Psychology

A comprehensive lesson on Public Relations in Psychology, focusing on translating complex research for public consumption, managing public perception of psychological science, and ethical communication.

An exploration of the history, mechanics, and fairness of standardized testing through the lens of a neurodivergent student's experience. This lesson uses a retro-style comic to illustrate the disconnect between traditional testing and real-world intelligence.

A high school psychology lesson exploring the historical roots of mental health stigma and how scientific advancement shifts public perception from supernatural to biological explanations. Students engage in a research sprint to compare historical treatment methods with modern scientific standards.

Students explore the psychological theory of Ego Depletion and decision fatigue through an interactive Stroop test, a video case study on judicial parole decisions, and a collaborative experimental design project. The lesson concludes with a critical look at the replication crisis in psychology.

This lesson introduces the final research project: a 7-10 page literature review on a specific psychological theory related to the nature vs. nurture debate. It includes assignment guidelines, a rubric, and organizational tools.

A high school psychology lesson focusing on how mental health conditions, specifically teen depression, manifest physically through somatic symptoms. Students track academic sources in a video and compare simplified media explanations with primary source abstracts.

Students explore the tension between Positivism and Relativism in the social sciences, debating whether human behavior can be governed by scientific laws or if it is too inherently complex and irrational. The lesson uses 11th-12th grade level philosophy and sociology concepts grounded in early 20th-century intellectual history.

A media literacy lesson focused on how question framing and wording skew public opinion polling. Students analyze headlines, watch a targeted segment of a Crash Course video, and design their own biased and neutral poll questions to test on peers.

Students will explore confirmation bias and how leading questions influence research outcomes through a series of interactive activities and media analysis.

Examines the process of sensory adaptation and its evolutionary benefits. Students experience sensory fatigue firsthand through temperature and visual afterimage experiments.

Introduces the Signal Detection Theory matrix (hits, misses, false alarms, and correct rejections). Students analyze how psychological states and environmental noise influence detection.

Focuses on the difference threshold and the mathematical principle of Weber's Law. Students calculate sensory proportions and discover why some changes are easier to notice than others.

An inquiry-based exploration of the minimum stimulus intensity needed for detection. Students conduct experiments to find their own absolute thresholds for hearing and touch.

Differentiates sensation from perception and introduces transduction as the process of converting physical energy into neural signals. Students map the journey of sensory data from the environment to the brain.

Student groups present their content analysis findings and propose guidelines for responsible media consumption.

Students learn and apply content analysis methodology to a specific media sample, tallying behavioral instances.

Students analyze the power of influencers through the lens of observational learning factors like status and similarity.

Students examine the correlation vs. causation debate regarding violent media and aggression through data interpretation and roleplay.

Students define and categorize behaviors as prosocial or antisocial while brainstorming role models who embody these archetypes.

Students create a section for a 'Field Guide to Social Norms' that summarizes their findings and present guidelines for navigating specific social spaces.

An exploration of the nervous system's building blocks, focusing on neuron structure, the synaptic gap, and the chemical messengers that drive human behavior and sensation.

Students evaluate the 'Nature vs. Nurture' debate regarding susceptibility to addiction through a video analysis and a Socratic seminar.

Students investigate the neurobiology of ADHD through metaphorical frameworks, challenging the traditional 'deficit' model of the disorder and exploring the social model of disability.

Students explore the intersection of biology and law through the lens of 'decision fatigue' in judicial rulings, culminating in a Socratic seminar and policy proposal for systemic reform.

A lesson for AP/Undergraduate Psychology exploring the neural basis of psychosis, distinguishing between psychiatric hallucinations and neurological sensory misperceptions. Students map hallucinations to specific brain regions and analyze the diagnostic implications of different sensory modalities.

A lesson exploring the optimism bias, its neurological foundations in the inferior frontal gyrus, and how to balance hope with realistic planning using Tali Sharot's research.

A high school economics and psychology lesson exploring the 'optimism bias' and its impact on personal budgeting and macroeconomic events like the 2008 financial crisis. Students analyze Tali Sharot's TED talk and participate in a budgeting simulation to understand how to build 'policy parachutes.'

A high school psychology lesson focusing on how mental health conditions, specifically teen depression, manifest physically through somatic symptoms. Students track academic sources in a video and compare simplified media explanations with primary source abstracts.

Students explore the biological foundations of bipolar disorder, focusing on the roles of dopamine, the amygdala, and neural pruning through video analysis and case study application.

Investigating myopia, hyperopia, and color deficiency to understand how biological variance and pathology affect perception.

Comparing Trichromatic and Opponent-Process theories to explain how we perceive color and the phenomenon of afterimages.

Differentiating the roles of rods and cones in visual perception, including their sensitivity, color capabilities, and retinal distribution.

Students identify the major structures of the eye and understand the physiological process of accommodation and image focusing.

Students analyze the properties of light waves, specifically wavelength (hue) and amplitude (intensity), and how they correlate to sensory experiences.

Examines the process of sensory adaptation and its evolutionary benefits. Students experience sensory fatigue firsthand through temperature and visual afterimage experiments.

Introduces the Signal Detection Theory matrix (hits, misses, false alarms, and correct rejections). Students analyze how psychological states and environmental noise influence detection.

Focuses on the difference threshold and the mathematical principle of Weber's Law. Students calculate sensory proportions and discover why some changes are easier to notice than others.

An inquiry-based exploration of the minimum stimulus intensity needed for detection. Students conduct experiments to find their own absolute thresholds for hearing and touch.

Differentiates sensation from perception and introduces transduction as the process of converting physical energy into neural signals. Students map the journey of sensory data from the environment to the brain.

Synthesizes sensory modalities to understand how they interact to create complex perceptions like flavor and the McGurk effect.

This lesson explores Hans Eysenck's criminal personality theory, focusing on the biological and environmental factors that contribute to criminal behavior and identifying the four higher-order factors of personality.

Introduction générale au programme de philosophie et outils de révision globaux.

An exploration of the history, mechanics, and fairness of standardized testing through the lens of a neurodivergent student's experience. This lesson uses a retro-style comic to illustrate the disconnect between traditional testing and real-world intelligence.

A high school psychology lesson exploring the historical roots of mental health stigma and how scientific advancement shifts public perception from supernatural to biological explanations. Students engage in a research sprint to compare historical treatment methods with modern scientific standards.

Students explore the tension between Positivism and Relativism in the social sciences, debating whether human behavior can be governed by scientific laws or if it is too inherently complex and irrational. The lesson uses 11th-12th grade level philosophy and sociology concepts grounded in early 20th-century intellectual history.

A lesson exploring Freud's model of the psyche (Id, Ego, and Superego) within the context of early 20th-century Modernism. Students analyze historical and fictional figures to map their internal conflicts and resulting actions.

This lesson explores the transition from wartime propaganda to modern consumer advertising, focusing on the influence of Edward Bernays and how psychological tactics were used to shape social conventions and consumer culture after World War I.

A culminating project applying all Gestalt principles to critique user interface design and complex visual systems.

Study of figure-ground relationships and perceptual bistability through illusions and critical analysis.

Exploration of closure, continuity, and connectedness, particularly how they are used in graphic design and branding.

Detailed analysis of proximity and similarity as grouping principles, with practical observation exercises.

An introduction to Gestalt psychology and the Law of Pragnanz, focusing on the brain's tendency toward simplicity and wholeness.

Applying Gestalt principles to deconstruct complex advertisements and web designs to see how they influence behavior.

Focuses on distinguishing objects from backgrounds and how reversible figures create perceptual ambiguity.

Exploring principles that allow us to perceive continuous forms and closed shapes even when parts are missing or intersected.

A high school psychology lesson focusing on the clinical definitions of psychosis, distinguishing between sensory hallucinations and fixed false beliefs (delusions). Students analyze case studies to apply their knowledge of specific clinical categories.

A lesson for AP/Undergraduate Psychology exploring the neural basis of psychosis, distinguishing between psychiatric hallucinations and neurological sensory misperceptions. Students map hallucinations to specific brain regions and analyze the diagnostic implications of different sensory modalities.

Students analyze the concept of neurodiversity and apply design-thinking to create inclusive workspaces, connecting the topic to broader civil rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A high school psychology lesson exploring the subjective experience of psychosis, focusing on the gap between internal hallucinations and external behavior to build clinical empathy and reduce stigma.

Investigating myopia, hyperopia, and color deficiency to understand how biological variance and pathology affect perception.

Comparing Trichromatic and Opponent-Process theories to explain how we perceive color and the phenomenon of afterimages.

Differentiating the roles of rods and cones in visual perception, including their sensitivity, color capabilities, and retinal distribution.

Students identify the major structures of the eye and understand the physiological process of accommodation and image focusing.

Students analyze the properties of light waves, specifically wavelength (hue) and amplitude (intensity), and how they correlate to sensory experiences.

Examines the process of sensory adaptation and its evolutionary benefits. Students experience sensory fatigue firsthand through temperature and visual afterimage experiments.

Introduces the Signal Detection Theory matrix (hits, misses, false alarms, and correct rejections). Students analyze how psychological states and environmental noise influence detection.

Focuses on the difference threshold and the mathematical principle of Weber's Law. Students calculate sensory proportions and discover why some changes are easier to notice than others.

An inquiry-based exploration of the minimum stimulus intensity needed for detection. Students conduct experiments to find their own absolute thresholds for hearing and touch.

Differentiates sensation from perception and introduces transduction as the process of converting physical energy into neural signals. Students map the journey of sensory data from the environment to the brain.

Synthesizes sensory modalities to understand how they interact to create complex perceptions like flavor and the McGurk effect.

Explores the somatic senses, including touch, temperature, and Gate-Control Theory of pain.

Investigates the chemical senses of taste and smell, including the unique neural pathway of olfaction to the limbic system.

Examines hearing loss types, pitch perception theories, and the fragility of auditory hair cells.

Traces sound waves through the ear's anatomy, focusing on the mechanical conduction of sound from the pinna to the cochlea.

Students track the milestones of language from cooing and babbling to the 'naming explosion' and telegraphic speech. They analyze the debate between Skinner (learning) and Chomsky (LAD) regarding how language is acquired.

An exploration of the nervous system's building blocks, focusing on neuron structure, the synaptic gap, and the chemical messengers that drive human behavior and sensation.

A high school psychology lesson exploring somatic markers and how the body stores suppressed emotions, featuring a body-mapping activity and analysis of somatic awareness.

Students evaluate the 'Nature vs. Nurture' debate regarding susceptibility to addiction through a video analysis and a Socratic seminar.

Students investigate the neurobiology of ADHD through metaphorical frameworks, challenging the traditional 'deficit' model of the disorder and exploring the social model of disability.

Students explore the intersection of biology and law through the lens of 'decision fatigue' in judicial rulings, culminating in a Socratic seminar and policy proposal for systemic reform.

A lesson for AP/Undergraduate Psychology exploring the neural basis of psychosis, distinguishing between psychiatric hallucinations and neurological sensory misperceptions. Students map hallucinations to specific brain regions and analyze the diagnostic implications of different sensory modalities.

Students explore the Yerkes-Dodson Law through the lens of memory formation and retrieval. They analyze how moderate stress aids encoding while high stress inhibits recall, applying these concepts to real-world scenarios.

A lesson exploring the optimism bias, its neurological foundations in the inferior frontal gyrus, and how to balance hope with realistic planning using Tali Sharot's research.

A high school economics and psychology lesson exploring the 'optimism bias' and its impact on personal budgeting and macroeconomic events like the 2008 financial crisis. Students analyze Tali Sharot's TED talk and participate in a budgeting simulation to understand how to build 'policy parachutes.'

Students analyze the concept of neurodiversity and apply design-thinking to create inclusive workspaces, connecting the topic to broader civil rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Students explore the biological foundations of bipolar disorder, focusing on the roles of dopamine, the amygdala, and neural pruning through video analysis and case study application.

A high school psychology/sociology lesson exploring the Social Brain Hypothesis, the evolutionary transition from physical grooming to vocal gossip, and the modern implications of Dunbar's Number in a digital age.

Investigating myopia, hyperopia, and color deficiency to understand how biological variance and pathology affect perception.

Comparing Trichromatic and Opponent-Process theories to explain how we perceive color and the phenomenon of afterimages.

Differentiating the roles of rods and cones in visual perception, including their sensitivity, color capabilities, and retinal distribution.

Students identify the major structures of the eye and understand the physiological process of accommodation and image focusing.

Students analyze the properties of light waves, specifically wavelength (hue) and amplitude (intensity), and how they correlate to sensory experiences.

Examines the process of sensory adaptation and its evolutionary benefits. Students experience sensory fatigue firsthand through temperature and visual afterimage experiments.

Introduces the Signal Detection Theory matrix (hits, misses, false alarms, and correct rejections). Students analyze how psychological states and environmental noise influence detection.

Focuses on the difference threshold and the mathematical principle of Weber's Law. Students calculate sensory proportions and discover why some changes are easier to notice than others.

An exploration of Hans Eysenck's criminal personality theory, focusing on the intersection of biology, behaviorism, and personality traits like extraversion and neuroticism.

This lesson explores Hans Eysenck's criminal personality theory, focusing on the biological and environmental factors that contribute to criminal behavior and identifying the four higher-order factors of personality.

A bright and playful exploration of motivation theories through the lens of early childhood development. Students will analyze the 'big feelings' and 'big questions' behind behavior, using primary colors and simple scenarios to master complex psychological concepts.

Students evaluate the 'Nature vs. Nurture' debate regarding susceptibility to addiction through a video analysis and a Socratic seminar.

This lesson introduces the final research project: a 7-10 page literature review on a specific psychological theory related to the nature vs. nurture debate. It includes assignment guidelines, a rubric, and organizational tools.

Students explore the biological foundations of bipolar disorder, focusing on the roles of dopamine, the amygdala, and neural pruning through video analysis and case study application.

This lesson explores the dual nature of Habsburg dynastic strategies, analyzing how strategic intermarriage consolidated vast political power while simultaneously leading to biological degradation through inbreeding. Students evaluate the long-term stability of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain under this 'Success at any cost' model.

This lesson explores the dark history of the American eugenics movement through the lens of the Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell. Students analyze how the legal system interpreted the 14th Amendment to justify forced sterilization and compare it to later legal shifts in Skinner v. Oklahoma.

An AP European History lesson exploring the rhetorical evolution of imperial justification, tracing the shift from 16th-century religious salvation to 19th-century Social Darwinism. Students analyze primary sources, engage in a Socratic Seminar, and reflect on the modern misuse of scientific rhetoric.

A high-stakes exploration of the 'State of Nature' debate between Hobbes and Rousseau, using anthropological evidence and the Crash Course World History video to evaluate whether humans are naturally violent or peaceful.

Students analyze primary source accounts from soldiers to explore the psychological duality of combat, focusing on the concepts of 'savage joy' and 'transcendence' versus trauma.

A high school civics lesson exploring the tension between biological impulses (aggression, revenge) and the evolution of human institutions designed to curb violence and promote cooperation.

In this culminating lesson, students synthesize their learning to create evidence-based parenting guidelines. They critique modern advice and produce a resource that promotes secure attachment.

This lesson differentiates between learned attachment and innate temperament. Students explore Thomas and Chess's categories of temperament and the importance of 'goodness of fit' in caregiving.

Focusing on Erik Erikson's first psychosocial stage, students evaluate how caregiver consistency impacts an infant's worldview. They connect these early foundations to long-term personality development.

Students examine Mary Ainsworth's observational research on attachment styles. They learn to identify and categorize secure, avoidant, and anxious-ambivalent behaviors through behavioral coding.

Students explore Harry Harlow's landmark experiments with rhesus monkeys to understand the role of physical contact in emotional development. They will analyze the results and discuss the ethical considerations of his research.

This lesson introduces the APGAR scale as a standard method for assessing newborn health immediately after birth. Students apply the scoring criteria to hypothetical birth scenarios to determine if medical intervention is needed.

Students investigate innate newborn reflexes such as the Moro, rooting, and Babinski reflexes. They will categorize these reflexes by their evolutionary purpose—survival, feeding, or vestigial traits.

Students explore recent research regarding what a fetus can hear, taste, and feel in the womb. They will examine studies on prenatal learning, such as recognition of the mother's voice and language patterns.

An exploration of the history, mechanics, and fairness of standardized testing through the lens of a neurodivergent student's experience. This lesson uses a retro-style comic to illustrate the disconnect between traditional testing and real-world intelligence.

An exploration of John Searle's famous thought experiment, examining the distinction between syntax and semantics and the debate over Strong Artificial Intelligence.

This lesson explores Collective Learning, a threshold of complexity that allows humans to accumulate knowledge over generations. Students analyze the 'ratchet effect' of technology, comparing the slow progress of early hominids to the explosive innovation of Homo Sapiens.

A sociology and gender studies lesson for high schoolers that deconstructs the Western gender binary by exploring Indigenous concepts of gender fluidity, matriarchy, and sacred identity using Lily Gladstone's Crash Course Native American History.

A high school psychology/sociology lesson exploring the Social Brain Hypothesis, the evolutionary transition from physical grooming to vocal gossip, and the modern implications of Dunbar's Number in a digital age.

Students explore how language shapes thought using the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and Indigenous grammatical examples, specifically the distinction between animate and inanimate objects in Potawatomi and Anishinaabemowin.

This lesson explores how language serves as a lens through which we view the world, using historical examples and modern slang to illustrate cultural context and linguistic relativity. Students analyze the 'Yucatan' story and create their own 'Local Dictionary' of generation-specific idioms.

Students track the milestones of language from cooing and babbling to the 'naming explosion' and telegraphic speech. They analyze the debate between Skinner (learning) and Chomsky (LAD) regarding how language is acquired.

Students dive into Jean Piaget’s first stage of cognitive development. They examine the concept of Object Permanence through video demonstrations and discuss how 'out of sight, out of mind' changes as mental representation abilities grow.

This lesson explores what babies actually see, hear, and smell. Students review experiments like the 'Visual Cliff' to understand how depth perception and sensory integration develop over the first year.

Learners map the cephalocaudal and proximodistal trends of physical development. They create a developmental milestone chart tracking the typical age ranges for rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking.

Students identify and categorize innate newborn reflexes such as rooting, Moro, and Babinski, analyzing their evolutionary purpose as foundations for later voluntary control.