Psychology
Period 9/10
Spring 2014 Course Syllabus
Maryland School for the Deaf
Tara Holloway
www.tarahollowayclasspage.weebly.com
Room #209
Tara.Holloway@msd.edu
Course Description
Most of society’s challenging problems—including crime, poverty, prejudice,
violence, and environmental sustainability— are related to human attitudes, values,
and behavior. Psychological science, in collaboration with other scientific fields,
informs our understanding of these problems and their solutions. Psychology has
the potential to benefit society and improve people’s lives; this course will introduce
students to the scientific method and core ideas/theories of psychology. Students
will gain an understanding of the complexities and diversity of human thought and
behavior. At the end of this course, students should be able to apply practical
knowledge of psychology to their daily lives.
*course description adapted from the American Psychology Association National Standards for High School Psychology Curriculum
August 2011
Course Curriculum and Standards
This Psychology course follows the curricular domains and standards from the American Psychology
Association National Standards for High School Psychology Curriculum August 2011.
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx?item=2
Course/Unit Outline
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Unit 1: Scientific inquiry
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Standard: Perspectives in psychological science
Standard: Research methods, measurement and statistics
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Unit 2: Biopsychological
Standard: Biological bases of behavior
Standard: Sensation and perception
Standard: Consciousness
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Unit 3: Development and learning
Standard: Life span development
Standard: Learning
Standard: Language development
Unit 4: Sociocultural context
Standard: Social interactions
Standard: Sociocultural diversity
Course Texts
Class Textbook: Glencoe’s Understanding Psychology
Supplemental texts and articles as appropriate
Unit 5: Cognition
Standard: Memory
Standard: Thinking
Standard: Intelligence
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Unit 6: Individual variations
Standard: Motivation
Standard: Emotion
Standard: Personality
Standard: Psychological disorders
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Unit 7: Applications of psychological
science
Standard: Treatment of psychological disorders
Standard: Health
Standard: Vocational applications
Class Expectations
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Be an active participant, ask questions, be involved in the discussion, pay attention.
Arrive to class on time and be in your seat working when the light comes on.
Come to class prepared (homework complete, supplies/materials ready).
Be respectful of everyone in the room at all times.
Put away or get rid of any and all needless distractions: food, drinks, electronic devices of any kind, etc.
Take notes daily in class.
Participate in class in an appropriate manner.
Avoid talking out of turn or disrupting the class in any way.
Use appropriate language at all times.
Turn in all work on time.
Follow the school’s Honor Code by not plagiarizing, providing work, or taking someone’s work.
o Plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment with no make-up; determining accidental
plagiarism and ability to redo is completely up to the discretion of the teacher
Choosing not to meet these expectations will result in the following consequences:
1st offense - warning
2nd offense - teacher detention
3rd offense - teacher detention and call/email home
4th and following offenses - referral
SEVERITY CLAUSE – students may skip steps based on the severity of the incident
Pager/Technology Use Expectations
As students integrate technology more and more into their daily lives, they often have a desire to bring and use
these devices in the classroom. Students are welcome to bring their pagers, laptops, and tablets into the
classroom if they should so choose; however, students assume all responsibility for their devices while at
school and may only use them during class time with teacher permission for academic/learning purposes.
Families, if there is an emergency, that cannot wait until students change classes, please be sure to use the
school office to communicate those important messages to your student.
Choosing not to meet these pager/technology use expectations will result in the following consequences:
1st offense – warning
2nd offense – loss of device for the remainder of the class
3rd offense – loss of device for the remainder of the day
4th offense – loss of device for the day, lunch detention, call/email home
5th and following offenses - referral
The following supplies are expected to be brought to CLASS EVERYDAY:
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A binder or several folders dedicated to
Psychology only work
Pencils
Erasers
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Textbook
USB/thumb drive
Book Cover
Lined paper – COLLEGE RULED
Grading Policy
Quarterly
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Assessments*
Homework
Classwork
Semester
80%
10%
10%
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
Final
40%
40%
20%
*Includes all assessments including projects,
quizzes, and tests
Homework / Late Work
Homework will be given on a regular basis. Your best work is expected to be demonstrated through your
assignments. Homework will be due at the beginning of class the day after it is assigned (unless otherwise
specified).
For each day your assignment is turned in late, 10% (one letter grade) will be taken off the final assignment
grade. After the third day past the due date, the assignment will receive a 0. Please turn your work in on time.
Extra Credit
I do not give extra credit work.
Attendance and Make-Up Work
If you are consistently not here, you will not be able to pass this course. Even if you make up assignments,
you can never make up discussions we had when you weren't here. For any absence, whether excused or
unexcused, it is your responsibility to get the work missed.
Since you know about major long-term projects in advance, you are expected to send your work to school even
if you are absent.
Contacting
Please feel free to contact me at my school email on the front of this syllabus. I can also be contacted through
the school telephone (301-360-2000) and VP (240-575-2966). Parents and students are both encouraged to
contact me with any questions or concerns about assignments or progress in class.
Student Contract
(This MUST be signed by student and parent/guardian)
DUE: January 27th, 2013
I have read and understand the class syllabus including all policies and expectations.
In Psychology this semester, I agree to.....
• Be an active participant, ask questions, be involved in the discussion, pay attention
• Arrive to class on time and be in my seat working when the bell rings.
• Come to class prepared.
• Be respectful of everyone in the room at all times.
• Put away or get rid of any and all needless distractions: food, drinks, electronic devices of any
kind, etc.
• Take notes daily in class.
• Participate in class in an appropriate manner.
• Avoid talking out of turn or disrupting the class in any way.
• Use appropriate language at all times.
• Turn in all work on time.
• Follow the school’s Honor Code by not plagiarizing, providing work, or taking someone’s work.
o Plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment with no make-up; determining
accidental plagiarism and ability to redo is completely up to the discretion of the teacher
Choosing not to meet these expectations will result in the following consequences:
Pager/Technology
1st offense – warning
2nd offense – loss of device for the remainder of the class
3rd offense – loss of device for the remainder of the day
4th offense – loss of device for the day, lunch detention,
call/email home
5th and following offenses - referral
All others
1st offense - warning
2nd offense - teacher detention
3rd offense - teacher detention and phone
call/email home
4th and following offenses - referral
**SEVERITY CLAUSE – students may skip steps based on the severity of the incident
By signing this, I admit to having read and understood the expectations and consequences of the
class.
Student’s Name Printed
Parent/Guardian’s Name Printed
Student’s Signature
Parent/Guardian’s Signature
Date
Date