Unit 3 Learning & Cognition – Group Lesson Plans

Psychology – Mrs. Lewis-Thornton

For this unit, students will be working in groups to create a lesson based on one of the major themes of the unit.
The lesson must incorporate what’s being learned, why it’s being learned and how it will be assessed. Students
should keep in mind how their lesson will help the class answer the Unit Objectives:

Unit Objectives
What constitutes learning?
 Identify the process of learning (Classical, Operant,
Observational)
 Explain classical conditioning terminology: association
process of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery,
generalization and discrimination, etc.
 Explain operant conditioning terminology: positive,
negative, primary and secondary reinforcers, punishment, and
extinction, etc.
 Discuss treatment of phobias and other medical issues
through conditioning.
What are the elements of cognition?
 Describe and explain the kinds and processes of memory.
 Discuss the problems with memory: false memories,
forgetting, repressed & recovered memories.
 Identify the processes of thinking and language.
 Explain thinking and language terminology: acquiring
language, concept formation, solving problems, confirmation
bias, fixation, etc.
 Identify several intelligence theorists & explain their
theories.
 Explain intelligence terminology: ability, aptitude,
achievement, intelligence tests, etc.

Themes
A. Classical Conditioning
B. Operant Conditioning
C. Memory
D. Thinking and Language
E. Intelligence

Lesson Requirements
- Assign responsibilities for each group member so that everyone participates in the lesson planning and
presentation.
- Create & turn in a well-structured lesson plan form – must detail your objective (what the class should be
able to do by the end of the bell), materials needed (laptop, screen, video, etc), procedure (10 mins. –
lecture, 20 mins…), and the assessment (how you check that the class met the objective).
- Daily participation is expected and daily points given/taken (absences count against you)
- Lesson Components:
o Must summarize the main ideas from the theme & show that you understand those ideas by
answering questions from the class
o Must contain both audio and visual components in the lesson to keep it interesting
o Must use appropriate spelling and grammar
o Must have a simple, yet challenging form of assessment – which will be graded by the group & then
turned in (with the answer key) to the teacher
o Must use at least 35 minutes of the class bell

Assessment – As individuals, you will receive daily participation points (20pts per day). As a group, you will
be rated by the average score that “your students” receive on your assessment, as well as by the teacher
assessment of how well your group met its objective (100pts total). Good luck and happy teaching!