Psychology Class: Interesting Activities for Leveling Up

By request we are sharing for Psychology Class: Interesting Activities for Leveling Up.

Psychology Class: Interesting Activities for Leveling Up

We had a request for ideas to level up 7Sisters Introduction to Psychology text. As you know, 7Sisters Psychology text is a half credit text, presented at average high school level. Our goal is to give the basics of a Psychology course in a no-busywork format that actually leave teens liking Psych!

There are lots of teens who would like to level up that half credit to Advanced or Honors or to aim for a full credit at Advanced or Honors. The text includes guidelines and ideas for leveling up the half credit. If your teen wants a full credit at the higher level, simply double the activities suggested for the half credit (or log hours instead with interesting activities).

Need ideas for leveling up Psychology activities that are interesting and inspiring?

We asked our 7th Sisters in the 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group what they have done with their teens for leveling up their homeschool high schoolers’ Psychology credits. (BTW- there are six of us 7Sisters, so WHO is the 7th Sister? YOU are!)

Here are some ideas they shared, along with ideas we have come up with, keyed to the chapters in 7Sisters Introduction to Psychology from a Christian Perspective.

Note: If you are in a state that reimburses for homeschool curriculum, here is a version of the Psychology text that meets reimbursement criteria.

Start with the Lesson Plans for Introduction to Psychology. Although it is designed for co-op or group classes, it has tons of activities that individual students can do.

Next, teens who are also using the 7Sisters online Psychology course can log those hours of the video lessons towards leveling up.

Then, check out this post with lots of activities for enrichment for Psychology class.

Now, here activities keyed to the chapters (not including those listed in the textbook itself). Note: it is a good idea to preview movies and documentaries. What is acceptable for one family, is not for others.

CHAPTER 1: The Brain & How it Works:

• Documentaries:
  • History Channel: The Secrets of the Human Brain
    • The documentary discusses research on the brain and how it affects our behavior.

CHAPTER 2: Perception:

• Documentaries:
  • Apple TV: Your Brain
    • Short series that talks about perception and how the brain motivates you.
• Resources
  • If you are in the Philadelphia region, go to the Franklin Institute exhibits about the brain and perceptions OR if you are not in the area, check out their teaching resources.

CHAPTER 3: Genetics:

• Documentaries:
  • PBS Nova: Cracking Your Genetic Code
    • Discusses advances in genetic science.
  • Netflix: Human Nature (CRISPR the Movie)
    • Documentary about the development of the gene-editing program.

CHAPTER 4: Learning:

• Movies:
  • The Miracle Worker (1962)
    • This movie could fit in several chapters. From a learning perspective, it is a lovely look at how Helen Keller learns through Anne Sullivan’s guidance. (Add 7Sisters The Miracle Worker Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Guide and add it to this year’s English/Language Arts activities, too!)
  • To Sir, with Love (1967)
    • Classic movie with lots of behavior modification examples!
• Television:
  • Watch clips of classic television shows where classic conditioning occurs
    • Here’s a link to Kym’s favorite YouTube clips from Big Bang Theory

CHAPTER 5 & 6: History: Ancient to Pre-Modern Times & History: Psychology Into Modern Times:

• Documentaries:
  • Prime Video: Victor Frankl & I, The Victor Frankl Documentary
  • YouTube: Crash Course series

CHAPTER 7: Communication:

• Movies:
  • Lots of movies can count as communication, since communication glitches make good plot twists. Make sure you have discussions about the communication in the movie.
  • The Terminal (2004)
    • Classic Tom Hanks movie about an Eastern European tourist stranded at JFK.
• Documentary
  • Life, Animated (2016)
    • You man learns communication, emotions and relationship skills through memorizing Disney movies.

CHAPTER 8: Needs & Motivation:

• Movies:
  • Inside Out (2015)
    • Cute animated movie about a girls emotions and how they guide and motivate her.
  • Castaway (2000)
    • A classic Tom Hanks film about a man stranded alone on an island.

CHAPTER 9: Looking at Personality & Theory:

• Activities:
  • Take personality tests such as:
    • Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
    • Download this freebie from Vicki Tillman Coaching with links to free versions of lots of personality tests.
• Movies:
  • 12 Angry Men
    • Watch strong personalities in action in this classic film (an add 7Sisters 12 Angry Men Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Guide and add it to this year’s English/Language Arts activities, too!)

CHAPTER 10: Sleep & Dreams:

• Activity:
  • Keep a sleep log for a week. Record:
    • What they did before they went to bed?
    • Describe what were they doing and thinking about as they went to sleep,
    • What was the quality and length of sleep?
• Documentaries:
  • Netflix: Headspace Guide to Sleep
    • Headspace app created an animated series about how to get better sleep.

CHAPTER 11: Abnormal Psychology:

• Movies:
  • A Beautiful Mind (2001)
    • Classic movie based on the life of Nobel Prize winning physicist, John Nash, who learned to manage schizophrenia.
  • Flowers for Algernon (2000) or Charly (1968)
    • Two movies based on the same novel, tell the hypothetical story of a man who was offered the chance of raising his low IQ through surgical procedure.
  • Rain Man (1988)
    • This movie opened up lots of discussion about autism for the first time in American culture.
  • Temple Grandin (2010)
    • The biography of Temple Grandin, whose autism has helped her become a leading scientist working on humane handling of livestock.
• Television:
  • Monk (2002-2009)
    • The old TV series Monk did a nice portrayal of a detective who was severely incapacitated by obsessive-compulsive disorder.

CHAPTER 12: Crisis Intervention:

• Activities:
  • Work together to develop a plan with resources based on information in Chapter 12.  Have teens put it in the “Notes” app on their phones.
  • Work on ideas for handling anxiety (mindfulness, self-care) and make some healthy lifestyle plans. (Check out the Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode on Psychological First Aid.)

CHAPTER 13: Psychological Testing:

• Activities:
  • Discuss with your teens their experiences with achievement tests, PSATs, SATs, ACTs or other tests. If they have experienced an intelligence test such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale or the Wide Range Intelligence Test, discuss those as well.
  • Talk about tools for college-placement testing success and if they would be valuable for your teen or not. Then have teens make a SAT test prep plan.

CHAPTER 14: Christian Counseling:

• Discuss the fact that sometimes Christians feel uncomfortable with Psychology as a high school subject or as a career choice. Decide how to talk with those kinds of people.
  • Read this post titled “God is a Psychologist” and discuss whether you agree or not.

CHAPTER 15: Understanding Research & Statistics 

• Resources to explore:
  • The News Literacy Project has resources for students to learn how to identify valid research and reporting.
• Movies:
  • The Theory of Everything (2006)
    • Touching movie about the idea that there could be a unifying theory that proves God and everything else.

CHAPTER 16: Careers in Psychology:

• Activities:
  • Do a research paper on a career and count it for Psychology and English/Language Arts.
  • Listen to this Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode about how to explore Psychology as a college major
  • Discuss all the different career opportunities in Psychology
  • Take a look at Psychology as a high school Career Pathways credit
  • Go to CareerOneStop.org and look up five careers in Psychology and describe each of those jobs
• Resource:
  • Career Exploration by Vicki Tillman, MA
  • This is a light-hearted but comprehensive look at Career Exploration. We consider it to be a must-do at some time during high school!

What would you add to this list? Drop a comment.

7Sisters email subscribers receive periodic practical encouragement, special offers and NO SPAM EVER.

Click the image above to periodically receive real homeschool value in your inbox.