AP Psychology Summer Assignment
Content
AP PSYCHOLOGY SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
Congratulations on your course selection of AP Psychology. You have made a wise yet demanding choice. You will have the opportunity to find out what makes people tick and have a better understanding of yourself as well. I put together your summer assignment. It consists of three parts. Only one part will be due during the summer. Have a fun and safe summer everyone. See you all next year.
Those students who fail to complete the Summer Assignment opportunity could be dropped from the class.
I have high expectations for this class and demand students who are willing to put in the required effort necessary to succeed. My goal is for every student enrolled in the class to pass the AP Exam in May and earn college credit. That requires dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work on both our parts. I will do my job and I expect you to do yours. Because of the short amount of time before the AP Exam and the extensive material we must cover, the work must begin now. The assignments will be due on the first week of school. I am looking forward to an outstanding year with you.
Assignment 1 (Due 6/27)
This is the only assignment DUE during the summer
Your first assignment is due on or before 6/27 via e-mail and is an introduction to yourself. Send this email from an address you will check often over the summer. Draft an e-mail using the following rules: a. Use well written, complete sentences! Do not abbreviate words. Use spell check. This is a professional communication similar to what you would use with a college professor or boss. b. Address it to [email protected] c. Make to subject: “AP Psychology: Introduction to <Your name here >” d. Begin your e-mail with Mr. Derrick or Dear Mr. Derrick. e. Introduce yourself and tell me a little about yourself, like: What do you like to do (hobbies, music, sports, instruments played, other interests) Where do you plan on going to College? What kind of career do you want? Tell a bit about family (Mom? Dad? Guardian? Siblings? Pets?). What do your parents do for a living?
What was the last book you read FOR FUN? Are you taking any other AP classes? Are you active in extracurricular activities in school/church? What are they? How are you involved? How do you think you will prioritize your time? Why are you taking this class? What are you looking forward to in this class? What things about psychology interest you or puzzle you? Have you had any experiences with people who act “abnormal”? What did they do? What does “abnormal” mean to you? Was there a reason for their actions? Any addition information you would like to share?
f. End your email with a formal closing: “Cordially”, “Sincerely”, “With regards”, “Your student” etc, and add your name as you would if you signed a letter.
Assignment #2 : DUE: July 26th.
Task: Choose 2 books from the AP Psychology Reading List below. You are responsible for reading 2 books and writing a 1-2 page book review for each book. Book Review will include the following: Summarize the book, setting, characters, plot, key events, etc. 1-2 paragraphs Apply the book to a minimum of 3 aspects of Psychology (example- a character in the book has schizophrenia or depression; discuss the character, the symptoms, causes, and treatment of schizophrenia as it relates to psychology). What topic of Psychology? Did the author convey the psychological disorder effectively? Accurately? HOW? Site several instances, quotes from the book that demonstrate the symptoms of the disorder, Etc. What did you learn from the book and are willing to share with the class? **Feel free to go above and beyond 2 pages. (2 pages is the minimum). Requirements Title Page Typed, 12 Font Times New Roman Double Spaced. Give the book proper citation, APA style on the top of the front page.
Be prepared to discuss one of your chosen books the first day of class. AP Psychology Reading List** Please be aware that a few of the books below do address sensitive material such as child abuse/ neglect. Be sure to read a synopsis of the book prior to purchase/ reading so that you can best find a book that meets your interests. Do not read a book that does not interest you and/or may have material that you may find unpleasant to read. 1. Albom, Mitch - Tuesdays with Morrie 2. Axline, Virginia- Dibs: In Search of Self 3. Baron, Naomi- Growing Up With Language 4. Baruch, Dorothy- One Little Boy 5. Berne, Eric- Games People Play 6. Burns, David - Feeling Good 7. Buscaglia, Leo - Living Learning and Loving 8. Capote, Truman - In Cold Blood 9. Carnegie, Dale- How to Win Friends and Influence People 10. Chase, Trudi - When Rabbit Howls 11. Clark, Mary Higgins - All Around the Town 12. Comer and Poussaint - Raising Black Children 13. Craig, Eleanor - P.S. You’re Not Listening 14. Crichton, Michael - The Terminal Man 15. D’Ambrosio, Richard - No Language But a Cry 16. Dyer, Wayne - Your Erroneous Zones 17. Elkind, David - The Hurried Child 18. Fast, Julius - Body Language 19. Gardener, Howard - Creating Minds 20. Gibson, William - The Miracle Worker 21. Ginott, Haim - Between Parent and Teenager
22. Greenfeld, Josh - A Child Called Noah 23. Harris, Thomas - I’m OK, You’re OK 24. Hayden, Torey - Murphy’s Boy; One Child; Just Another Kid 25. Hines, Terence - Pseudoscience and the Paranormal 26. Jablow, Martha - Cara 27. Kellerman, Jonathan - When the Bough Breaks 28. Kushner, Harold - When Bad Things Happen to Good People 29. Levenkron, Steven - The Best Little Girl in the World 30 Levin, Meyer - Compulsion 31. Lorenz, Konrad - King Solomon’s Ring 32. MacCracken, Mary A Circle of Children 33. Mayer, Robert - Through Divided Minds 34. Minniger, Joan - Total Recall 35. Montessori, Maria - The Secret of Childhood 36. O’Neil, Cherry Boone - Starving for Attention 37. Peck, M. Scott - The Road Less Traveled 38. Pelzer, David - A Child Called It (Trilogy) (sensitive material –child abuse) 39. Pinker, Steven - The Language Instinct 40. Pirsig, Robert - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 41. Plath, Sylvia - The Bell Jar 42. Rapoport, Judith -The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Washing 43. Rogers, Carl -On Becoming a Person 44. Rothenberg, Mira - Children with Emerald Eyes 45. Rymer, Russ - Genie (Sensitive material – child neglect/ abuse) 46. Schreiber, Flora R. - Sybil
47. Seager, Stephen - Pysch Ward: A Year Behind Closed Doors 48. Seligman, Martin - The Optimistic Child 49. Shaller, Susan - A Man Without Words 50. Skinner, B.F. Walden - Two: Beyond Freedom and Dignity 51. Wurtzel, Elizabeth - Prozac Nation 52. Sacks, Oliver - The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat 53. Akeret, Robert U. - Tales from a Traveling Couch --If it’s not on the list; I need a description (and you need approval) before you decide to read it.
Assignment #3: Due second day of class**Do something that might be viewed as strange/unacceptable/unexpected to others.**
You WILL present your experiment and findings to the class and turn in the write up!
For example: *Stand in the middle of the food court at the mall for 10 minutes doing nothing or maybe singing to yourself, or something else (don’t undress!) and see what others do. *Cut in a long line at a store, baseball game, movies, etc. and see the reaction of others. Be careful!!! Choose your subjects with caution- don’t jump in line in front of the angry guy at the ball game…I do not want you to get in a fight, or arrested. *Talk to yourself, loudly, in mixed company, and observe what others do/say. *Ignore your friends, no matter what they say…you get the idea. When you are done running the “experiment”, you need to introduce yourself, shake hands, THANK THE PEOPLE INVOLVED and explain what you are doing and why. (You are running a social experiment for your AP Psych class). You may want to have this assignment paper with you. Write a report on your experiment:
Title: Purpose or problem: (What will happen if I cut in a line…) Background Information: What do people do in certain situations (like how do people wait for their turn, how do they learn this, why do they do it, why do some people cut in line? You should do some research, thinking here…go one line and see what the norm is and why it’s considered the “norm”. Why do humans see this behavior as normal, what is the aberrant behavior and how do people react to it and why. (this should be a few paragraphs of info). Hypothesis: Educated guess…based on your information from the background research…what will happen? Write it as a “If, Then, Because” statement. “If I … then the person/people around me will do…because… Experiment: What are you going to do? How, when, where, what time are you doing this experiment, who is your audience? Data: What did people do? Were there differences in the reactions of people of different ages, ethnicities, sexes, friends vs. strangers. You might need someone to record data for you here if you cannot directly observe everyone. Results: What happened? No interpretation here…just what happened…estimate the age of the reactants, time it took them to react, kinds of reactions. Did people avoid you? How? Conclusion: Time for interpretations: Why did the people react the way they did? Were they sympathetic, puzzled, mad, frustrated, etc. WHY do you think they acted this way? Did people avoid you? Was you hypothesis correct? Why or why not? Did anything unexpected happen to you? Explain!
Congratulations on your course selection of AP Psychology. You have made a wise yet demanding choice. You will have the opportunity to find out what makes people tick and have a better understanding of yourself as well. I put together your summer assignment. It consists of three parts. Only one part will be due during the summer. Have a fun and safe summer everyone. See you all next year.
Those students who fail to complete the Summer Assignment opportunity could be dropped from the class.
I have high expectations for this class and demand students who are willing to put in the required effort necessary to succeed. My goal is for every student enrolled in the class to pass the AP Exam in May and earn college credit. That requires dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work on both our parts. I will do my job and I expect you to do yours. Because of the short amount of time before the AP Exam and the extensive material we must cover, the work must begin now. The assignments will be due on the first week of school. I am looking forward to an outstanding year with you.
Assignment 1 (Due 6/27)
This is the only assignment DUE during the summer
Your first assignment is due on or before 6/27 via e-mail and is an introduction to yourself. Send this email from an address you will check often over the summer. Draft an e-mail using the following rules: a. Use well written, complete sentences! Do not abbreviate words. Use spell check. This is a professional communication similar to what you would use with a college professor or boss. b. Address it to [email protected] c. Make to subject: “AP Psychology: Introduction to <Your name here >” d. Begin your e-mail with Mr. Derrick or Dear Mr. Derrick. e. Introduce yourself and tell me a little about yourself, like: What do you like to do (hobbies, music, sports, instruments played, other interests) Where do you plan on going to College? What kind of career do you want? Tell a bit about family (Mom? Dad? Guardian? Siblings? Pets?). What do your parents do for a living?
What was the last book you read FOR FUN? Are you taking any other AP classes? Are you active in extracurricular activities in school/church? What are they? How are you involved? How do you think you will prioritize your time? Why are you taking this class? What are you looking forward to in this class? What things about psychology interest you or puzzle you? Have you had any experiences with people who act “abnormal”? What did they do? What does “abnormal” mean to you? Was there a reason for their actions? Any addition information you would like to share?
f. End your email with a formal closing: “Cordially”, “Sincerely”, “With regards”, “Your student” etc, and add your name as you would if you signed a letter.
Assignment #2 : DUE: July 26th.
Task: Choose 2 books from the AP Psychology Reading List below. You are responsible for reading 2 books and writing a 1-2 page book review for each book. Book Review will include the following: Summarize the book, setting, characters, plot, key events, etc. 1-2 paragraphs Apply the book to a minimum of 3 aspects of Psychology (example- a character in the book has schizophrenia or depression; discuss the character, the symptoms, causes, and treatment of schizophrenia as it relates to psychology). What topic of Psychology? Did the author convey the psychological disorder effectively? Accurately? HOW? Site several instances, quotes from the book that demonstrate the symptoms of the disorder, Etc. What did you learn from the book and are willing to share with the class? **Feel free to go above and beyond 2 pages. (2 pages is the minimum). Requirements Title Page Typed, 12 Font Times New Roman Double Spaced. Give the book proper citation, APA style on the top of the front page.
Be prepared to discuss one of your chosen books the first day of class. AP Psychology Reading List** Please be aware that a few of the books below do address sensitive material such as child abuse/ neglect. Be sure to read a synopsis of the book prior to purchase/ reading so that you can best find a book that meets your interests. Do not read a book that does not interest you and/or may have material that you may find unpleasant to read. 1. Albom, Mitch - Tuesdays with Morrie 2. Axline, Virginia- Dibs: In Search of Self 3. Baron, Naomi- Growing Up With Language 4. Baruch, Dorothy- One Little Boy 5. Berne, Eric- Games People Play 6. Burns, David - Feeling Good 7. Buscaglia, Leo - Living Learning and Loving 8. Capote, Truman - In Cold Blood 9. Carnegie, Dale- How to Win Friends and Influence People 10. Chase, Trudi - When Rabbit Howls 11. Clark, Mary Higgins - All Around the Town 12. Comer and Poussaint - Raising Black Children 13. Craig, Eleanor - P.S. You’re Not Listening 14. Crichton, Michael - The Terminal Man 15. D’Ambrosio, Richard - No Language But a Cry 16. Dyer, Wayne - Your Erroneous Zones 17. Elkind, David - The Hurried Child 18. Fast, Julius - Body Language 19. Gardener, Howard - Creating Minds 20. Gibson, William - The Miracle Worker 21. Ginott, Haim - Between Parent and Teenager
22. Greenfeld, Josh - A Child Called Noah 23. Harris, Thomas - I’m OK, You’re OK 24. Hayden, Torey - Murphy’s Boy; One Child; Just Another Kid 25. Hines, Terence - Pseudoscience and the Paranormal 26. Jablow, Martha - Cara 27. Kellerman, Jonathan - When the Bough Breaks 28. Kushner, Harold - When Bad Things Happen to Good People 29. Levenkron, Steven - The Best Little Girl in the World 30 Levin, Meyer - Compulsion 31. Lorenz, Konrad - King Solomon’s Ring 32. MacCracken, Mary A Circle of Children 33. Mayer, Robert - Through Divided Minds 34. Minniger, Joan - Total Recall 35. Montessori, Maria - The Secret of Childhood 36. O’Neil, Cherry Boone - Starving for Attention 37. Peck, M. Scott - The Road Less Traveled 38. Pelzer, David - A Child Called It (Trilogy) (sensitive material –child abuse) 39. Pinker, Steven - The Language Instinct 40. Pirsig, Robert - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 41. Plath, Sylvia - The Bell Jar 42. Rapoport, Judith -The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Washing 43. Rogers, Carl -On Becoming a Person 44. Rothenberg, Mira - Children with Emerald Eyes 45. Rymer, Russ - Genie (Sensitive material – child neglect/ abuse) 46. Schreiber, Flora R. - Sybil
47. Seager, Stephen - Pysch Ward: A Year Behind Closed Doors 48. Seligman, Martin - The Optimistic Child 49. Shaller, Susan - A Man Without Words 50. Skinner, B.F. Walden - Two: Beyond Freedom and Dignity 51. Wurtzel, Elizabeth - Prozac Nation 52. Sacks, Oliver - The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat 53. Akeret, Robert U. - Tales from a Traveling Couch --If it’s not on the list; I need a description (and you need approval) before you decide to read it.
Assignment #3: Due second day of class**Do something that might be viewed as strange/unacceptable/unexpected to others.**
You WILL present your experiment and findings to the class and turn in the write up!
For example: *Stand in the middle of the food court at the mall for 10 minutes doing nothing or maybe singing to yourself, or something else (don’t undress!) and see what others do. *Cut in a long line at a store, baseball game, movies, etc. and see the reaction of others. Be careful!!! Choose your subjects with caution- don’t jump in line in front of the angry guy at the ball game…I do not want you to get in a fight, or arrested. *Talk to yourself, loudly, in mixed company, and observe what others do/say. *Ignore your friends, no matter what they say…you get the idea. When you are done running the “experiment”, you need to introduce yourself, shake hands, THANK THE PEOPLE INVOLVED and explain what you are doing and why. (You are running a social experiment for your AP Psych class). You may want to have this assignment paper with you. Write a report on your experiment:
Title: Purpose or problem: (What will happen if I cut in a line…) Background Information: What do people do in certain situations (like how do people wait for their turn, how do they learn this, why do they do it, why do some people cut in line? You should do some research, thinking here…go one line and see what the norm is and why it’s considered the “norm”. Why do humans see this behavior as normal, what is the aberrant behavior and how do people react to it and why. (this should be a few paragraphs of info). Hypothesis: Educated guess…based on your information from the background research…what will happen? Write it as a “If, Then, Because” statement. “If I … then the person/people around me will do…because… Experiment: What are you going to do? How, when, where, what time are you doing this experiment, who is your audience? Data: What did people do? Were there differences in the reactions of people of different ages, ethnicities, sexes, friends vs. strangers. You might need someone to record data for you here if you cannot directly observe everyone. Results: What happened? No interpretation here…just what happened…estimate the age of the reactants, time it took them to react, kinds of reactions. Did people avoid you? How? Conclusion: Time for interpretations: Why did the people react the way they did? Were they sympathetic, puzzled, mad, frustrated, etc. WHY do you think they acted this way? Did people avoid you? Was you hypothesis correct? Why or why not? Did anything unexpected happen to you? Explain!
