhappiest years?
Did you ever consider divorce? What kept you from divorcing? What do you think is the key to a
successful marriage?
Bereavement (widows or widowers) How long have you been a widow(er)? What was your marriage
like? What adjustments were the most difficult after your spouse’s death? How did the advice or actions
of friends and relatives help or hurt? How have you resolved your loss now? Would you consider
remarriage? What would you look for in a new partner?
General Questions? What are your beliefs about love? What advice would you give for staying healthy
in old age? What, if anything, do you wish you could change about your life or experiences? What is
your attitude about death? If you have problems with remembering people’s names, what methods do
you use to compensate? What advice would you give to young adults?
Ageism Have you ever experienced discrimination because of your age? Do you receive the same
service in stores and restaurants as younger adults? Have you ever been treated differently in a public
setting because of your age? What are your thoughts and feelings concerning the possibility of
enacting laws that have maximum age requirements for driving, marriage or alcohol consumption? Are
there any advantages with being your age?
Many of the questions are taken from The Developing Person Through the Life Span: Instructor’s Resources, by Richard Straub, Worth
Publishers, 2005.
Final Project
The purpose of the final project is for you to take the knowledge that you have gained
throughout this semester and apply it to your own life. All of us have important events or
environments in our lives that impact our life choices and help to define who we are. This is an
opportunity for you to apply the concepts and theories in our text to the events in your life. Your
assignment for this portion of the project is to write at least a four page in which you analyze the
events of your life. Six of the ten points for this assignment will come from this paper.
A second part of this assignment, worth four of the ten points, is to create a power point
presentation (or similar media) in which you introduce yourself and tell your life story. This
portion of the final project is to be a little more light-hearted than the paper.
Comment [MJ1]: Label pictures to help me find
you.
Your project will explain the pivotal events in your life that have impacted where you have come
from; where you are now; and where you want to go in life. Your challenge will be to explain
how these defining events have served to connect you to your culture, your community, and
society as a whole.
This Project represents 10% of your final grade. Please be sure to do a quality job. Be sure
to refer to the scoring criteria identified on the rubric which is located on the project assignment
page found on the course web page.
The written narrative portion of your project needs to be a minimum of 4 well-written pages.
Notations and references should be made using APA format. Check the course calendar for
due dates. Your project can be submitted electronically to Canvas.
Helps for Creating Your Project
This is a Life Span Development course. The purpose of this assignment is to help you explore
the events of your life and the impact that they have had on your intellectual, physical and
social-emotional development. You should also exam your life events as they relate to your
relationships with yourself (self-esteem / self-concept), your family, your culture and community
(school, church, neighborhood, extended family, etc.) and our larger society.
Your project should address the following:
Explain pivotal events in your life relating to:
•
•
•
Where you came from
Where you are now
Where you want to go in life
Explain how each of these selected events served to connect you to
•
•
•
Your Culture
Your Community
Your Society as a whole
Comment [MJ2]: Adjust