AP Psychology Course Syllabus 2020 2021
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AP Psychology
Course Syllabus 2020 - 2021
Teacher: Ms. Katarina Pisini Email Address: katarina.pisini@mcpsmd.net
Room: 2005 (Pd. 3, 5 & 7) MyMCPS Classroom: Has Zoom meeting times & links
Course Description:
The Advanced Placement Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the
behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and
phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists
use in their science and practice.
The Advanced Placement Psychology course will offer students the opportunities to learn about the explorations and
discoveries made by psychologists over the past century. Students will get the chance to assess some of the differing approaches
adopted by psychologists, including biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural perspectives.
Students will also learn the basic skills of psychology research and develop critical thinking skills.
The Advanced Placement Psychology course aims to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that
of most college introductory psychology courses. This course will prepare students to successfully conquer the AP Psychology
Exam.
Textbook:
Myers, David G. Myers’ Psychology for AP, 2nd Edition, New York, Worth, 2014
Textbooks will be assigned during the first month of school. Reading assignments in the textbook will be given out weekly.
Suggested Additional Resources:
● Strive for 5: Preparing for the AP Psychology Examination, 2nd Edition, Worth, 2014
(ISBN-10: 1464156050)
● Free and Open Resources on the Online textbook website, accessed through
http://www.macmillanlearning.com/Catalog/studentresources/MyersAP2e
● Any AP Psychology Exam Prep / Review Book
My Distance Learning Expectations:
1. Follow the Mason 5 Be’s
2. Commit to this class and effectively prepare for the AP Psychology Exam on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
3. You must login to our Zoom class meetings on time. Class starts on time and ends on time. If you are late or need to get
organized, don’t be dramatic about it. Be quiet and respectful when you are admitted to the Zoom meeting..
4. Email me if you are having problems. I am on your side. I want to help you. If you don’t know what to do, have a question,
need help getting organized, or anything else, please email me BEFORE it is too late. We are on the same team. I am here to
help you be successful. Don’t forget that!!!
5. All work you submit must be YOUR OWN! Plagiarism will NOT be tolerated. I will be checking to ensure that any work you
submit is your own and not copied from another student’s work. If it’s not your own work, you will earn an automatic zero & I
will report your academic dishonesty to the Administration.
6. Use of MCPS Chromebooks & MyMCPS Classroom will be regulated by MCPS technology policies.
7. All Wheaton High School and MCPS procedures and policies are in effect.
Absences:
The MCPS / Wheaton High School Attendance Policy will be followed. If you know you will be absent ahead of time, or for a
considerable amount of time, please let me as soon as you know so we can discuss what you will be missing. Attendance &
participation is especially important in an Advanced Placement class. Excessive absences will have a negative effect on your grade
and your success on the AP Psychology Exam.
Makeup Work Policy:
MyMCPS Classroom is a valuable resource in finding out what you missed if you are absent from our Zoom Meetings. All assignments
& assessments will be posted in our MyMCPS Classroom organized by Modules. Email me if you have any questions or concerns
regarding late work & reassessment of any quizzes. Remember, making up any late work is your responsibility! You have 72
hours to view the missed Zoom lesson before it disappears!
Late Work Policy:
This is an AP College level course. This means that I expect you to turn in assignments on time! It is a disservice to your learning and
education when you turn in work late. The deadline for ALL assignments will be one week following the Due Date, unless
otherwise noted. For all work turned in past the due date, as per the MCPS grading policy, the assignment will automatically be
reduced 10%. Please note: I do accept assignments turned in via our MyMCPS Classroom, NEVER VIA EMAIL. Please make sure you
submit your assignment under the correct assignment and your completed work is attached / linked.
Grading Policy:
Grades are based on the following scale and follow all MCPS regulations regarding grading and reporting:
A = 100 - 90% B = 89 – 80% C = 79 - 70% D = 69 - 60% E = 59% and below
In this class, assignments are broken down in the following two categories:
● Tasks & Assessments (exams and formative activities) = 90%
● Practice (vocabulary and reading notes) = 10%
Materials and Supplies ~ It is highly recommended that you have the following for our class & during Zoom class meetings:
● Composition Book and/or Spiral Notebook
● Pencils and blue / black pens
● Highlighters & Colored Pens (optional – for taking notes)
Assessment Practices:
● Unit Exams - These exams are modeled after the AP Exam, with timed 30+ multiple-choice questions (answer choices A-E) and
one FRQ to be completed in MyMCPS Classroom. Unit exams will be cumulative, with a focus on the current unit of content.
Unit Exams will be counted as summative assessments and are not able to be reassessed.
● Application Projects / Presentations – Students can expect to be assigned projects and presentations (group and individual)
during this course. These summative projects and presentations will be assessed through rubrics for content, grammar,
organization, structure, and creativity.
● Reading Quizzes - These are scheduled at least once a week and use the AP Exam timed multiple-choice format. These will be
counted as formative assessments and will be completed in MyMCPS classroom. You are able to reassess the quiz once at
least one day following your original assessment.
● Unit Work ~ Students will have the choice to complete at least one of the following unit work assignments:
o Unit Vocabulary - Each unit will have a set of vocabulary words and Hall of Fame. Students are expected to define these
vocabulary concepts in their own words using the AP Psychology Vocabulary Template. The unit vocabulary will be due
the Sunday by 11:59pm before the Unit Quest/Exam.
o Unit Reading Notes – Students will be expected to complete reading notes for each unit’s modules per the class
guidelines. These reading notes are crucial to learning the content in order to be successful on the AP Psychology exam
and in this class. Students will also have the option of completing guided reading questions in lieu of taking their own
notes. Reading Notes will be due the Sunday by 11:59pm before the Unit Quest/Exam.
Ms. Pisini AP Psychology Syllabus 2020-2021Course Outline:
* Please note that all dates in the syllabus are tentative and are subject to change.
Semester Unit Title Percentage of AP Exam
Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology 10 – 14%
Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior 8 – 10%
Fall Unit 3: Sensation & Perception 6 - 8%
Unit 4: Learning 7 – 9%
Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology 13 - 17%
Unit 6: Developmental Psychology 7 – 9%
Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, & Personality 11 – 15%
Unit 8: Clinical Psychology 12 – 16%
Spring Unit 9: Social Psychology 8 – 10%
Review for AP Psychology Exam
AP Psychology Final Project
Underclassmen Project / Movie Analysis Project
The AP Psychology Exam is Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Noon, Afternoon Session
* Multiple Choice Section: 100 questions, 70 minutes
* Free Response Section: 2 essay questions, 50 minutes total
Exam Grades: 5 = Extremely well qualified
4 = Well qualified
3 = Qualified
--------------------------------------
2 = Possibly qualified
1 = No recommendation
Review for AP Exam
We will review for the AP Exam using a selected number of activities: various collaborative review activities, outside of class review
sessions, using posted review materials on the MyMCPS classroom page, using released AP Psychology practice tests (both multiple
choice and FRQ), and working in small groups to complete various review activities.
I am very excited to be sharing this learning experience with you. Please remember that I am here to support you and teach you to be
the best students you can be. I am available during my posted Zoom office hours, check the MyMCPS Classroom for login
information. You can also email me at katarina.pisini@mcpsmd.net or message me via our MyMCPS Classroom. Let’s make this an
amazing school year and GET READY TO LEARN!!!
Ms. Pisini AP Psychology Syllabus 2020-2021AP Psychology Course Outline
Fall Semester: * Please note that all dates in the syllabus are tentative and are subject to change.
Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology (10 - 14%)
Textbook Modules: 1 – 8 2 weeks
Introducing Psychology
1.1 Research Methods in Psychology
1.2 The Experimental Method
1.3 Selecting a Research Method
1.4 Statistical Analysis in Psychology
1.5 Ethical Guidelines in Psychology
Learning Targets:
● Identify the research contributions of major historical figures in psychology.
● Describe and compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior.
● Distinguish the different domains of psychology.
● Differentiate types of research with regard to purpose, strengths, and weaknesses.
● Identify independent, dependent, confounding, and control variables in experimental designs.
● Describe how research design drives the reasonable conclusions that can be drawn.
● Distinguish between random assignment of participants to conditions in experiments and random selection of participants, primarily in
correlational studies and surveys.
● Predict the validity of behavioral explanations based on the quality of research design.
● Apply basic descriptive statistical concepts, including interpreting and constructing graphs and calculating simple descriptive statistics.
● Distinguish the purposes of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.
● Identify how ethical issues inform and constrain research practices.
● Describe how ethical and legal guidelines protect research participants and promote sound ethical practice.
Application Project: Naturalistic Observation Stranger Project
Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior (8 – 10%)
Textbook Modules: 9 - 15 & 22 - 25 4 weeks
2.1 Interaction of Heredity & Environment
2.2 The Endocrine System
2.3 Overview of the Nervous System & the Neuron
2.4 Neural Firing
2.5 Influence of Drugs on Neural Firing
2.6 The Brain
2.7 Tools for Examining Brain Structure & Function
2.8 The Adaptable Brain
2.9 Sleep and Dreaming
Learning Targets:
● Identify key research contributions of scientists in the area of heredity and environment.
● Predict how traits and behavior can be selected for their adaptive value.
● Discuss the effect of the endocrine system on behavior.
● Describe the nervous system and its subdivisions and functions.
● Identify basic processes and systems in the biological bases of behavior, including parts of the neuron.
● Identify the basic process of transmission of a signal between neurons.
● Discuss the influence of drugs on neurotransmitters.
● Describe the nervous system and its subdivisions and functions in the brain.
● Identify the contributions of key researchers to the study of the brain.
● Recount historic and contemporary research strategies and technologies that support research.
● Discuss the role of neuroplasticity in traumatic brain injury.
● Describe various states of consciousness and their impact on behavior.
● Identify the major psychoactive drug categories and classify specific drugs, including their psychological and physiological effects.
● Discuss drug dependence, addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal.
● Discuss aspects of sleep and dreaming.
Application Project: Zombies – Nature vs. Nurture PBL
Unit 3: Sensation and Perception (6 – 8%)
Textbook Modules: 16 – 21 3 weeks
Ms. Pisini AP Psychology Syllabus 2020-20213.1 Principles of Sensation
3.2 Principles of Perception
3.3 Visual Anatomy
3.4 Visual Perception
3.5 Auditory Sensation & Perception
3.6 Chemical Senses
3.7 Body Senses
Learning Targets:
● Describe general principles of organizing and integrating sensation to promote stable awareness of the external world.
● Discuss basic principles of sensory transduction, including absolute threshold, difference threshold, signal detection, and sensory
adaptation.
● Identify the research contributions of major historical figures in sensation and perception.
● Discuss how experience and culture can influence perceptual processes.
● Explain the role of top-down processing in producing vulnerability to illusion.
● Describe sensory processes of vision, hearing, taste, and smell as well as touch and pain, to include the specific nature of energy
transduction, relevant anatomical structures, and specialized pathways in the brain for each of the senses.
Units 1 – 3 Cumulative Exam
First Quarter Ends 11/9
Unit 4: Learning (7 – 9%)
Textbook Modules: 26 – 30 2 weeks
4.1 Introduction to Learning
4.2 Classical Conditioning
4.3 Operant Conditioning
4.4 Social & Cognitive Factors in Learning
Learning Targets:
● Identify the contributions of key researchers in the psychology of learning.
● Describe the essential characteristics of insight learning, latent learning, and social learning.
● Apply learning principles to explain emotional learning, taste aversion, superstitious behavior, and learning helplessness.
● Describe basic classical conditioning phenomena.
● Predict the effects of operant conditioning and how the practice, schedules of reinforcement, and motivation will influence quality of
learning.
● Distinguish general differences between principles of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning.
Application Project: Multiple Apply & Practice Assignments
Thanksgiving Break (11/26 – 11/30)
Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology (13 – 17%)
Textbook Modules: 31 – 36 & 60 - 64 6 weeks
5.1 Introduction to Memory
5.2 Encoding
5.3 Storing
5.4 Retrieving
5.5 Forgetting and Memory Distortion
5.6 Biological Bases of Memory
5.7 Introduction to Thinking & Problem Solving
5.8 Biases and Errors in Thinking
5.9 Introduction to Intelligence
5.10 Psychometric Principles & Intelligence Testing
5.11 Components of Language & Language Acquisition
Learning Targets:
● Compare and contrast various cognitive processes.
● Describe and differentiate psychological and physiological systems of memory.
● Identify the contributions of key researchers in cognitive psychology.
● Outline the principles that underlie construction and encoding of memories, effective storage of memory, and strategies for retrieving
memory, memory improvement, and typical memory errors.
● Describe and differentiate psychological and physiological systems of short- and long-term memory.
● Identify problem-solving strategies as well as factors that influence their effectiveness and create bias of errors in thinking.
● List the characteristics of creative thought and creative thinkers.
Ms. Pisini AP Psychology Syllabus 2020-2021● Define intelligence and list characteristics of how psychologists measure intelligence.
● Discuss how culture influences the definition of intelligence.
● Compare and contrast historic and contemporary theories of intelligence.
● Explain how psychologists design tests, including standardization strategies and other techniques to establish reliability and validity.
● Interpret the meaning of scores in terms of the normal curve.
● Describe relevant labels related to intelligence testing.
● Synthesize how biological, cognitive, and cultural factors converge to facilitate acquisition, development, and use of language.
Application Project: Memory Experiment Project
Winter Break (12/24 – 1/3)
Marking Period and Fall Semester 1/29
End of 2nd
Spring Semester:
Unit 6: Developmental Psychology (7 – 9%)
Textbook Modules: 45 – 54 3 weeks
6.1 The Lifespan & Physical Development in Childhood
6.2 Social Development in Childhood
6.3 Cognitive Development in Childhood
6.4 Adolescent Development
6.5 Adulthood & Aging
6.6 Moral Development
6.7 Gender & Sexual Orientation
Learning Targets:
● Explain the process of conception and gestation, including factors that influence successful prenatal development.
● Discuss the interaction of nature and nurture, specifically on physical, social, cognitive, and moral development.
● Discuss maturation of motor skills.
● Explain how parenting styles influence development.
● Explain the maturation of cognitive abilities, such as Piaget’s stages and information process.
● Discuss maturational challenges in adolescence, including family conflicts.
● Predict the physical and cognitive changes that emerge through the lifespan, including steps that are taken to maximize function.
● Describe how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development.
Application Project: From Birth to Death Development Story
Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, & Personality (11 – 15%)
Textbook Modules: 37 – 44 & 55 - 59 4 weeks
7.1 Theories of Motivation
7.2 Specific Topics in Motivation
7.3 Theories of Emotion
7.4 Stress & Coping
7.5 Introduction to Personality
7.6 Psychoanalytic Theories of Personality
7.7 Behaviorism & Social Cognitive Theories of Personality
7.8 Humanistic Theories of Personality
7.9 Trait Theories of Personality
7.10 Measuring Personality
Learning Targets:
● Identify and apply basic motivational concepts to understand the behavior of humans and other animals.
● Compare and contrast motivational theories, including the strengths and weakness of each.
● Describe classic research findings in specific motivations, as well as the biological underpinnings of motivation.
● Compare and contrast major theories of emotion.
● Describe how cultural influences shape emotional expression, including variations in body language.
● Discuss theories of stress and the effects of stress on psychological and physical well-being.
● Describe and compare research methods that psychologists use to investigate personality.
● Compare and contrast the psychoanalytic, behaviorist, social cognitive, humanistic, and trait theories of personality with one another.
● Identify frequently used assessment strategies, and evaluate relative test quality based on reliability and validity of the instruments.
Application Project: Theories Baseball Cards
Unit 8: Clinical Psychology (12 – 16%)
Textbook Modules: 65 – 73 & 25 2 weeks
Ms. Pisini AP Psychology Syllabus 2020-20218.1 Introduction to Psychological Disorders
8.2 Psychological Perspectives & Etiology of Disorders
8.3 Neurodevelopmental & Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders
8.4 Bipolar, Depressive, Anxiety, & Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders
8.5 Trauma & Stressor-Related, Dissociative, & Somatic Symptom & Related Disorders
8.6 Feeding & Eating, Substance & Addictive, & Personality Disorders
8.7 Introduction to Treatment of Psychological Disorders
8.8 Psychological Perspectives & Treatment of Disorders
8.9 Treatment of Disorders from the Biological Perspective
8.10 Evaluating Strengths, Weaknesses, & Empirical Support for Treatments of Disorders
Learning Targets:
● Recognize the use of the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the
American Psychiatric Association as the primary reference for making diagnostic judgements.
● Describe contemporary and historical conceptions of what constitutes psychological disorders.
● Discuss the intersection between psychology and the legal system.
● Evaluate the strengths and limitations of various approaches to explaining psychological disorders.
● Discuss the major diagnostic categories including neurodevelopment and schizophrenic spectrum disorders, bipolar, depressive,
anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, trauma, dissociative, and somatic symptom disorders, as well as feeding and eating
disorders, personality and addiction disorders.
● Describe major treatment orientations used in theory and how those orientations influence therapeutic planning.
● Summarize effectiveness of specific treatments used to address specific problems.
● Compare and contrast different treatment methods.
Application Project: Diagnosis Me! PBL Project
Spring Break (4/6 – 4/13)
Third Marking Period Ends 4/16
Unit 9: Social Psychology (8 – 10%)
Textbook Modules: 74 – 80 2 weeks
9.1 Attribution Theory & Person Perception
9.2 Attitude Formation & Attitude Change
9.3 Conformity, Compliance, & Obedience
9.4 Group Influences on Behavior & Mental Processes
9.5 Bias, Prejudice, & Discrimination
9.6 Altruism & Aggression
9.7 Interpersonal Attraction
Learning Targets:
● Apply attribution theory to explain motives.
● Articulate the impact of social and cultural categories on self-concept and relations with others.
● Anticipate the impact of self-fulfilling prophecy on behavior.
● Discuss attitude formation and change, including persuasion strategies and cognitive dissonance.
● Explain how individuals respond to expectations of others, including groupthink, conformity, and obedience to authority.
● Describe the structure and function of different kinds of group behavior.
● Predict the impact of the presence of others on individual behavior.
● Describe processes that contribute to differential treatment of group members.
● Describe the variables that contribute to altruism and aggression, as well as attraction.
Application Project: Social Psych Experiment Comparison Project
AP Exam Review (4/19 – 5/10) ~ Lunch and Afterschool Review Sessions start the week of 4/19
Final Jam Cram Session on Friday, 5/7 from 2:45 – 6pm
AP Psychology Exam Tuesday, 5/11 @ Noon
Individual AP Psychology Final Projects (5/12 – 5/21)
Last Day for Seniors is TBD
Underclassmen Project / Movie Analysis Project (6/1 – 6/16)
Ms. Pisini AP Psychology Syllabus 2020-2021You can also read
