AP Psychology
101
Daily Expectations
On average, 2-3 nights a week you will be expected to read a few sections of your AP Psychology book. Along with reading you will have to complete a reading guide that is worth points. The next day there will be a 10 question quiz on what you read the previous night. Afterwards, you will spend the rest of class debriefing and participating in a variety of activities in order to help you fully understand each section of the different units.
Fun Activities to Look Forward to:
The Brain Project
One of your first projects will be to create any type of model that shows the different parts of the brain. Then, you have to write a one page essay describing your favorite part of the brain. (Mine was the amygdala).
Fractured Fairytale
During the abnormal psychology unit, you will have the opportunity to recreate a fairy tale and give one or more of the main characters a mental disorder. (I wrote mine on Jack and Jill.)
Memes
One of your last projects will be to create a meme for the five approaches to psychology. (Psychodynamic, Humanist, Cognitive, Social, and Behavioral.)
Do's and Dont's
Always complete your expected homework assignments (reading guides and vocabulary packets). You have the opportunity to complete test corrections... do them! Hand write your notes, it will help you learn better. Create flashcards, this will be especially helpful when you are learning the parts of the brain.
Your unit tests are graded like your AP Exam will be, so don't freak out about a 70%. Don't be afraid to engage yourself during class and ask questions. It takes a minimum of an hour to complete your reading homework and comprehend what you have learned so don't procrastinate.
AP Exams
You will take 14 unit tests during the course of the class. Each test is designed like the real AP Exam. You have 35 minutes to answer 50 multiple questions and 25 minutes to answer one FRQ. The AP Exam you will take in May has double the amount of questions and FRQs but you also have double the amount of time to complete each section. The unit tests you take in class are much harder than the AP Exams. If you receive a 70% on your unit tests, you will most likely be looking forward to a passing grade on your AP Exam. When studying for unit tests, I would go over my vocabulary packets and imagine how I could use each word in an FRQ. Also, I would rewrite all my notes I took during the unit and review which ever topics I had forgotten. I have not yet received my AP Exam scores. However, while I was taking the exam I felt as if I knew every question or could at least make an educated guess. I made flashcards for the topics is struggled with in order to prepare myself for the exam. This worked well and I remembered everything I studied. The one thing I wish I would have done was simply re-read some of the chapters. Besides that, I felt well prepared for the AP Exam.
Personal Reflection
AP Psychology has been by far my favorite class I have taken in high school. I have been able to apply the knowledge I have learned in this class in various places of my life. During this class I have learned how to study better, sleep better, and more. Numerous students have taken this course and discovered they would like a career in psychology. If you put in the time and effort to learn the material you will be successful in the classroom and during your AP Exam.