An Introductory Psychology WebQuest

An Introductory Psychology WebQuest More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers This Psychology 101 WebQuest and lesson plan are designed to help students learn more about the basics of psychology. It serves as a good introduction the science of the mind and behavior. The lesson plan is adaptable, so you may choose to have students complete the assignment portion either online or offline. If you choose to have students complete the assignment online, they will need to have some knowledge of how to use blogging or online document tools. If you choose to complete the assignment offline, students may choose to use word processing tools (such as Microsoft Word) or presentation software (such as PowerPoint). The lesson plan consists of two components: 1. The Psychology 101 WebQuest In this portion of the lesson plan, students will utilize the web to research different psychology topics. All resources are provided in the WebQuest, so there is no need for students to search for the articles and URLs they need. Students can select which topics they choose to include in their assignment, but I would suggest having students choose a minimum of three sections to complete. 2. Creating a Psychology Presentation After selecting their topics and exploring the resources provided in the Psychology 101 WebQuest, students will need to create a psychology presentation. This can be accomplished in several different ways. Students may opt to use an online publishing tool, such Blogger or Google Docs, to present their project. Another option is to utilize tools such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint to create a presentation. Depending on your requirements, students could also choose to create a poster-board presentation. The Psychology 101 WebQuest offers a fun and exciting way to explore psychology topics and integrate technology tools and resources into the classroom curriculum. Because the lesson plan is highly adaptable, you can make any necessary changes to make it work for your unique classroom needs. Grade Levels: 8th-grade and up Description: Complete a Psychology 101 WebQuest and develop a presentation based on the resources provided. Goal: Students will identify three topics of interest within psychology, read the available resources and create a class presentation based on what they have learned. Part 2: Research Topics for the Psychology 101 WebQuest Choose at least one topic from the list below and click the links to read the articles provided. As you read the information, begin taking notes for your research. Divide your notes into three different sections and write down relevant details that you might want to include in your final psychology presentation. What Is Psychology? What Is Psychology?Perspectives in Modern PsychologySpecialty Areas in Psychology10 Things You Should Know About Psychology Biopsychology: The Brain and Behavior What Is a Neuron?The Structure of a NeuronAn Overview of the Nervous SystemA Tour of the Human Brain Behavioral Psychology What Is Behaviorism?Classical ConditioningOperant Conditioning Memory What Is Memory?How Memories Are RetrievedReasons Why We Forget10 Ways to Improve Memory Development What Is Development?Major Questions About Human DevelopmentTheories of Child DevelopmentOverview of Early Childhood Development Personality What Is Personality?Erik Eriksons Theory of PersonalityTrait Theory of Personality Part 3: Create a Psychology Presentation After students have read through the materials for their chosen topics, it is time to start putting together their presentations. The format of these presentations can vary, since students may choose to use different tools and techniques to present the materials. Some possibilities: 1. Create an Online Journal: Students interested in creating an online journal can utilize one of the many free blogging tools that are available (I recommend  Blogger  or  WordPress ). After signing up for an account, students can start creating entries. Students might opt to break their research up into separate sections and then create a separate blog entry for each topic, or they may also choose to keep a running journal of their personal thoughts and reactions to the materials that they read. Be sure to have your students read the following directions on how to create their own blogs. 2. Create a Document or Presentation Students who do not wish to do an online presentation might want to consider making a written document or PowerPoint presentation. For a written document, students can present their information as a research report, as a question-and-answer style document or as a written journal. Those interested in creating a PowerPoint presentation may want to break up their research into different sections and create separate slides for each part of their project. Your students may want to consult the following resources for more information on creating multimedia presentations. 3. Create a Poster-board Presentation Another assignment option is to have students develop a poster-board presentation. In addition to containing a wealth of information, these poster-boards should also be visually engaging. One fun alternative would be to have all students in the classroom create a poster-board and then hold a psychology conference where students share and discuss the information presented in their posters. Terms of Use You are free to use the Psychology 101 WebQuest for personal and educational use. Giving away, selling or redistributing this WebQuest is not permissible. Do not republish this lesson plan on another website or distribute it electronically via e-mail. Please credit  Verywell.com Psychology  when you utilize this lesson plan. Evaluation After students have completed the WebQuest and their associated psychology presentation, you will need to evaluate the assignment based on the unique criteria you have established. Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding  of the material and an ability to clearly communicate what they have learned. A sample rubric is provided below: Evaluation Rubric 4 3 2 1 Organization Demonstrates a great deal of organization Demonstrates a considerable degree of organization Demonstrates some knowledge of organization Demonstrated limited knowledge of organization Presentation Shows excellent use of style, design?, and visual appeal Shows good use of style, design, and visual appeal Shows some use of style, design, and visual appeal Shows limited use of style, design, and visual appeal Knowledge/ Understanding Demonstrates an excellent understanding of the topic Demonstrates a good understanding of the topic Demonstrates some understanding of the topic Demonstrates limited understanding of the topic Communication Presentation method shows excellent communication of materials and meaning Presentation method shows good communication of materials and meaning Presentation method shows some communication of materials and meaning Presentation method shows limited communication of materials and meaning