Top Ten Myths About the Brain

A link to this Smithsonian article, "Top Ten Myths About the Brain" was recently posted by Dr. Stephen L. Chew on the PsychTeacher listserv. It is EXCELLENT. You could easily use this article in introducing your unit on the brain, or as Dr. Chew suggests, an excellent teacher resource.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Top-Ten-Myths-About-the-Brain.html

Best!

Kristin H. Whitlock

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National Geographics Brain Page

Believe it or not, the National Geographic has part of their website devoted to the human body. I (Kent) will leave the sections on the digestive system, heart, skin and lungs to our colleagues in biology and concentrate on the section devoted to the brain. Go to http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/brain-article.html for more information.

In addition, make sure to check out a short, but fantastic slide show at http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/photos/brain/?source=A-to-Z as well as an article on sleep deprivation in rats at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/04/110427-sleep-deprived-brains-nature-science-health-rat-asleep-awake/

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Books Books Books!

A while back, Chuck Greiner posted an intriguing question on the AP Psychology list-serv (he gave me permission to repeat the question here on the blog):
"Our school has been doing something called "One Book, One School" for about two years. Basically every student in the school reads the same book and the school then TRIES to implement ideas, concepts, theories etc into every curricular area...I would like for us to read a book in some way related to psychology but that we can segway into any discipline - that is 9 -12 readable -and not a lecture type of book"

Several Teaching High School Psych BLOG posts focus on specific books that might be useful (maybe not for a "One book, one school" project, but for something else!)
Ramachandran - Tell-Tale Brain
Watters - Crazy Like Us
Ackerman - Natural History of the Senses
Herzog- Some we love, some we hate, some we eat
Carter- The Human Brain Book

Also, a project called Reachout published a list of Young Adult fiction books they believe may help young people struggling with specific psychological disorders

If you have ideas for other books (for "enrichment", for summer reading assignments, for in class use, for teachers, or just for fun) please share them in the comments!









posted by Rob McEntarffer

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Happy Mother's Day

This is "A Biologist's Mother's Day Song" but I thought it would fit nicely on our little psychology blog as well. "More than half of everything I am is thanks to you!"

Happy Mother's Day to all of our readers and their moms!
-- posted by Steve Jones

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Milwaukee Area Teachers of Psychology Meeting - May 11, 2011

Please excuse the cross-posting. We are trying to make sure we reach everyone interested in the MATOP meeting.

Since 1993, Milwaukee area psychology teachers have gathered twice a year to share teaching ideas and develop friendships. Our group has come to be called the "Milwaukee Area Teachers of Psychology" (MATOP). Below you will find an invitation to our next meeting on May 11th. If you live within driving distance of the Milwaukee area, please feel free to attend. If you would like to be included on the MATOP mailing list please contact me at the email address below.

For those of you not within driving distance of Milwaukee, feel free to "check out" our agenda for items you might find useful in your classroom. Whenever possible, I have tried to include email or website addresses for further information. Please contact me with any questions you may have.

For more information on MATOP, please go to my website at http://www.germantownschools.org/faculty/kkorek/

Kent

Kent Korek
Germantown High School
W180 N11501 River Lane
Germantown, WI 53022
Phone: 262-253-3400
Fax: 262-253-3494
kkorek@germantown.k12.wi.us


Dear Psychology Teacher:

Please consider attending the meeting of the Milwaukee Area Teachers of Psychology (MATOP) on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Pius XI High School, 135 N. 76th Street, Milwaukee 53213 in the Library.

Our meeting will include:

■ an examination of Peter Gray’s Psychology 6e from Worth Publishing. This text is a number one seller for AP and IB classes. Thanks to Eileen Tanania, the Bedford, Freeman and Worth representative (866-843-3715 ex 1714) etanania@bfwpub.com , everyone attending the meeting will receive an examination copy of the text and student study guide. For more information on this text go to http://highschool.bfwpub.com

■ a discussion of the just released 2011 AP Psychology Exam Free Response Questions. For your own copy of both questions, go to http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap11_frq_psychology.pdf

■ an inspection of the new edition of Psychology 9e (AP Edition) by Bernstein, Penner, Clarke-Stewart, and Roy from Holt-McDougal. Through the courtesy of Katie Golem, Advanced & Elective Programs Specialist at Holt-McDougall, (800-479-9799 ex. 3870) katie.golem@hmhpub.com everyone will receive a complementary copy of this mainstay AP Psychology text. Go to http://holtmcdougal.hmhco.com to learn more about the Bernstein text.

■ a demonstration of a pair of both displacement and inversion goggles courtesy of Gerry Palmer palmtree60045@yahoo.com at Psychkits at http://www.psychkits.com. Thanks to Gerry for his contribution to almost every MATOP meeting. Two lucky teachers will be leaving the meeting with a pair of these goggles with suggested lesson plans to use next year in their sensation and perception unit.

■ an appraisal of the first AP version of Prentice Hall/Pearson’s Psychology 2e (AP Edition) by Ciccarelli and White. For our fall meeting Kevin Kuckkan of Prentice Hall (866-340-3692) kevin.kuckkan@pearson.com has sent copies of this new edition for all those in attendance. The Prentice Hall/Pearson website can be found at http://pearsonschool.com

■ a presentation of My Psych Lab, a internet based learning and assessment tool for students using Prentice Hall/Pearson textbooks. Elaine Shemas, the AP, Honors, & Electives representative for Prentice Hall (201-236-5521) Elaine.Shema@PHSchool.com has graciously provided information to give access to all attending our spring meeting. The Prentice Hall/Pearson website can be found at http://pearsonschool.com

■ a review of Laura King’s The Science of Psychology: An Appreciative View 2e from McGraw-Hill/Glencoe. At our fall meeting, Crystal Hooks, the AP, Honors and Electives at Glencoe/McGraw-Hill (877-286-4821) crystal_hooks@mcgraw-hill.com stopped by to highlight the Annual Edition series. For this meeting Crystal has donated copies of the King text. For additional information go to https://www.mheonline.com

■ Mike Kopish from UW-Madison has been conducting research on AP Psychology for his doctoral dissertation. Mike has agreed to present some of his research findings from studying four different AP Psychology programs throughout WI.

■ information regarding activities/demonstrations/resources for classroom use. At our fall meeting, we agreed spend more time letting teachers share some of their best classroom activities. A number of people have agreed to share. Please feel free to bring something to the group.

■ and much more.


Everyone is welcome to attend any and all MATOP meeting. There is no need to RSVP. Please feel free to invite anyone you feel might be interested in coming. Our meetings usually last about two hours. You need not stay the entire time.

If you have any questions concerning our meeting, please contact Ruth Regent-Smith at Pius H.S. (414-290-7000) rregent@piusxi.org or Kent Korek at Germantown H.S. (262-253-3400) kkorek@germantown.k12.wi.us.

For directions to Pius, go to http://www.piusxi.org/prospective/Transportation.aspx We look forward to seeing you.


Ruth Regent-Smith
Kent Korek

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AP Psych Post-Test Debriefing

As part of my ongoing effort to improve my preparation and teaching and also to assist my students in understanding the rigors of the course, I do a post-test debrief about a week past the AP Exam using a form that is relatively simple.  The main issues are below.  The document itself is linked here.

I've recieved some outstanding suggestions and have incorporated many.  If you do use this idea, I hope it works for you.  Please also add any ideas to supplement the debriefing process.
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AP Psychology—Debriefing

 

The purpose of this form is to help me understand what went right and what can be improved as far as preparation for the AP exam. Please answer the questions honestly—I am just looking for ways to improve things for my future students.

How much total time (in hours) did you spend reviewing/studying for the AP Psychology exam?
1-5
6-10
11-20
20+

 

State your initial reactions to the Multiple Choice section of the exam. Explain why you think you had this reaction.

 

State your initial reactions to FRQ #1 section of the exam. What was it that you liked or did not like? Explain why.

 

State your initial reactions to FRQ #2 section of the exam. What was it that you liked or did not like? Explain why.

What score did you think you may be receiving? (circle one) Just guess.

 1 2 3 4 5

 

What types of preparation did you do? This may include reviewing the following. Circle all that apply.

• the text
• your notes and papers from the year
• the previous exams we took
• Barron’s Review Book
• Princeton Review Book
• Princeton Review Cards
• A different review book (if so, which)
• Oral review with self or friends
• Online review with non-class sources
• Using the class review resources
• In-school review
• Review session(s) with the instructor
• Other (please list below)

What type of review mentioned above was most helpful? Please explain.

 

What recommendations for change would you make for our preparation for the exam? I’m looking for constructive suggestions. Feel free to make suggestions about the course, the organization of the course, what we did and how we did it. Use bullet points.

 

What advice would you give to future students in AP Psychology so that they may be successful both in the class and on the AP exam? Use bullet points.

 ---------------------------------------------------

 

posted by Chuck Schallhorn

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The Cognitive Dissonance song debut!

For the first time on any blog (I think) AP Psychology teacher Brad Wray is debuting his new video "Cognitive Dissonance (Dissonant & Justified)." You may remember that Mr. Wray's hit song about cognitive bias was featured here just before the AP Psych exam last May, and he's back with another. I hope that all of you teachers and students who are doing some last minute reviewing this weekend will take a few minutes to enjoy his new song, this time complete with some awesome drawings and an MP3 remix!

  --posted by Steve Jones

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AP Psychology Summer Institutes (APSI)

As our thoughts turn from preparing for the AP Psychology Exam to the end of the school year, many teachers start thinking about AP Summer Institutes (APSI). These week long adventures designed for both the beginning and seasoned AP teacher, provide valuable insights into the teaching of any AP Psychology course. I've heard many a teacher say the APSI is probably the one best thing that has helped their teaching of AP Psychology with the possible exception of being an AP reader.

This summer, AP Psychology Advanced Placement Summer Institutes (APSI)are offered at over 50 locations throughout the country. Almost all are designed for both experienced and new AP teachers, while a few are exclusively for new teachers. APSI's usually last four or five days and are run by endorsed consultants of the College Board.

I (Kent) have had the good fortune to facilitate AP Psychology Summer Institutes over the past seven years. This year I am scheduled to be in MN, WV, PA and KN. I am always impressed with the professionalism and willingness to share by all the participants. I can confidently say, I always walk away from the weeks with many new ideas for my classes.

To provide a little insight into a typical AP Summer Institutes I facilitate, I have posted a brief overview of the week on my website (http://www.germantownschools.org/faculty/kkorek/Advanced_Placement_Psychology_Summer_Institutes.cfm). Please be aware, every institute varies based on the facilitator, needs of the participants, sponsoring organization's requirements, as well as a host of other factors, but most APSIs contain many of the same basic elements. Other APSI consultants are invited to post comments, information, website links, or other items of interest in the comments section of this posting.

To learn more about summer institutes, go to the Institutes and Workshop section of AP Central at http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/Pageflows/InstitutesAndWorkshops/InstitutesAndWorkshopsController.jpf The site includes a search engine where you can find an APSI in your part of the country. You can search by topic, date, and/or location.

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News from TOPSS/APA

The following is from Emily Leary, Assistant Director of the APA Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Programs, regarding items of interest from the APA and TOPSS (Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools) to all high school psychology teachers. If you would like to be included on Emily's email listing, please contact her at the address below.

APF Professional Development Awards for High School Psychology Teachers

The purpose of these awards is to help high school psychology teachers travel to and attend regional or national teaching and/or psychology conferences.

Applicants may be awarded up to $250. Funds can be used to offset costs of travel, conference registration, and housing accommodations. Applications to attend the APA Convention (August 4-7, 2011, Washington, DC; www.apa.org/convention) are encouraged. $2,500 is available for funding. These grants are made possible through a generous gift from Dr. Lee Gurel.

The application deadline has been extended until May 1, 2011; for details on how to apply, visit http://www.apa.org/apf/funding/professional-topss.aspx.

APF High School Psychology Teacher Network Grants

The purpose of these grants is to support the development of local and regional networks of psychology teachers and to support a local or regional teaching workshop or conference for high school psychology teachers. APF is particularly interested in proposals for professional development opportunities for teachers that could lead to the formation of a new regional network of psychology teachers. APF will award $1,500 in grants in 2011. These grants are made possible through a generous gift from Dr. Lee Gurel.

The application deadline is May 1, 2011; for details on how to apply, visit http://www.apa.org/apf/funding/psychology-teacher-network.aspx.

APA TOPSS Poster Competition for High School Psychology Students

TOPSS is pleased to announce the 2011 APA TOPSS Poster Competition for High School Psychology Students. There will be four winners, each of whom will receive a $250 award.

Topic: Although psychology has historical roots in the discipline of philosophy, a contemporary definition of psychology states it is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes psychology as a diverse scientific discipline with nearly boundless applications in everyday life. In this competition, students will design an original visual poster on the theme “Psychology is a Science,” and also submit a written explanation of the poster and theme.

The submission deadline is June 1, 2011; please visit http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/poster-competition.aspx for competition details, rules, scoring rubric, and submission information.

Call for Nominations: 2011 TOPSS Committee Elections

The mission of TOPSS is to promote introductory and advanced high school psychology, meet curricular and professional needs of secondary school teachers; and provide opportunities for high school students to be recognized and rewarded for their academic excellence. If you would like to become more involved in TOPSS, and are interested in gaining leadership experience and positively impacting the teaching of high school psychology, we encourage you to consider serving on the TOPSS Committee. TOPSS is especially interested in encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds (including diversity in race/ethnicity, gender, ability/disability, sexual orientation, age, and religion) to consider running for TOPSS Office. In 2011, the following three elected positions will be filled: Chair (three-year term), Member-at-Large (two-year term), and Membership Coordinator (two-year term).

Nominations are due by July 1, 2011. Visit http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/call-for-nominations.aspx for additional information.

APA Annual Convention

All high school psychology teachers are encouraged to consider attending the APA Annual Convention (www.apa.org/convention), being held August 4-7, 2011, in Washington, DC. TOPSS is pleased to announce the 2011 TOPSS Invited Addresses; the following sessions will be held Friday, August 5, and Saturday, August 6, 2011:

• Barney Beins, PhD, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY; Psychology: Gateway to Critical Thinking and Scientific Literacy
  

• April Bleske-Rechek, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI; The Lee Gurel Lecture: A Primer on Evolutionary Psychology: Foundational Ideas, Exemplary Research, and Criticisms

• Jessica Henderson Daniel, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital, Cambridge, MA; Teaching Adolescents about Adolescents: Using Mirrors that Focus on Race, Ethnicity and Gender
• Gil Einstein, PhD, Furman University, Greenville, SC; Remembering to Perform Actions in the Future: Can Intentions Pop into Mind?

• Regan Gurung, PhD, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Green Bay, WI; Maureen McCarthy, PhD, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA; Katherine Minter, Westwood High School, Austin, TX; and Steve Behnke, PhD, JD, APA Ethics Office, Discussant; Ethical Issues in the Introductory Psychology Course

Also, please join TOPSS for a reception on Saturday, August 6, from 5:00 – 5:50 PM, at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel (Burnham Room).

Membership

The TOPSS Website is http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/index.aspx. For only $40 a year, high school psychology teachers can join APA as affiliate members and become a member of TOPSS. To join TOPSS, visit http://www.apa.org/membership/hs-teacher/index.aspx. Benefits include access to 19 Unit Lesson Plans, subscriptions to the monthly APA Monitor magazine and quarterly Psychology Teacher Network newsletter, and more!

Please contact Emily Leary by e-mail (eleary@apa.org) or at (202) 572-3013 if you have any questions.

Emily Leary | Assistant Director, Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Programs Education Directorate American Psychological Association 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 Tel: (202) 572-3013 | Fax: (202) 336-5962 email: eleary@apa.org | www.apa.org

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Movies and Psychology

When I attended a day-long seminar in the early 90s about critical thinking in the social sciences, I was instructed never to show an entire film during class time-that time was too valuable.  I abide by that advice to this day.  In class, I show film clips, but prefer documentaries.  I do have AP Psych Movie Nights outside of class time. 

However, the time after the AP exam often presents us with lots of time and low interest by our hard-working advanced students.  Given that reality, many of us will be showing films.  Following a recent thread on the AP-PSYCH listserv, I did a couple quick searches and rediscovered these gems.


APA Division 2's page with two resources

PsychMovies dot com (I posted about this site back in late 2009)
http://www.psychmovies.com/
Exceptional descriptions and overviews with ratings

APS guide to using film in teaching psychology
This is an excellent resource including steps to use in using film, solving ethical issues within the film, following copyright, and more.  Thank you Dr. Raymond J. Green.

Regardless of your views on the pedagogy of showing films, these are some excellent resources.


posted by Chuck Schallhorn

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