WHS AP Psychology
Course Overview:
Syllabus and Calendar
You don’t know
syllabus
Why are we here?
• To think like psychologists
• As David Myers says “to restrain
intuition with critical thinking,
judgmentalism with compassion, and
illusion with understanding”
(Sternberg, 1997).
Expectations
• We learn from each other so come ready to
talk and play. If we aren’t laughing we
aren’t learning.
• It isn’t about memorization; it’s about
application.
• Come to class having read the assigned
reading.
• Take notes. Your memory isn’t THAT good.
Policies
• WHS Handbook
• Late work – Late work is not accepted without a
discussion with me after class. Late work left on
my desk without a conversation will not be
accepted. If, at any point in the course, you miss
two assignments in a row, you will be assigned a
detention after school for us to discuss your
future in this course.
• Plagiarism – don’t do it.
• Attendance – do it.
Content Outlines
• Each unit has a certain number of tasks that you
must accomplish.
• Each task should be a page in your concept map.
– For example, Unit 1 has 9 tasks so you will have at least
9 pages for your concept mapping of unit 1.
• Each task is supported by a specific reading in the
textbook and corresponds to specific date(s) on
the calendar.
• Each task has italicized words that we call varsity
terms and are highly likely to appear in both our
unit tests and on the AP exam in May.
• Each unit has a list of varsity psychologists that
you would also do well to know.
• These are your study guides for the unit exam and
for the AP exam.
How do you prepare for AP Psych
each day?
• Start with the calendar. Check the
reading that is due and the Essential
Task (ET) that we’ll be working on that
day.
How do you prepare for AP Psych
each day?
•
Read the Essential Task
–
•
•
ET 1-1 Describe, compare. and contrast how different approaches to
psychology explain behavior: psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, Gestalt,
humanism and behaviorism cognitive, biological, evolutionary, and
social as more contemporary approaches
Now read the assigned reading with
the PURPOSE of answering this task.
Take notes or make a concept map
as long as you are always trying to
accomplish this task.
How do you prepare for AP Psych
each day?
• Define all the italicized words (varsity terms), in
your own words, as you read.
• Try to come up with real life examples of these
terms.
• Bring your notes/concept map to class. If an
italicized term was not in the reading, come to
class expecting to learn about this term.
• Come to class with questions about examples that
you need or things in the task that you just don’t
get.
• Remember that a reading is due the day it is listed
on the calendar.
Don’t waste your time.
• The average reading assignment for the month of
September is 4.5 pages.
• DO NOT COME TO CLASS WITHOUT READING THE
ASSIGNED READING.
• You waste your time.
–
–
–
–
–
–
Our demos don’t make sense.
The examples don’t make sense.
We don’t have a conversation.
We stop laughing.
You are lost.
You look lost.
Projects, grading and due dates
• Every project that we will do is listed in your
syllabus.
• Every necessary direction that you will need
is listed in your syllabus. READ THEM.
• Every grading rubric that will be used for
those projects is listed in your syllabus.
• Every due date for every project is listed in
your calendar.
• This will be your only reminder.