Introduction
to Psychology
Course Syllabus
Instructor Information:
Mr. Tom
Welch
Contact
info.:
School
920.739.4441
Home 920.993.9224
E-mail: twelch@fvlhs.org
Catalog
Description: An elective one-semester course
for seniors. The course will evaluate
psychology from a Christian perspective.
The student will gain a basic understanding of human behavior and how
that behavior relates to others.
Statement of Purpose: The student will
become acquainted with basic principles and theories of psychology in
preparation for a life under Christ.
Such knowledge will help the student to better serve Him within the many
relationships of adult life.
Objectives:
1. To study the major core concepts
and theories of psychology in the light of God’s truth as revealed in His Word.
2. To become able to define key
terms and use them in everyday vocabulary.
3. To understand the basic
components of psychological research. To
devise simple research projects and to interpret and generalize the results.
4. To apply psychological concepts
to their own lives as children of God, and to recognize psychological
principles when they are encountered in everyday life.
5. To develop critical thinking
skills.
6. To build reading, writing, and
discussion skills.
7. To obtain and use information
gathered from the Internet.
Materials
(please have textbook and psychology spiral in class everyday):
textbook:
Rathus, Spencer A., (2003). Psychology: Principles in Practice.
pen/pencil
and looseleaf paper in 3-ring binder for quizzes/tests and other hand-in
assignments
(spiral
notebooks are only allowed for note-taking)
worksheets
and discussion guides
outside readings
A/V
materials
course
web material in psychology page (FVLnet)
Internet
access in the
PsySim CD-ROM simulations
Instructional Methods:
·
·
Internet
research
·
Individual
and group projects/experiments
·
Role-plays
·
Study
sheets/written assignments
·
Audio-visual
materials
Internet Use:
Use the Internet according to
school policy guidelines. The Web sites
provided below contain information well beyond that which you will find
useful. Your challenge is to streamline
searches to maximize your allotted Internet access time.
Psychology Web Sites:
Psychology-related web sites
categorized by chapter relevant to our study this year are provided for you in
the FVL Intranet at school. (From home, use http://www.fvlhs.org.
From the main page, click on “links” then “Intranet Access” and finally “social
studies” to get to the psychology link.) The publisher of our text
provides an excellent site as well (www.go.hrw.com).
Please understand that the
inclusion of a site on the psychology page does not necessarily imply agreement
with or endorsement of that sites’s statements or contents. We Christians living in a sinful world must
be wary. Much of what you’ll find in the
field of psychology attempts to replace God’s truth with human “truth”.
Content Calendar:
|
Week # |
Topic |
Domain* |
|
|
1-4 |
Introduction and Research
Methods |
1 - Methods |
Chapter 1-2 |
|
5-6 |
Biological Bases of Behavior |
2 - Biopsychologial |
Chapter 3 |
|
7-8 |
Sensation and Perception |
2- Biopsychological |
Chapter 4 |
|
11 |
Intelligence |
4 - Cognitive |
Chapter 9 |
|
12-14 |
Lifespan |
3 - Developmental |
Chapter 10-12 |
|
15-16 |
Disorders and Treatment |
5 – Variations in Individual
and Group Behavior |
Miscellaneous |
|
17 |
Catch Up/Review and Semester
Projects |
|
|
|
18 |
Final Exam |
|
|
* according to APA National
Standards for High School Psychology Curricula link
How to be Successful in this Class:
·
Attend
all class sessions/activities. This is
when and how learning takes place.
Assignments simply reinforce what has been learned during class activities/discussions.
·
Read
assigned chapter sections in text before
that topic is covered. This will help
you to understand the material and participate during discussions. Read the Chapter Summary before beginning
work on new chapter.
·
Study
almost every day. Putting in time
outside of class is important. It is
best to study daily rather than to try to cram at the end. Ask me about student underlining in your
text.
·
Participate
in discussions and group activities.
·
Turn
in assignments on time. Under your name
on each assignment, record the total amount of time you spent on that
particular assignment. See Late Work Policy.
·
Plan
to make up any missed work immediately.
Discuss specifics with me, if necessary.
·
Be
courteous toward your instructor, substitute teachers and your classmates. Out of courtesy, only one person in the
classroom should speak at a time.
Alternative Assessments
Occasionally a grade based on an
activity other than a standard chapter or unit exam is available to you (i.e.,
take-home essay test, visual display of key chapter concepts, etc.) Additional details will be provided in
class. Your creativity may lead to the
next great FVL psychology activity.
Reaction Papers (one or more during semester ):
·
In
one double-spaced, typed page, write a reaction to an Internet resource (check
the psychology links page within the FVL Web Page), current newspaper or
magazine article, an American
Psychologist journal article, the APA
Monitor, or another source regarding a topic that pertains to current class
studies in the field of psychology.
·
Include
bibliographic information according
to FVL style in Student Handbook or a URL at the top of your page and begin
with a 2-3 sentence summary of the
article.
·
Continue
with an evaluation that may include
your interpretation the author's intent or possibly the potential impact of
your resource.
·
Share the highlights of your reaction
orally with the class. Discussion dates
will be announced.
·
Written
reviews by three or four classmates will be given during a Circulating Papers session.
Semester Project (20% of final grade)
Choose One: 1) Two written reports – choose from an
individual, a theoretical orientation, a general psychology topic, and/or
another approved project; 2) one
research paper with a question thesis (i.e. “What does Scripture say about
humanism?”); 3) individual or group
PowerPoint presentation of a longitudinal or other study; 4) conduct an activity from the Activities Handbook for the Teaching of
Psychology, Vol. 3; 5) other
approved project.
Course Evaluation:
Daily Work . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . 40% Examinations . . . . . . . . . . . . 40%
Quizzes
and Sheets Chapter
Exams
Reports/Projects Final
Exam
Class
contributions
Reaction
Papers
Semester Project . . . . . . . .
. . 20% (See above.)
Grading Scale:
|
A+ = 100-99% = 0 |
D =
73-72% = 10 |
|
A = 98-97%
= 1 |
D- =
71-70% = 11 |
|
A- = 96-93%
= 2 |
F12 = 69-60% =
12 |
|
B+ = 92-90% = 3 |
F13 = 59-50% =
13 |
|
B = 89-87%
= 4 |
F14 = 49-40% =
14 |
|
B- = 86-85%
= 5 |
F15 = 39-30% =
15 |
|
C+ = 84-82% = 6 |
F16 = 29-20% =
16 |
|
C = 81-79%
= 7 |
F17 = 19-10% =
17 |
|
C- = 78-76%
= 8 |
F18 = 9-0%
= 18 |
|
D+ = 75-74% = 9 |
|
Learning Log – Ideas to
Remember
Maintain a weekly learning log to
record items of interest, significance, relevance, etc. Final essay will be to expand on top two or
three “items” from semester.
This log will help you remember
important ideas, activities or topics that impacted you during the
semester. Use it to record quotes,
thoughts or concepts as you develop skills and attitudes as a life-long
ambassador for Christ.
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