Psychology

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.

This lesson explores the intersection of science and history by critiquing how the pseudoscience of phrenology was used to justify racism and exclusionary public policy in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Students will watch a video on citizenship barriers, define pseudoscience, and create posters debunking historical pseudoscientific myths.

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 workshop focusing on how the brain groups elements based on spatial distance (proximity) and physical resemblance (similarity).

Students are introduced to the core concept that 'the whole is different from the sum of its parts' through a comparison of structuralist and Gestalt approaches.

Synthesize learning into a personal or professional code of ethics for public speaking and rhetorical engagement.

A simulation exercise where students intentionally design fallacious campaigns to better understand the construction of manipulation.

Examine 'dark patterns' in UX design and commercial marketing that use fallacies to manipulate consumer behavior.

Analyze humanitarian advertising to debate the line between empathy-driven awareness and manipulative emotional coercion.

Examine the historical tension between persuasion (Rhetoric) and truth (Dialectic) through Plato's 'Gorgias' and the Sophists.

An undergraduate psychology lesson exploring the cognitive mechanisms of 'choking' under pressure, focusing on Distraction Theory and Explicit Monitoring Theory. Students will analyze these theories and design an original experiment to test the effects of pressure on non-sport tasks.

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 investigate the 'Bradley Effect' and the psychology of polling discrepancies through historical case studies and a focus on social desirability bias. This lesson for Undergraduate or AP Government students uses a 'Polling Forensics' theme to analyze why voters sometimes misrepresent their intentions to pollsters.

This lesson explores the intersection of science and history by critiquing how the pseudoscience of phrenology was used to justify racism and exclusionary public policy in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Students will watch a video on citizenship barriers, define pseudoscience, and create posters debunking historical pseudoscientific myths.

A 7th-grade history lesson exploring the 1347 arrival of the Bubonic Plague in Messina through a scientific and empathetic lens, featuring a creative writing 'Time Traveler's Log' activity.

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

Students learn to translate raw data into single-subject line graphs and interpret data trends, levels, and variability.

Students analyze 'slow triggers' and setting events, examining how broader contextual variables influence behavioral thresholds.

Students explore and apply quantitative measurement techniques including frequency, duration, latency, and interval recording.

This lesson introduces the ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) recording format through narrative practicing and real-time coding.

Students learn to convert vague behavioral descriptions into objective, measurable operational definitions using the 'Dead Man's Test'.

Students examine criticisms of strict behaviorism, including cognitive perspectives and the overjustification effect on intrinsic motivation.

Explores how the current state of an organism (deprivation vs. satiation) affects the potency of a reinforcer through Establishing Operations (EOs).

Students learn to convert vague behavioral descriptions into observable, measurable operational definitions, testing them for inter-observer agreement.

This lesson focuses on technical precision in terminology, distinguishing between positive/negative reinforcement and punishment based on their effect on behavior frequency.

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.

Students participate in a high-fidelity mock interview or assessment where they must track and note micro-expressions in real-time without the aid of slow motion. Following the interaction, they debrief using video playback to verify their accuracy.

This lesson explores the 'blends' where micro-expressions of one emotion appear over a macro-expression of another (e.g., a flash of anger over a smile). Students analyze complex social scenarios to interpret these contradictions.

Students focus on the subtle, often repressed signs of distress, such as the slight inner brow raise or lip corner depression, building empathy and diagnostic acuity through case studies.

Students practice identifying fleeting signs of hostility, such as the glare or the nose wrinkle, using specialized training software and drill-based practice.

Students explore the theoretical foundations of emotional leakage and the inhibition hypothesis, differentiating between macro, micro, and subtle expressions.

Students synthesize their learning to draft and pitch a proposal for a community-based mental health education intervention.

Introduces evidence-based cognitive and somatic coping mechanisms, including a biofeedback activity to bridge theory and practice.

Explores how race, gender, SES, and culture intersect with mental health experiences and systemic access to care.

Focuses on the mechanisms of public, self, and structural stigma using Goffman's theory and media analysis.

Students analyze current frameworks of mental health literacy, critiquing the medical model versus the biopsychosocial model through case study analysis.

A culminating application lesson where students act as behavioral consultants to analyze complex cases and design effective positive reinforcement plans.

A look at the biological side of reinforcement, examining the role of dopamine and the brain's reward pathway in strengthening behavioral habits.

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.

Students will analyze a clinical video on depression, categorize findings using the Biopsychosocial Model, and perform a gap analysis to identify missing environmental and cultural factors.

A 10th-grade history lesson exploring the philosophical and historical distinction between 'Change' and 'Progress' through the lens of the Industrial Revolution and modern technology. Students analyze the impact of railroads and engage in a structured debate on the immediate consequences of industrialization.

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 participate in a high-fidelity mock interview or assessment where they must track and note micro-expressions in real-time without the aid of slow motion. Following the interaction, they debrief using video playback to verify their accuracy.

This lesson explores the 'blends' where micro-expressions of one emotion appear over a macro-expression of another (e.g., a flash of anger over a smile). Students analyze complex social scenarios to interpret these contradictions.

Students focus on the subtle, often repressed signs of distress, such as the slight inner brow raise or lip corner depression, building empathy and diagnostic acuity through case studies.

Students practice identifying fleeting signs of hostility, such as the glare or the nose wrinkle, using specialized training software and drill-based practice.

Students explore the theoretical foundations of emotional leakage and the inhibition hypothesis, differentiating between macro, micro, and subtle expressions.

In this culminating lesson, students synthesize their coding skills to design a social communication intervention. Working with a raw video dataset of a mock client interaction, students draft an observational report detailing deficits in facial recognition or production.

Focusing on the authenticity of social signals, this lesson drills down into specific markers of genuine emotion, such as the Duchenne marker in smiling. Students analyze case studies involving social camouflage in autism and social anxiety.

Students present etymological case studies (word biographies) on specific loanwords, demonstrating research into historical contact and usage trends.

Technical analysis of lexical borrowing mechanisms, specifically distinguishing between direct loanwords and loan translations (calques).

Tracing the etymological roots of trade and science terms from Arabic, Hindi, and Yiddish, highlighting the role of global commerce and migration in language evolution.

Analysis of Spanish and Italian borrowings in American vernacular, focusing on their integration into journalism and daily speech and the mechanics of linguistic naturalization.

Investigation of heavy conceptual German loanwords like Zeitgeist and Schadenfreude, exploring why English adopts foreign terms for complex psychological and philosophical states.

Students present a design portfolio piece, defending their creative choices using psychological terminology and principles of perceptual organization.

An investigation into absolute thresholds and the validity of subliminal messaging through evidence evaluation and priming experiments.

Students apply depth cue knowledge to critique virtual environments and diagnose optical illusions in a final assessment.

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.

Students investigate size, shape, and color constancy, learning why objects remain stable despite changing sensory input.

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

Students apply depth cues in contradictory ways to create their own impossible objects and ambiguous figures, mastering the science of visual confusion.

Students explore dynamic depth cues like motion parallax and texture gradient, observing how movement correlates to distance.

This lesson covers pictorial depth cues such as linear perspective, interposition, and relative size through the lens of Renaissance art.

Students examine the physiology of stereoscopic vision, specifically retinal disparity and convergence, through simple vision labs.

Students examine the strategic use of figure-ground relationships and color psychology in advertising to understand how design controls consumer attention.

Students analyze famous optical illusions to categorize them as physiological or cognitive errors, using 'The Dress' as a catalyst for discussion on context and lighting.

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.

A deep dive into the behavioral etiology of anxiety disorders, focusing on how classical conditioning initiates fear and operant conditioning maintains it through the Cycle of Anxiety. Students will map the transition from trigger to reinforcement using specific phobias as case studies.

A critical evaluation of the ethics of aversive conditioning, culminating in a student-designed research proposal that balances scientific rigor with ethical compliance.

An advanced look at chaining associations (higher-order) and pre-associating neutral stimuli (sensory preconditioning) and their roles in semantic anxiety networks.

Students explore groundbreaking research where immune responses are classically conditioned, investigating the interdisciplinary field of psychoneuroimmunology.

This lesson examines how pairing neutral stimuli with liked or disliked stimuli shifts affective preference, with applications in advertising and prejudice.

Students review the seminal work on taste aversion, analyzing why some associations are learned over long delays while others are not, challenging the principle of equipotentiality.

Students apply their knowledge to design ethical behavior modification plans for real-world scenarios. They analyze the ethical implications of 'nudging' and behavioral control in society.

Hands-on exploration of shaping and successive approximations. Students practice training behaviors using reinforcement signals and discuss how complex behaviors are built from simple steps.

Students simulate and analyze fixed and variable reinforcement schedules (ratio and interval). They investigate response rates and resistance to extinction, comparing real-world examples like gambling and salary work.

A deep dive into the four quadrants of operant conditioning: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. Students master the terminology and learn to identify consequences in various scenarios.

Students differentiate between classical and operant conditioning while exploring Thorndike's Law of Effect and the mechanics of the Skinner Box. The lesson focuses on the shift from involuntary reflexes to voluntary, consequence-driven actions.

Culminating project where students design an ethical behavior modification plan and discuss the morality of behaviorism.

Practical application of shaping and chaining to build complex behaviors through successive approximations.

Exploring how the timing and frequency of rewards impact behavior persistence and response rates.

Deep dive into the four quadrants of operant conditioning: reinforcement and punishment (positive and negative).

Introduction to voluntary vs. involuntary behavior and B.F. Skinner's foundational experiments.

In this culminating lesson, students apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios in advertising and mental health. They design a theoretical 'Counter-Conditioning' plan to treat a specific phobia and analyze advertisements to identify the Unconditioned Stimuli used to evoke positive emotions. The session highlights the practical utility of classical conditioning principles.

Moving beyond standard conditioning, students explore the Garcia Effect and the evolutionary roots of taste aversion. They analyze case studies where conditioning occurs after a single trial or with long delays, challenging Pavlov's original timing rules. Students create concept maps linking biological preparedness to survival mechanisms.

Students examine the famous 'Little Albert' experiment to understand how conditioned fears can spread to similar stimuli (generalization) or be restricted to specific ones (discrimination). The class engages in a Socratic seminar regarding the ethical violations of the study compared to modern APA standards.

This lesson focuses on the graph of learning, specifically how the timing of stimuli affects acquisition and the process of weakening associations. Students interpret graphical data showing acquisition curves, extinction phases, and the phenomenon of spontaneous recovery.

A culminating project where students apply their knowledge to analyze real-world case studies, acting as 'neuro-consultants' to evaluate adolescent decision-making under pressure.

Focusing on circadian rhythms and the impact of cortisol, this lesson connects sleep hygiene and stress management to cognitive performance and emotional regulation.

Students examine the role of dopamine and the reward system in the adolescent brain, exploring why teenagers are biologically primed for risk-taking and social validation.

This lesson introduces neuroplasticity, synaptic pruning, and myelination, focusing on how teenage experiences physically reshape neural pathways through a 'use it or lose it' process.

Students explore the structural differences between child, adolescent, and adult brains, focusing on the development gap between the limbic system (emotion) and the prefrontal cortex (logic).

Synthesize unit knowledge by exploring the biological reward pathway and environmental factors influencing addiction and tolerance.

Students apply their understanding of altered states to create a public health resource targeting peers.

Learners investigate the cycle of addiction, defining key terms like tolerance, withdrawal, and the biopsychosocial model.

Analyze how hallucinogens distort sensory perception and investigate the tension between therapeutic research and health risks.

Students categorize major substances into depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens based on their physiological effects.

A culminating Socratic seminar where students synthesize their knowledge to debate the primary function of dreaming using psychodynamic, physiological, and cognitive evidence.

Categorize psychoactive drugs into depressants and stimulants, mapping their specific interactions with neurotransmitters like GABA and Dopamine.

Students synthesize their knowledge of biological rhythms and sleep debt to debate the topic of high school start times. They examine the biological shift in teen circadian rhythms and propose policy recommendations based on psychological evidence.

Investigates cognitive theories of dreaming, emphasizing information-processing and the role of REM sleep in memory consolidation and problem-solving.