ClassTools for AP Psychology: Topic Outline

AP Psychology provides an overview of current psychological research methods and theories. Students will explore the therapies used by professional counselors and clinical psychologists and examine the reasons for normal human reactions: how people learn and think, the process of human development and human aggression, altruism, intimacy, and self-reflection. They'll study core psychological concepts, such as the brain and sense functions, and learn to gauge human reactions, gather information, and form meaningful syntheses. Along the way, students will also investigate relevant concepts like study skills and information retention. AP Psychology prepares students for the AP Exam. The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board and to widely used textbooks.

Prerequisites: One year of Biology
Course Length: One semester

Required Materials: For a list of materials required for this course please see our Materials List.

Unit 1: Welcome to Psychology

Lesson 1: Why Study Psychology?

Discuss: Interact with Other Students
Introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you?re taking this course.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Practice: History and Approaches
Explore psychology and how we study it.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Reviewing History and Approaches
Answer multiple-choice about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Practice: Psychology in the News
Apply your skills as a skeptic on an article you find in the popular press that discusses psychology, and answer some questions about the lesson.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Consider: Explore the Textbook Website
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about the history and approaches used in Psychology.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 2: Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology

Practice: Research Methods in Psychology
Learn how statistics are related to research studies.
Duration: 1hr 30min Scoring: 0

Practice: Statistics and Methodology
Answer multiple-choice about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Consider: Calculating Statistics
Check out a Web site devoted to calculating statistics.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about how statistics are used in Psychology.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 3: Brain and Behavior

Practice: Brain and Behavior
Learn how biology interacts with behavior.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Study: Learn About Neurons
Learn the parts of a neuron and how action potentials work.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Consider: Neuroscience
Check out a Web site devoted to neuroscience.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: What Is Interesting? What Is Confusing?
Share with your fellow students what is interesting or confusing about this material.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about the brain and behavior.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 4: Unit Wrap-Up

Review: Wrap-Up
Duration: 3hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: Prepare for your First Unit Quiz
Discuss what you've learned (or didn't learn) in this unit.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Test: Introduction to Psychology
Take a test.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 30

Unit 2: Child and Life-Span Development

Lesson 1: Child Development

Practice: Child Development
Explore the field of child development.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Consider: Genetics
Check out a Web site devoted to genetics.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: Milestones in Motor Development
Discuss how old you were when you first began to walk.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you have learned about child development.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 2: Life-Span Development

Practice: Life-Span Development
Learn about life-span development.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Review Concepts in Development
Answer multiple-choice questions about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Study: Research Methods in Developmental Psychology
Learn how developmental psychologists study behaviors that change over time.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Practice: Design a Preschool Curriculum
Write about how to design a classroom to make it an enriching environment.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Consider: Life-Span Development
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about life-span development.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 3: Unit Wrap-Up

Review: Wrap-Up
Duration: 3hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: What Is Interesting? What Is Confusing?
Discuss what you've learned (or didn't learn).
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Test: Human Development
Take a test.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 30

Unit 3: Sensation, Perception, and Consciousness

Lesson 1: Sensation and Reality

Practice: Sensation and Reality
Get an introduction to your senses.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Imagine a Different World
Discuss what the world would be like if we did not have one of our senses.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Consider: Explore Sensation
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about the senses.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 2: Perceiving the World

Practice: Perceiving the World
Explore how we perceive the stimuli in our world.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Consider: Explore Perception
Check out a Web site devoted to perception.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Overcoming Pain
Write about a strategy you have used for reducing pain and answer a few short questions on the lesson.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Discuss: How Does Advertising Manipulate Our Needs?
Go home and watch some television and then post your observations about advertisements.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Study: Explore How Our Perceptions Can Trick Us
Investigate a perceptual demonstration and learn more about the role of perception in our lives.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about perception.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 3: States of Consciousness

Practice: States of Consciousness
Investigate states of consciousness.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Be a Sleep Clinic Counselor
Write about being a sleep counselor and explain sleep and dreaming to a new client.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Discuss: Insomnia and Its Effects
Discuss your experiences with lack of sleep.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Consider: Explore States of Consciousness
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about consciousness.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 4: Unit Wrap-Up

Review: Wrap-Up
Duration: 3hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: What Is Interesting? What Is Confusing?
Discuss what you've learned (or didn't learn).
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Test: Sensation, Perception, and Consciousness
Take a test.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 30

Unit 4: Learning, Thinking, and Feeling

Lesson 1: Conditioning and Learning

Practice: Conditioning and Learning
Explore how we learn.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Study: Biological Factors in Learning
Learn how biological factors influence learning.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Consider: Explore Learning
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: How Does Culture Influence Learning?
Identify some behaviors that are typically reinforced in your country that are not reinforced in other cultures.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about how we learn.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Practice: Conditioning and Learning
Outline a plan for changing your own behavior and answer questions on learning.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Lesson 2: Memory

Practice: Memory
Learn how our memories work and how we can improve them.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Early Memories
Discuss your earliest memories.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Consider: Explore Memory
Check out a Web site devoted to memory.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about memory.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 3: Cognition, Intelligence, and Creativity

Practice: Cognition, Intelligence, and Creativity
Investigate how we think.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Cognition, Intelligence and Creativity
Answer multiple-choice questions about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Practice: Cognition, Intelligence, and Creativity
Answer some questions about the reading and turn these into your instructor.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Consider: Explore Cognition
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about cognition.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 4: Motivation and Emotion

Practice: Motivation and Emotion
Learn about the forces that push and pull us, as well as how we feel about it.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Influences of Competition and Evaluation
Discuss the relationship between anxiety and competition.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Practice: Motivation and Emotion
Answer multiple-choice questions about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about our emotions.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 5: Unit Wrap-Up

Review: Wrap-Up
Duration: 3hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: What Is Interesting? What Is Confusing?
Discuss what you've learned (or didn't learn).
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Test: Learning, Thinking, and Feeling
Take a test.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 30

Unit 5: Personality Development and Abnormal Psychology

Lesson 1: Personality

Practice: Personality
Explore how our personalities develop.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Personality
Answer multiple-choice questions about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: Personality Development
Explore the influences of parental expectations on the development of personality.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about how we learn.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 2: Abnormal Psychology

Practice: Abnormal Psychology
Learn about abnormal psychology.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Debate Deinstitutionalization
Discuss deinstitutionalization. Are we doing the right thing?
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Practice: Abnormal Psychology
Answer some questions about the reading and turn these into your instructor.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Consider: Explore Mental Health
Check out a Web site on mental health.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about abnormal psychology.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 3: Therapies

Practice: Therapies
Investigate the treatment of mental health disorders.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Individual and Group Therapy
Discuss group and individual therapy and answer other questions on the material.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Consider: Explore Therapy
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you've learned about the treatment of mental disorders.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 4: Unit Wrap-Up

Review: Wrap-Up
Duration: 3hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: What Is Interesting? What Is Confusing?
Discuss what you've learned (or didn't learn).
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Test: Personality Development and Treatment
Take a test.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 30

Unit 6: Gender, Social Behavior, and the Applications of Psychology

Lesson 1: Gender

Practice: Gender
Explore the influence of gender on our daily lives.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about gender and gender development.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 2: Social Behavior

Practice: Social Behavior
Investigate social behavior.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Social Behavior
Answer multiple-choice questions about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: Milgram's Social Experiment
Post your reactions to Milgram's experiment.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Consider: American Psychological Association
Check out the American Psychological Association's Web site on social psychology and other topics in psychology.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Practice: Social Behavior
Answer some questions about the reading and turn these into your instructor.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about social behavior.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 3: Health, Stress, and Coping

Practice: Health, Stress, and Coping
Learn about stress and how to cope with it.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Explore Stress in Our Society
Evaluate stress in our society.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Consider: Stress and Health
Check out a Web site devoted to how to deal with stress and stay healthy.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Practice: Health, Stress, and Coping
Answer multiple-choice questions about the reading.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about health psychology and stress.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 4: Applied Psychology

Practice: Applied Psychology
Learn how to apply this course to real life.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Applied Psychology
Answer some questions about the reading and turn these into your instructor.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 25

Discuss: Territoriality
Discuss why it's important for people to mark territory.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Consider: Explore the Textbook Website
Check out the textbook Web site.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 0

Quiz: Check-Up
Apply what you know about social behavior.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 20

Lesson 5: Unit Wrap-Up

Review: Wrap-Up
Duration: 3hr 30min Scoring: 0

Discuss: What Is Interesting? What Is Confusing?
Discuss what you've learned (or didn't learn).
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Test: Gender, Social Behavior, and the Applications of Psychology
Take a test.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 30

Unit 7: Course Wrap-Up

Lesson 1: Course Wrap-Up

Discuss: Format of the AP Psychology Exam
Read about the AP Psychology Exam on the College Board Web site and in your exam guide. Discuss your discoveries, questions, and concerns with your classmates.
Duration: 0hr 30min Scoring: 5

Practice: Study Plan
Create a study plan for preparing for the AP Psychology Exam.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 25

Practice: Topical Review, Part I
Review course material with self-tests.
Duration: 6hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Common Threads, Part I
Discuss common threads in these topics: the history of psychology, behavior, sensation, and consciousness.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 5

Practice: Topical Review, Part II
Review course material with self-tests.
Duration: 6hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Common Threads, Part II
Discuss common threads in these topics: learning, cognition, motivation and emotion, and development.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 5

Practice: Topical Review, Part III
Review course material with self-tests.
Duration: 6hr Scoring: 0

Discuss: Common Threads, Part III
Discuss common threads in these topics: personality, testing, abnormal psychology, treatment, and social psychology.
Duration: 1hr Scoring: 5

Practice: Practice Test I
Complete a practice exam and review as necessary.
Duration: 5hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Tips on Taking the AP Psychology Exam
Read tips for succeeding on the AP Psychology Exam on the College Board Web site and in your exam guide.
Duration: 4hr Scoring: 0

Practice: Practice Test II
Complete a practice exam and review as necessary.
Duration: 5hr Scoring: 0

Lesson 2: Final Course Exam

Final Exam: Introduction to Psychology
Take the Final Exam for Psychology.
Duration: 2hr Scoring: 100