About This Lesson
Chase Perkowski
The Introduction:
Below is an overview of a lesson that will benefit the young minds interested in the field of psychology. A new field to middle and high school students but a worthwhile one in fact and studying and understanding the leaders behind the movement are key to understanding the field itself. The father of psychology, Freud, made vast steps in the psychology field and although a bit bizarre with some of his theories, he created a foundation and atmosphere that helped the coming psychologists expand the field into great depths for the help of individuals and society as a whole. Students will be researching the key figures of psychology such as Frued, Jung or Skinner as examples, and demonstrate a background of knowledge upon one of the chosen subjects. The students will learn about their identity and the psychological theories that propelled them and the psychology field into existence. Then they will discuss and share information with their peers and gain insightful feedback from one another and at last, do a fun presentation upon their chosen key figure of psychology.
Unit Overview
The details below outline how the Unit Plan will progress throughout the two weeks. Each lesson below is somewhat different but overlaps and is in a progressive order to ensure development and understanding of relatable topics within the subject matter regarding psychology. The first lesson will be an opening and introduction to give the students a sense of foundation and a place to start gathering their thoughts and organizing their project on researching and presenting their chosen key figure of psychology. The scaffolding procedure and techniques will be outlined in a document to give to each student so they can overview the activities that will be conducted throughout the two week period. It will include the main objective and then I will present and discus with them how the various steps and scaffolding procedure will tie back to the main objective and allow them a greater understanding in the branch of psychology. It will also allow them specific tools of how to focus and gather correct information on their chosen key figure as well as enable them to present to the class. The second lesson will allow the students to see a quality and high academic performance presentation can occur once all the information is researched and gathered. It will also galvanize their interest and make the activities and assignments to follow seem more enjoying than the average assignment. They will also be note taking during my power point presentation which will have them practice skills of comprehending, listening and note taking while viewing someones presentation. This implicit practice will help them prepare for when the peer to peer presentations will be be occurring and give them practice of how they will note take and listen during each student’s presentation. Comparing and contrasting the various key figures through research will be performed in lesson 3 and in lesson 4 students will be focusing on their chosen key figure and doing in depth research through use of chrome books and textual material to come to an substantial foundation of knowledge upon their chosen subject. Group assignments such as sharing and helping one another on their research and answering questions to assignments upon the key figures of psychology will allow support and growth within the subject matter. It will also prepare them for presentation by discussing the various key figures and how various information is helpful to constructing a stellar performance. The unit plan includes each activities under each lesson that will be conducted on the days throughout the two week period. It will also provide a guideline and reference tools for the teacher to refer to and use while conducting each lesson within the classroom.
Various Detailed Lesson Plans
First Lesson: Opening and Introduction
- *According to California’s Standards for 10th graders in social sciences, students need to be able to understand current world issues and be able to relate them to “historical, geographic, political, economic and cultural contexts”.
*Detailed Standard Components Below:
- According to standard 10.5, students will research the causes and course of events/psychological theories that take place through the key figures of psychology. (there are no standards on psychology it seems but i am basing this from the historical standards which there objectives seem very similar)
- Analyzing the arguments for and against various psychological theories relating to their key figures.
- Examine the principal of theaters in regards to the key figures, major turning points in the field of psychology from theories or key figures ideas, and the importance of societal contributions from the psychology field as a whole.
- Understand the nature of psychology and how the field came about (Freud . . . Father of Psychology) and the contributions made among the other key figures that came about as the field of psychology progressed.
- This objective will be explained in specific detail and relation to the psychology assignment for my students. The assignment will entail this objective and the students will gain a sense of what they should be researching and trying to understand.
- The objective is for students to research various key figures and their psychologies theories in relation and then choose a key figure of choice to focus upon and present their knowledge of that key figure. Activities such as group discussion and research in adherence to the standards above, will help student gather information upon key figure and present to class their informational findings.
- Presenting students what the objective of the lesson is in a general sense and going over any details to help prepare them.
- Scaffolding and utilizing techniques to have students reach their goals in the lesson.
Second Lesson: Guided Practice through Presentation
- The presentation will include a power point with slides on each of the key figures and subtle short statements about them.
- Examples of Key Figures: Freud, Anna Freud, Klein, Jung, Skinner, Piaget, Bandura, James, Pavlov etc.
- *I will also try to choose a few key figures of psychology that may relate to their native backgrounds and cultures, this will hopefully increase their interest and motivate them to do the assignment and participate.
- The objective pertaining to California’s standards will always be implemented into the presentation and the details will be reminded and relatable.
Third Lesson: Compare and Contrast
- According to California standard 10.1 to 10.10, comparing and contrasting various key figures in historical context is key to their developmental understanding.
- Having each student compare and contrast their research on the various key figures of psychology will be very helpful.
- Students will not only compare and contrast key figures but the context and cultural elements surrounding the key figures at the historical time in which they lived.
- Best practice for this area will be for students to get into groups and do “group activities” to have them engage in thoughtful conversation about the subject area.
- Students sharing ideas and thoughts on their research will be very helpful.
- Observing each student and guiding them in their conversations and learning by adding focus to certain areas of the subject matter will be key in helping the students remain on topic.
- Integrating digital resources and social mediums will be utilized and focused on. Examples of this would be allowing students to use chrome books during class for their online research quests. Also allowing them to go onto various sites and even social media sites such as Instagram but UTILIZING THEIR SEARCH TOOLS to find more information upon their key figures in psychology.
Fourth Lesson: Differentiation with Research Practice
- The lesson will be scaffolded from the beginning.
- By presenting the information and having extra outlines and having the language in their native language, provides a slow comfortable ability to absorb the information being presented.
- Then as class goes on, the group assignment will entail the students to improve their language skills as well as guide them in their understanding the material as stated above in detail.
- The modalities used will be their chrome books and textual material and presentation. These three modalities should provide more than enough access into finding key information to the key figures of psychology.
- Assistive technology will be the use of chrome books and the nature of the internet in that it can provide information in many different languages and formats that the students may be more keen to use to guide them in their understanding. *Google translate and google scholar is a resource to use for finding professional studies in relation to their psychology key figure.
Traditional and Authentic Instruction:
- As seen above, traditional techniques such as scaffolding certain parts of the lesson plans and remaining to the objective will always be implemented.
- This will be done with a “one size does not fit all” approach by integrating various practices that fit to teach student’s academic level.
- More attention will be given to students who need help with research or understanding the psychological theories.
- Through differentiation and seeing students are at different academic levels will allow for a tailored approach to each student upon their project.
- Presenting to the students through powerpoint and visual representation is a traditional approach. *However through innovation and charisma I will be authentic in my presentation and try to galvanize their interest by dressing up as a key figure of psychology and acting out how that key figure was in the past. I will try to give them a real sense of these psychologists and hopefully show them how they approached their subject area and how they helped society through their actual psychological techniques.
- Being kind and using positive reinforcement to motivate and guide the students in their learning will be an authentic approach.
Resources/Activities and Lesson Plan from Component 1
- • Classroom resources, community resources, digital resources and any other people
- • or experience that will be integrated in your unit plan.
- Handouts detailing the assignment upon the key figures of Psychology
- A list of online and textual sources to review in regards to the subject matter.
- Chrome books available for online researching and overview of what sites to use to research the various key figures of Psychology
- Group activity whereby students will get into groups and share the resources and knowledge they have found with one another.
- Peer to Peer Feedback where students can help each other and review the research
- • Pedagogical methods you will use in the unit plan, emphasizing methods
- • specifically appropriate to your subject area and topic.
- Active reading and questioning on the Foundational Key Figures of Psychology
- Students will be given examples and informed on how to read the textual material and ask questions to write down and respond to. This will stimulate their minds upon the subject matter and allow them to critically think about the methods and practices each key figure of psychology practiced.
- Students will complete the four questioning technique; Open-ended Questions, 2. Student-generated questions on assigned reading, 3. Questions that motivate, 4. Lower or Higher order questions
- Students will write questions and categorize them depending on their subject nature.
Experts, peer-collaboration, experiments, dramatic presentations, interviews, dissections, athletic competition, or any other method you will use to support teaching or learning
- How your students will create knowledge, not just consume knowledge.
- As said before, I will give a presentation before the assignment to demonstrate all of what the students will need to do.
- The presentation will be acting out one of the key figures such as Freud and telling the students detailed information about myself “Freud”.
- It will be very dramatic and the students will probably be interested and laugh at the same time.
- I will go through step by step of who to complete the assignment and how interesting psychology is due to the famous key figures that were foundational members.
- ***Students will create their own knowledge by engaging in the “four questioning technique”
- They will also be giving free choice to choose their key figure to research and present upon as a group.
Lesson Plan Component 1
*I know information is different from the above but it is same structure and format. I didn’t know and it doesn’t seem to be an issue that everything needed to be similar, especially since for this assignment below for the lesson plan, it was difficult finding anything on psychology since it seems to be a new are of academics in the high school (k-12) education system.
*The lesson I chose was for high school students in the subject of U.S. History.
*The database i used was from the link: https://sharemylesson.com/teaching-resource/civil-war-reconstruction-271969
Unit Title: Civil War And Reconstruction
- This title is straight forward and shows the focus of the subject matter.
- It is clear and concise and demonstrates what exact topics the lesson will be going over.
Rationale:
- Doesn’t seem clearly stated but the rationale is implied. Perhaps a direct statement of rational and reason for this subject and topics being discussed is needed and would further the teacher and student’s understanding of why they are learning these topics and the importance of such issues.
- However the lesson plan outlines each step very nicely and does imply within the details of the subject matter through bullet points such as, “materials needed” and “step by step” instruction. It shows how certain topics such as 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments will be taught and that does imply importance of the subject matter.
Audience Intended:
- The lesson plan does not state a direct audience and inform details of what age, grade or type of class this lesson is aimed for . . . however in the sharemylesson plan platform, the search tool makes you filter academic level and what subject etc, so perhaps that is the reason why.
- Therefore we know the audience intended is high school students but it doesn’t state that on the lesson plan.
Overarching/Topical Questions:
- It clearly outlines in an organized fashion forms of questions that pertain to the lesson and subject matter. For example, “Anticipate” topic states “ask students to share what they have on their lists”, in which the lists pertain to identifying the division of the U.S. at the outbreak of the civil war etc.
- It has another category called “Project” which relates to the “What If?” question and states “transparency showing the Reconstruction plan options to the class”.
- Also while the lesson is taking place, students are to “discuss each “due process” question and have the students discuss why the laws are constitutional or not.” This type of activity creates a healthy discussion relating to topical issues within the subject matter.
Instructional Objectives:
- In this lesson plan the objectives are clearly stated. For example, the lesson plan states “Students will be able to: Identify the division . . . describe the expansion of civil rights . . . Explain purposes of amendments . . . Determine the differences between the Presidential and Congressional plans for Reconstruction”.
- When reviewing the lesson plan, it does entail the answers and seems to guide the students learning into reaching these objectives above.
Timeline:
- There is no divided activity per time in this lesson plan. Meaning, each part of the lesson doesn’t seem to entail or inform how long each part should take. Therefore it would help if the lesson plan were broken down into different time slots so the teacher could see how long he/she should spend on each part of the lesson plan.
- The only statement on the lesson plan referring to time is that it states “time needed: one class period”. Therefore the teacher knows that the lesson should only take the length of the class period.
Instructional Strategy For Each Objective:
- In the “Step by Step” part of the less plan it seems to imply and direct the teacher on how he/she will go over each part of the lesson plan and how it entails an instructional strategy for each topic.
- The step by step process does gradually demonstrate how each instructional strategy is being implemented and practiced by the students for each topic. For example, the beginning step is called “Anticipate” with having each student write down a list of words that are associated with the civil war. And then the middle step is called “Read” which has students discuss items in the class and pages they read that relate to the various topics. And then there are activities and assignments with instruction that pertain to each objective.
List of Resources:
- There is a “materials needed” topic displayed at the beginning of the lesson which is helpful but all it states is “student worksheets”.
- It seems another source of material is a handout describing the constitution and how the states navigated on this issue and among other civil war issues.
- There are reading packets given out as well to the students.
- However there are no identifiable resources that explain where exactly the information is being pulled from but i am assuming it is the assigned book for the class.
Assessment Procedures:
- There is no specific guidelines or rubrics for how to assess the student’s progress. There are charts, fill in blank assignments, and written questions for responses that i believe give the teacher the ability to see if the student’s meet the objectives. Therefore the assessment seems implied since the assignments and instruction are intertwined into the objectives.
- However it may help to clearly state how to grade or what type of rubric/assessment to use and scoring process, to determine how well a student is doing on each activity and if he/she is meeting all the objectives.
