Welcome to Mr. Tredinnick's Behavioral Science Course
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Behavioral Sciences incorporates the ideas of the social sciences, specifically the principles of sociology and psychology, to better understand the ideas of group dynamics, and individual behaviors. Students will utilize scientific theory and methods to examine the principles of behavior, socialization, and the incorporation of individuals, in the context of a single individual, or as part of a larger whole. By planning and conducting studies, to be complete around the local community, students will gain a better understanding of the types of interactions and learned behaviors that take place around them, and come up with methods to improve a social experience. A large emphasis will be placed on the usage of scientific theory and methods, to design and conduct social experiments with the goal of increasing awareness of social forces, and improving an experience. In doing so, students will improve their understanding of scientific research and research methods.
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Unit I - Conducting Social Research
UNIT INQUIRY QUESTION: Why is an understanding of ourselves necessary towards being able to help others?
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Week 1: Basic Tenets of Social Science
(Aug 19-23) Module 1.1: Possibilities of Social Research - Forum 1.1: Knowing the Ropes - Course Introduction + Class Rules and Procedures + Getting to Know You + Rules for Field Experience - Comparing Behaviors (Assignment) + Field Experience (Adventure Trails) Module 1.2: Psychological Theory - Forum 1.2: Thinking about Thinking - Course Concepts Introduction (Assignment) - Basics of Psychology (Notes) + Field Experience (Orangutans) |
Week 2: Social Sciences
(Aug 26-30) Module 1.3: Sociological Theory - Forum 1.3: Social Animals - Sociology - An Introduction (Notes) - Looking for Social Interactions (Assignment) + Field Experience (Jungle) - The Forest and the Trees (Assignment) Module 1.4: Research Methods - Forum 1.4: Keeping track of Everything - Scientific Research in Psychology (Notes) - Psychology Research Methods (Notes) + Field Experience (CCR) |
Week 3: Scientific Method
(Sept 2-6) No School Monday Sept 3rd (Labor Day) Module 1.5: Quantitative and Qualitative Research - Forum 1.5: The Importance of Data - The Data Collection Process (Notes) + Simply Psychology: Quantitative and Qualitative Data - Collecting Forms of Data (Assignment) + Field Experience (Dome) Module 1.6: Analyze and Visualize Your Data - Forum 1.6: The Value of Data Visualization - Analyze Data (Assignment) + Field Experience (Student Choice) |
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Week 4: Conducting Solid Research
(Sept 9-13) Module 1.7: Ethics in Research Central Question: Why must behavioral studies be conducted in an ethical manner? Forum 1.7: Importance of Ethical Studies Field Experience (Madagascar) - Environmental Research Ethics (Notes) - Confidential Information (Assignment) Module 1.8: Unit Test Forum 1.8: Q/C/C/C/CoR - Unit I Test - Theories of Social Science |
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Unit I Notes
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Unit I Assignments
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Unit II - The Value of Environmental Education in Learning and Development
UNIT INQUIRY QUESTION: What is the value of connecting with our natural surroundings in our development of self? How can education change to help the health of individuals and the environment?
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Week 5: Reconnecting with Nature
(Sept 21-25) Module 2.1: A Natural Educators Central Question: Why is a connection with nature necessary for all? Forum 2.1: Importance of Outside Ed Field Experience: Principles of Natural Education (Assignment) (Adventure Trails) + Boyd: "Learning with Nature" Module 2.2: Last Child in the Wilderness Central Question: What do we lose when we disconnect with nature? - Forum 2.2: Technological Curse? Field Experience: Powers of Observation (Sea Lions) - Ending Nature Deficit Disorder (Assignment) + No More "Nature Deficit Disorder" Week 8: Individuals and Belonging
(Oct 12-16) Module 2.7: Individual Interactions - Forum 2.7: Introvert Time - Finding our own Walden (Assignment) - The Needs of the Many (Assignment) + Field Experience (Penguins) - Understanding Personality (Notes) |
Week 6: Building Connections Through Life
(Sept 28 - Oct 2) Module 2.3: Learning as a Process - Forum 2.3: Growing Through Life + Field Experience (Adventure Trails) - The Study of Development (Notes) - Learning Through Life (Assignment) + Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Ability (Notes) Module 2.4: Technology - Aid or Hindrance? Central Question: Has technology so connected us that we have lost connection? Forum 2.4: Is Technology Better or Worse? Field Experience: Glued to the Screen (O&A) - Technology and Human Development (Assignment) + Nature and Technology: friends or enemies? HW: Take a Nature Break (Assignment) 
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Week 7: Learning from Nature
(Oct 5-9) Module 2.5: Bettering Ourselves - Forum 2.5: Similar Motivations? - Understanding Motivation (Notes) - Animal Drive (Assignment) + Field Experience (Student Choice) Module 2.6: Learning from Animals - Forum 2.6: Learning About Ourselves - The Needs of the Many (Assignment) + Field Experience (Penguins) - Evolutionary Psychology (Assignment) - TED Talk: Frans De Waal (Assignment) Week 9: Celebration of Knowledge
(Oct 19-23) Module 2.8: End of Unit Test - Unit II Test - Development and Learning |
Unit II Notes
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Unit II Assignments
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Unit III - Promoting Environmental Stewardship
UNIT INQUIRY QUESTION: What does it take to get someone to change their behavior and learn new behaviors? Can humans be taught environmental responsibility?
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Week 9: Theories of Behavior
(Oct 26-30) Module 3.1: Examining Behaviors Forum 3.1: Training New Behaviors - Comparing Conditioning (Assignment) - TED: The Difference Between Conditioning + Field Experience (Gorillas) - Simply Pavlov (Assignment) Week 12: Corrective Behavior
(Nov 16-20) Module 3.6: Abnormal Behaviors Forum 3.6: What is Abnormal? - Characterizing Abnormal Behaviors (Notes) + Field Experience (Cats) - TED Talk: Thandie Newton (Assignment) + Embracing Otherness, Embracing Myself Module 3.6: Looking at Illness Forum 3.7: Temporarily Able - Treating Mental Illness (Notes) + Field Experience (Orangutans) - Reviewing Treatment (Assignments) |
Week 10: Operant and Classical Conditioning
(Nov 2-6) Module 3.2: Understanding Classical Conditioning Forum 3.2: Getting Desired Results - Classical Conditioning (Notes) - Identifying Classical Conditioning (Assignments) + Field Experience (Jungle) Module 3.3: Understanding Operant Conditioning Forum 3.3: Differences between Conditionings Speaker: Behavior Training and Conditioning (B1- 8:00-8:30) - Operant Conditioning (Notes) Week 13: Discerning Right and Wrong
(Nov 23-27) Module 3.8: Moral Behavior Forum 3.8 : Doing What is Right - Ethics and Morality (Notes) - Ethics in Life (Assignment) Module 3.9: Test Day Forum 3.9: Best Methods for Review - Unit II Test - Behavior & Behavioral Modification |
Week 11: Behavioral Interventions
(Nov 9-13) Module 3.4: Using Conditioning Forum 3.4: Applications of Conditioning - Applications of Classical Conditioning (Notes) + Baby Albert Experiment + Field Experience (WKP) - Treating PTSD (Assignment) Module 3.5: Animals as Aids Forum 3.5: Value of Animals Speaker: Using Animals for Therapy + Field Experience (Sulla) + Nat Geo: How Rescue Dogs help Veterans |
Unit III Notes
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Unit III Assignments
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Unit IV - Building Environmental Empathy
UNIT INQUIRY QUESTION: What triggers people's emotions about the environment enough for them to actually take action?
Added Field Lab - Go take a photo that tells a story
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Week 14:
(Nov 30 - Dec 4) No School Weds-Fri Nov 21-23 (Thanksgiving) Module 2.7: Unit III Test - Unit II Test - Behavior & Behavioral Modification |
Week 15: Planning Period
(Dec 7-11) Module 4.1: Pre-Experience Research Forum 4.1: Field Experience: Seeing is Believing (Gorillas) TED Talk: The Power of Empathy - Helen Riess - Creating Environmental Empathy (Assignment) + Can Empathy Help Stop Climate Change? + Green with Empathy |
Week 16: Designing an Inquiry
(Dec 14-18) Module 4.2: Developing your Inquiry Forum 4.2: - Building a Research Question (Assignment) Project Workshop: Present research question and data points Module 4.3: Tools of Research |
Unit IV Notes |
Unit IV Assignments |
Behavioral Science Resources
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Behavioral Science Forum
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