Ms. Kramer's Class- AP Psychology

Welcome to AP Psychology! I love teaching this class because of all of you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do :)

Below are some policies and procedures.

The purpose of the AP course in Psychology is to introduce the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Included is a consideration of the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Students also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice (College Board).

Course Outcomes

• The student will demonstrate understanding of how people think and act in the various psychological fields covered.

• The student will read and persevere through challenging academic texts.

• The student will describe and compare multiple approaches in explaining behavior, including different domains in psychology.

• The student will apply understanding of psychological research to designing and implementing basic psychological experiments and observations.

• The student will engage in academic discussion with classmates.

• The student will independently ask questions and search for answers about connections, relevance, alternatives, viewpoints, and evidence in psychology, Classroom Expectations

· Be respectful of yourself, other people, and your surroundings.

· Participate and be attentive to classroom activities.

· Be on time for class and ready to get started

· All school rules apply in the classroom.

· No cell phones or other electronic devices allowed in class unless permission is granted first.

Required Materials – bring the following to class every day--

· Organized Binder (by unit)

· Something to write with

· An open mind & a sense of humor

Course Textbook:

Myers, David. Psychology for AP (second edition). New

York: BFW Worth Publishers. 2014.

Supplemental (Please Purchase):

Hock, Roger. Forty Studies That Changed Psychology

(fifth edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2005.

Lilienfeld, S., Lynn, S., Beyerstein, B. 50 Great Myths of

Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior.Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.

Novels & Movies

I have a lengthy list of movies and novels that relate to the study of psychology. Please see me for details. J

Study Guide:

Students are highly encouraged to purchase their own study guide for taking the A.P. Psychology Exam. (Examples: The Princeton Review: Cracking the AP Psychology Exam, or Five Steps to A 5, etc.)

Assessment:

Grades at a Glance: 70% Summative and 30% Formative

-Formative work is work FOR learning. This includes worksheets, in class assignments, some reading quizzes and group work

-Summative work is work OF learning. This includes research papers, projects, and tests.

Grading Procedure

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS Formative assessment will not become part of your final grade.

• Assignments in this course will offer you opportunity to learn content and develop skills that reflect understanding of material and concepts covered in this course. Assignments will vary and may include:

Research, readings, media coverage, outlining of content from books and/or articles, taking notes in class, worksheets, small group discussions in class or online, writing essays and taking quizzes.

• Students with planned absences are responsible for completing all missed assignments. Note it is the student’s responsibility to inquire about missed work.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS Units of study will require completion of one or more summative assessments. These assessments are intended to show mastery of content and skills and will become part of the cumulative grade for the semester.

• Summative assessments may vary in form and may include: projects, presentations, essays, papers and exams.

• Summative assessments assigned in advance must be submitted on the day a student returns to school. This time frame is crucial as scaffolding concepts and discussions are built upon sequential mastery of content.

TESTS CORRECTIONS Students can complete test corrections. Please see me for details.

• Students must complete the retake process prior to the date of the next unit summative test.