Pitt County Schools
40802C Psychology
Instructional Guide
Time Frame: First Six Weeks
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Introduction to psychology
COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will
become familiar with the history and
research methods of psychology.
1.01 Discuss the contemporary perspectives
used by psychologists to understand
behavior and mental processes.
1.02 Identify the major subfields and career
opportunities that comprise psychology.
1.03 Distinguish between the different
research strategies used by psychologists to
explore behavior and mental processes.
1.04 Distinguish and employ the basic
concepts of statistical data.
1.05 Analyze the ethical issues in
psychological research.
1.06 Discuss the development of
psychology as an empirical science
Psychological Disorders and therapy
COMPETENCY GOAL 11: The learner
will examine the characteristics and
treatments of psychological disorders.
11.01 Describe the characteristics and
origins of abnormal behavior, and explain
methods used in exploring abnormal
behavior.
2008 Psychology Instructional Guide
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS,
AND SKILLS
 What are the roots of Psychology?
 Explain the importance of theories,
hypothesis, and replication.
 What are the current contemporary
perspectives in psychology?
ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES, PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
RECOMMENDED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
 Students will observe
other classes to asses
other student behavior.
 Draw a chart using the
current psychological
perspectives, including
the focus and key points
for each.
 Holt
Psychology:
Principles in
Practice
Chapter 1, 2
 Explain the types of disorders and therapy  Round table discussion,
approaches.
with each student indepth analysis of preassigned psychological
disorders.
 Ch 17,18,19
1
11.02 Discuss major categories of abnormal
behavior and explore the challenges
associated with accurate diagnosis.
11.03 Analyze the impact of mental
disorders and efforts to promote greater
understanding of abnormal behavior.
11.04 Explain methods used to treat people
with disorders.
11.05 Discuss the legal and ethical
challenges involved in delivery of
treatment.
Biology and Nature/Nurture
COMPETENCY GOAL 2: The learner will
demonstrate an understanding of the
biological bases of behavior.
2.01 Identify the structure and function of
the neuron.
2.02 Identify, describe, and explain the
organization of the nervous system.
2.03 Describe the structure and functions of
the brain.
2.04 Differentiate among the technologies
and clinical methods for studying the brain.
2.05 Compare and contrast the specialized
functions of the brain's hemispheres.
2.06 Describe the structure and function of
the endocrine system.
2.07 Assess how heredity interacts with
environment to influence behavior.
2.08 Explain how psychological
mechanisms are influenced by evolution.
2008 Psychology Instructional Guide
 Identify and explain the various parts of
the brain, body, and nervous system.
 What are the structures and functions of
the endocrine system?
 Outline, describe, and
explain the parts in this
unit.
o The Nervous System
o Studying the Brain
o The Endocrine
System
o Heredity and
Environment
 Ch 3
2
Development
COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will
examine lifespan development.
3.01 Explain development as a lifelong
process.
3.02 Analyze research techniques used to
gather data on the developmental process.
3.03 Identify the stage theories of
development.
3.04 Discuss issues surrounding the
developmental process.
3.05 Assess the impact of technology on
aspects of the lifespan.
 Trace Human Development through the
various life stages:
o prenatal,
o childhood,
o adolescence,
o adulthood,
o late adulthood.
 What is the significance of Freud, Piaget,
Lorenz, Kohlberg and Erikson?
 Do a developmental life
timeline.
 Ch. 10, 11, 12
Time Frame: Second Six Weeks
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Sensation/Perception
COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner
will explore the basic concepts of
sensation and perception.
4.01 Analyze the basic concepts
explaining the capabilities and limitations
of sensory processes.
4.02 Examine the components of vision.
4.03 Describe the interaction of the person
and the environment in determining
perception.
4.04 Explain the nature of attention.
Consciousness
COMPETENCY GOAL 9: The learner
will analyze the differing states of
consciousness.
2008 Psychology Instructional Guide
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS, AND
SKILLS
ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES, PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
RECOMMENDED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
 Explain the major sensing organs.
 What is the difference between sensation
and perception?
 List & describe the
various sensing organs:
eye, ear, tongue, skin, &
nose.
 Students will outline
principles of perception
including inference,
learning to perceive,
depth perception,
constancy, illusions and
ESP.
 Ch 4
 What are the major levels of
consciousness?
 What is the importance of dreams?
 Do dream journal
 Ch 5
activity. Students
participate in interpreting
journals.

3
9.01 Classify the characteristics of sleep
and theories that explain why we sleep.
9.02 Analyze theories used to explain and
interpret dreams.
9.03 Assess basic phenomena and uses of
hypnosis.
9.04 Categorize the different psychoactive
drugs and their effects.
 In what ways are drugs used to alter
consciousness, and what are the effects on
our society?
Learning
COMPETENCY GOAL 7: The learner
will analyze factors influencing the
cognitive domain.
7.01 Analyze the various learning
processes and factors influencing classical
and operant conditioning, and cognitive
learning.
7.02 Explain the role of biology and
culture in determining learning.
7.03 Describe the processes of encoding
information into memory.
7.04 Distinguish between short-term and
long-term memory systems and explain
the process of retrieval.
7.05 Discuss methods for improving
memory.
Cognition
COMPETENCY GOAL 7: The learner
will analyze factors influencing the
cognitive domain.
7.01 Analyze the various learning
processes and factors influencing classical
and operant conditioning, and cognitive
learning.
7.02 Explain the role of biology and
culture in determining learning.
 What is the difference and significance of
classical conditioning and operant
conditioning?
 Who are Skinner, Watson, and Pavlov?
 Who was Little Albert?
 What are aspects of observational learning?
2008 Psychology Instructional Guide
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How does memory work?
What are the 3 main types of memory?
What is encoding, retrieval, and forgetting?
What are methods used to remember?
 Choose a sleep disorder
and write about
symptoms.
 Student takes on role of
drug abuser, writes paper
on symptoms,
withdrawal, tolerance
and effects on behavior.
Present in “narcotics
anonymous” meeting.
 Students learn Kipling’s
“If” and write an essay
on how they learned it
using either OC,CC, or
observation learning.
 Keep a forgetting
journal.
 Students learn passage
from Shakespeare,
keeping a journal on
methods used to learn
with a minimum of 5
entries.
 Ch 6, 7
 Ch 8
4
7.03 Describe the processes of encoding
information into memory.
7.04 Distinguish between short-term and
long-term memory systems and explain
the process of retrieval.
7.05 Discuss methods for improving
memory.
Time Frame: Third Six Weeks
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS, AND
SKILLS
ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES, PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
RECOMMENDED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
Intelligence
COMPETENCY GOAL 8: The learner
will explore the process of thinking and
language development.
8.01 Describe the tools used in the
individual's thought process.
8.02 Identify the strategies and obstacles
for problem solving and decision making.
8.03 Identify theories and developmental
stages of language acquisition.
8.04 Discuss the links between thinking
and language.
 What is the history of intelligence testing?
 What is the significance of intelligence
culturally and socially?
 What are levels of intelligence and Mental
retardation?
 What are different theories about
intelligence?
 Take an IQ test, MENSA
test, students make own
 Ch 9
IQ tests.
 Do a report on the
different ways of
measuring intelligence,
including
 Gardner’s Theory of
Multiple Intelligences, or
 Sternberg’s Triarchic
Theory.
Motivation and Emotion
COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner
will analyze basic concepts of motivation
and emotion.
5.01 Identify theories of motivation.
5.02 Examine the biological and
environmental cues instigating basic
drives or motives.
5.03 Analyze the theories and physiology
of emotion.




 Fill out Maslow’s
Hierarchy as it applies to
their own lives.
2008 Psychology Instructional Guide
What is motivation?
What is Maslow’s Hierarchy?
What is the effect of stress on us?
What are current theories of Emotion?
 Ch 13
5
5.04 Discuss the effects of motivation and
emotion on perception, cognition, and
behavior.
Personality
COMPETENCY GOAL 10: The learner
will examine individual differences and
personalities.
10.01 Describe concepts related to the
measurement of individual differences.
10.02 Explain the influence and
interaction of heredity and environment
on individual differences.
10.03 Analyze the nature of intelligence
and intelligence testing.
10.04 Define personality and personality
constructs.
10.05 Explain personality approaches and
identify important contributions to the
understanding of personality.
10.06 Analyze the different tools and tests
used in personality assessment.
 What are the various personality theories?
 Describe Freud’s personality structure.
 Who are current personality theorist and
what are their theories?
 Students should build a
collage illustrating their
personality.
Social Psychology
COMPETENCY GOAL 12: The learner
will evaluate the social and cultural
dimensions of behavior.
12.01 Assess how people relate to one
another.
12.02 Identify the primary social and
cultural categories of the United States
culture.
12.03 Examine how social and cultural
categories influence behavior.
12.04 Explore how group interaction
affects behavior.
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 Look at various TV
 Ch 20, 21
shows illustrating
groups: Friends,
Seinfeld, and Drew
Carey. Students role-play
various attitudes and
class uses performance
to examine aspects of
change and persuasion.
2008 Psychology Instructional Guide
What is FAE?
What are attitudes vs. attributes?
Who are Milgram and Ashe?
What are the implication of the media on
stereotypes, racism, sexism, and
pornography?
 What is the significance of groups?
 How are we persuaded?
 Ch 14, 15, 16
6